Noreen opened the door. It was darker than usual inside. Missy wondered why Noreen had closed the curtains and kept the lights dim. She stepped into the tea room—
“SURPRISE!”
Missy nearly had a heart attack.
Do Re Tea was filled with people she knew from Grove City. The tea room was decorated with streamers and confetti and it took her brain a moment to process what one of the banners said.
Congratulations Missy & Tyler
Noreen was throwing her an engagement party.
Missy looked back at her best friend and gave her a big hug. Missy hated being the center of attention, but really appreciated all the trouble Noreen had gone to. The two women cried happy tears as they hugged.
“How did you get this set up so quickly?” Missy asked.
“I knew how much you’d gone through and thought it was important we have a big celebration. It just seemed right. And perfect timing too. They sentenced Krauss this morning, I heard.”
Missy nodded, her mind drifting to the chemistry teacher.
Emile Krauss had remained friends with Tonya ever since their break-up. When he’d heard about the tea room, he went to work researching various brewing methods. He’d wanted to help Tonya in a way only he knew how—through chemistry. After experimenting in his own basement, Krauss had approached Tonya with many ideas for improving the brewing process. This would translate into a unique taste that would not raise costs significantly and would give her an advantage over other local tea rooms and coffee shops.
According to Krauss, Tonya had been very receptive to the idea and had implied he’d get a piece of the ownership in exchange, but at the eleventh hour she’d reneged on that deal. Of course by then, the genie was already out of the bottle. He’d shown Tonya what to do, so she had the benefit of his knowledge without giving anything up.
In addition to that, Krauss claimed that their romantic relationship was beginning to reform. According to him, they spent many late nights together working on ways to improve the process.
Missy doubted very much that things were heating up between Tonya and Krauss, as Tonya had been in the middle of a big triangle with Grant and Roger. But Krauss swore to it.
When Tonya refused to bring him in to the business, reneging on an implied deal, and had coldly rejected his advances, Krauss had had enough. As he told Detectives Evanski and Bryant, he’d been on the Tonya roller-coaster one too many times, and these insults and injuries would be the last. Sure, she had saved his life by getting him into AA. But it was Tonya in the first place that had put him there. And then when he’d tried to repay the favor by improving her bottom line, she had taken his knowledge without offering anything in return.
Though Krauss’s story was told in the most favorable light to himself, Missy also didn’t doubt that Tonya had been underhanded with him. She’d been unfaithful to her long-term boyfriend with her cad of an ex-husband, and clearly she’d gotten something out of Krauss. Missy would never know the whole truth here—nobody would—but it was time to move on. Along with her best friend, she had a tea room to run.
Missy pushed all the ugly thoughts of Krauss and Tonya away. She saw Tyler work his way through the crowd, a big grin on his face.
“What are you doing here?” Missy asked. “You brave, brave man.”
It was a roomful of women, but Tyler looked comfortable enough.
“I want to see what kind of wedding gifts we get,” he whispered and followed it up with a wink.
She kissed him and they embraced to a chorus of ohhhh’s and ahhhh’s.
“Alright, alright. Enough.” Noreen pulled them apart. “Let’s get this party started.”
Noreen forced Missy into a high-backed chair in the middle of the room, while tea and coffee cake were served. Then began the long ritual of opening presents. Noreen took notes to keep track of the gifts and the givers.
Missy laughed harder than she had in a long time, all day long. During a quiet moment, Noreen pulled her aside.
“So did you ever figure out who put Tonya’s sorority pin in your house?” Noreen asked.
Missy smiled ruefully. “My first thought was Alison.”
“Alison Breckmyer?” Noreen couldn’t believe it.
“She stopped over one night out of the blue. She pretended like it was a social visit, but she was there to question me.”
“What? She was Missy DeMeanor-ing the one and only Missy DeMeanor?”
Missy laughed. “Yeah. She went inside to use the bathroom, and Cody started acting strange. That dog has great radar.”
“You can say that again.” Noreen shook her head. “So she was just looking to frame you because…?”
Missy nodded. “I know, I know. It doesn’t make sense unless Alison is mental. And even if Alison is crazy enough to want to frame me, she’d have to get her hands on the pin somehow—and how does she do that?”
“Right.”
“There was another person who thought I killed Tonya and was probably looking to help the cops out.”
“Beth,” Noreen said.
Missy nodded. “Tonya’s sister seemed crazy enough to plant evidence, and she was around Tonya right after…Beth could have taken the pin easily.”
“But how did she get it into your house?” Noreen asked.
“She didn’t.” Missy held up her purse. “She bumped into me after the viewing and almost yanked my purse out of my hands. She probably used the bump to distract me.”
“What a…” Noreen shook her head.
“It’s impossible to prove,” Missy said. “Beth could always just say that the pin must have fallen out of her hand or off her clothes and that it was an accident. So what are you going to do?”
When Missy thought she was done with the presents, Tyler came up to her. He had a sly grin on his face, like he had something up his sleeve.
“I know that look,” Missy said.
“I got you something too,” he said.
She shook her head. “You didn’t have to give me anything, Tyler.”
“I wanted to.”
“I can’t believe how lucky I am.”
“Luck is the residue of design,” he said. “I know you didn’t feel like you solved Tonya’s murder, but if it weren’t for you, the police wouldn’t have been able to put all the pieces together and arrest Krauss.”
She smiled. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”
“I mean it,” he said. “You would be in jail right now, if you had just sat down and done nothing about it. I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Tyler.” She gave him another peck. “Now what’s this present I keep hearing about?”
He laughed. Tyler raised his arms. “This.”
“What?” She didn’t understand. “You got me something invisible?”
“No.” He laughed again. “The tea room.”
She was speechless. “What are you talking about?”
“I saved up over the years, and with the sale of the house I have enough so you can buy in.”
“Tyler…”
“Before you protest, just let me say this. Shut up.”
She did a double-take. “Excuse me?”
He kissed her hard before she could follow-up with any questions or protests. It made her a little dizzy.
He smirked when he pulled away. “I said, shut up. I want to do this for you, so that’s the end of it. You’re your own boss, Melissa.”
“I love you, Tyler Brock.”
**************
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Exercise Expired is the sixth story in the Missy DeMeanor Cozy Mystery Series, but these books can be enjoyed in any order. However, if you absolutely prefer to read series in order, please start with Flea Market Fatal.
The big wedding day is fast-approaching. Joining her friends from WiredFit for a long weekend exercise getaway, Missy is determined to drop those stubborn last ten pounds and look her best for her fianc�
�, Tyler Brock. After working her tail off at the new tea shop non-stop, it's the perfect opportunity to step back and take some much needed time for herself.
But anywhere Missy goes, mystery is never far behind!
And when a woman she’s just met turns up dead at this remote camp, Missy starts asking questions. The dead woman had contentious relationships with nearly everyone there. At first, her death looks accidental but then Missy's not so sure ...
Exercise Expired is a cozy mystery with plenty of twists, turns, humor, and a little bit of romance.
EXERCISE EXPIRED
Brianna Bates
Chapter One
Melissa, a.k.a. Missy, DeMeanor looked at her profile in the full-length mirror. Alone in the locker room, she felt comfortable checking herself out. She looked the best she had in years. Since the engagement, she’d kept up with her exercise regimen at WiredFit while also working her tail off at Do Re Tea, the new tea shop she owned with her best friend, Noreen. They worked pretty much around the clock at Do Re Tea, and were always on their feet. There was no time to sit down and snack—no opportunity for unconscious eating which had always been her downfall.
The last ten pesky pounds, however, would just not go away. That stubborn layer of flab across her belly and extra padding along her hips refused to leave.
“Looking great, Miss,” said Marie. “Tyler won’t be able to keep his hands off you.”
Instinctively, Missy turned away from the mirror and reached for her top. It had taken a long time to get comfortable in her skin while she was wearing clothes, but standing around in a locker room in spandex and a sports bra was a different story.
“That man already can’t keep his hands off me,” Missy said, thinking back to last night when Tyler had come late from the police station and woken her up. Her knees felt a little weak thinking about it.
Marie laughed. “You’re lucky. It’s been three weeks for me and Rob.”
Missy couldn’t believe it. “No way.”
“He works so hard, and we’re on different schedules. It just happens.”
Marie had been with Rob for only six months, so Missy was surprised to hear their nocturnal life had slowed down. She and Tyler couldn’t go more than a couple days without attacking each other.
Missy pulled on an old, formless t-shirt that used to be snug but now hung loosely on the sides. She still couldn’t believe she’d managed to lose all this weight.
“What’s the workout of the night?” Missy asked.
Marie got changed quickly. “Wind sprints, hangs, then burpees.”
“Those are literally my least three favorite exercises.”
Missy and Marie went out to the floor, where everybody else was congregating. Missy walked briskly on the treadmill and windmilled her arms to get the blood flowing. When she was younger, she had played sports because they were fun and though she was always winded they never felt like exercise to her.
The gym, on the other hand, had never been fun. She had tried several over the years, managing to stick with them at most for a few months before either boredom conquered her or life took over.
It wasn’t until recently, on a murder investigation of all things, that she’d given WiredFit a try. Every workout was brutal, but there was plenty of variety to keep things interesting. And she had become good friends with the core group of people there, which helped a lot. In a very short time, she’d done things she never would have thought herself capable of—like literally holding a barbell over her head and managing a couple pull-ups!
The owner and head trainer of the gym, Anastasia Monroe, hurried into the gym. The woman was solid muscle. She had muscles where Missy didn’t know there could be any. The veins in her biceps stuck out. And she took no prisoners when it came to pushing the group to do more. She competed in something every month, whether it was powerlifting, or strong woman, or urban challenges … next month she was leading a team from WiredFit at the Celtic Games where she would run six miles up steep, muddy hills and toss cabers and throw hammers. Several members would compete in the overall competition as well, which included many of the Olympic lifts.
“Alright, everybody, it’s time to go!” she announced. “We have to get ready for the Games!”
Anastasia stalked through the crowd and stopped in front of Missy at the treadmill.
“Hey, Miss.” She smiled, which itself was a body-building pose showing off every muscle in her face. “I took the liberty of signing you up.”
Missy nearly fell off the treadmill. “Excuse me?”
“For the Games. You said you wanted to do it.”
Missy put her feet on the sides of the treadmill but kept the belt whirling. “Yes … as in someday. I’ve never run more than three miles in my life!”
“Good thing you’re coming with us this weekend then to get ready!” Anastasia patted her hand. “Look, Missy, I wouldn’t have signed you up if I didn’t think you were ready.”
“But the Games are …” Missy searched for any excuse. “They’re on a weekend. That’s our busiest time at the tea room.”
Anastasia nodded. “That’s why I called Noreen and cleared it with her first.”
“But …” Missy was terrified at the prospect of doing a six-mile mud run. Seriously, that was twice as far as she’d ever run before.
“What am I always saying?” Anastasia started stretching. She bent and twisted and turned and despite all her muscle, the woman was also incredibly flexible. Missy watched in awe as Anastasia bent at the waist, kept her legs straight, and put both palms easily on the floor.
“You can always do more than you think,” Missy said. “But, seriously, Anastasia, I’m not ready for this. Last thing I need is to hurt myself doing something stupid—we’re really busy at the shop and I can’t miss any time there.”
Anastasia completed her stretch and bounced right back like she was on springs. “Marie will be there and promised to keep an eye on you.”
Missy turned and glared at Marie, who gave her an evil smile and a tiny little wave.
“You are dead,” Missy said.
“Okay, let’s get a move on!” Anastasia announced. “On the mills, everybody!”
Missy stayed where she was, and Marie stepped onto the treadmill next to her.
Missy shot her a look. “In case you didn’t hear me, I said—”
“I’m dead.” Marie smirked. “Got it.”
“I’m serious. I am not ready for this.”
Marie gave her a look. “Yes, you are. Look how far you’ve come since you started, Miss.”
“I’ve never run more than three miles.”
“Not true.” Marie winked at her. “We ran almost four miles that one time.”
Missy sighed. “Okay, that was one time. And it was more like three-and-a-half.”
“Three-and-a-half or four, it’s a rounding error.” Marie smirked again.
“I am going to kill you.”
“Everybody, ready?” Anastasia said.
The entire class made noise. The men grunted, the women screamed, Marie wailed, but Missy was too distracted by the thought of the Celtic Games next month. She had a lot of work in front of her if she was going to run six hilly miles!
Marie leaned over. “You’ll feel a lot better after our retreat this weekend. You’ll see.”
“First sprint coming up!” Anastasia bellowed.
Missy punched in her speed and waited for the countdown to hit ENTER.
“Three, two, one!” Anastasia yelled. “Let’s go!”
Missy hit the button and the belt sped up. They did sprints for a full minute, rested a minute, then got back on the treadmill. And this was only the first exercise.
“Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go!” Anastasia clapped and urged everyone on. She sprinted the first thirty seconds then hopped off her treadmill and moved down the row.
“Good! Good! Great, Marie!”
Missy had run a lot for sports, but had never thought of her form before se
tting foot inside this gym. Anastasia slid between her treadmill and Marie’s to watch them from the back.
Missy felt self-conscious while Anastasia watched her run. She didn’t like being the center of anybody’s attention, with the exception of Tyler, her soon-to-be-husband. Anastasia moved on without saying anything to Missy. What did that mean? Was she running incorrectly? How could anybody run incorrectly? It was supposed to be a natural motion, something you did without thinking.
The first minute ticked by, and Missy jumped off the treadmill to let someone else get their sprint in. She breathed heavily and groaned at the thought of doing seven more.
“Hey, Miss.”
Anastasia rushed over.
“What am I doing wrong?” Missy asked.
Anastasia smiled. “I wouldn’t say you’re doing it wrong. But you’re running with a heel-strike.”
“I’m sorry?”
Anastasia nodded. “Listen, I had a great coach in high school that explained running to me very simply. I hope I can do the same for you.” Anastasia thought hard. “Running is a controlled fall. And while we evolved, we didn’t have sneakers. Are you with me so far?”
“Not really.” Missy breathed hard.
“Okay, listen. Our ancestors didn’t have sneakers. How do you think they ran?”
“Very fast, to get away from anything that would eat them.”
“Yes! Exactly! Yes. Listen. Your foot was designed to absorb shock. The arch—” Anastasia cupped her hand and turned it palm-down. “The arch is the strongest support structure in nature. That’s what your foot is designed to do. Absorb impact through the arch.”
“Okay …” Missy didn’t know what Anastasia was getting at.
“Listen.” Anastasia realized another minute had passed. “Okay, everybody, swap out. Missy, let’s talk after this set.”
Missy got onto the treadmill for another grueling minute of sprinting. She hadn’t felt this tired the last time they did sprints, but then again she hadn’t tried running this quickly last time either. So she cut herself some slack.
Her form got really sloppy during the last five seconds, and she practically fell off the treadmill.
Missy DeMeanor Cozy Mysteries Boxset Page 68