Sweet Secrets (A Sweet Cove Mystery Book 3)

by J A Whiting

  “Roses are fine.” Mr. Finch said looking at the plants cascading over the fence.

  “We can surround the stems in plastic wrap too, so nobody gets a taste of a plant stem.” Courtney sniffed the blooms. Angie went back to the storage room to get some clippers. Courtney held a box as the roses were removed and set gently into the container.

  When the cake layers were ready and cooled, Angie used a pastry brush to spread simple syrup over them, and then frosted and assembled the cake. Courtney and Mr. Finch filled pastry bags with frosting to use for the decorative touches.

  “I prefer to assemble on site, but we’re in such a hurry, I’ll just do it here,” Angie said.

  Courtney placed the flowers and some greens on each layer to make it seem that the blossoms were cascading down the edges of the cake. They stood back and admired their work.

  “It’s beautiful,” Mr. Finch announced.

  Courtney and Angie carefully carried the wedding cake to Angie’s car. She hugged Finch and her sister.

  “We’ll clean up while you deliver,” Courtney said. “And then I need a nap.” She and Finch climbed the stairs to the apartment.

  As Angie was snapping her seatbelt, her phone buzzed. She looked down at the text message. It was from Shirley Banks.

  Can I come to your house to talk to you tonight before the fireworks? I’m worried about something.

  Angie’s heart hammered. She replied with a “yes”.

  Driving down the street to the resort, she couldn’t shake off the feeling of dread that bubbled up from her core.

  Chapter 23

  Angie delivered the cake to the resort and Josh praised her over and over. “You saved the day. I can’t thank you enough.” He wrapped her in a hug and Angie melted into him.

  The cake was carried into the reception room by two resort employees who settled it onto a platform in the middle of the space. Angie used the pastry bag to make some last minute adjustments and when she finished, the multi-tiered confection looked gorgeous.

  As Angie left the resort, she walked across the grass to where her nana’s cottage once stood. Looking out over the ocean, the familiar thrumming started in her veins. She smiled at the sensation, and the low, gentle beating lulled her and made her aware of how exhausted she was. The sun was nearly touching the horizon and the sky was streaked with pink, but heavy threatening clouds were rolling in from the west.

  Suddenly, Angie’s muscles tensed from adrenaline rushing through her body. She instinctively glanced around for any danger lurking nearby. When she turned and faced the direction of Coveside, the thrumming beat more forcefully in her blood. Her hands clenched into fists and her breathing became labored. Worry picked at her brain. Is Shirley Banks in danger?

  Angie placed a call to Shirley, but the phone just rang and rang. She pocketed the phone, hurried to her car, backed out of the space, and instead of heading home, turned the vehicle in the direction of Shirley Bank’s house.

  ***

  Angie knocked on Shirley’s front door. She waited for a minute and then pressed the doorbell. When no one came to answer, she decided to check the back yard, and maybe peek in the windows to be sure Shirley wasn’t on the floor inside one of the rooms.

  Just as Angie stepped off the front walkway onto the grass, the next door neighbor called to her. The woman held the end of a garden hose and was aiming the spray at the flowers she had planted around the stone walk that led to her front door. She waved at Angie and clicked off the nozzle at the end of the hose. She placed it on the ground and wiped her hands on her jeans. “You’re looking for Shirley?”

  Angie nodded. She walked over to introduce herself.

  “Emma Norton.” The woman shook Angie’s hand. “I haven’t seen Shirley today. Is she expecting you?”

  “No, I just stopped by to see if I could catch her at home. She’s coming to my house later this evening and I thought, if she was here, I might save her the trip. Maybe she’s giving a tour.”

  “No. Not today. Her employees work today.”

  Angie decided that she might as well try to get some information since the neighbor was the one who started the interaction. “Have you lived here long?”

  “Oh, my, yes. For fifty years. We love the area. We’ve never wanted to go anywhere else.”

  “You lived here when Shirley’s house burned down?”

  “Thank heaven’s we missed that.” The woman clucked and shook her head. “We moved here a few months after the fire.”

  Angie gestured to the back of the white Cape. “I was going to check in the back yard in case Shirley was outside.”

  “Shirley’s only outside when she gives the tours.” Emma chuckled. “She’s an inside girl. I don’t know why she bought a house in Florida. If you’re not one for the outdoors why would you bother with Florida? She doesn’t swim, she doesn’t boat.” Mrs. Norton seemed like she expected an answer.

  “Maybe she doesn’t like the snow?” Angie made an attempt to provide a reply to the question. “Does she spend a lot of time in Florida?”

  “October through April. Have you been to the Tampa house with Shirley?”

  Angie shook her head.

  “Shirley took me once. What a place. Right on a canal. Huge. The biggest house I’ve ever been in. Gorgeous place. She made good investments to be able to own a place like that.”

  Mrs. Norton bent to pick up the hose. “I’ll tell Shirley you stopped by.”

  Angie waved and gave a little smile. On a canal. The biggest house she’d ever been in. Good investments. Her eyes were like saucers. Oh, no.

  Angie raced to her car, put the key in the ignition, and turned it. The engine sputtered and died. She tried three more times and got the same result. “No, not now,” Angie wailed and hit the steering wheel. Anxiety flooded her body. Her head felt like it was about to explode. As she pulled out her phone and sent a text to Ellie, the sky darkened, the wind gusted and shook the car, and the first raindrops started to fall.

  Angie tried the car again and this time the engine cranked and turned over. She gave it some gas and the vehicle jerked and bucked to the corner where it promptly halted. The wind buffeted the car and the sky was so dark that it seemed like midnight. Angie cursed her car. There was no response from her sister, so Angie sent a call through. It rang in her ear until the voice mail came on. “Ellie, I don’t trust Shirley Banks. If she comes to the house, don’t let her in. Call me as soon as you get this.” Angie texted Jenna and Courtney, and then turned the key in the ignition again.

  ***

  Euclid and Circe howled from the top of the China cabinet.

  “I’m glad the B and B guests have gone out and aren’t here.” Ellie scowled up at the cats and waved her hand. “Stop that shrieking.”

  “The thunder must have them in a tizzy.” Courtney had just come downstairs from taking a nap. As if to punctuate her words, a crack of thunder shook the house. “Is Angie back from delivering that cake to the resort?”

  “Not yet.” Ellie headed for the kitchen. “I’m going to get some flashlights in case we lose power.”

  Jenna came into the dining room. “We aren’t having a tornado are we?” The wind roared and a branch cracked and hit the window. “Yikes!”

  The cats leaped from the cabinet and rushed into the foyer. They stared at the front door, howling.

  Jenna asked, “What’s wrong with them?”

  “They’ve been acting crazy since the storm started to blow in.” Courtney hurried from window to window to be sure that they were all closed. Driving rain hit the glass.

  “Do you think we should go down into the basement?” Jenna’s faced was lined with worry. “I don’t like the sound of this. Where’s Mr. Finch?”

  “He’s putting stuff away in the carriage house apartment.”

  The doorbell rang. The cats screamed.

  “Who can this be?” Jenna went to open the door, but before she did she shooed the cats to the staircase. “You can’t go ou
tside. You’ll get blown away.”

  She pulled the door open to see Shirley Banks huddled on the porch, clutching her sweater to attempt to stay dry. Jenna stepped back so the woman could enter.

  “Hello. What an awful evening.” She brushed raindrops from the arms of her sweater. “I’m here to see Angie. I told her I was coming.”

  Euclid looked at the woman and let out a low, guttural hiss. Shirley shot the orange cat a dirty look.

  Courtney said, “Angie isn’t back yet. She should be home any minute. Would you like to sit down?”

  A flash of lightning lit up the room and a crack of thunder practically deafened everyone.

  “Here are some flashlights.” Ellie hurried into the dining room and stopped short when she saw the woman in the foyer. Courtney introduced them. The doorbell rang for a second time.

  Jenna said, “I’ll get it. It must be Angie.”

  A cold, icy chill slid down Courtney’s back and she whirled towards the door. She shouted just as Jenna reached for the doorknob. “No! Don’t open it.”

  It was too late. Paul Wilson, the historical society grouch entered the foyer. His face was somber, his eyes filled with hate.

  “Why don’t we all go in the living room and wait for Angie.” Shirley Banks had removed a gun from her purse and used it to gesture towards the other room. “Move.”

  The three sisters sat down on the sofa. Ellie’s face was white. Her eyes looked unfocused.

  “What the heck is this about?” Jenna demanded.

  “I think you know very well what this is about.” Paul Wilson sneered.

  “Who is upstairs?” Shirley inquired. “Where are the inn’s guests?”

  Ellie answered robotically. “All the guests are out.”

  Everyone turned when they heard the front door open and a gust of wind rattle through the foyer. Angie rushed in looking like a drowned rat. Her eyes widened and a shot of adrenaline coursed through her body when she saw Wilson, Shirley with a gun in her hand, and her sisters in the living room lined up on the sofa.

  “Get in here,” Wilson growled.

  Angie took small steps forward, her mind racing. She glanced about for something to use as a weapon.

  “Join your sisters on the couch.” Wilson gave Angie a shove.

  Angie sat between Ellie and Jenna. She glared at Shirley. “I met your neighbor. I hear you have a large home in Tampa.” Angie’s eyes flashed. “On a canal. The biggest house your neighbor has ever seen.” She paused. “Funny. How does a college professor afford such a place? Oh, I know. Good investment strategies. Right, Mr. Wilson?”

  Shirley’s lips were a tight, thin line on her face. “You had to stick your noses where they don’t belong. Couldn’t leave well enough alone.”

  Angie could hear Ellie’s breathing, harsh and ragged. Out of the corner of her eye, she took a quick look at her sister. Ellie’s face was bright red and her eyes looked glassy. Drops of sweat rolled down the side of her face.

  “You told us a good story, didn’t you?” Jenna’s voice dripped with disgust.

  Shirley’s eyes darkened. “Oh, the story I told was true. I just left some things out.”

  “Let me guess,” Angie said. “The documents you stole from John Turner didn’t burn in the house fire.”

  “Very clever.” Shirley’s face hardened. “I saved the papers from the fire. My mother didn’t know.” A cruel smile formed on the woman’s mouth. “I realized I could get everything I ever wanted, so I blackmailed Turner. He rewarded me handsomely for saving the documents.” Shirley cackled. “I never had to work a day in my life, but one must keep up appearances. Mustn’t call attention to oneself.”

  “Enough of this. Let’s get moving.” Wilson’s lips curled into a sneer. “Time for all of us to take a little drive.”

  Jenna’s jaw was tight as her eyes bored into Shirley’s. “Did Mr. Wilson teach you how to invest? Since he and his father had so much experience investing the money John Turner paid them to destroy land records and file a forged will.”

  Wilson wheeled around. He glared at Jenna. “Maybe you’ll be the first one to die.”

  Angie instinctively placed a hand on Jenna’s knee. She thought of something. She leaned closer to Jenna and whispered. “Where are the cats?”

  “Silence. No more talking.” Wilson advanced a few steps. “You two will come with me.” He pointed at Angie and Courtney. He shot Shirley a look. “Give me a couple of minutes to get them into the van. Then bring the other two.” Wilson raised his voice. “Get up.”

  Angie and Courtney stood up and shuffled towards the front door. Angie took her sister’s hand and squeezed it. “It’ll be okay,” she said softly.

  Wilson snorted. He pulled two pairs of handcuffs from his pocket.

  The front door crashed open in sync with a blazing flash of lightning. Mr. Finch and the two cats, dripping wet from the pelting rain, stormed into the foyer, the flash illuminating them from behind. Wilson startled at the three creatures advancing on him.

  Finch raised his cane and whacked Wilson over the head. Circe leaped at Wilson and sunk her claws into the man’s neck as Angie and Courtney tackled him to the floor.

  “Stop!” Shirley screamed. She raised the gun and pointed it at Mr. Finch.

  Finch winced and closed his eyes. Jenna covered her face with her hands. Shirley pulled the trigger.

  As Euclid shot into the air in front of Mr. Finch to block the bullet and protect the man, Ellie leaped from the sofa with her arms outstretched. Her voice vibrated off the walls. “Noooo!”

  Her long blonde hair lifted up around her head and floated in the air like it was electrified. Ellie flung her arms out in front of herself with the palms of her hands facing front. A bolt of light flashed in the room and blinded everyone for a split second. Thunder boomed and shook the house on its foundation.

  Jenna opened her eyes just in time to see Ellie collapse on the floor. Mr. Finch stood blinking, his face white with shock. Euclid, unhurt, arched his back menacingly at the woman who had been holding the gun.

  Shirley’s gun lay on the rug, the barrel twisted like a pretzel. The bullet was a few feet away. It was as soft as a marshmallow.

  Euclid advanced on Shirley moving his feet like a panther and when he was close, he sprang at her sinking his teeth and claws into her skin. She howled and fell to the floor with the orange giant biting and scratching her.

  Wilson tried to clamber to his feet, but Finch smacked him over the head with the cane again and Courtney yanked her belt from around her waist and used it to tie Wilson’s hands together behind his back. She pulled her phone from her pocket and placed an emergency call to the police department. Circe stood watching Wilson, her back arched, ready to pounce on the man.

  Finch moved to the living room and threatened Shirley Banks with his cane. Euclid stood beside the woman and glared at her. Shirley stayed prone on the floor and didn’t dare move.

  Finch turned to Euclid. “You jumped in front of me to save me from the bullet. Thank you, my friend.” He gave the rain-soaked, orange cat a slight bow.

  Angie stood and gaped at the bent and twisted gun on the rug. She stumbled to where Ellie was crumpled on the floor.

  Jenna checked Ellie’s pulse. “She’s okay. She passed out.”

  Angie ran her hand over her sister’s forehead. Ellie’s eyelids fluttered. “What happened?” She grabbed Angie’s and Jenna’s hands and pulled herself to sitting position. Clutching her head in her hands, she groaned. “My head hurts.”

  The girls helped Ellie up onto the sofa.

  Jenna edged close to Angie. “Did you see what she did to the gun? And the bullet?”

  Angie gave a slight nod. “I think Ellie’s powers just showed themselves.”

  “She’s not going to like it.” Jenna shook her head.

  Angie looked at Mr. Finch, his hair drenched and his jacket dripping. He held his cane ready to strike should Shirley try to escape. “How did you know?” she asked
.

  “I was watching the storm from the window in the carriage house. I could see Euclid and Circe clawing and biting at the window screen at the back of the Victorian. I believe they were trying to get out of the house to alert me. I rushed down the stairs, opened the back door, and the cats ran like the wind to the front porch with me hobbling after them. We crashed through the front door, ready to do battle.”

  Angie nodded.

  The rain stopped and the clouds broke apart to let some starlight filter through the windows of the Victorian. Angie shifted her eyes to take in the scene in the living room and the foyer … Shirley pinned to the floor by Euclid, and Wilson with his hands tied behind his back. The sight of her sisters, the cats, and Mr. Finch made her heart swell, and the corners of her mouth turned up.

  She couldn’t wait for Chief Martin to show up and see this.

  Chapter 24

  Attorney Ford sat in the sunroom with the four sisters, two cats, and Mr. Finch. He wasn’t dressed in his usual attire. Today he was wearing a polo shirt and tennis shorts because he and Ellie had a tennis date right after the family pow-wow.

  “I’ve spoken with Chief Martin. Somehow he didn’t seem surprised by the events of the past few days or of their outcome.” He made eye contact with each person in the room. “As you know, the safety deposit box at the bank held the documents from John Turner’s misdeeds. His mother’s will and the forged will that cut his sister Forsythia out of the Robin’s Point land. There is also documentation of the missing town hall land records, among other things.” Attorney Ford’s face clouded. “Mr. Turner was a very busy man.”

  “And his letters were in the box too.” Jenna scowled.

  The letters found in the security box were correspondence between John Turner and friends, acquaintances, and the editor of the Sweet Cove weekly. In each letter, Turner ranted about the need to rid the town of “witches” and urged the editor of the newspaper to print editorials to that effect. His demands were veiled attempts to persecute several town residents, including his mother and his sister. The editor flatly refused.

  Attorney Ford went on. “I believe there is enough evidence of wrong-doing to begin a lawsuit against the town of Sweet Cove for illegally taking the land from your ancestors. That is, if you wish it, but ….” He hesitated.