Murder in the Art Gallery (A Pet Portraits Cozy Mystery Book 1)

by Sandi Scott

  This month’s cover model is Halia. What drew me to Halia was the brief, but impactful story his mom shared on Facebook.

  After some Facebook stalking...er...sleuthing (don’t we all do that nowadays?) I quickly put together that Karina’s son had served in the military and I knew this was the right choice. I asked Karina to share a bit more about Halia below.

  “Halia & my son, Patrick, were meant to find each other; destined to be together. Halia was a Humane Society dog considered difficult to place & was close to being euthanized. My son Patrick, who is now gone from this earth, was ill & in need of unconditional love and companionship.

  Patrick wasn't planning on taking any animals home with him the day he visited the Humane Society--he was "just looking." They caught each other's eye. Patrick saw a very reticent dog who distanced himself from the other noisy animals; until he saw Patrick. They somehow knew they needed one another. Halia came over to Patrick & immediately took to him--felt "at home" with him. Patrick felt the same way about Halia.

  Next thing Patrick knew, he, who wasn't planning on adopting, was walking out of there with his perfect companion; the one who stayed by his side until the day his illness finally caught up with him.

  I promised my son that I would take care of his dear Halia for him. Now, the two of us wait together until the day we can once again be with our dear Patrick.”

  Man, oh man. I’m crying (again!) reading that. What a beautiful story. Thank you so much to Karina and her family for sharing Halia with us. The dedication in the front of the book was written by Karina.

  To learn more about the cover model competitions for other books in the series, as well as information on how to enter your fur baby, visit http://www.sandiscottbooks.com/cover-models/

  Preview: Murder on the Great Lake

  The following is a preview of the next book (book 2) in the Pet Portraits Series.

  “My goodness, Mr. Batt. Your office is beautiful.” Georgie Kaye gushed as she stepped into the room, awkwardly carrying a 24”x 36” canvas wrapped in brown paper and tied with a piece of red yarn. “This is the first time I’ve ever set foot in a gym and, might I just say, I am pleasantly surprised at what I see.”

  “Really?” Richard Batt smiled. He towered over Georgie by at least two feet and even in the casual pair of jeans and t-shirt he was wearing his muscles bulged. “Here, let me help you with that. What did you expect my office to look like?” After jumping up from his desk, he helped Georgie in the most gentlemanly fashion, taking the canvas and laying it on his desk while motioning for her to sit.

  “I don’t know. I guess I expected it to be a small room with an old desk from the Truman era with those ugly green file cabinets and a beat-up, red leather couch held together with duct tape. I think I watch too many movies.” Georgie laughed.

  “You’d be surprised how many do look like that.” Richard replied laughing. “But when I first started Fit Family Gym I wanted it to be different. I wanted it to be welcoming. People hate exercising so I really wanted to make the gym into a fun, relaxing place to come and work your body.”

  “Well, you’ve definitely done that.” Georgie looked around the office. The first thing she noticed was the color scheme. She was surprised such an intimidating man would choose yellow as his primary color but three of the four walls of his office were a beautiful Sunflower Yellow. The fourth wall looked out into a small Zen garden with half a dozen bird feeders, and two elegant stained-glass birdbaths. A path of smooth black pebbles meandered through small, evenly trimmed patches of bright green grass and a handful of exotic bushes that to Georgie not only offered cover for the birds that were currently holding a town meeting in them, but added texture and interesting bits of purples and blues with their leaves. Richard did have a weight set and a treadmill in his personal space but they were secondary after the view and didn’t come across as intrusive pieces of exercise equipment but instead useful sculptures. “I think even I could work out in this room.”

  Richard chuckled.

  “A lot of people like the fact that I have the equipment in the various workout rooms facing natural landscapes instead of mirrors and television screens.” He boasted. “That was another thing I didn’t want. There is nothing wrong with families watching television together. But they can do that in their homes. When they come here it’s a chance to see new things. They will then, hopefully, see possibilities not only in themselves but in their surroundings as well.”

  If Georgie didn’t know Richard and saw him walking down the street she would probably clutch her purse a little tighter while keeping a bead on him from the corner of her eye. He had the tough look and strut of a bulldog. But since she did know him she was more than aware he was a big softy, despite his hard muscles and threatening facial features, and he was a gentle giant who loved his cat, Harley.

  “Well, I don’t want to keep you too long. Would you like to see Harley’s portrait?” Mary bubbled.

  “I’m dying to see it.” Richard smiled and pulled the red yarn bow. Gently pulling away the brown paper he stared at the oil painting until Georgie saw the glistening of tears in his eyes. “It’s so beautiful.”

  “I’m thrilled you like it.” She said softly. As much as she loved drawing and painting portraits of people’s pets, she really loved to see the reaction of their owners when they were happy with her work. This, to Georgie, was worth all the hours she put into painting Harley’s picture.

  “My gosh.” Richard sniffed. “You even got the darker green flecks in her eyes just right. It looks like I could reach into the canvas and pet her. This is going to look perfect at the front of the gym. You know, by my stone waterfall? I thought it would look perfect there.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.” Georgie replied. “I’m really proud of this one. But Harley deserves as much of the credit. She was an idea model with a wonderful temperament. Not all Persians are like that.”

  “She is a good kitty, isn’t she?” Richard wiped his eye and grinned.

  “Absolutely.”

  “Well, let me get your payment.” Richard strutted over to a small safe behind his desk that was also a minimalist’s dream, a simple glass top with four bamboo legs. He used a blue Pilates exercise ball as a chair. After a few seconds with the safe door open, he shook his head. He stood and pressed a button on the phone on his desk. An older woman in tip-top shape came into his office.

  “Yes, Richard.”

  “Marney, did you get to the bank yesterday?” Richard asked.

  “No, remember, I had to make sure the cruise director had the guest list and had left early.” Marney replied, smiling pleasantly at Georgie. “You had said you were going to go to the bank.”

  Richard snapped his fingers and shook his head.

  “That’s right. I did say that, didn’t I?” He looked sadly at Georgie. “I’m so sorry. I forgot to get petty cash yesterday. You see, we’ve got our conference tonight for the owners and managers and some of the members of the Fit Family Gym outlets in and around Chicago and the suburbs. It’s always a big deal because, and well, because it is, I didn’t go to the bank last night. I’m so stupid.” He slapped his forehead and slouched.

  “No.” Georgie put up her hand. “It’s an honest mistake.”

  With wide eyes Richard snapped his fingers.

  “I know. You’ll come to the dinner cruise tonight.” He beamed. “You’ll come as my special guest, have dinner, there will be music and dancing and…”

  “Will there be desserts?”

  “Of course.” Richard tilted his head to the right inquiringly.

  “Real desserts, right? Not tofu or flourless cakes? But real sugar, calories, and all that good stuff.” She winked at Richard.

  He folded his arms over his massive chest and chuckled.

  “Absolutely.”

  “My sister will be so jealous.” Georgie giggled.

  “Why don’t you bring her with?” Richard suggested. “If she doesn’t mind being out on
Lake Michigan for a three hour tour. I’m dating myself using that phrase.”

  Georgie clapped, “That sounds like a real treat.” She smiled as smoothed out the front of her blouse. “My sister Aleta will be just as thrilled to come as I am.

  Richard gave Georgie all the details of where to park at the pier and emphasized that she should make sure she and her sister were aboard the cruise ship, Catherine O’Leary, before they set sail for the open water on the lake.

  “I will not wear that hat.” Aleta shook her head and pulled her lips down at the corners. “I’m not a hat person. Especially a hat with a bumblebee the size of a hamster on it.”

  “Come on.” Georgie teased her sister as they went through Georgie’s closet. “We’ll be out on open water. It’s a cruise ship. Let loose a little.”

  “What does being on a cruise ship have to do with letting loose?” Aleta eyeballed a bright pink blazer made out of raincoat material. “Where on earth would you wear this?”

  “The question should be where wouldn’t I wear that? I wouldn’t wear it on a cruise ship.” Georgie said as she pulled from her closet a loose fitting navy blue linen shirt with silk flowers of varying sized stitched randomly around the collar and hem with tiny rhinestone buds in the centers.

  “Do tell why this is not cruise ship worthy.” Aleta probed deeper into her sister’s closet and pulled out a crisp white blouse she held up to herself.

  “The mojo just isn’t right. It gives off the wrong kind of vibe. This, on the other hand, is perfect.” Georgie held up the blue linen blouse against a pair of wide legged, off-white linen pants and topped it off with a pair of purple platform shoes that gave Georgie an extra three-inch height advantage over her sister.

  “I’m going to steal this blouse.” Aleta stated.

  “Yes! That will look lovely. Would you like the gold lame pants that go with it? You’ll look stunning.”

  “Gold lame? Who are you talking to? No. I don’t want the gold lame pants that go with this. I’ve got a nice pair of navy blue slacks that will look fine.”

  “Can you believe your auntie, Bodhi?” Georgie looked down at her pug dog Bodhi who had made himself comfortable in the middle of her bed, as usual. He lifted his eyes making the sea of wrinkles on his forehead that much deeper but he didn’t raise his head. “She’s such a fuddy-duddy.”

  Bodhi let out a snort in reply.

  Once the women were dressed, they couldn’t have looked more different. Aleta, who had been a successful financial advisor until she retired, passing the business to her daughter, Emily, always dressed impeccably. The shoes matched the purse. The jewelry was classic pearls or gold and her ensembles were simple, conservative and always impeccable. She could be compared to a single rose in a slender vase next to her sister who was like a bouquet of wildflowers in a rustic coffee tin.

  “Did I tell you that Richard said they will have desserts there?” Georgie reassured her sister as she locked her front door.

  “I hope it isn’t sugar free or made with tofu.” Aleta yelled as she walked to her home next door and locked her front door. “Do we have to take Pablo? Don’t you want to ride in my car?”

  “I had Pablo washed. Look at how nice he looks.” Georgie walked to her orange vintage Volkswagen and patted the smooth, curved roof. “Besides, parking is on the street. You don’t want to leave your Mercedes there. And no, I asked Richard before I agreed to go if the desserts were ‘real’ desserts or some healthy version of the good stuff.”

  The ladies climbed into Pablo with a rusty squeal of the door hinges plus two kicks from the exhaust as the engine sputtered to life and they were on their way.

  “Okay, well, that will make being seen with you worth it, I suppose.” Aleta teased. “And he said he’d pay you once you got there? Let’s make sure of that. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt that he might have forgotten but usually, the only people that forget about paying a debt are people who don’t ever plan on paying.”

  “My goodness, Aleta, not everyone is out to get something for nothing. Besides, I believe him when he says he forgot.”

  “It’s something I learned the hard way when I ran the business. I’m looking out for my baby sister.”

  “I’m not the baby. You are. I was born two whole minutes before you and don’t you forget it.”

  “So this is a cruise for a fitness franchise? That’s interesting. I was considering joining a gym. Not to get bulked up or anything but to stay active, keep moving, you know?” Aleta nodded as she spoke.

  “Richard’s gyms specialize in not only making your body healthy but your mind, too. His gyms don’t really resemble your average gym. They have all the equipment of your average gym but there are no televisions or mirrors, the music is upbeat but meditative and each room has one whole wall that is made of windows so the members can look out onto the Zen gardens he has purposely designed around his buildings. It’s really quite unconventional.”

  “Do his gyms have pools?” Aleta asked.

  “I think so.”

  “Then that is all I need. Maybe I’ll sign up. On the condition you get your money, first.”

  Coming Soon!

  Join my readers group to get early access to the book as well as a two free books from my other series, Seagrass Sweets.

  www.SandiScottBooks.com/FreeBook

  Preview: Cream Puff Murder

  The following is a preview of book one in my other series, Seagrass Sweets Cozy Mysteries. It is currently available for free at all major ebook retailers.

  “Go forth, wee delectable ones, and bring joy unto the influential women of the world.”

  Ashley Adams beamed as she placed the final strawberry garnish on her crème brûlée fleet. Stepping back to admire her work of culinary art, she was momentarily distracted by the waiters, silently carrying platters of her chocolate éclairs, coconut macaroons and other sweets out into the banquet hall.

  While she gazed at her masterpiece, her thoughts turned to her recent bout of luck in securing the catering contract for Seagrass’s annual Women of Influence awards banquet. Even though she had her old friend Ryan to thank for the introduction, she knew that it was her and Patty’s collective expertise in French cuisine that had cinched the deal. Growing up in Seagrass, she never dreamed of even entering the elegant Gulf Coast Women’s Club, let alone catering a major event there.

  As her thoughts wandered over how her new life back in Seagrass had been coming together more easily than anticipated, she noticed her show-stopping croquembouche, a cone tower of heavenly cream puffs adorned with divine, edible flowers and perfectly spun caramel, carried precariously by the waiter, making Ashley wince in barely-restrained horror. Crossing her fingers, she hoped he had better balance than she did as she did her best not to follow and fuss at him, while Patty stood at the other kitchen door window, shaking her head disapprovingly.

  “Who knew we’d find more gourmands at the Women of Influence banquet than that high school football awards ceremony?” Patty checked the state of her tight bun in a mirror, even though her pale blonde locks wouldn’t dare allow a strand to spring out of place. “Why spend all this time making the best crab cakes and beef wellington they could ever taste if it goes straight from fork to gullet?”

  Ashley smiled at Patty’s disgruntled face. A Francophile in her mid-fifties, Patty had brought more than her world-renowned talent as chef when she left Paris to come to Seagrass; her French manners hung on her like an expensive fur coat.

  “They’re career women, Patty, like you,” said Ashley. “Probably just starving from all that hard work.”

  Patty’s scowl broke out into a small smile. Just like Ashley’s decadent chocolate truffles, she was all soft, sweet, and gooey inside, once you got past her hard, outer shell.

  “Hard work?” Patty scoffed. “They’ve been sipping cocktails on beach chairs all day. Well, after all that lounging and gourmanding, maybe the exhaustion will slow them down for dessert. Your pastries are too
delicious not to relish.”

  Ashley tried to suppress the rush of pleasure she felt at Patty’s compliment. She knew if she blushed, Patty would only scold her and warn her not to let it go to her head.

  Though they were far from the French kitchen of L'Oiseau Bleu where they met, they were both very proud and enthusiastic about offering fine dining to the community of Seagrass, Texas. Patty, owner of the French cuisine catering company The Southern Bird, and Ashley, with her French dessert catering company Seagrass Sweets, were the perfect partners and did most of their jobs together.

  “Glad you left your quaint flat in the 13th arrondissement to return home?” Patty asked with a comical fluttering of her lashes. They both knew that by “quaint flat” Patty meant small, expensive dump of an apartment.

  “Of course.I’m finally building my dream in a place I love instead of trying to love a place I never quite fit. How about you? Was taking a risk on an intern pâtissière and opening a catering business worth leaving Paris behind?”

  Patty shrugged playfully and smiled. “We’ll see.”

  “Oh, come on. French cuisine catering here in Seagrass—where BBQ reigns supreme.You’ve already received rave reviews in the local fine dining magazines. You’re my hero.”

  “Really? How about you? Your own French dessert catering business—so soon. Look at us now —we’re hot in the culinary community. Two women in charge of their own companies.”

  Ashley giggled, dizzy with the whole scenario. “You’re giving me chills, Patty.”

  They both laughed as they continued with last minute preparations and details.

  The sound of a woman’s voice could be heard through the swinging doors. Up on the stage, the president of the Gulf Coast Housing Association, Hope McCay, was speaking at the podium. A childhood friend of Ashley’s, she was still a self-described “redhead unafraid to wear red lipstick.” She was talking about the preservation of the Gulf Coast and Seagrass, interspersed with applause and occasional cheers of encouragement from the audience.