East Pender Boxed Set: Cozy Mystery Series Bundle of Books 1-14

by Leona Fox

  “I am. It's funny. I spent so much time worrying about if I was ready for this moment and I feel like such an idiot. This has been a perfect day,” she beamed.

  “I'm glad. It seems like everyone is having a good time.”

  “They sure need it after what happened.”

  “Let's hope we can just move on from that and maybe things can get back to normal again.”

  “You sure you want normal? I think normal for this town is different than it is for anywhere else,” Kelly said with a half-smile.

  “You could be right there,” Ellen said, sharing in the humor.

  “We've come a long way, haven't we? Seems like only a short time ago that we were just two single girls trying to make our way through the world.”

  “And now you're married and I'm with Andy.”

  “Yeah, and you sure took your sweet time about it,” Kelly teased.

  “It wasn't that easy!” Ellen protested.

  “All I'm saying is that when it came down to it I was right and you should have trusted me. You may know more than me when it comes to mysteries but I always know better when it comes to romance.”

  “I suppose that you do,” Ellen agreed, willing to give the bride her moment of triumph on her special day. After all, it would be incredibly bad form for the maid of honor to argue with the bride.

  The party continued and dusk began to settle in, making the mood more intimate. Kids began growing tired and their parents took them home, leaving the adults to enjoy a quieter atmosphere. As the amount of people thinned Kelly moved over to Matthew and the two of them embraced each other. The music stopped and everyone's attention was caught. An announcement was made for the two of them to move onto the dance floor, and all eyes turned toward the newly-wedded couple. Kelly bowed her head slightly, a tinge of red flushing her cheeks as she became aware that all the attention was on her. Matthew stood proudly, his broad shoulders straight and his smile wide.

  They linked their arms together as they strode to the middle of the dance floor and took their position. A hush settled over everyone for a few moments, a few eternal moments where the bride and groom could look at each other, gazing into the forever love of each other’s eyes. Caught in this perfect bliss they almost didn't realize the music had started playing, but soon enough their hands linked together and their feet stepped closer to each other. Their bodies pressed against each other and in the slow, melodic rhythm of the dreamy song they closed their eyes and thought of the heaven that awaited them, not just on their wedding night, but for every night that was to come.

  Ellen watched as Kelly rested her head against Matthew's chest, and the maid of honor squeezed Andy's hand. Then the announcement came for everyone to join the bride and groom. People flooded onto the brown wooden flooring and the sparse dance floor was now filled with couples, holding each other tightly, enjoying basking in the loving glow of Kelly and Matthew.

  Ellen and Andy made their way to the middle of the floor so they could be next to the bride and groom. The two women shared a secret smile with each other before turning back to their men. Ellen sighed contentedly as she wrapped her arms around Andy's neck and leaned against his body, feeling his powerful heartbeat underneath his rib cage. Andy's arms held her in the small of her back and he kissed the top of her head.

  “This is perfect,” she said.

  “I know, and I just wanted to say once and for all that now I've dealt with my past I can move properly onto my future...our future.”

  Ellen looked up at him with the light of love sparkling in her eyes. They gazed at each other for a moment, then Ellen raised herself on her tiptoes as they descended into a long, passionate kiss.

  Yet not everyone at the wedding was on the dance floor. Only those who felt the slightest flourish of love were dancing with each other. Some had been married for years, others had seen this as the perfect time to ask those they had adored from afar for a dance and were only now taking the first steps to happiness. Others still had been dating only for a short time. Then there were those left on the sidelines, the ones who had nobody to dance with them.

  Such was this man, sitting at an empty table. He had been enjoying an invigorating conversation about the candidates in the next presidential election but as soon as the music started everyone at his table had left him without so much as a thank you. That had been the story of his life, however, it was a sad state that humans were simply rude, even the best of people fell victim to bad manners. Looking at them all now he smiled grimly to himself. There were others like him dotted around the other tables, looking forlorn. The last toys that nobody wanted to buy, waiting until they were cast away for good. It wasn't their fault, though. It certainly wasn't his.

  There was something in the universe that had conspired against him, he had decided long ago. Somehow it was easy for other people to fall into relationships and recognize when there was attraction but for him it had proven elusive. Sometimes he felt as though he was slightly out of place with the rest of the human race as nobody quite seemed to see him. He was there, he occupied space in the physical world, and he had a history made up of memories and actions. Yet there were so many things he had not experienced, things that were normal for people.

  They all found it so easy to find each other and embark on romantic journeys while he was left in a perpetual state of wonderment and loneliness. It had been the same thing all through his life, even going back to his prom. He was left sitting on the sideline while everyone else enjoyed the night for what it was supposed to be. At the end he was walking off into the darkness while the night, for the rest of them, was only just beginning.

  It was almost as though he had been placed on Earth by some higher being to observe the human condition but nobody had asked him for a report. It was getting to the point where his whole life was starting to feel like a waste. He left no great legacy behind, and while he had learned a great deal from reading voraciously, there was still so much about basic human companionship that was a mystery to him. But that did not mean he never had experienced love.

  On the contrary, he was in love at this very moment, and his eyes were locked on the object of his affection. It was a powerful love, one that had consumed him for a long time. Ever since he had first laid eyes on her his heart had been captured and his breath had been taken away. All through his life he had looked with scorn upon those who lost themselves to romance and believed the illusions spoon-fed to the masses through movies and sappy songs, but when he had seen her he suddenly saw the light of truth and everything made sense. In every book he read, every song he heard, every movie he watched, he saw her. She had permeated every part of his life and he knew they were meant to be together.

  But something had gone wrong. In some sick way the universe had taken a wrong turn and she had chosen the wrong man. He didn't understand it, couldn't understand why the universe seemed to have such a need to make life tough on him. Now it filled him with bile to watch her on the dance floor with her sorry excuse of a man draping his arms around her, feeling her in a way that he never would.

  His hand tightened around a flower as he watched the couple dance. The stem bent and the head bowed under his power as his frustration grew. She should have been with him. They had enjoyed many pleasant conversations and he was sure that if she just looked at him properly she would see everything he had to offer. He didn't necessarily mind having missed out on intimacy so far because he never had met anyone with whom he felt such intensity. To let her slip through his fingers when it felt so right, so natural...that would be a crime against nature, it would be violating destiny itself.

  Still, he was sitting by himself while she was there with him and there was nothing he could do. Going up to her now and telling her the truth would do no good, it simply would ruin the occasion and he would be laughed out of town. No, he could not act so overtly. It would have to be something subtle, something that only she would see. She wasn't like the others. She had a special mind, one that could l
ook beyond the ordinary. A smile began creeping over his lips as a plan formulated in his mind. For such an intelligent woman it was surprising she had made a big mistake like this but he wasn't going to hold it against her. In time she would realize the error of her ways and take measures to correct it. Then finally he would get to experience what he had been waiting for all this time. All the years he had spent by himself simply had allowed him to hone himself into the perfect man. The universe had known she would be here and it only had taken him time to wait.

  The time for waiting was over, however. The time for destiny to take its course was now. He rose from his seat with a new confidence and strode toward the pile of wedding gifts, collecting a handful of flowers from the tables as he ventured there. Perhaps a few people had noticed his behavior, but most were blind to it as they were lost in love. Soon he would rescue her from her mistake and she would see the truth, and this was the first step. Next to the gifts there were a number of pictures of her and her friend. The other was beautiful in her own way but paled in comparison to his. After leaving a small note he curled his fingers around the hefty frame of the picture and exited the building, the sounds of the music fading as he walked into the night.

  When the music finally stopped everyone applauded the bride and groom. Kelly beamed and curtsied, while Matthew bowed. She immediately went over to Ellen and the two women hugged, leaving their men to go and enjoy the company of each other.

  “Everything's going to change now that you're married,” Ellen said.

  “What do you mean? It's going to be the same as ever. You're not going to get rid of me that easily. Well, after my honeymoon, of course.”

  “You say that now but marriage does change things. And I'm sure you'll have better things to do than help me with mysteries.”

  “Please, you think you could handle them without me? Face it Ellen, you need me and I simply can't walk away,” Kelly said, raising her eyebrows. They fell against each other and ruminated on life and love.

  “You think you and Andy ever will do this?” As Kelly asked this she looked down at the diamond ring on her finger.

  Ellen sighed. “I don't know. It's not on our agenda. I honestly don't mind if we do or we don't, I'm happy being with him and that's the most important thing. Besides, after what we just went through I think we both want to take it easy for a while and enjoy our time together.”

  “I certainly can understand that.”

  “So where are you going for your honeymoon?”

  “You mean you don't know? I'd have thought you'd have dragged it out of Matthew by now,” Kelly said, surprised.

  “I tried but he's being tight-lipped about it. I thought he would have told you by now.”

  “I think he's waiting until tonight. I'm excited, though. I have been dropping hints so I hope he's picked up on them.”

  “Where do you want to go?”

  “Italy, I think; it seems like a romantic country. But maybe he wants to surprise me so he'll pick somewhere completely random? I never know with him.”

  “I'm sure you'll have a good time wherever you go,” Ellen said.

  As much as she was happy for her friend she couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness that she would have to be without Kelly for a few weeks.

  The two of them continued talking as the guests left. Most of them came by to say goodbye to Kelly and wish her luck on this great adventure. By the time she had hugged everyone and shaken their hands she was feeling dead on her feet, although still blissfully happy. Ellen was helping her clean up when she noticed the flowers resting on the pile of gifts.

  “What are these?” she asked.

  Kelly shrugged. There were about nine flowers and one of them looked dead, its head lolling. Along with the flowers was a scrap of paper with hastily written words.

  'Soon you'll see the time is near for destiny to start

  You will find the next piece of me gone, like the way you've stolen my heart.'

  “What on Earth does that mean?” Kelly asked. Then her eyes lit up, “Maybe it's Matthew and it's a clue about our honeymoon!”

  “Perhaps,” Ellen said, although she wasn't convinced. Still, she wasn't about to worry Kelly on her wedding night.

  “I'll take care of these. You deserve some time to enjoy yourself. Why don't you find Matthew and begin your new life together? I've got this.”

  “Are you sure?” Ellen nodded.

  “Thanks Ellen, I love you!” Kelly said, kissing Ellen on the cheek and hugging her tightly before she hurried to her groom, pulling him away and disappearing from sight.

  Ellen chuckled to herself before looking back down at the riddle. She stared at the words as an ominous feeling crept up her spine. Someone at the wedding admired Kelly and for someone to leave a note like this, to try ruining the special day, it was something that Ellen couldn't comprehend. She had been hoping things would be quiet in East Pender and that she would be able to relax and enjoy her friend's happiness, but she should have known that that was too good to be true. Still, she was tired and did not have the brainpower to work on the riddle right now. So she scrunched it up and shoved it in her pocket as she gathered up the presents and carried them away. It took a few trips to her car and there were a few guests about that helped, including Andy.

  She didn't tell him about the riddle just yet, however, not only because she didn't want anyone else to overhear, but also because she wanted him to enjoy the peace of this night just as much as Kelly and Matthew. Andy had mentioned it was a new beginning and the last thing he needed was to hear about another strange case. Eventually there were just an armful of presents left so she gathered these up herself, but just as she left the gift table she turned and looked at it, tilting her head to the side. She could have sworn there was a picture of her and Kelly missing.

  Chapter 2

  Ellen awoke with a lengthy yawn. Scampy was leaping on the bed, yapping at her to get up. She hadn't drank that much wine the previous night yet she still felt rather dazed and tried to get Scampy to calm down, which was much easier said than done. Eventually the dog won out and Ellen was forced out of bed. The morning was crisp and the town was quiet. Ellen walked along, still half-asleep, while Scampy ran ahead.

  The riddle played on Ellen's mind but she couldn't fathom the real meaning behind it, although she looked forward to sitting down later on and taking a good crack at it. Initially she had liked that Kelly had invited the entire town to her wedding but now she worried that it was a mistake as somebody had a nefarious motive. Could the riddle just be a drunken mistake by someone? Perhaps, and nothing may come of it, but Ellen couldn't treat that as a certainty. And as much as she hated to disturb Kelly's mood she would have to tell her the truth.

  After the walk Ellen went back to her place for a quick shower before opening up the cafe. After the previous night's revelry her neighbors were tired as well, and offered a tired wave as they too opened their stores. Ellen started up the coffee machine and the day began like any other. A few people entered the cafe and chatted among themselves while Ellen puttered about the place. Then she heard a man clearing his throat. He was of average height and had a satchel hung over his shoulder.

  “It's Ellen Thatch, isn't it?” he said.

  “Yes, who is asking?” she replied, drying her hands on a tea towel, eyeing him suspiciously. The man rummaged around his shirt then showed her his press identification card.

  “I'm Adam Monk, I'm a reporter with The Herald. I was wondering if you're free for an interview?”

  Ellen cocked an eyebrow in surprise. “I'm sorry, an interview? What for?”

  “Well, the paper covers a lot of local personalities and a bunch of us in the office are really taken with all the work you do with the police. We know you've helped on a number of high-profile cases recently and we'd like to talk to you about them. You know, how a cafe owner started working with the police and what drives you to do it, that sort of thing. It's the kind of thing our readers love and, well,
I have to admit a certain personal admiration as I've always had a fondness for mysteries. I can tell you're a busy woman so I won't take up too much of your time.”

  Ellen considered the offer for a few moments, pursing her lips. Adam had a hopeful look in his eyes but there wasn't much chance of her resisting. It wasn't often that anyone wanted to interview her and the attention did fill her with a thrill. Upon feeling this she thought back to Paul Diamond, the Hollywood actor who had spent some time in East Pender while researching Andy for a role he was playing in a film. She wondered if Paul still felt this thrill every time he was interviewed, or had it happened so often that it had become mundane and monotonous? Either way, she could see how it could become addicting and why so many people wanted to become famous and have the public’s attention. She relinquished the bar to one of her trusty helpers and went to sit down with Adam at a table in the corner of the restaurant.

  The reporter opened his satchel and placed a recorder in the middle of the table.

  “I hope you don't mind us being recorded. I'll be taking notes as well but this will help me when I write up the article,” he said, following the recorder with a notepad and pen.

  “That's fine,” Ellen said, watching with curiosity. “Do you do this kind of thing a lot?”

  “I was transferred a while ago. I used to work on crime, that's when I started to become aware of you and how you helped the police. But now I'm on local interest stories. It's a nice change of pace,” he said, although from the way he said it Ellen could tell he was not happy about his new focus.

  “I thought we'd just begin with a little bit about your history. Then go into how you started helping out with the police and some of the more notable cases you've worked on. If there's anything you're uncomfortable with just let me know and we'll skip it.”

  “The only thing I'd be uncomfortable with is possibly revealing information about the police. I don't want to jeopardize my relationship with them.”