Table of Contents
Title Page
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
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Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 1
“I love getting money in the mail. This should happen more often!” Leila said.
Heather let out a laugh and smiled at her two older friends. She was grateful that Leila was finding a way to break the tension. Eva relaxed a little, and a small smile appeared on her face. However, she still gripped the letter in her hand like it was a grenade she was trying to contain.
After waiting and waiting, they would finally be informed how much insurance money they would receive to repair their house. Heather was still furious that her friends’ home had been the victim of arson while she was investigating a case. Eva and Leila were like family to her, and not just because they were living in her family room until their home was fixed.
The pair had acted lighthearted waiting for the notice to arrive in the mail, joking and reminiscing about how they had waited for letters from their sweethearts and pen pals when they were younger. They had ripped open that mail eagerly as soon as it arrived, but this letter was giving them pause. Eva and Leila had been joking about the exciting alterations they would make to the house when the money arrived. The craziest schemes involved installing an indoor bowling alley, sauna, and an escalator. However with this letter came reality, and what their budget could be to repair the fire-damaged walls.
“Goodness gracious,” Eva said, commenting on her reluctance to unseal the envelope. “I’m being so silly. I should just open it.”
She looked around the room at the people she cared about. She had waited so long to read it, that it had allowed for everyone to gather around. Heather’s detective husband Ryan was also used to facing hardened criminals but was not appreciating the current tension.
Their daughter Lilly was very good at comforting others and gave Eva a hug. Their pets who had been confused about why everyone was gathering together but not eating anything delicious picked up the cue. Doggy Dave licked Eva’s cheek, and the kitten Cupcake cuddled up next to Leila with a reassuring purr.
Her best friend Amy was a little less patient. “Treat it like a Band-Aid,” Amy said. “Just rip it off or rip it open. Come on.”
Heather nodded. “We’re great at solving problems if need be, but we can’t deal with it until we know what it is.”
They all chuckled, knowing that “solving problems” often meant “solving murders” too.
“You’re right,” Eva said. “And I don’t really have any reason to be nervous. I’m sure the inspection was fair. I’m sure we’ll be able to fix the house. I’m sure they knew what they were examining and know fair prices. And I’m already surrounded by people who make me feel at home.”
“It might be good news,” Lilly said. “Like a birthday card that came in the mail.”
“Let’s open it together,” Leila said, gently.
They finally opened the notice and Heather tried to read their expressions before they spoke. Eva immediately put on a brave front, but they both looked a bit puzzled.
“Is it bad news?”
Lilly peeked over at the paper. “That’s a lot of money!”
“It could be,” Eva said. “But I’m not sure how far it will go fixing the house. I guess I’m not certain how much things should cost.”
“Maybe we’ve been looking at this the wrong way,” Ryan suggested. “Maybe we should be looking for someone who can make the repairs and compare their estimate to this one.”
Heather seconded it. “That’s a great idea. Renovation and home design have become really popular. I’m sure we can find someone.”
“Let me help,” Amy said. “I’ve been bingeing on renovation TV shows. I already feel like I know a ton about it. I know about open floor plans and lighting fixtures now. I even learned what shiplap is.”
“I’ve never heard of that. Maybe we should hire you to renovate!” Leila said.
Amy laughed. “I don’t know about that. If I actually brought out a power tool, I might end up making the house look worse than it does now. But I bet I could help find someone qualified.”
“You’re really into those shows?” Heather asked.
“Well, I’ve been watching them since Jamie and I decided to move in together. Just trying to figure out what my design style is, and dreaming about the big dream houses they show. Of course, I think Jamie and I are looking at renting an apartment. Maybe we’ll rent a house. I don’t know. Does one seem inherently more serious than the other? Is renting a house a bigger deal than an apartment? Stop me anytime,” Amy said, trying to cut her own ramblings off.
“Stop,” Heather laughed. “You and Jamie living together will be great, whether it’s an apartment, a house or a ramshackle shed in the woods.”
“Ramshackle does not fit into my design style,” Amy said. “Maybe you should watch a show or two.”
“I think we’d like to take you up on the offer,” Eva said. “If someone could tell us that they could fix our house on this budget, it would be a real weight off my shoulders.”
“And we could use taking some weight off our shoulders,” Leila said. “That would leave us more leeway to eat extra donuts!”
“Stop it,” Eva said. “You’re making me hungry.”
They decided that they should all have a meal first and then a donut dessert afterward. They also decided to push worry off of their plate.
After they all had full tummies, Amy gave them some more food for thought.
“I found a potential designer who is available to meet tomorrow. She and her sister had rave reviews online for their business Turner Sister Homes.”
“Why am I sensing a ‘but’?” Heather asked.
“Because you’re a good investigator and have smart instincts,” Amy said. “She’s on her own now and doesn’t have her sister-partner anymore. Do you think that would affect the quality? There’s no longer two heads to be better tha
n one.”
“Well we work better as a team, but we have been known to solve things on our own.”
“What do you think?” Amy asked Eva and Leila.
“I think I’d like to get the ball rolling on our home repairs. My house is like an old friend,” Eva said.
“Should I be jealous?” Leila asked with faux attitude.
Eva smiled at her friend, but then said seriously, “I don’t like my house sitting there like it’s been abandoned.”
Leila turned to Amy. “Why don’t we give her a try?”
“I’ll book the appointment.” Amy nodded. “And even if she only contributed to half of those rave reviews, it’s still pretty good.”
“Right,” Heather said. “How bad could she be?”
Chapter 2
“How bad would it be if we ordered a half dozen?” Eva pondered.
“I don’t think it’s bad at all. In fact, I’d call it responsible,” Leila said. “After all we are going to have a meeting. And we don’t know if Miss Turner has had breakfast yet.”
“True. And we want her in a good mood when she talks prices.”
The ladies giggled and looked at the Donut Delights colorful display of donuts. Heather joined them across the counter, ready to answer questions about the new flavor of the week.
“I usually shy away from green food, but I’ll make an exception for this beauty.”
“It’s a Mint Crème Donut,” Heather explained. “I guess with all the talk about money arriving, I was seeing green and made a donut to match.”
“What’s that taste like?” Eva asked. “I do like mint, but I don’t want my snacks to taste like toothpaste.”
“You don’t have to worry about that! This is perfect for a sweet tooth. The base is chocolate and inside is a light minty crème. It’s peppermint, but it’s not overpowering. Mixed with the chocolate, it should be delicious. And of course on top is some green icing, lightly drizzled with hot fudge.”
“We’ll take six of those!”
Heather prepared the six donuts to bring to their usual sitting spot. She delivered them to the table as her friends decided that they really ought to taste test a donut each before their company arrived in the interest of being able to describe the flavor to the newcomer before they bite into it.
“We love all these sweet creations, but it is possible that someone new might not like a certain ingredient...”
“I know that you’re just rationalizing this so you don’t have to wait for her to try a donut, but I’m not one for stopping people from eating what they love,” Heather said.
With that blessing, they indulged in the treats. Heather couldn’t hear the compliments they were giving her because they weren’t stopping their snacking to speak. When they finished their donuts, she was able to understand them.
“You were right. Definitely not like toothpaste.”
“Though we might have sweet breath for our meeting, which is a plus.”
“They were so yummy.”
Heather was pleased that they liked the new flavor, and hoped the designer liked them too.
“Thank you for always giving us such wonderful flavors,” Eva said. “And for letting us meet the designer here. I feel much more comfortable discussing things before we head over to the house.”
Before Heather had the chance to respond, she was joined by an out-of-breath Amy.
“She’s not here yet, right? I’m not late?”
They assured her that she was perfectly on time and she showed them what took her so long to meet them.
“I stopped by your storage locker, and I looked through some pictures. Look I found some of what the house looked like inside before the fire. You can show her what you want to keep about the way it was, and then discuss any changes you want to make.”
“That was a great idea,” Heather said.
“I have been known to have them,” Amy winked.
Eva looked at the photos and sighed. “It was such a beautiful home.” She smiled at her friends, showing a stiff upper lip. “And it will be again soon. Now for this great idea, you deserve a Mint Crème Donut.”
“Don’t mind if I do,” Amy said, accepting it gladly.
However, something soon happened to put a bad taste in her mouth. Tiffany Turner entered the shop, swung her head from side to side before pushing up her sunglasses, and then dropped her large bag on a table with a dramatic plop.
“I can see why you called me in,” she announced. Tiffany Turner’s style was a mix of classic business attire and ultra-modern jewelry. Her blond hair was teased up high upon her head with a headband that resembled a tiara. She was someone who craved attention, and she was certainly getting looks from the other customers in the store.
Eva and Leila went to meet her, followed by Heather and Amy. Eva held out her hand to shake it, but Tiffany opted for kisses on the cheek.
“Thank you so much for bringing me in, Mrs. Schneider. I can see why you’d need a designer of considerable talent. These golden floorboards. I have seen tacky before, but this really takes the cake. Or whatever fattening thing you sell here. And these chairs have got to go.”
Heather took a deep breath and counted to ten in her head. Her friends were too mortified to speak.
“You must be Tiffany Turner,” Heather said (after including a 9 ½ in her count to make sure she was calm.) “I’m Heather Shepherd, the owner of Donut Delights. My friends asked you to meet here so they could discuss the damage that was done to their house and their options. They wanted to make sure you might be interested in tackling such a project before visiting the site.”
“That was so thoughtful,” Tiffany said. “But I’ll tackle any project. I almost had my own design show to prove it to the world. Now I just prove it one home at a time. Tiffany Turner can turn any home around!”
“That was your slogan when you and your sister worked together, right?” Amy asked, gaining her voice again and trying to gain details. “Turner Sister Homes – We’ll Turn Your Home Around!”
“Yes. Well, now Tiffany turns them around on her own,” she said in a huff.
Heather and Amy exchanged a look.
Tiffany smiled again and picked up her bag in another dramatic movement. “Now let’s go to the house to turn.”
“We have some photos we thought we could show you first,” Eva said.
“And donuts for while we discuss things,” Leila said.
“We thought you might want to know the story behind the house before you saw it, so you’d know what it was like before the fire.”
“Again, sweet but unnecessary,” Tiffany said. “I’m a firm believer that walls can talk to me. Much better than people can usually. So I want to see the space, and then I can tell you what I would do for it.”
The others agreed reluctantly and followed her toward the door. Leila rushed back to collect the donuts, while Amy quietly apologized to Eva.
Heather held the door for the others to exit through. Tiffany took one more look around the shop on her way out and patted Heather on the arm before handing her a business card.
“I really am up for any challenge. So if you ever do want to update your style to something for palatable for eating, just let me know.”
It was an act of willpower not to let the door hit Tiffany as she left. Heather took another deep breath. It was going to be a long day.
Chapter 3
Despite her earlier rudeness, Heather did have to admit that Tiffany had a good eye for design. Unfortunately, she was only half-listening to what Eva and Leila wanted.
“A skylight would be lovely,” Eva said. “But we’d really like to focus on fixing the basics first.”
Tiffany ignored the suggestion. “Think of the natural light it would provide. I think it’s a necessity.”
“But the walls.”
“I have a connection for walls. He’ll help me with the construction for a fraction of the usual cost, and so you’ll be able to spend more on the fun stuff. Like
the skylight. I think we should add an awning to the outside too. A fireplace in this room. It could be a beautiful focal point for the room.”
“We’re not big fans of fire at the moment,” Eva said, crossing her arms.
“Of course, of course. Maybe an electric fireplace. Just to add some pizazz to the space. You have to be fans of pizzazz.”
As Tiffany wandered the house explaining her grand plans, Amy whispered to her friends, “You don’t have to hire her. We could hire someone less – I’ll use a nice word and say pushy.”
“She’s pushing me to the edge of my wits,” Leila said.
Heather agreed. “Let’s just get her estimate of the costs and move on from there.”
“If she has a connection for the walls, we should listen to what she says. Maybe she’ll have some other deals,” Eva said.
Mint Creme Murder: A Donut Hole Cozy Mystery - Book 47 Page 1