Sage Gardens Cozy Mystery Series Box Set Volume 1 (Books 1 - 4)

by Cindy Bell

  “I didn't steal any trash from you,” Samantha said crossly. “Maybe it got stuck behind that malfunctioning waste bin of yours.”

  “Ha, sure,” Frank nodded and leaned back against the counter beside her. “Only, I know that you broke in or made someone else do it. I know that you stole from me, so all of this nonsense is pointless. Don't you think?”

  “I don't have a clue what you're rambling on about, Frank. To be honest I'm not comfortable with you being in my house, especially with the way you are talking. I think you should leave, before I have to call security,” Samantha warned him.

  “Oh?” he laughed again. “Please do. Let's call security and let them know that you broke into my villa. I'm sure that they would be very interested in that.”

  Samantha shifted uncomfortably. She wasn't sure if he had any real proof that they had broken into his villa. But if he did and she called security, then they would be in a lot of trouble.

  “Just go, Frank,” she said sternly.

  “I'm not going anywhere,” Frank said in return. His eyes were shining with an emotion that Samantha couldn't quite grasp. It was something between dominance and drunkenness. She felt her stomach twist as she wondered exactly what he intended to do to her. “I want to know why you were in my house,” he bit out each word as he leaned close to her.

  “I wasn't,” she sputtered out.

  “You must have been,” he argued. “Because when I left the house, the wine bottle was in the trash. When I came back, it was gone. Does that make sense to you, Samantha?”

  “Maybe you just forgot that you put the trash out,” she suggested fearfully.

  “I didn't put the trash out,” he growled. “The bag was still in the trashcan. I'll give you one more chance, Samantha,” he said and placed his hand firmly on her shoulder so that she was pinned back against the counter. “Why were you in my house?” he demanded.

  Samantha was terrified as she looked into his eyes. She had never felt so frightened before, and the certainty that he had been responsible for James' death made it even worse. She was trembling too much to speak.

  “Get your dirty hands off her,” Eddy growled from the doorway of the kitchen.

  Frank was clearly startled by his presence. He abruptly let go of Samantha and turned around to face Eddy. “We were just having a conversation, my friend. No need to be jealous.”

  “Jealous?” Eddy snapped. “Since when does a conversation involve holding someone hostage?”

  “Look, I just had some business to discuss with her,” Frank insisted as if everything was casual. “I don't want any trouble with you, Eddy. I just had a few questions for Samantha.”

  “Frank thinks I broke into his villa,” Samantha said quickly. She looked into Eddy's eyes with a mixture of gratitude and lingering fear.

  “Frank knows you did,” Frank corrected her with a slight glare. When he looked back at Eddy he was not the least bit intimidated by his presence. “Do you mind? This really is a private conversation.”

  “I'm not going anywhere,” Eddy said darkly. “I think it's time for you to leave, Frank.”

  “Oh, do you?” Frank shook his head and leaned back against the kitchen counter. “I think it's time we got a few things straight.”

  “Fine,” Eddy said as he moved over in front of Samantha. “Then maybe you would like to start by telling me why after over thirty years you decided to get your revenge on James?”

  Frank was silenced by Eddy's question. He stared at him with a hint of panic in his eyes.

  “James had a heart attack,” Frank finally said calmly. “It was unfortunate and unexpected, but it was just a heart attack. Are you saying that somehow I'm responsible for his heart attack?”

  “It must have been upsetting for him to see you,” Eddy suggested and lightly guided Samantha to step back from the conversation. Samantha lingered close to Eddy. Not only did she not feel the need to be protected, she also didn't want to miss a word of the conversation that was unfolding.

  “For him to see me?” Frank asked with a sharp chuckle.

  “With your past,” Samantha piped up from behind Eddy. Eddy shot her a glare of warning over his shoulder when she spoke up. Samantha pretended not to notice.

  “I think he was surprised,” Frank said solemnly. “What man wouldn't be surprised when he was confronted with the person whose life he ruined?”

  “It was a long time ago,” Eddy pointed out.

  “Not really,” Frank shrugged a little. “For me it was every day. You see, I actually loved my wife,” he smiled. “A lot of men say that, don't they?” he shrugged. “They love their wives, if someone asks them, if it's their anniversary, if their wife should get sick, or unexpectedly pass away. But not too many men mean it. I guess there are different kinds of love. I've loved women since my wife, at least I told them I did. But I really only enjoyed their company. Elena, I was head over heels in love with. She was the one, my one and only. We were supposed to have children together, grow old together,” he shook his head slowly. “Do you know what that's like? I couldn't even imagine having a child with anyone else, or spending my life with someone else. It wasn't a choice that I could make, it was a necessity. So yes, he came along and ruined that. He seduced her with his money, he made her think that she could have a better life with him.”

  “That must have been incredibly difficult for you,” Samantha supplied quietly.

  “There isn't a word for the emotions I experienced,” Frank admitted. “But pure hatred, no matter how deserved it is, doesn't cause a person to have a heart attack, does it?” he asked. “So, why are you implying that I am responsible for James' death?”

  “You're right, hatred alone doesn't cause a heart attack, but there are some poisons that can mimic a heart attack,” Eddy pointed out as he studied the man before him and did his best to shield Samantha behind him, despite her attempts to avoid him.

  “Poison?” Frank asked and shook his head. “Now, you've really lost it pal. He died of a heart attack.”

  “That's not necessarily true,” Samantha replied. “The medical examiner is investigating the possibility that James was poisoned.”

  “Oh?” Frank asked and stood up from the counter. “I didn't know that.”

  “We think maybe something he ate or drank, maybe one of his gifts, was laced with poison,” Eddy explained as he watched Frank closely.

  “Can't say the jerk didn't deserve it,” Frank glowered. “I guess someone decided to do me a favor.”

  “Is that how you're going to play this, Frank?” Eddy demanded as he moved away from Samantha and towards Frank. “You're going to pin your actions on someone else?”

  “I had nothing to do with James' death,” Frank shook his head. “I was at the party celebrating his birthday. I even talked to Samantha there, didn't I Samantha?”

  “Some,” Samantha nodded.

  “And you really think I'm capable of murder?” Frank questioned. He sought Samantha's eyes intently.

  “I think that anyone is capable of anything when they are pushed past their breaking point,” Samantha explained in return.

  “Well, that may be, but there is no way you can prove that I killed James,” Frank said and offered a subtle smirk. “I'm innocent.”

  “We have the wine bottle,” Samantha blurted out.

  “Oh, do you?” Frank asked with fury in his eyes. “As if I didn't already know that.”

  “Then you aren't denying what you did?” Eddy asked and slipped his hand into his pocket. He set his cell phone to record.

  “What I did?” Frank repeated. “I bought my old friend, who I clearly forgave, a bottle of his favorite wine. What's so wrong with that?”

  “You poisoned the wine,” Samantha accused.

  “I did no such thing,” Frank argued. His eyes were wide with shock.

  “If you didn't poison the wine then why did you sneak into James' room to steal the remainder of the bottle?” Eddy asked.

  “I took my
gift back,” Frank said with a slight shrug. “It wasn't really stealing. I knew that James wasn't going to finish the bottle if he was dead. It was an expensive bottle of wine. I'm not stupid. I was sure the staff around here would pick James' room clean of anything valuable. So, I went and got the bottle before anyone could take it. That wasn't really a crime.”

  Eddy stared hard at the man before him. His heart was pounding. It was suddenly becoming very clear to him that Frank was going to get away with murder. Without the bottle to enter as evidence, there was only going to be one way to bring the man to justice. He would have to confess.

  “You think you're really slick, don't you?” Eddy demanded as he pointedly stepped between Frank and Samantha again. Samantha watched Eddy's movements closely as she wondered exactly what he was up to.

  “I think that you're really trying to play detective,” Frank replied with a faint smile on his lips. “You want to make this interesting, when it's not. It's a simple heart attack. James finally paid for all of his sins. Just because you want there to be a crime here, so that you can fill your boring endless days of retirement with something fun, that doesn't mean that there is actually a crime.”

  “I know differently,” Eddy bit out his words. “I know what you have done, Frank, and I am not about to allow you to get away with it.”

  “Oh? Tough one are you?” Frank shook his head. “You can't do anything to me that hasn't already been done.”

  Eddy glanced briefly over at Samantha who was watching him closely. She seemed to be attempting to predict what his next move was going to be. Eddy knew what it would be, but he wasn't sure if Samantha would go along with it. It was a very risky move, but one that he had already decided had to happen.

  “Let's find out,” Eddy said and crossed the distance between them.

  “Watch it!” Frank growled and lunged for the back door of the villa. “I'll just be on my way.”

  “I don't think so,” Eddy growled and grabbed Frank by the crook of his arm. He spun him back around to face him before he could get out through the back door.

  “What do you think you're doing?” Frank shouted and glared into Eddy's eyes.

  “Samantha, lock the door,” Eddy said sternly. Samantha was frozen as she watched the two men interact. She had no idea how to react to such a dangerous and escalating situation.

  “Sam!” Eddy said again in a more commanding tone. Samantha jumped and moved quickly to the back door. Her fingers trembled as she locked the door.

  “Eddy,” she began to say when she turned back to face him.

  “In here,” Eddy said and shoved Frank towards the small spare room in Samantha's villa. Samantha used it as office space for her writing. It was pretty bare aside from a wooden desk and chair as well as her desktop computer.

  “Let go of me!” Frank demanded and struggled with Eddy. Eddy had handled enough criminals to defend himself. He easily shoved Frank into the room. Samantha started to follow him into the room. She was still uncertain of what exactly to do. Eddy took care of that uncertainty by closing the door behind him before she could enter.

  “Eddy!” Samantha gasped and knocked on the door.

  “We just need a few minutes, Sam,” Eddy said. She heard the lock click on the door. Samantha's eyes widened with fear. She wondered what Eddy was going to do to Frank in the room alone. As she started to panic she reached for her phone. Her fingers were still trembling as she dialed Walt's number.

  “Hello?” Walt asked.

  “Walt, I think Eddy has lost it,” Samantha said fearfully into the phone.

  “What? Why?” Walt asked.

  “He's got Frank locked in my office and he won't let me in,” Samantha gulped her words out. She was trying to keep her voice low as she didn't want Eddy to know that she was calling Walt.

  “What was Frank doing at your place?” Walt asked with confusion.

  “He just let himself in,” Samantha replied. “But now Eddy has him trapped, and I'm not sure what he's going to do to Frank.”

  “Okay, okay, just take a deep breath, Samantha,” Walt instructed her. “Eddy might be acting like he's going to hurt Frank, but I doubt he really will. Remember, he's a professional.”

  “He's retired, Walt!” Samantha reminded him impatiently. “What if he decides to cross the line?”

  “This is all because the police aren’t going to use the wine bottle as evidence or as justification for further investigations,” Walt sighed. “Eddy must think that Frank is going to get away with murder. All right, I'll be right over,” he said before hanging up the phone. Samantha hung up the phone and shoved it back into her pocket. She began pacing back and forth outside the office door.

  Chapter 16

  Eddy grabbed the wooden office chair and slid it across the laminate floor. He pushed it up against the wall of the room. Then he tugged down the shade until the room became dim.

  “You are going to be arrested for this you know?” Frank demanded. “This is insane!”

  In the shadows of the room it was quite clear that Eddy was an intimidating presence. He had the brim of his hat pulled down low to cast an even thicker shadow over his face. His eyes were narrowed sharply, the glint of his gaze shimmering in what little light existed in the small room.

  “We're just going to continue our discussion,” Eddy explained.

  “What are you thinking?” Frank demanded with increasing animosity. “You can't lock me in here. I haven't done anything wrong. You are going to pay for this!”

  “I'm going to pay for it?” Eddy asked with a chuckle. “I don't think so, Frank. Why don't you just tell me, why did you kill James?”

  “I didn't kill anyone,” Frank shot back and then glared at Eddy. “I don't care who you think you used to be, you can't hold me here like this. You're basically kidnapping me.”

  “I'm having a conversation, Frank,” Eddy replied and lifted his hat off his head. He ran his hand back over his thinning brown hair and then smiled at Frank. “Just two neighbors, chatting it up a bit.”

  “The door is locked,” Frank reminded him flatly. “Neighbors don't usually lock each other up.”

  “Oh, that lock, Samantha has reported it to management a few times, but they haven't gotten around to fixing it yet. It's always acting up. Sometimes you can't lock it, sometimes you can't unlock it. So, to pass the time, we're just having a conversation.”

  “I'm not having any conversation with you,” Frank shot back. “I don't know what you are thinking, but whatever it is you should know that you have the wrong man.”

  “You know something, Frank, in my career as a detective I have to say that I was wrong many times. Sometimes I was wrong about the way I handled things. Sometimes I was wrong about the motive behind a crime. But one thing I never got wrong, was the suspect,” he narrowed his eyes. “I have never gotten the wrong man.”

  “Then you must be getting rusty, because you got the wrong one this time,” Frank shot back and tried to stand up from the chair. Eddy easily pushed him back down.

  “No, you're not going anywhere. I want to talk to you about the man you used to be,” Eddy explained.

  “What?” Frank stared up at him with disbelief. “You don't know anything about me.”

  “I think I know a lot more than you think I do,” Eddy corrected him. “I think once, you were a romantic.”

  “A romantic?” Frank asked sharply. “Would you stop with this nonsense and let me go!”

  “You fell in love. Not just with a woman, but with the love of your life. You married her, and you were ready to start the rest of your life with her. It never even entered your mind that your lovely lady wasn't as happy as she was pretending to be,” Eddy smirked arrogantly.

  “No, that's not what happened,” Frank growled. “I was busy with work. I wanted to make enough so that we could buy the bigger house that she wanted. She didn't want to have any kids until we had a larger space. So, I took on extra hours and shifts to try to build up a solid savings a
ccount for us.”

  “Very noble of you,” Eddy said with a slight nod.

  “It's what a man does,” Frank said darkly. “It's what he does when he starts a family. He takes care of that family, he provides for that family.”

  “That's all well and good, but it's not what every man does, is it?” Eddy asked and raised an eyebrow. “While you were out working so hard, your wife was sitting at home alone. She was wondering why she had even gotten married if her husband was only going to neglect her.”

  “No!” Frank tried to stand up again. Eddy shoved him firmly back down into the chair.

  “Sit,” he muttered. Frank was too lost in his emotion to even argue.

  “Yes, I was working a lot, but she loved me for it. She would tell me how hard I worked, and what a good man I was,” Frank insisted. “At least, at first she would. Then James started coming around more often. I was working so hard, so when things needed to be fixed in the house, I would ask James if he could stop over and take a look at it for me.”

  “James, your best friend,” Eddy said softly. “Sometimes friendship can be even stronger than having a brother.”

  “James was my brother,” Frank admitted sadly. “In my mind anyway.”

  “But your wife started to notice that your brother was around and interested in her,” Eddy suggested. He wanted to keep Frank bristled and on edge.

  “No,” Frank growled again. “You're wrong. She loved me. But James had this way with women. He could get them to do anything he wanted. He seduced her.”

  “You think he forced her?” Eddy asked with a slight laugh. “Trust me, Frank, a woman doesn't turn around and marry a man who attacks her.”

  “I didn't say he forced her,” Frank said through gritted teeth. “I said he seduced her. He manipulated her and convinced her that she wanted to be with him, not with me.”

  “I bet that was upsetting,” Eddy suggested in a murmur.