Zee Town Paranormal Cozy Mystery - Complete Series Omnibus: Books 1 - 6

by K E O'Connor

  “Give me two minutes.” Jen dashed up the stairs. She returned with combed hair, her purse and her shoes on. “Let’s go.”

  I followed Jen outside and breathed in deeply, the bright morning sunshine peering at us through fluffy white clouds as we walked.

  The diner had yet to open when we arrived, but Laura unlocked the door and ushered us through when she spotted us. She engulfed me in a warm cinnamon scented hug. “I heard what happened.”

  “It seems like the whole town has,” I said. “I’m fine.”

  “Sit down,” Laura ordered. “Tell me all about it.”

  “Can I have some tea first,” I begged, sinking into a chair by the window. Jen joined me.

  “Fine! Tea and then talk.” Laura dashed behind the counter and rustled up three large mugs of tea and a plate of what looked like leftover food from yesterday’s celebrations.

  “Yum! You’ve still got zombie cookies left.” Jen helped herself to the treats on the plate.

  “I’ll be eating zombie themed food for the next few days,” Laura said. “I might have overdone it with the green iced muffins.” She turned her gaze to me. “So, what happened?”

  I took a long drink of tea and set my mug down. “Colin Figgins killed Bert. He was secretly dating Emma Light alongside side some of his secret club members. Laura, you were right about Bert being a part of a club. They weren’t re-enactors, they were involved with zombies. They were training them to be their obedient pets.”

  Laura’s mouth fell open. “That’s... unusual. A human and a zombie dating.”

  “More like unique,” Jen said through a mouthful of cookie.

  “Why kill Bert?” Laura asked.

  “Colin was scared Bert was going to reveal his secret relationship and the club. He was worried everyone would make fun of him,” I said.

  “And the bites?” Laura asked. “Colin bit his brother?”

  “No, he made Emma do that,” I said. “It’s a bit gruesome. He ordered her to bite Bert to confuse the police.”

  “Emma wouldn’t have wanted to do that,” Jen said.

  “It’s pretty nasty,” I said. “Colin exploited Emma. She’s very timid and rarely speaks. He’s taking advantage of that to satisfy his needs and have a zombie who will do anything for him.”

  Laura and Jen wrinkled their noses. I used their silence to eat my cookie and drink more tea. I felt like I was returning to normal. My head was clearer and my knees no longer shook.

  “It was fortunate that the zombies helped you,” Jen said. “How did they know you were there?”

  “Nick reckons they heard the fight between me and Colin and came to investigate,” I said.

  “The zombies of Zee Town love you,” Laura said. “They always have. You’re special to them.”

  I shrugged and drank some more tea. There was something different about me, something the zombies identified with. I looked at the scar on my hand.

  The sound of someone tapping on the door made us all look up. Nick and Alex stood outside, Stool at Nick’s heel.

  “I’d better not ignore the police.” Laura jumped from her seat and unlocked the door.

  I finished my cookie. “What are they here for?”

  “Probably lots of caffeine,” Jen said. “I bet Alex has been working all night to keep up with Nick.”

  I glanced at Jen. Her attention was fixed on Alex. There was a blossoming romance there.

  Alex smiled at Jen and gave her a discreet finger wave.

  “Hi, Laura,” Nick said. “Any chance of two coffees to go?”

  “Of course,” Laura said. “Come in. I was chatting to Cassie and Jen about what happened last night.”

  Nick looked over at me. “That’s still an ongoing investigation. Don’t say too much.”

  “I thought it was all settled. Colin has confessed, the zombies told you what they know and you’ve had my statement. The case is closed.”

  “It’s almost closed. There are still a few things to tidy up.” Nick walked to the table, followed by Alex and Stool, and sat down. “How are you feeling after last night?”

  Stool dropped his head into my lap, and I tickled behind his ears. “I’ll be fine.”

  “You were lucky,” Nick said.

  “She was brave,” Alex said. “Colin seems like a man possessed. He keeps talking about Emma and insisting he sees her. We’re hearing all about this freaky club he’s a part of.”

  “Alex, we don’t discuss an open case with members of the public,” Nick muttered. It sounded like that wasn’t the first time he’d said those words.

  “Oh, sure.” Alex dipped his head. “Sorry, but we’re all friends here. I thought it would be okay to discuss things, especially since Cassie was involved.”

  “Some of us are friends,” I mumbled under my breath and focused on Stool.

  “Fine,” Nick said. “We’ll be charging Colin. Keep things quiet until everything is wrapped up. We have to speak to everyone linked to this dubious group and make sure they aren’t doing things they shouldn’t to the zombies.”

  “What about Emma?” I asked. “She has no family here.”

  “There’s a place for her at the shelter,” Jen said. “Don’t worry, I’ll help her.”

  Nick nodded. “Thanks, Jen. She’ll need time to adjust.”

  “Emma will be safe with me,” Jen said. She looked at me and winked.

  Laura brought over two large takeout cups of coffee, another plate of zombie themed treats, and a brown paper bag. “It might be too late to keep this quiet. I’ve had five people come in before the diner opened this morning asking about the rumor that Colin killed Bert.”

  Nick grunted a response, grabbed a cup from Laura and took a large swig.

  “These are also for you.” Laura placed the brown paper bag in Alex’s hands. “I thought you might need a sugar rush to get you through the day.”

  Alex opened the bag and pulled out a green iced muffin. “I had three of these yesterday. They’re amazing. Cranberry and walnut, aren’t they?”

  “Thank you,” Laura said. “And you’re right about the flavors. Enjoy them.”

  “I sure will,” Alex said, already taking a bite out of a muffin. He leaned over and offered Jen a bite of his muffin, which she took with much giggling.

  There was another knock at the diner door. This time, it was Selina.

  Laura unlocked it and beckoned her in. “Come in. It seems like half the town is already here.”

  Selina walked in. “I was hoping to scrounge some leftovers from yesterday. The cupboards are bare at home. If I faint on a patient, it won’t look good.”

  “Sit down with the others,” Laura said. “I knew my zombie muffins would be popular.” She bustled away and brought back a bag of muffins for Selina.

  Selina marched to the table and looked me over, her expression stern.

  I shifted in my seat. “What’s wrong?”

  “Someone told me you were in a fight,” Selina said. “Why didn’t you come and see me?”

  “It was nothing.” My head unhelpfully throbbed at that precise moment.

  “Let me be the judge of that. Where are you hurt?”

  “Nowhere.”

  “Cassie hit the back of her head when she fell,” Nick said.

  I glared at him. “It doesn’t hurt.”

  Selina explored the lump on my head. “I want to see you in the surgery.”

  I winced and moved out of her reach. “There’s no need. I had a headache last night, but it’s gone now.”

  “No arguments,” Selina said. “Be in my surgery at nine o’clock. I’ll squeeze you in between my bunion patient and the zombie whose toe needs to be reattached.”

  I grimaced but nodded.

  “Who will run Zee Town if you end up getting sick?” Jen asked.

  “I don’t run Zee Town,” I said.

  “You run the zombies, though,” Nick said. “The two that helped you yesterday kept talking about keeping you safe. So did Emm
a.”

  “The zombies of Zee Town love you,” Jen said. “Embrace the zombie love, just like Colin does.”

  I smiled and shook my head. I loved our Zee Town zombies right back. I was grateful they’d helped me when I needed them.

  “If you need help to deal with this zombie training gang, just ask,” I said to Nick. “I don’t want our zombies exploited. Like you said, they respond well to me.”

  “Thanks for the offer,” Nick said. “I can handle it. I’ll ensure no one’s mistreated.”

  “That’s what I’m thinking,” I said. “We have to do the right thing.”

  Jen looked from me to Nick, her eyes wide. “I’ve just heard a first. You and Nick agreeing on something.”

  I frowned at Jen, grabbed a muffin and unwrapped it. The filling inside of the muffin had been colored to look like a brain. For a second, I lost my appetite, but I could never resist a muffin.

  I sat back in my seat and listened to Jen flirting with Alex over muffins, Selina talking to Laura about a case of zombie rot, and Nick chastising Stool for stealing a piece of muffin. I felt myself relax. Zee Town was safe again. Our killer had been caught, my zombies were protected, and the carnival had been a success.

  It was a unique little town. It was my home, my haven, and a refuge for everyone. The sun dazzled me as it rose higher.

  I blinked and focused on Nick.

  He gave me a crooked smile. For a second, it looked like he was blushing.

  My stomach gave a strange flip. I concentrated on my muffin.

  Zee Town was odd, but it was my kind of odd, and I loved it.

  BOOK 2

  HEARTS AND MURDER

  K.E.O’CONNOR

  Chapter 1

  The chair I stood on tilted. I was going to drop the hearts clutched in my hands.

  “Zara, help!”

  Zara Warrick, the best zombie assistant a woman could ask for, shuffled from behind her desk and took hold of the back of the chair.

  “Thanks! I don’t want to drop these hearts on the floor. I’d only have to go out and buy more. Heart are in short supply at the moment.” I hung the sixth red cardboard heart in the window. Valentine’s Day was only four days away. That meant a busy time in Zee Town.

  I hopped off the seat and placed it by my desk. “How are you getting on checking the numbers for the romantic lunch at the diner?”

  Zara ambled to her desk and ran a pale gray finger down the list. “All three sittings fully booked. Will they serve brains?” Her bloodshot eyes shone with interest.

  “No brains on the menu. The lunches are for humans only.” I pushed my hair out of my eyes. “But that’s a great idea. We could add an extra sitting if any zombies want to join in. Would you go?”

  She shook her head. “Going to the dance this year.”

  “You have a date?” My heart sunk into my chunky winter boots. My zombie assistant had a date, and I’d be going solo. Actually, I’d be working at the dance, so I shouldn’t complain. I couldn’t keep a date entertained while dashing around and making sure the event went well.

  Zara nodded. “Looking forward to it.”

  “It’ll be a great evening. There’s a band, a buffet, and free champagne. Do you have a new outfit to wear?”

  “A dress with sparkles,” Zara said.

  “Well, enjoy yourself. I’ll look out for you.” I did my best not to slump into the seat behind my sturdy oak desk.

  Cassie March, Tourism Manager - Zee Town, and permanent member of the lonely hearts club. It would have been lovely to have someone ask me to any of the events taking place in Zee Town on Valentine’s Day. My current number of invitations sat at a miserable, heart crushing zero.

  My gaze drifted to the window at the front of the office. I watched a few people hurry along the cobbled streets, huddled in thick winter coats, gloves, and hats. Winter was upon us, but the Valentine’s Day celebrations gave people the opportunity to shake off their woolly sweaters and enjoy themselves.

  Being so close to the coast meant we rarely got snow, but the biting wind whipping in from the sea and the rolling gray clouds thundering in over the cliffs meant this was the time of year to stay warm and inside by a roaring open fire.

  I looked at the hearts dangling in the window. Valentine’s Day represented two things in Zee Town: the usual overly romantic gestures forced upon us and our town zombies. The living dead loved nothing more than tucking into a spicy plate of organs.

  Rather than hiding away from this rather gruesome fact about half of our residents, we offered a hearts and zombies extravaganza alongside the more traditional Valentine’s Day events. Zombies loved hearts, just in a different way to humans.

  The zombies embraced the day, getting dressed up and taking part in the events I’d planned. Zee Town would soon be full of brightly dressed zombies, handing out secret Valentine’s cards to residents, followed by a romantic lunch at Laura’s diner. The evening would end with a dance in the town hall.

  The whole town sported bright red and pink streamers and heart-shaped balloons. I’d arranged for a singing group to perform in the middle of town on the actual day of romance. I had fifteen humans and zombies who would serenade passers-by as they hurried to their romantic adventures.

  Valentine’s Day was a huge event here. It made me feel like the loneliest woman in Zee Town. I had no date and no chance of getting one. I was feeling thoroughly unromantic, which wasn’t ideal, given that I was surrounded by all things Valentine.

  I shook myself out of self-pity mode. The best way to cheer myself up was lunch at Laura’s diner. She always had a kind word to say about my terminally single status.

  I grabbed my green coat, stuffed a black hat on my head, and picked up my purse and keys. “You’re in charge for the next hour, Zara.”

  Zara simply nodded, her red hair half covering her face as she gazed at the paperwork I’d given her. Zara was a high functioning placid zombie. When she had her good days, she was an asset to the office. Sometimes, being a zombie, she didn’t have great days and seemed to regress, as if she was losing her humanity. I worked hard on those days to keep her busy and make sure she came back. Placid zombies needed lots of stimulation. Otherwise, you lost them forever. I never wanted to lose Zara.

  I dashed outside and got a slap of chilly winter wind in my face. It was one way to wake yourself up. I jumped puddles and avoided the slush in the streets as I made my way to Laura’s diner in record time.

  Laura owned Lovely’s Diner. She made the best muffins in Zee Town, and I considered her a close friend and a confidant. I looked to her whenever I needed sensible guidance and amazing food.

  She waved at me when I walked through the diner entrance and gestured to a seat near the back.

  I inhaled the delicious scent of sweet cinnamon as I reached the table. Laura must be baking something tasty and sugar-laden. The diner wasn’t busy. People were most likely staying inside by their fires.

  I pulled off my coat and hat and sat at the table, browsing the menu, even though I knew what I’d have. Laura did an amazing breaded cauliflower wings and curly fries. It was perfect comfort food.

  The diner was decorated with pink hearts, an enormous bouquet of red roses on the end counter, and it looked like at least a dozen Valentine’s cards displayed around the flowers. Laura had lots of admirers. That did nothing to improve my mood.

  Laura walked to my table, a plate in hand, and sat down, letting out a sigh as she pushed her dark hair from her face. “I’ve been testing a new recipe for my heart-shaped cookies. I’ll have them on sale from tomorrow.” She placed the plate on the table, full of beautifully decorated cookies, iced in white, pink, and red.

  My hand inched toward the plate. “They look amazing.”

  “Go ahead,” Laura said. “If I eat any more today, I’ll burst.”

  I took a cookie and bit into it. It was the right side of soft and gooey, with a cinnamon undertone, the super sweet icing perfectly balancing the spices. “Thes
e are delicious.”

  “They’ll have to do,” Laura said. “I need to focus on the Valentine lunch menu. All three sittings are fully booked. Can you believe it?”

  “I can,” I said. “Your food’s amazing.”

  Laura grinned at me. “You can come here again if you say nice things like that. How are things going with the dance preparations?”

  “It’s looking good,” I said. “The tickets are sold out, the band is confirmed, and everything is in place.” I twisted my half-eaten cookie around in my hand.

  “Something tells me not everything is going to plan,” Laura said. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing’s wrong with the events,” I said. “They’ll be fine.”

  “I’ve no doubt about that,” Laura said. “You’re organizing them.”

  Laura was right. I loved to plan and organize, and liked to be ahead of myself in case there was an emergency that needed looking after.

  “Something is wrong,” Laura persisted. “Even my plate of cookies isn’t making you happy.”

  “They are.” I forced a smile onto my gloomy face. “Your cookies are perfect. It’s just this time of year. It makes me think about finding someone of my own. I wonder if my Mr. Right is in Zee Town. And if he’s not, if he’ll ever visit and we’ll meet. I know. It’s pathetic.” I stuffed the rest of the cookie into my mouth.

  Laura reached over and patted my hand. “It’s not such a daft wish. Why shouldn’t you have somebody to love you? And he could be here. You’ve just not spotted him yet.”

  “I know all the men in Zee Town. None of them are my Mr. Right.”

  “You can’t know them all well,” Laura said. “And we get new arrivals coming in. Then there are the tourists. There are always plenty of new men in town. One of them might decide to stay. After all, our town is beautiful.”

  It was. Sitting on the south-west coast of Cornwall, surrounded by beautiful sandy beaches, hills and forest, and postcard perfect whitewashed cottages and cobbled streets. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

  “What about Alex? Didn’t you go on a date with him not so long ago?” Laura asked.