Picture Perfect Murder (Ryli Sinclair 1)

by Jenna St James

  I blinked my eyes and lifted my hands to my face...only to have them fall back to the floor. It was like they weighed fifty pounds each.

  Chuckling, Garrett reached down and wiped some of the tears and blood from my face. "I don't know whether to beat you or kiss you. I’ve never been so grateful to see someone alive in all my life." He tucked a wet strand of hair behind my ear.

  Just my luck, the very heart-felt words I'd waited forever to hear, and all I could do was drool on myself.

  I was dimly aware of loud noises and all kinds of ruckus going on around me, but I just wasn't sure what was happening. I saw Garrett look up and then Matt's face looming over me.

  "Mom's on her way. The town is already abuzz over this. Seems Bea and Mildred have been non-stop on the phone when they saw the police cars here and a shrieking Sharon trying to be shoved in a police car."

  I tried to laugh at the description, but nothing came out. I closed my heavy eyes, hoping Mom wouldn't lecture me too much.

  I let Matt take over and just tried to relax. Three other paramedics came over, and I felt myself being lifted, then raised, then pushed out of the church to be loaded onto the ambulance.

  Crash!

  I opened my eyes and managed to turn my head just a fraction. Amid the cursing and the screaming, I saw a 1975 Coupe Deville imbedded into the side of Garrett's police-issued Suburban.

  Aunt Shirley jumped out of the car and came running over to me. "What in tarnation did you go and do? You weren't supposed to do anything stupid unless I was with you!"

  I whimpered. It was the closest thing to a laugh I could manage. Aunt Shirley patted my hand and was giving me what-for when my mom came running up to the gurney.

  Groaning, I closed my eyes and wished to be anywhere else. I'd even take a lecture from Garrett at this point than have to face my mom.

  "Now's not the time for the lecture, young lady. But trust me, it's coming," she said.

  "You might have to stand in line," I whispered, knowing Garrett would want in on this reprimand.

  "You bet she will," Garrett said, his arms crossed over his chest.

  I grinned. Or at least I think I did.

  The guys began loading me once more. Grasping Aunt Shirley's hand I croaked, "Whose car?"

  Aunt Shirley laughed. "Old Man Jenkins. I told him I'd let him touch my boobs again if he let me borrow it to go rescue my niece."

  "Nice," I said as my eyes drifted shut.

  * * *

  Pretty much everything else had to be wrapped up without me. I was of no use to anyone until they were able to stabilize me. The minute I was deemed okay, the rest of the story unfolded.

  It seems once Pastor Williams was finally able to be roused from one of his drug-induced sleeps, Mom and Pastor Williams got into a knock down drag out fight in the police station...or at least my mom knocked him down and then had to be dragged kicking and screaming off of him.

  Garret gave Aunt Shirley a ticket for hitting his police-issued vehicle. She promptly tore it up in front of him, claiming when an aunt was rescuing a niece, casualties of war were expected.

  This prompted another ticket.

  Hank, Mindy, Matt, and Paige were regulars at my hospital bed for a few days. Mindy, Matt, and Paige for comfort...Hank to harass me about the exclusive he expected me to have written and ready to go by print time next week.

  I never really did get the big lecture I was expecting from both Mom and Garrett. I guess by the time they got done processing crazy Sharon, they must have realized I was damn lucky to have survived that whacko.

  And for the first time in church history, the festival was put on hold. Pretty much everything regarding the church has been put on hold.

  Once Sharon admitted to the killings and drugging her own husband, they locked her away and she's now awaiting trial. Pastor Williams resigned from the church and is in the process of moving out of the parsonage. Seems his spritely ninety-year-old mother wants out of the retirement home in Brywood, and Pastor Williams needs a woman to take care of him still. The church is trying to heal and move on with the hiring of another preacher. I just hope this one isn't as whacked out as the last one.

  Garrett told me he knew it was Sharon the minute he got off the phone interview with her brother. It just so happened after he'd interviewed Patty and she told him hospitals and clinics have to keep track of ketamine, he started searching for recent break-ins and stolen ketamine. When a Dr. Williams popped up, he knew it couldn't be a coincidence and called Sharon's brother-in-law immediately. His answers were all Garrett needed. He'd been on his way to the parsonage when I'd finally texted him back I was at the church and needed help.

  Miss Molly was able to come home the minute I was released from the hospital. I’d never been so happy to see her! I hugged and hugged her. She meowed, jumped down, and demanded a treat. She was back to normal.

  One good thing I could say about getting involved with the murder investigation—my attempted murder aside—it gave me a taste of investigative work. And I really enjoyed it. If only I could convince Garrett of how good I was.

  * * *

  "Okay, so we finally decided on a date and place for the wedding," Paige said as we were all gathered around the dining room table at my mom's for dinner two weeks after “the incident” as we had come to call it.

  I squealed. This was the moment I’d been waiting for. Paige had been so tight-lipped about everything I was ready to explode.

  I looked around the table at our closest friends and family members. Aunt Shirley was busy picking her teeth with her butter knife, but everyone else was listening attentively.

  Matt stood up and put his arm around Paige. "We've been thinking about this a lot. And we know it's sort of last minute, but there's no place we'd rather get married than down at the lake house. Not only did we spent our summers there together as kids, but since Mom inherited the house, we’ve been there together as a couple a few times. It’s a place that holds a lot of wonderful memories for us."

  My mom's family was originally from South Missouri. She grew up in the very lake house we were discussing. When we’d go visit Grams and Gramps as kids, it was extra special because their enormous house was on a huge lake. When they passed away a few years ago, Mom inherited the lake house.

  Every summer I would drag Paige with me on our family vacation. Usually we’d stay with Grams and Gramps for three to four weeks. It was an endless barrage of spying on Matt and catching up with friends we only saw once a year. When I was eleven, Gramps taught Paige and I how to steer the rickety old canoe he bought us. We thought we were so cool puttering around the lake in our canoe with an outboard motor. We’d putter around the numerous channels, hoping to meet up with the friends we had made. Most of them were kids from the town, but a few were like us, visiting for a month out of the summer.

  "I think that's a lovely idea,” my mom said, “but are you sure we can get everyone down there? Where will the ceremony take place? What about—"

  Matt cut her off. "Mom, Paige and I don't want a big wedding. We just want our closest family and friends there. That's why you all have been invited tonight. Outside of a few other immediate family and friend, you are the ones we want to share our day with."

  I looked around the room at everyone here. My mom, Paige's parents, Aunt Shirley, Mindy, Hank, Garrett, Nick Turner, and Paige's cousin, Megan, from Kansas City.

  "Paige," her mom said, "you've been dreaming of this your whole life. Are you sure this is how you want to do it?"

  Paige linked arms with Matt. "A few nights ago we stayed up the whole night talking. We reminisced about growing up always together. How we spent every summer vacation together down at the lake. And that's when we knew. We had to be married at our favorite place…during our favorite month."

  "Wait," I said. "I know your favorite month. It's right around the corner!"

  Jumping up and down Paige announced, "Matt and I want to get married at his mom's lake house over the Christma
s and New Year holiday!"

  Pandemonium erupted. I admit I was the leader. How in the world could we be ready for a wedding in just a month and a half?

  I looked over at Garrett. He smirked, saluted me with his bourbon, and took a long drink.

  Matt lifted his hands. "We've already got most things taken care of. We've called a florist down there, and they are able to fit us in on short demand. And Paige discovered she knew the new owner of the bakery in town."

  “You remember Susan Shoeman? The girl whose mom and dad died in that tragic house fire when we were seventeen? She came back to town a few years ago and started her own bakery. When I talked with her, she was so excited to hear about the wedding and can’t wait to get together. She’s already e-mailed me pictures of small wedding cakes.”

  "What about a dress?" Paige's mom asked, wiping tears from her eyes.

  "I'd like to use your wedding dress if that's okay?"

  This announcement caused the whole table of women to cry, myself included.

  A short time later, after dessert had been served and wedding plans finalized, Matt stood up again.

  "One last thing. Paige and I had debated on whether or not to say anything until after the wedding, but—"

  "Oh, my God," I blurted out, "you're pregnant!"

  Matt scowled at me as he lifted his hands in the air. "As most of you know, Officer Chunsey has decided that law enforcement isn't for him. Garrett approached me about a vacant position on the squad now, and after having talked it over with Paige, I'm going to be going to the police academy in Kansas City once we get back from our honeymoon."

  All eyes cut to Garrett. Saying nothing, he lifted his bourbon again to his mouth, taking a long drink. Obviously he knew enough to keep his mouth closed.

  It was getting pretty late when I walked Garrett to his car, deciding to stay the night at Mom's to help clean up.

  Grabbing me around the waist, he leaned in and kissed me. I almost forgot I was mad at him for talking by brother into joining the police force. I didn't want my brother in harm’s way. It had been agonizing when he was overseas during his stint in the military. I was constantly worried he’d get wounded...or even worse, die. And now that he and Paige were getting married, I especially didn’t want anything to happen to him.

  "So," he said, tucking a curl behind my ear, "a wedding in a month and a half. Think you can stay out of trouble that long, Sin?"

  I glared at him.

  If only I'd known then how impossible that would prove to be.

  Girls’ Night Out Murder

  Chapter 1

  “I know,” Aunt Shirley said, waving her margarita glass. “How about ‘I don’t do windows or dinners or dishes.’” She slapped her knee in glee. “Sounds pretty damn catchy to me.”

  Paige threw down her pen. “Ryli, shut her up, please.”

  I hid my smile behind my margarita glass and shot my great-Aunt Shirley a mock glare. She retaliated by taking a long swallow of her margarita. Since she was obviously bordering on drunk…my look meant nothing to her.

  I narrowed my eyes at her. “Play nice,” I ordered.

  “Why’re you squinting at me like that?” Aunt Shirley demanded. “You needin’ glasses?”

  I rolled my eyes. Subtlety never worked on Aunt Shirley.

  My best friend, Paige, was marrying my brother, Matt, in eight days. To make matters even more stressful, they weren’t doing it in our hometown. Not that they could’ve gotten married by our childhood pastor in the church we’d all grown up in anyway…we were still without a pastor.

  We were without a pastor because our last pastor and his wife, Sharon Williams, turned out to be certifiably insane. He was addicted to booze and pills, courtesy of his wife’s nightly medicinal cocktail, and she spent her nights running around town killing people. Me included.

  Obviously she didn’t succeed in killing me, but she gave it her best try. Luckily for me, a couple quick jabs to the neck with a dart took care of her.

  So when Paige and Matt announced they’d like to be married at the lake house, no one made too big a fuss. We’d all grown up visiting my grandparents there, and now that mom owned the house, we continued going every chance we got.

  “Just say what you feel,” I said. “Don’t worry so much about putting it down on paper. You two have been in love since elementary school. Well, you have anyway, he just didn’t know he was.”

  Paige laughed. “You’re right.” She took a dainty sip of her margarita. “I guess I’m just worried I’ll freeze and forget what to say.”

  “Did I ever tell you girls Clint Eastwood once asked me to marry him?” Aunt Shirley announced.

  “No, he didn’t, Aunt Shirley.” I’ve heard these ridiculous stories a thousand times.

  “Of course, I had to turn him down. His dog’s farts nearly took the paint off the walls.” She took another drink. “I couldn’t see myself tied down to that kind of mess.”

  Paige giggled.

  I rolled my eyes. You can only hear so much bull in one day before you start to go insane. With Aunt Shirley, it usually took two minutes in her presence before you realized she’s the biggest bullshitter there ever was. It’s what made her so good at her job, I’m sure. But it does get tiring.

  Aunt Shirley brushed her short, white hair off her face and belched. “I jussss wanna know one thing,” Aunt Shirley slurred. “Do we have the party covered?”

  “Oh yeah,” I grinned, enjoying the look of discomfort on Paige’s face. “The bachelorette party is covered.”

  “Tell me you aren’t doing anything cheesy and vulgar,” Paige demanded.

  Aunt Shirley hiccupped then laughed. “Those are the two ingredients needed for a good party.” She downed the last of her drink and tipped dangerously in her chair.

  I shook my head. “I’ll never tell.”

  Groaning, Paige plunked her head down on my dining room table. Miss Molly, my black and white long-haired cat, stopped cleaning herself to glare at Paige. I was pretty sure Miss Molly knew I was leaving for a week. Every time I looked at her she either turned her back to me or started cleaning herself. That’s cat language for “YOU ARE DEAD TO ME!”

  Aunt Shirley and I were supposed to be putting the finishing touches on our list of things to take with us on Monday, while Paige was to be working on her vows. None of us were getting very far.

  Well, that’s not totally true…we were pretty far down in our cups. I think this was our third pitcher of margaritas.

  My aunt held up her empty glass. “I need another drink.”

  I obliged, but was smart enough to only fill it halfway. I figured she was too drunk to notice.

  Seeing as how she was near Methuselah’s age—only a slight exaggeration—the doctor said she was supposed to drink more red wine, that it would be better for her health. Of course, my aunt’s response was something along the lines of the doctor could kiss her lily-white ass before she’d drink wine over tequila.

  This explains why, on a frigid Saturday afternoon, two days before Christmas, we were three sheets to the wind. I’m totally blaming my aunt for this.

  My great-aunt Shirley is a seventy-five-year-old retired private investigator—a virtually unheard of profession for females during her time. She worked mostly in Los Angeles from the early sixties until she retired a few years back. Which is why we constantly have to listen to her I-used-to-date-a-movie-star-way-back-when stories she enjoys fabricating.

  I love her crass, no-nonsense sort of way. That and the fact she’s given me her most prized possession—a 1965 turquoise Falcon that has a glass-like finish and dark purple ghost flames that dance across the hood and side panels—doesn’t hurt, either.

  It wasn’t until recently that I felt I deserved to drive a car like this. It’s one sweet, badass car. But since single-handedly taking down the town killer, I felt pretty badass.

  “Mom and I are running to Kansas City tomorrow to get a few last-minute items we need before we head down to the
lake. Did you want to go?” Paige asked.

  I shook my head. “I can’t. I have to finish an article for Hank, and then we’re going to work on the layout for next week’s paper. He’s still a little grumpy that Mindy and I are taking off the whole week.”

  I work for the Granville Gazette as an investigative journalist, photographer, copy editor, and whatever else Hank needs. Hank is the owner of the Gazette. I always describe him the same way to everyone. He’s a “Kill ‘em all, let God sort ‘em out” guy. A retired Marine who still walks the walk and talks the talk. Once a Marine, always a Marine. Oorah!

  His wife, Mindy, is the complete opposite of him. Where he is mean and vulgar, she’s sweet and kindhearted. She dresses like Naomi Harper from Mama’s Family. She loves bright colors, Capri pants, and off-the-shoulder shirts and sweaters. But that’s where the comparisons stop. Mindy is actually the smartest, most levelheaded woman I know outside of my own momma. Any woman that can put up with Hank has to be.

  Lately Hank’s been giving me more responsibilities around the office. I guess he figured since his star reporter single-handedly took down the town killer, perhaps I could do more than write fluff pieces for his paper. Of course, I’m sure it doesn’t hurt I’m currently dating the Chief of Police in Granville, either. Hank is hoping I’ll scoop something for him. He can keep hoping…it’ll never happen.

  Garrett Kimble and I started seeing each other when we were working the last case together. Okay, that may be a stretch. He was working it, and I was getting in the way. But in the end it brought us together. We’ve been “a little more than casual” for two months now.

  “It’s going to be awful shopping on Christmas Eve,” I said.

  “I know. I’m beginning to think a New Year’s Eve wedding wasn’t such a good idea.”

  “Nonthens!” I looked over at Aunt Shirley. Her near-empty margarita glass was tilting dangerously to the side, and she was rocking ever so slightly back and forth. It’s official…she was smashed. “Besss idea. Gonna be specular…spectlar.” Her brow furrowed. “Gonna be great!”