Murdering the Roses (A Heavenly Highland Inn Cozy Mystery)

by Bell, Cindy

  “Hello? Vicky?” he asked quickly. Then he held the phone away from his ear as he heard someone shout.

  “Get down, they're going to shoot!”

  “Vicky?” he shouted into the phone, his voice full of alarm. “Are you there? Where are you? Who's shooting at you?” he was desperate for information.

  That got the sheriff's attention. He marched over to Mitchell and began listening in on the conversation. Finally a voice came back on the line.

  “Hello is this Mitchell?” Aunt Ida asked, sounding very confused and aggravated.

  “Yes, I'm here,” Mitchell said quickly, relieved to hear that she wasn't terrified. “Where are you? Is Vicky with you?” he fired off his questions swiftly.

  “Tell him about the twins,” Mitchell heard Vicky call out in the background. “They need to know there are two!”

  “Listen Mitchell, do you remember that good looking young fellow Timothy?” Aunt Ida asked as if they were settling into some beauty shop gossip.

  “Yes, Ida, are you safe? Where are you?” he asked more firmly this time. He could tell something terrible was happening but the woman on the phone was acting as if everything was fine.

  “Well, as it turns out there are two of them, twins,” Ida laughed into the phone. “Isn't that amazing?”

  “Tell him we're near the inn!” Vicky shouted desperately. “We need help, Mitchell!” She couldn't drive and talk on the phone at the same time but Aunt Ida was taking things too lightly.

  “They're near the inn,” Mitchell told Sheriff McDonnell who immediately began to radio for cars.

  “Are you in danger?” Mitchell asked as he ran out of the police station and towards his cruiser. There was no way he wasn't going to get as close as possible to them. “What's happening right now?”

  “Vicky is driving like a lunatic,” Aunt Ida explained calmly. “But that's only because one of those boys is pointing a gun out of his car window at us!”

  “I need a location,” Mitchell said desperately as he started his cruiser and began driving in the direction of the inn. He was definitely not obeying the speed limit.

  “Well, I can't really say where we are, we're driving so fast,” Aunt Ida attempted to explain as the truck bumped over some patches in the road.

  “Can you get back to the inn?” Mitchell asked hopefully, it was the one place he knew that they could find in the myriad of dirt roads and roads that weren't even identified on the map. “We have cars going out there right now. If you can get back to the inn then you'll have some help,” his voice was trembling as he felt he was too far away to be of any real help.

  “We can try!” Aunt Ida replied and then turned to Vicky. “He wants us to get back to the inn, he said police are on their way to help us,” now her voice was shaking slightly, as if the danger of the situation was just beginning to set in.

  So far the twins had not taken a shot at the truck, but Vicky knew that if they evaded them much longer they would. The truck would not serve as any kind of shield from the bullets and the twins were not likely to give up. After all with the amount of money they were after they certainly wouldn't care about two more murders.

  Vicky turned hard to catch the street that would lead them back to the inn. Luckily the twins missed the turn and Vicky was able to get some distance between them. She had the gas pedal to the floor when the engine began to sputter. The old truck was about ready to give out. She could see the inn in the distance rising up against the mid-morning sky. Never before in her life had she been so desperate to get to it. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. Now would not be the time to lose control of the truck.

  “We're heading that way,” she called into the phone that her Aunt held up for her to speak into. “So far they're not shooting, but they are definitely armed.”

  Meanwhile, the sheriff was running the information they had on Timothy. It was sketchy at best, but when run with the new information of Timothy having a twin brother, they came up with a match. In fact, it was an identical match of a man who was a Bob’s cell mate. A man who had been charged in the past with crimes related to murder for hire. The sheriff was being driven by one of the rookie officers to the inn when he got on the radio to all cars available.

  “We are dealing with some very dangerous individuals, who are reported to be armed. Please proceed with extreme caution, and remember we have civilians in the middle of all this, so be careful what you are shooting at!” He then looked over at the rookie officer and barked at him, “can't you drive any faster?”

  As Vicky drew closer to the inn she could see the flashing lights of police cars against its stoic walls. She felt a slight sense of relief, but that relief disappeared when the twins' car began ramming them from behind. They must have seen the flashing lights as well and were trying their hardest to run the truck off the road before it could reach the inn.

  “Aunt Ida we're going to crash,” Vicky warned, her voice shaking as she spoke. “I can't keep the truck on the road much longer!”

  Just then she heard the squeal of tires and the sound of gunshots. She closed her eyes briefly, expecting to feel the pain of a bullet at any moment, but when she opened them she was still pulling into the long driveway that led up to the inn. The twins' car was no longer ramming them from behind. She dared a look in the rear view mirror and saw that a police cruiser had pulled up behind the twins' vehicle and taken out both of its back tires. The car had spun off into the ditch beside the driveway. The driver of the cruiser emerged with his gun drawn.

  “It's Mitchell!” she cried out with relief as the truck sputtered into the parking lot of the inn before finally giving out. The truck was immediately surrounded by police cars that were waiting for them. Officers jumped out to escort the two women from the truck.

  “He needs back up!” Vicky announced with desperation in her voice, but other cars had already driven up behind Mitchell's, including Sheriff McDonnell's. Several officers were pointing their weapons at the twins' car. The two men began climbing out of the car as Vicky and Aunt Ida were whisked to safety within the inn's walls by two police officers.

  “What a ride!” Aunt Ida cried out with glee as she peered out the front window to see what was happening. Vicky was anxiously watching to see if Mitchell was safe.

  She watched as the twins surrendered their weapons to the officers and then lay down in the driveway to be cuffed. They knew there was no way to get out of the situation now. As soon as Vicky was sure they were in custody she rushed out of the inn. Aunt Ida followed right after her.

  “Do you have any idea how much danger the two of you were in?” Sheriff McDonnell demanded as soon as the two brothers were escorted away to a waiting police cruiser. All of the officers were now congregated in the parking lot of the inn.

  “Of course we do,” Aunt Ida said as she furrowed one perfectly thin eyebrow. “We were there you know. I bet you don't even know that youngster threatened to kill me, and,” she gasped and lowered her voice. “He called me an old lady!” She pursed her lips and tilted her chin upward, then cast her gaze towards the sheriff as if she was a fashion model. “Now, do I look old to you Sheriff McDonnell?” she asked.

  The sheriff looked a little flustered to have her attention lavished on him in such a way. “Ah well, no, you don't Ida, not at all. Just as beautiful as you've always been, I have to say,” his ruddy cheeks grew redder with blush as he glanced away. Despite the fact that Vicky had just been through one of the most terrifying experiences of her life, she couldn't help but smile at her Aunt’s antics. She was the ultimate flirt, and could charm any man that set eyes on her.

  “Vicky!” Mitchell came running up to her and without thought to the fact that Sheriff McDonnell was watching him, he threw his arms around her waist and drew her close to him. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” he stared so deeply into her eyes that Vicky was more than a little taken back.

  “I'm fine,” she assured him as her heart fluttered slightly and she began to fe
el comforted by his muscular arms around her. “Thanks to you, of course.”

  “I'm sorry,” he said, suddenly recalling his role as a deputy sheriff. He reluctantly released her and stepped away with an apologetic frown. “I should have answered when you called, I wish I would have, and then maybe none of this would have happened.”

  “That was my fault,” Sheriff McDonnell said sternly. “I ordered him not to answer the phone because I thought you would distract him.”

  Vicky narrowed her eyes at the sheriff. Although he was finally there when they needed him, she still wasn't a fan.

  “Well maybe instead of being so worried about how distracting I might be, you should have paid closer attention to what a fantastic deputy sheriff you have,” she said sternly. “If it wasn't for him finally answering the phone, Aunt Ida and I would probably still be in big trouble.”

  Sheriff McDonnell nodded remorsefully. He stopped short of apologizing, but the look in his eyes showed he knew that he had made a mistake.

  “He is a very fine deputy,” he admitted with a hint of pride in his voice. “Do you two have any idea what these two men were after?” he asked darkly.

  “No!” Aunt Ida whistled as she tucked her hands into the pockets of her jacket to hide the money she still had stashed there.

  “Yes,” Vicky countered, offering her aunt a scathing glare. “Aunt Ida, we have to tell them the truth.”

  Ida scowled, but nodded in agreement.

  “There's a box in the truck,” Vicky explained with a sigh. “We dug it up from the garden. Inside I believe you will find the missing money from whatever crime Bob committed.”

  “It turns out Bob was a cell mate of one of the twins,” the sheriff replied as some of the officers went to the truck to begin inspecting the box and its contents. “That is why he had the same tattoo as Bob. It's a prison tattoo. Only one twin has it.”

  “Ma'am, could you please empty your pockets,” one of the officers asked Aunt Ida in the most respectful tone he could muster.

  Aunt Ida sighed and nodded reluctantly. “I was just keeping it safe,” she smiled sweetly as she handed over the stacks of money to the officers.

  Vicky smiled affectionately as she shook her head at her Aunt. She also watched to make sure all of the stacks of money were returned.

  “You two were amazing,” Mitchell said with genuine astonishment. “You cracked the case. If it were not for you, we might never have caught these two, and they could be off living on the stolen money.”

  “No, they were not amazing,” the sheriff corrected with a fierce scowl. “There's nothing amazing about putting their lives on the line and interfering with police work.”

  Aunt Ida rolled her eyes and gave the sheriff a light pat on his bicep. “Now Sheriff, it's okay that you didn't figure it out, it was a very complicated case after all. Who would have guessed twins?”

  The sheriff was not appeased by her words in any way, and patted the handcuffs on his belt lightly.

  “Next time you two pull a stunt like this, I'll make sure you're in handcuffs,” he warned with such a damning glare, that Vicky did not doubt that he meant every word.

  “Next time?” Vicky gasped and shook her head firmly. “Hopefully there won't be a next time!”

  Sheriff McDonnell cracked a smile at Vicky's words. “Now that this case is solved, I hope that things will go back to normal around here. I'm a little too old for all this action!”

  “Not me!” Aunt Ida declared as she laughed and hugged Vicky around her neck. “I had the time of my life!”

  Sarah pulled into the driveway just in time to see the police cruiser with the two criminals in it drive away.

  “What in the world happened here?” she asked as she rushed up to her sister and aunt. “Is everyone okay?”

  “It's a very long story,” Vicky sighed as she smiled at Mitchell. “But the important thing is that we're all safe, and the inn should be free from police soon, right?”

  Mitchell glanced at the sheriff for an answer.

  He frowned. “We'll need to do a final collection of evidence, but that should be done by this afternoon. So I suppose we can be out of your hair by tomorrow.”

  Vicky sighed with relief. Even though she had just gone through a terrifying experience, the bride who was waiting to have the most wonderful day of her life, was still on her mind. She couldn't wait to make the call that would let her know that her wedding was in the clear. As she dialed the number Aunt Ida was busy filling in all the details for Sarah.

  “In a hail of bullets, I'm telling you, this one was driving like a fiend!” Aunt Ida exaggerated as she slipped her arm through Sarah's. Sarah glanced with concern in Vicky's direction but Vicky only shook her head.

  “They never actually fired at us Sarah, we're okay. It's all going to be fine now.” Just then the bride answered the phone. “Yes Jennifer, I just wanted to let you know that everything is still on for this weekend. Don't worry, there won't be any sign of police presence, everything will be perfect,” she assured her. When she hung up the phone her smile had faded.

  “What's wrong, did she cancel?” Mitchell asked her as he stood beside her.

  “No, but I do have a bit of a problem,” she said as she glanced at him.

  “What is it?” he asked as if he would bend over backwards to do anything to help her.

  “She's invited me to be a guest at the wedding, I just don't have a date,” she cleared her throat slightly.

  “I like weddings,” Mitchell volunteered and arched an eyebrow. “Unless you'd rather take Henry.”

  Vicky laughed at that idea. It felt good to laugh after so much tension.

  “Then Mitchell, will you be my date this Saturday?” she asked.

  “Yes I will,” he replied and slid an arm around her waist. “I would be honored.”

  Chapter Six

  The garden looked beautiful. In addition to all of the colorful blossoms that lined the long, cobblestone pathway, there were carefully tied ribbons in the pale rose shade that the bride had chosen to match her bridesmaids’ dresses. The sky was a pure and clear blue, as if it was ready to celebrate the day right along with the multitude of guests that were attending. The lush, green property around the inn was once more pristine and magical. There was no sign of the police tape that had roped off the garden just a few days before.

  Vicky had been very careful to make sure that there was no evidence left behind, no memory of the terrible event that had taken place. She had even hired a new gardener to come in and make sure that the weeds were cleared and the numerous plants had been nourished as best as they could be. Even though a part of her still regretted hiring Bob in the first place, she felt a special sense of gratitude that she had been able to help solve his murder. She still believed that no matter what crimes Bob had committed he shouldn't have had to die in such a traumatic way.

  Vicky was adorned in a simple burgundy dress that draped from a roman neck to a loose sweep against the cobblestone. Aunt Ida had helped her to select the garment. Sarah had stood by, offering her votes of approval on both the dress and the up do that Vicky's brown locks had been pinned into. Her deep green eyes seemed to match perfectly with the rich hues of the garden that surrounded her. As stunning as she looked, Vicky still felt a little nervous about seeing Mitchell again. They had called and texted a few times since he had come to her rescue, but she still had to wonder if it had all been just a day on the job for him. She couldn't deny that something new was stirring within her, a desire for Mitchell to want to spend more time with her. It was something she hadn't expected, and had just come out of the blue.

  "You look amazing," a voice said from just behind her. Vicky turned around with a slow smile as she recognized the voice.

  "Thank you Mitchell," she replied as she drank in the sight of him in a dark blue suit. She rarely had the chance to see him out of uniform, and he was even more handsome in her opinion.

  "Thanks for inviting me," he said with a murmu
r as he stepped up beside her. "Everything looks beautiful."

  He wasn't looking at the garden. His striking, blue eyes were gazing directly into hers.

  "Shall we?" he asked and offered her his arm. Vicky wrapped her arm around his and they walked towards the wedding staging area. All of the white chairs were set up in even rows with an aisle covered in rose petals between them. Vicky was sure the bride would be pleased as the petals were almost the exact shade as the ribbons she had chosen. Vicky loved attending to the little details of a wedding. It was delightful to know that she could bring someone's dream to life and provide them with the beautiful experience that they hoped for.

  "I can't believe you did all this yourself," Mitchell said with admiration as he sat down beside her in the back row of chairs.

  "Well, I had some help," Vicky admitted as she winked at Aunt Ida who was flirting heavily with one of the violinists. Though the violinist was at least twenty years her junior he seemed enamored by the woman's charm. Then she glanced at the watch on her wrist and waved him off to do his job.

  Aunt Ida joined Vicky and Mitchell in the back row, eager to see the bride make her entrance. As the violin music swelled through the air, Vicky saw Jennifer in her snow white gown. She looked just as she had hoped, joyful and full of anticipation. It might have taken a lot to make sure her special day remained special, but Vicky was glad that she had made the effort. It was a moment of pure happiness that Jennifer and her new husband would never forget.

  “No matter what may have happened here,” Vicky murmured to Mitchell as the bride glided past them, “all of the bad memories will disappear, and all of the wonderful memories will remain forever.”

  The End

  Other Cozy Mysteries by Cindy Bell:

  Hairspray and Homicide (A Bekki the Beautician Cozy Mystery)

  A Dyed Blonde and a Dead Body (A Bekki the Beautician Cozy Mystery)