Home Sweet Homicide: A Cozy Mystery (A Gemma Stone Murder Mystery Book 5)

by Willow Monroe

  “Well, it was definitely murder. They’re guessing she had been dead about twelve hours when you and Holly found her.”

  “So, definitely after midnight the night before,” Gemma guessed.

  Nick nodded. “She was strangled. There were bruises on her throat as well as a ligature mark that didn’t match the Paracord around her neck when he was found.”

  “Paracord?”

  “Yeah, it’s thin but really strong. Hikers and other outdoor sports enthusiasts sometimes use it to weave survival bracelets, which makes it compact and wearable. They can just unravel it when they need a rope,” Nick explained.

  Gemma’s stomach did a little flip. Strangling someone to death would be hard. You’d really have to be committed to getting the job done. “So she was dead before she was hung in the closet.”

  “Yes, and there were ligature marks on her ankles and wrists that matched the one on her throat,” Nick added.

  “So she was tied up, maybe tortured,” Gemma mused.

  “I wouldn’t say tortured. She’d had sex right before she died, but there was no sign of abuse.”

  “Maybe some kinky sex game got out of hand?” Gemma asked.

  Nick shrugged. “The bad thing about that is that we know who she was dating when she died.”

  Chapter Eight

  Before Nick could respond Holly slid into the booth next to Gemma. She looked as unhappy as Gemma had ever seen her. The waitress arrived with a steaming pot almost immediately and refilled Gemma and Nick’s cups.

  “Gilmore?” Gemma guessed.

  “He’s a jerk,” Holly snapped.

  “Agreed,” Nick and Gemma said at the same time and then they all laughed.

  “I’m afraid he’s got blinders on,” Holly said. “He’s got Ross in his sights and that’s all he wanted to talk about.”

  Gemma sipped her coffee to keep them from seeing her trembling hands. Not Ross. Never Ross.

  “And you,” she added, looking at Gemma.

  “Me?”

  “Yeah, he thinks you’re Ross’s next target...or you were an accomplice.”

  “That’s insane.”

  “That’s what I told him,” Holly said.

  “Hey, I heard something else. I almost forgot,” Nick said, lowering his voice. “Now this is just a rumor and I’m not - well, probably not - going to use it my story,” Nick said.

  “Oh, Lord, what else could there be?” Holly asked, rolling her eyes.

  “One of the neighbors reported seeing a witch on the street on the morning of the murder,” Nick said, one corner of his sexy mouth twitching as he tried to keep from laughing.

  Gemma’s heart hammered in her chest. She did not dare look at Holly but kept her gaze on Nick. “I heard the officers talking about that when I gave them my statement at the scene,” she said.

  “Is that the craziest thing you’ve ever heard? Some people will say anything to be part of the story,” Nick laughed.

  “Yeah, crazy,” Holly said, concentrating on her coffee.

  “Well, I got a story to write,” Nick said as he stood and dropped bills on the table. “Coffee’s on me, ladies.”

  “Nick, you’ll keep Ross’s name out of it, won’t you?” Gemma asked.

  “For as long as I can,” Nick told her. “We all know he didn’t do it. Hopefully, Gilmore will figure that out soon enough.”

  “You’re right,” Gemma said.

  “Besides, Ross is a big boy. He can take care of himself,” Nick added. “Gilmore did ask me to keep several details out of the story. Maybe he’ll give me more information once he learns he can trust me.”

  Gemma sat quietly and watched him walk away. She’d married Nick in the second grade. A playground wedding, complete with a reception of Capri Sun and Gold Fish Crackers. Holly had been her maid of honor. Now, despite their long history, she felt like she hardly knew him. He seemed to be coming into his own, gaining confidence as a journalist. She found that attractive.

  “You never told me about that,” Holly hissed. She had taken Nick’s place across the table.

  “About what?”

  “The witch thing.”

  “It was just something one of the neighbors told the police officers there at the scene,” Gemma said. “I didn’t give it a second thought.”

  “Gemma, your long lost aunt showed up at your door yesterday morning dressed like a witch. And that didn’t cross your mind?” Holly asked.

  “She wouldn’t have killed Katie Mack,” Gemma protested. “She didn’t even know her.”

  Holly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Just a coincidence, I guess.”

  “Just a coincidence.”

  When Gemma and Holly left the café, they walked several blocks over to the building Essie Hunt was going to show them later in the day. It was a pretty shop, right in the middle of the block flanked by Lula Mae’s Dress Boutique on one side and a toy store on the other. The shop itself was painted a lively shade of green, with a green and yellow striped awning over the front. The bright yellow front door was arched at the top as were the display windows.

  “It’s different from the other shops,” Gemma said. “Looks like a hobbit house.”

  “Didn’t this used to be a shoe store or something?” Holly asked.

  “Yeah, Cricket’s Kicks, remember?” Gemma said as she stepped up to one window, cupped her hands around her face and peeked inside.

  The building was narrow and deep. It was mostly empty, with what looked like trash on the floor. Toward the back was a partially open door that probably led to an office or a bathroom. Gemma could almost picture their glass display cases placed strategically, inviting customers to come inside and take a look.

  “That’s right,” Holly said.

  “It didn’t last long,” Gemma said. “I wonder why.”

  “What’s it look like in there?”

  “Not too bad,” Gemma told her, finally stepping back onto the sidewalk. “It’ll need a little cleaning and some paint but if the price is right...”

  Even though they’d lived in Gypsy Hill, neither Holly nor Gemma spent much time downtown. It was mostly attractive to history buffs, students at Elizabeth Bailey College and tourists. The two friends decided to stroll up and down the streets for a while, exploring what might soon be their new surroundings. On the block where they were planning to open a shop were several antique stores, a candy store simply called Sweets and an ice cream parlor. One block over was a small book store, a shoe repair shop, yet another antique store and a coffee shop.

  “I like the area,” Gemma said.

  “Me, too. We should get lots of traffic from the dress shop alone,” Holly agreed.

  “Let’s run by and check on Aunt Maisy and then grab some lunch,” Gemma suggested.

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  They found Aunt Maisy in the kitchen, wearing her long blue dress and that black pointed hat that Gemma was almost getting used to. She was making something that included shredded chicken, while the black cat dozed in the spot of sun on the kitchen floor.

  “I had a feeling you’d be by for lunch,” she said when Gemma and Holly entered the house. “I hope chicken salad is okay.”

  “Yes, that’s great,” Gemma said after she and Holly exchanged surprised looks.

  “Good. I made a fresh pitcher of iced tea and I baked cookies this morning,” she said with a satisfied smile.

  “Aunt Maisy, you don’t have to go to all of this trouble...” Gemma protested.

  “I enjoy it,” her aunt interrupted. “Been a long time since I had someone to look after.”

  “Don’t argue with your aunt,” Holly teased as a cold glass of iced tea was placed in front of her.

  The chicken salad on whole wheat toast was delicious and while they ate, Maisy asked Gemma and Holly questions about HealthGems. Gemma could see Holly getting more and more excited as she talked about their new line of jewelry for diabetics and the new store. She even sketched out a couple of
new designs to show her aunt what she had in mind.

  “Those are beautiful,” Aunt Maisy exclaimed looking from Holly to Gemma. “And what an exciting time for you.”

  “Speaking of time,” Gemma said, tapping her watch. “We’re supposed to be meeting Essie downtown.”

  “You’re right,” Holly said and began gathering her dishes.

  “Leave those for me,” Aunt Maisy said, handing each of them a cookie. “Now, scoot.”

  Gemma timed the ride from her house to the shop. Ten minutes. It wouldn’t be quite as convenient as working out of her home, but not too bad.

  “We can take turns working at the shop,” Holly told her. “And if we find someone to work for us, we won’t have to stay here all day.”

  “Your mom?” Gemma suggested.

  Holly shook her head. “No way. She said she had enough of working for us at the mall last Christmas.”

  Gemma laughed. “That was pretty crazy.”

  The wooden door with the arched top was ajar and Gemma and Holly exchanged nervous glances when they pushed it open. Just the day before an open door had led to the discovery of a dead real estate agent. Gemma hoped that trend didn’t continue as she stepped inside out of the afternoon sunshine.

  “Come in. Come in,” Esmerelda said, coming out of the back room, drying her hands on a paper towel.

  The big woman was smiling but Gemma saw the sadness in her eyes. Losing a family member that way was bound to be traumatic for anyone.

  “Essie, we’re really sorry about Katie,” Holly said quietly.

  Essie nodded. “I’m just glad you girls found her when you did. You know they’re saying it was murder, not suicide.”

  Both Gemma and Holly nodded.

  “How is Katie’s mom taking that news?”

  “They’ve got her pretty heavily sedated. I don’t even know if they’ve told her everything yet,” Esmerelda told them. “I heard they already have a suspect.”

  “Really?” Gemma asked, again not daring to look at Holly.

  Esmerelda nodded and placed one hand on an ample hip. “That detective they brought in from Harrisonburg is pretty sure it’s Ross Ferguson. You know he and Katie were dating.”

  “Yes,” Holly said.

  Gemma just swallowed the lump in her throat and kept quiet.

  “Well, he and Katie had a big fight just a few nights ago in the parking lot of that Chinese restaurant out on Greenville Avenue.”

  “What was the fight about?” Holly asked.

  Gemma still couldn’t talk.

  “Well, Aunt Cheryl says it was over you, Gemma. Something about how he was still interested in you and I don’t know what all.” She waved a dismissive hand. “The gist of it was that he didn’t want to see Katie any more, socially or for business,” Essie said.

  “How many people heard this argument?” Gemma asked, finally finding her voice.

  “Several people in the parking lot. The manager who had just stepped outside. Of course, when Katie related the argument to her mom, she played up the drama to make her mama feel sorry for her,” Essie told them. “Aunt Cheryl was ready to go strangle Ross by the time it was over.”

  “What do you think happened?” Gemma asked.

  “I think he got sick and tired of her annoying, bossy, attitude and wanted out. Just like every other guy she’s dated,” Essie said.

  Gemma found it hard to think that Ross would let anyone boss him around.

  “She had lots of other boyfriends, didn’t she?” Holly asked.

  “She could have any man she wanted...for a while. Until they figured out she either wanted them for arm candy or their money or until she got tired of having fun with them,” Essie said quietly. Finally, she smiled and turned toward the counter where a stack of papers lay. “Let’s look at this lease.”

  One wall was the exposed brick of the shop beside theirs. Gemma moved toward it, running her fingers over the rough surface. She loved the contrast of old and new in the building already, especially the wide-planked wooden floors. With the brick painted a soft white and the rest of the walls done in a pretty pastel color, the shop would be bright and cheerful. They could add shots of color here and there with gigantic photos of Holly’s designs. If they did it just right, it would enhance their jewelry.

  Gemma glanced over to where Holly and Esmerelda were deep in discussion. Esmerelda Hunt was head and shoulders taller than Holly. Like most tall people, she stooped slightly as if to apologize for her height. With her mousy brown hair and matching brown eyes behind thick glasses, Gemma was reminded that Essie and her now dead cousin were almost complete opposites.

  Essie had tried out for cheerleader but bright, bubbly athletic Katie took it away from her. Katie was popular in school and the boys followed her everywhere. Essie was a loner, and as far as Gemma knew never even dated anyone until she married Arnold Hunt. That was a huge surprise to everyone, since he was new to the area. Once out of school, both women had gone into real estate. Gemma guessed Essie was tired of competing with Katie so she chose commercial real estate instead of residential.

  A little bell tinkled, probably left from the last shop owner and Gemma looked up to see a small gray head poking around the still open door.

  “Well, look whose drumming up a little business,” Peggy Langstrom announced as she stepped into the shop.

  Essie immediately grew stiff and glared at the older woman over Holly’s head.

  “Hey, just wanted to welcome new business owners to the area,” Peggy said, holding up both hands as if in surrender.

  Even from where she stood, Gemma could smell the cigarette smoke emanating from the older real estate agent.

  “Listen, girls, if Essie doesn’t do you right, I know of a great place in that new strip mall on the other side of town,” Peggy announced, hands on her skinny hips as she made her way into the space uninvited.

  “No, we’d rather be downtown,” Holly said.

  Peggy shrugged. “It’s a death sentence as far as I can see. Nothing goes on down here. Why, the other shop owners are already talking to me about moving out.”

  “I think we’ll be fine,” Gemma assured her.

  “All I’m saying is, if you want a real real estate agent, you should hook up with me. Holly, I can find you the perfect house, too.”

  “I didn’t know you handled residential,” Holly said.

  “I do it all. Nothing I can’t handle and when I want a certain price for something, I’ll march right into the other realtor’s office and shake my finger in their face and demand it,” Peggy continued.

  Gemma knew she was just getting warmed up. “There was this one time, I sold a house to a young couple and when we got to closing they didn’t have enough money. Why, I took money out of my own account just to make sure they got the house of their dreams.”

  And to make sure she got her commission, Gemma thought.

  Holly and Essie turned back to their contracts and Peggy turned her attention to Gemma.

  “And one time I sold a house to an older couple. Just happened to drive by a few nights later only to find it on fire. Well, let me tell you, I leaped out of that car and ran inside, pulling them out just in the nick of time,” Peggy boasted.

  Gemma fought the urge to roll her eyes. She’d heard this story a hundred times.

  “Yes, sir,” Peggy continued. “They called me a hero but I was just doing my job.”

  “Peggy, we’re kind of busy...” Essie began.

  Suddenly, Peggy’s eyes went wide and she flapped her hands around like a dying bird. “Oh, law, Essie, I am so sorry. I can’t believe you are working today after what happened to poor Katie and all.”

  “Well...”

  “You know I had a feelin’ something bad was going to happen in that house. I had that listing but when they wanted Katie to take it over, I just gave it up. I just had a bad vibe, know what I mean? I even warned Katie away from it but she didn’t listen. And now, poor Katie is dead.” She shook her h
ead sadly.

  “Ms. Langstrom, we’re kind of in a hurry to get this finalized,” Gemma said, stepping toward the older woman as if to guide her toward the door, holding her breath to keep from choking on the cigarette smoke.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said with a sickly sweet smile in Essie’s direction. “My condolences, Essie. I know you’ll be lost without your cousin Katie.”

  Holly and Essie turned back toward their paperwork.

  “It’s hard to believe she’s gone,” Peggy said to Gemma. “I guess someone’s going to have to step up to the plate and help all those families out there. I’m just the one to do it. I’m seventy-four years old and I’ve been in this business for going on thirty years now. And I’ve grown with the times, my listings all have pictures and they’re on that internet thing.”

  Yes, ma’am, I’m sure you’re going to be busy,” Gemma assured her.

  “You know, I’ve memorized every zoning code in this county,” Peggy said. “If someone wants to know something about zoning and code regulations, they call me.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Gemma said.

  She was still talking when Gemma closed the door and all three women watched her light up a cigarette before walking away.

  “What a kook,” Holly muttered.

  Gemma began exploring the nearly empty shop again while Holly talked leases and upfitting and lighting and cleaning. In the back was a small storage room, an office and a bathroom. She decided that would be adequate for their needs.

  “The owner will clean the place for you and he was planning on sanding the floors and re-staining them,” Essie explained.

  “I like the floors this way,” Gemma cut in.

  “I do, too,” Holly agreed.

  “Okay, then you’ll be able to move in even sooner. Will you be ordering your own display cases?”

  “Yes, probably,” Holly said, glancing at Gemma.

  Gemma shrugged.

  “Lighting. I know a really good electrician who would be happy to help you out with that.” Essie suggested. “Your internet will be separate from your rent.”

  “We’ll need light in the display cases, I’m sure,” Holly said, again looking at Gemma.