Velvet Cake and Murder (Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery Book 22)

by Amber Crewes

  She raised the gun again, but before Meghan could speak, the front door burst open and the police darted in. “Put your hands on your head!” an officer screamed as Erin dropped the gun.

  Meghan put her hands on her own head. “She shot him,” she yelled as the police snapped a pair of handcuffs on Erin’s wrists. “She shot James Kittle in cold blood.”

  The officer picked up her walkie talkie and called for a paramedic. As Erin was led outside, a team of responders rushed in with a gurney, carefully hoisting James onto the stretcher. Meghan was relieved to see him stir. James was alive.

  She went to his side and took his hand as the paramedics strapped him to the gurney. “Stay with us, James,” she whispered, watching as he winced in pain as a responder cut off his shirt to reveal a wound gushing blood.

  “I can’t believe she did that to me,” he muttered. “She tried to kill me. My own fiancée tried to kill me in my own business.”

  “Ma’am,” a paramedic chided her. “You need to step away from the patient. Unless you are a family member, you need to leave him be.”

  “I am,” she lied, knowing it was wrong, but desperately wanting to find out why Erin had tried to kill them both. “I’m family.”

  The paramedic shot her a look, but then returned to caring for James as Meghan leaned close to him.

  “Why did she do it?” she asked as the paramedics tended to the wound, carefully cleaning it and dressing it in preparation for the ambulance ride to the hospital. “What happened, James? I don’t understand. Erin seemed so in love with you…”

  “You heard her. Erin thought I was a loser,” he muttered, a dark look crossing his face. “Though there is much more to it. She used to date Anthony when they were in high school. Did you know that? She and Anthony were two peas in a pod during sophomore year.”

  Meghan’s jaw dropped. “What?” she cried. “Erin and Anthony Diggs? Your partner? Your friend?”

  “Yes,” he confirmed. “They broke up, as most high school romances do, but Erin never got over it. I always wondered sometimes if she got with me to somehow make him mad. Not that he cared about what she did; Anthony had so many women in his life, that Erin didn’t matter to him.”

  Meghan was shocked. “So why was Erin so upset about the business? I don’t understand.”

  “She was a silent partner,” he admitted. “She wanted the business to take off and for us to become rich. She wanted a big, fancy life. She was mad that Anthony and Bonnie had money; Bonnie had a nice inheritance from her grandparents, and she and Anthony lived a life of luxury. She was angry when I could never quite get there. She was relieved when Anthony died, Meghan. She hated the ways he was hurting our business, and she thought when he passed away, we could fix things.”

  Meghan bit her lip. “But Anthony’s debts weren’t easily fixed just because he died.”

  “Exactly,” he agreed. “Anthony’s debts didn’t die with him, and Erin didn’t understand that. Though it seems like she understands it now…”

  The paramedics shooed Meghan away. “Ma’am, we have to take him now,” they told her. “Please go outside.”

  She obeyed, and she followed the gurney outside as they took James to the ambulance. Meghan looked around. There were police officers everywhere; lights were flashing, a few reporters had gathered, and Erin Rogers was shrieking in the back of a police car. She could not believe her pleasant, exciting date night had turned into such a circus, and she hoped Jack wasn’t worried about her.

  “Meghan!”

  She turned to see her husband sprinting toward her. His suit was soaking wet, and his blonde hair was dripping with water. His face was distraught, and she felt relief as he made his way to her.

  “Are you okay?” he cried as he pulled her into his arms. “What happened? I heard shots and called the police. What is going on? Where is James?”

  She looked into his bright blue eyes. “Erin Rogers shot James.”

  “Her fiance? She shot her own fiance? What happened, Meghan?”

  “Yes,” she told him. “And she tried to kill me. The gun malfunctioned, Jack. It was so scary. She pulled the trigger, and it didn’t work. If it had, I would be dead. Erin shot James and then tried to shoot me.”

  He wrapped her up in his arms and kissed the top of her head. “Why did she do this? Why did she try to kill James and hurt you?”

  “She didn’t like the way James was running the business,” she explained in a broken voice. “And she tried to kill him. She wanted to get rich and live large, and she realized that was never going to happen if she chose a life with James Kittle.”

  “She couldn’t just break up with him and get a new boyfriend? She had to kill him?”

  “I guess so.”

  Jack held her tightly, and the water from his suit started to soak into Meghan’s clothes. “Why are you so wet?” she asked. “What happened to you? Did you go swimming or something? You are soaking wet, Jack.”

  He looked down at himself in disgust. “When James ran inside to help you, a huge wave came out of nowhere,” he explained. “It pulled the boat out to sea, and I tried to go in after it. It was too late though; it’s long gone. I swam back to shore and heard the gunshot. Fortunately my police issue phone was a new waterproof model so I could call the police.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t think it matters much, now,” she told him. “James will have a long recovery ahead of him. I don’t know if Big Catch will survive this. The business is in trouble, and James’ injuries will surely keep him out of the office for a long, long time...”

  He looked at his wife. “Let’s get out of here,” he suggested, taking her hand. “Go give your statements to the police and let’s get home. I think we’ve both had enough new experiences for one day, don’t you?”

  Meghan looked up at her husband and nodded. “Going home is exactly what I need right now,” she told him. “I think that sounds like the best idea I’ve heard all day.”

  25

  T wo days later, Meghan was happier than ever to be back at work at the bakery. She had taken the previous day off to rest and recover after the traumatic incident at Big Catch, but now, she had returned to work and was filling in the girls on what had happened.

  “So Erin killed Anthony?” Pamela cried as Meghan nodded. “I thought it was his wife, Bonnie.”

  “I thought it was Marty Workman,” Trudy chimed in. “Or Mayor Rose.”

  Meghan shook her head. “Mayor Rose wanted Anthony dead,” she whispered softly. “He hired someone to do it, but the plan didn’t work. He’ll be sitting in jail for a long time for conspiring to have him killed.”

  Trudy’s eyes widened. “I saw in the paper that he announced he will not be seeking reelection,” she told them as they sat at one of the little white iron tables in the corner.

  “Well, of course not,” Pamela cried. “He’s going to prison for hiring a killer to off Anthony.”

  “He’ll be acquitted,” Trudy said primly. “I’m sure of it.”

  Pamela scowled. “Even if he is, his reputation is ruined,” she argued. “He won’t ever be able to show his face in town again.”

  “Who will be the mayor, then?” Meghan asked.

  “Why don’t you run?” Trudy said excitedly. “You always have good ideas, and you are a young, cute thing.”

  “Politics is not for me,” Meghan assured them. “I’m happy right here, with you.”

  The little silver bells chimed and Karen walked in.

  “What about Karen?” Trudy wondered as she approached the table and threw her arms around Meghan.

  “I had to see if you were okay,” Karen cried, kissing Meghan on the cheek. “I heard about what that woman almost did to you. How terrible.”

  Meghan smiled. “I’m okay,” she promised her friends. “Karen, we were just chatting about the mayoral election.”

  “I saw Rose isn’t planning to run,” Karen added, her eyes large. “Who do you think will do it?”

&nbs
p; The three women looked at her, each with a smile on their face. “We were thinking you would be a good fit for the job,” Meghan grinned. “You are brilliant, brave, bold, and have the energy of a teenager. I think you are just what this town needs, Karen.”

  Karen blushed. “I don’t know about that,” she argued. “I don’t know if Sandy Bay could keep up with me.”

  “Will you think about it?” Pamela asked, folding her hands into a prayer. “We need you, Karen. Please?”

  Karen laughed. “We’ll see,” she told them, though Meghan noticed an extra sparkle in her eyes. “Now, tell me about what happened at Big Catch. Meghan, are you sure you are okay?”

  Meghan recounted the experience, and Karen gasped. “Why would Erin Rogers do something like that?” she murmured. “To you? And to her fiance? And to Anthony?”

  “There’s even more that came out,” Meghan told Karen and the ladies. “It turns out, Erin and Anthony were having an affair.”

  “Didn’t you say they were together years ago? In high school?” Pamela asked, her eyes huge with curiosity.

  “Yes, they were,” Meghan confirmed. “And somehow, they rekindled things behind James’ and Bonnie’s backs. Erin was having an affair with Anthony, and she wanted to do away with James and Bonnie. She wanted to be the wife of a mayor, and she wasn’t going to let Bonnie or James get in the way of that. Anthony refused to go along with it; he may have cheated on his wife repeatedly, but he loved her, in his own way. Anyway, he didn’t want her to be killed, and he refused to help Erin. He threatened to tell James what was going on if Erin didn’t stop talking about killing his wife.”

  “Whoa,” Trudy muttered.

  “Erin snuck into the town hall on the day Anthony died,” she continued. “She told the police that she went to hug him for good luck, and she managed to strangle him before he could get away. He died right there in front of her.”

  “She’s a monster,” Karen sighed. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Meghan. You could have been her next victim.”

  “I was close,” Meghan agreed. “And so was James. Thankfully, his injuries are not major; the bullet went through his chest and out the other side of him. No major organs were pierced, and with some physical therapy, he will be okay.”

  “That poor man,” Trudy clucked. “He lost his best friend, his fiancée tried to kill him, and now, he’ll lose his business…”

  Meghan smiled. “There is some good news about that,” she told the group. “Now that the police know Erin killed Anthony, his life insurance money will go to Bonnie. She is going to run the store with James as her partner.”

  “That’s great,” Pamela grinned. “They would make a cute couple, wouldn’t they?”

  Meghan laughed. “I don’t think they’re thinking about that quite yet; it’s still a bit soon,” she insisted. “But apparently, Anthony had been worried about Erin acting out, and he increased his life insurance only a week before he died. It’s enough money to keep the business running and to ensure Bonnie is taken care of.”

  Karen smiled. “What a relief,” she cried. “It’s all going to work out okay.”

  Pamela scowled. “Not for us, though,” she complained, folding her arms over her chest. “Erin’s wedding was going to bring so much money into the bakery, and now, we’re left with nothing. How are we going to break into the wedding industry without her big day?”

  Meghan shook her head. “It’s okay,” she promised. “We’ll figure it out. There will be more weddings for us to nab, I promise. Besides, it’s not even Valentine’s Day yet. It’s still engagement season. Surely another bride will venture in soon looking for a cake.”

  “I hope so,” Pamela pouted, and the ladies laughed.

  “So everything is back to normal now,” Karen observed. “James is going to get better, Big Catch is going to survive, and we can all go back to business as usual.”

  “Wait,” Trudy stopped her. “Is everything back to normal at your house, Meghan? Is your awful mother-in-law still camped out there?”

  Meghan giggled. “Sarah isn’t so bad,” she assured them. “In fact, she and I became good friends while she was here.”

  “Was?” Karen asked. “Is she gone already? I didn’t get a chance to spend time with her.”

  “Sarah left this morning,” Meghan explained. “She thought Jack, and I needed some time to ourselves while I processed what happened, and she graciously left after breakfast.”

  Trudy’s eyes widened. “That was so nice of her,” she commented. “It sounds like you two really were able to make things work between you.”

  Meghan thought of the way her relationship with Sarah had grown over the last few days. While the visit had been rocky at first, she had grown to adore her mother-in-law, and she was sad to see her go.

  “I didn’t give Sarah enough credit,” she admitted. “She is a kind, loving woman, and with my own mom being so uptight and snooty, having a warm mother-figure in my life is something I just wasn’t used to. Now that Sarah has come and visited and I’ve grown accustomed to her, I am so glad we were able to get close.”

  “A mother-daughter bond is so special,” Karen agreed. “Especially when it happens between a mother and daughter-in-law.”

  “Yes, it is,” Meghan grinned as she sat back in her chair. “It’s truly sweet.”

  The End

  Watch out for the next book in the series, which is COMING SOON.

  Get the first 14 books in the Sandy Bay Cozy Mysteries in a single boxset at a pleasant discount here.

  FREE PREQUEL: Discover how Meghan Truman’s journey to become the most popular baker in the Pacific Northwest began in this prequel story.

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  Thank You!

  Thank you for reading Velvet Cake and Trouble! I really hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I had writing it!

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  It doesn’t matter how long or short it is as other cozy mystery readers will find value in what you liked about this book.

  Many thanks in advance for your support!

  About Slaughter of the Wedding Cake

  Released: June, 2020

  Series: Book 19 – Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery Series

  Standalone: Yes

  Cliff-hanger: No

  A murdered celebrity baker. A wedding plan gone horribly wrong. A frustrated bride-to-be who just wants to say, “I do.”

  When Meghan arrives in her small town in Texas, she's giddy with excitement at walking down the aisle and getting married to her sweetheart on her wedding day. She can just picture the day; an intimate ceremony with close family and friends, the sun shinning on her perfect day, scrumptious Texan nibbles for her guests and dancing the night away with her husband!

  However, she discovers that her mom has hijacked her wedding plans and has invited every Tom, Dick, Harry and Sally in town.

  Things only take a turn for the worse when the celebrity baker considered to bake her wedding cake is found dead.

  The murder only serves to remind the small town of Peach Tree Grove of the recent misdemeanors of the Truman clan.

  As relationships within Meghan's family begin to fray at the seams due to the mounting negative press coverage and an exposed secret that's been hidden for decades, it seems her wedding day will be cancelled.

  But she can't let that happen. Not after all she's been through. Not after all she's sacrificed to get to this moment.

  Meghan's big day is almost here but she'll have to wade through her fair share of heartbreak, betrayals, disappointments, hidden secrets and a gripping murder mystery before she gets to say, "I do!" She's ready to tie the knot but will a killer on the loose spoil her happily ever after fairytale?

  SLAUGHTER OF THE WEDDING CAKE SNEAK PEEK
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br />   T he sun streamed in through the windows, which was unusual for a June morning in the Pacific Northwest; usually, the days began with heavy clouds, with the sun finally breaking free around noon. This morning, Meghan Truman felt the warmth of the sunlight on her cheeks, and she smiled as she pulled her two tiny dogs, Siesta and Fiesta, closer to her as they snuggled in her bed.

  “Two more weeks,” she murmured as she scratched Siesta’s neck. “Two weeks until Jack is officially your daddy.”

  Meghan’s heart fluttered as she imagined herself two weeks from now. She would be at her parents’ home in her hometown, surrounded by her family and friends, ready to marry Jack Irvin, the love of her life.

  Fiesta burrowed into Meghan’s side, and she laughed. “You’re excited, aren’t you?” she giggled as the dog licked Meghan’s cheeks. “You’re ready to have Jack in our family. I can tell.”

  She reached for her cell phone plugged into the wall next to her bed. She had a missed call from her mother and two from Jack. “I’ll get back with them later,” she thought as she rose from the bed. “I have a lot of work to do around here before I leave for Texas.”

  Meghan dressed in a pair of army green skinny jeans and a long-sleeve white and black striped t-shirt. She brushed her dark, wavy hair back into a ponytail and slipped a black headband on. She applied a thin layer of pink cinnamon lip gloss to her lips, enjoying the taste as she smacked her lips together. “I’m off to the bakery,” she told the dogs as she gave her ponytail a final tug. “See you later, babies!”

  She locked her apartment and walked downstairs into Truly Sweet, the bakery she owned and operated. After a few years of trying to become an actress in Hollywood, Meghan had changed plans and moved to Sandy Bay, a little town in the Pacific Northwest, to open the bakery. Though she had experienced obstacles along the way, now, nearly two years later, she was proud of the business she created; the bakery was one of the most successful bakeries in the region, and she was constantly receiving major orders.