by Rose Pressey
Goody Goody Gunshots
A Sweet Shoppe Mystery
by Rose Pressey
“Rose Pressey’s book are fun!”
Janet Evanovich
Praise for Me and My Ghoulfriends by Rose Pressey
“Rose Pressey spins a delightful tale with misfits and romance that makes me cheer loudly.”
Coffee Time Romance
“Her characters are alive and full of quick witted charm and will make you laugh. The plot twists keep you turning the pages non-stop.”
ParaNormalRomance
“I absolutely loved this book! It had me chuckling from the beginning.”
Fallen Angel Review
Reese Sweet dreamed of the day she'd run her own candy shop. After months of preparation, everything was all set. Jelly Beans, Gobstopers, Chocolate, Lollipops all mouthwatering, colorful, and ready for customers. But when opening day arrives, Reese never thought her first customer would be murdered entering the store.
A witness to the crime, Reese is in a crunch since the killer might be coming for her next.
With help from her best friend Mary Jane Hersey and Grandma Honey, they attempt to track down the killer, and Reese must put together the pieces before it's too late.
Goody Goody Gunshots is the first delicious cozy mystery in the Sweet Shoppe Series by USA Today bestselling author Rose Pressey.
Rose Pressey’s Complete Bookshelf (click title to preview/buy)
Paranormal P.I. Series
What the Hex?
The Hex With It
Chase Charley Series:
Book 1: For Old Crimes Sake
Book 2: Seems Like Old Crimes
Haunted Tour Guide Mystery Series:
These Haunts are Made for Walking
A Walk on the Haunted Side
Haunt the Haunt, Walk the Walk
Walk this Way, Haunt this Way
Take a Haunted Walk With Me
Keep on Haunting
Haunted Vintage Series:
Book 1 – If You’ve Got It, Haunt It
Book 2 – All Dressed Up and No Place to Haunt
Book 3 – Haunt Couture and Ghosts Galore
Book 4 – Haunted is Always in Fashion
Book 5 – If the Haunting Fits, Wear It
Book 6 and 7 – coming soon
Maggie, P.I. Mystery Series:
Book 1 – Crime Wave
Book 2 – Murder is a Beach
The Halloween LaVeau Series:
Book 1 – Forever Charmed
Book 2 – Charmed Again
Book 3 – Third Time’s a Charm
Book 4 – Charmed, I’m Sure
Book 5 – A Charmed Life
Book 6 – Charmed Ever After
Book 7—Once Upon a Charmed Time
The Hadley Wilds Series:
Book 1: Dead Girl’s Guide to Style
The Rylie Cruz Series:
Book 1 – How to Date a Werewolf
Book 2 – How to Date a Vampire
Book 3 – How to Date a Demon
The Larue Donovan Series:
Book 1 – Me and My Ghoulfriends
Book 2 – Ghouls Night Out
Book 3 – The Ghoul Next Door
Book 4—Ghoul of My Dreams
The Mystic Café Series:
Book 1 – No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells
Book 2 – Pies and Potions
Book 3 — Spells a la Carte
The Veronica Mason Series:
Book 1 – Rock ‘n’ Roll is Undead
A Trash to Treasure Crafting Mystery:
Book 1 – Murder at Honeysuckle Hotel
Book 2 – Honeysuckle Homicide
The Haunted Renovation Mystery Series:
Book 1 – Flip that Haunted House
Book 2 – The Haunted Fixer Upper
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form, (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, incidents, places, and brands are the product of the author’s imagination and not to be construed as real. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Dedication
This is to you and you know who you are.
Acknowledgements
To my son, who brings me joy every single day and is the love of my life. To my mother, who introduced me to the love of books. To my husband, who encourages me and always has faith in me. A huge thank you to my editor, Eleanor Boyall. And to the readers who make writing fun.
Index
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 1
“This jawbreaker is tough.” Mary Jane’s words were slightly slurred. Her cheek looked like a squirrel’s, hoarding nuts for the winter.
“They don’t call them jawbreakers for nothing,” I said, closing the lid on the orange jelly beans.
Jars filled with bright colors of candy lined the walls. Even more glass containers occupied the tables placed in the middle of the room. Every sweet treat imaginable was available. Gumdrops, chocolate, jelly beans, taffy, and lollipops were just a few of the inventory. The building was old, with exposed bricks on some of the walls, but that only added to the charm. A grand chandelier hung from the ceiling in the middle of the room, casting a stunning white glow across the room. The remaining walls were painted a pale pink—my favorite color.
I’d spent a lot of time planning the way the store would look and what I would stock in the quaint place. Yes, the space was on the small side, but that made it more charming. A new candy shop was just what historic Cinnamon, Georgia needed. My grandmother Honey—yes, that was her real name—said the shop would be the greatest thing to hit town since Martha Bowart opened her restaurant. My mother Ruth corrected her and said my shop would be even better. They had a tendency to get carried away with their fanciful thoughts.
Grand opening. I liked those two words. This was the first day of business for the Sweet Shoppe. My love for candy went back to childhood when I used to sneak out of the house and head down to the local candy shop. What kid didn’t love candy though, right? This endeavor was more than a love for candy like most children. My family had been so poor that candy was a luxury we couldn’t afford.
Memories of standing in front of the store with my face pressed against the glass came flooding back. The loud honking of horns and the smell of the hot pavement remained vivid in my mind to this day. The same style of bright, colorful jars full of candy had captured my attention back then, but with no money, tasting the sweets had been pure fantasy. I’d had to live with just looking in from the outside. So with that I’d had a goal, something I strived for… and now that dream was about to become a reality. It was purely coincidental that my name was Reese Sweet. Fitting though, right?
I placed my hands
on my hips and surveyed my surroundings. No way could I hold back the smile on my face when I thought about what was about to happen.
“That giant grin has been on your face for a week now,” Mary Jane said after removing the jawbreaker from her mouth.
“Yes, but remember that hideous look on my face for months as we tried to get this place started.” I adjusted a jar so that it was just right on the shelf.
Mary Jane shivered. “It was scary.”
“Hey, I wasn’t that bad,” I said.
Mary Jane laughed.
Mary Jane Hershey and I had met in college and been instant friends. She was an art major and I’d been a business major. That was ten years ago now. I had to admit there were many times I’d thought this day would never arrive, but here we were—partners in our own candy store.
People often asked if we were sisters. Not because we looked alike, but because we had the same personalities. Actually, we looked nothing alike other than we were wearing the same uniform.
Mary Jane had shoulder-length blonde hair with big curls that bounced with every step she took. Her big blue eyes were like a limitless summer sky. We were like night and day. My long hair had often been described as the color of cola and my eyes like coffee with a dash of cream. Apparently I had a whole liquids thing going on with my appearance. But I digressed. Anyway, I’d ordered pink shirts and multi-colored pastel aprons to pair with our white pants. I wanted to look as professional as possible.
“We look like the candy shop exploded on us.” Mary Jane stared at the glass display case full of chocolate.
She must have read my mind. “No eating the inventory.”
Maybe it was the pink, yellow, and blue stripes on the aprons. I’d contemplated hats, but Mary Jane said that was pushing it and that she’d reconsider our friendship if I made her wear one. She could be so dramatic sometimes. That wasn’t a character trait we shared. Nope. Dramatic was not my style.
“You need to stop fidgeting. Everything looks great,” Mary Jane said.
I’d adjusted the jars of candy a million times preparing for this moment. Maybe she was right. I should just leave them alone. There were a lot of things I should do. I picked up a jar of blue jelly beans to make sure the candy was positioned evenly throughout the jar. All I could think about was the day turning out to be a disaster. What was the worst that could happen though?
Why did something bad always happen when that question was asked?
Maybe my hands were too slippery. I’d used raspberry-scented hand lotion this morning. Or perhaps I was shaking because of nerves. The jar slipped from my grasp. An avalanche of blue beans fell to the floor. The rhythmic sound of the candy hitting the ground reminded me of marbles scattering as they bounced against the hardwood. The jellybeans spread in every direction. Thank goodness the jar hadn’t broken. Now I was glad that I’d invested in the extra-thick glass. I screeched. Sure, maybe I was overreacting, but my stress level was already in freak-out mode and this added another layer.
Mary Jane attempted to navigate the beans. She looked like someone who’d laced up ice skates for the first time. She twirled her arms, trying to remain upright and not fall on her rear. After several near misses, she reached safety on the other side of the accident.
“That was touch-and-go there for a few seconds.” She blew the blonde bangs out of her eyes.
“This is not how I wanted to start the day.” I stared at the mess.
“No one can say you’re not full of beans. Get it, full of beans?” Mary Jane snorted laughter.
I groaned. Bless her heart, this was not the time for another one of her lame jokes. Mary Jane had a plethora of them and they usually came at the worst possible moments.
After retrieving the broom and dustpan, I hurried to clean up the mess while Mary Jane got more jelly beans from the back. She might be full of bad jokes, but she was a great friend. Even after all the difficulty she’d had lately she held her head up high and continued to smile. Duke Milner would be sorry for dumping Mary Jane.
By the time Mary Jane had returned with the jelly beans, I’d cleaned up the spilled candy and dumped it into the trash can. “I hope I didn’t miss a bean. Someone could slip on one of those suckers and break their back.” I searched under every nook and cranny, but no little blue treats appeared.
“I think we’re good,” Mary Jane said as she looked under the last table.
While holding my breath I poured more beans into the jar. Who knew I could keep such a steady hand with my insides shaking? Sure, I was a little wobbly, but I made it. I replaced the lid and then eased the jar back onto the shelf.
“Crisis averted,” Mary Jane said.
I looked at my watch. “Well, we have one minute to go. Should we stand by the door for when the customers flood in?”
Mary Jane nodded. “They’ll like to be greeted with a smile.”
We hurried over to the door and took positions on each side, like soldiers standing sentry at the fort. I adjusted my apron and smoothed down my hair.
“You look great,” Mary Jane said.
“You too.” I smiled.
Unfortunately, not a lot of people were standing out on the sidewalk waiting for the doors to open. Not that I had expected a Black Friday crowd, but I’d thought a few people would be lingering. As a matter of fact, no one was waiting for the door to open.
Mary Jane patted my arm. “It’ll be okay. People just need to realize that the place is open, but they’ll come.”
“Thanks,” I said around a sigh.
She always had an encouraging word. Once again, I checked my watch, waiting for it to hit nine A.M. when I would open the door for the first time.
“Maybe nine is too early for candy.” Mary Jane frowned.
I didn’t want to think about it. As soon as the clock ticked nine, I’d open the door and wait for the customers to rush in… only nine o’clock came and there was no rush of people. I stood a little straighter and held my head high. That was okay. I was just happy to be in the moment. No need to panic or cry. If Grandma Honey stopped by and saw me acting that way, she would tell me to “suck it up, buttercup.”
“Oh, here comes someone,” Mary Jane said excitedly.
Was she right? Was this man really coming into our shop? The handsome man with short blond hair appeared to be headed directly toward our door.
“I can’t breathe,” I whispered.
“I might faint.” Mary Jane fanned herself.
I dashed for the door and swung it open for the good-looking customer. His blue eyes widened as he realized we were standing on each side of him.
“Welcome to the Sweet Shoppe. May we help you find something for your sweet tooth today?” I plastered a huge smile on my face.
Okay, that sounded totally cheesy. Mary Jane groaned.
He wore a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, tan pants, and brown shoes. His eyes were the bright blue color of the jelly beans that I’d scattered on the floor minutes earlier. Please don’t let him slip on a rogue jelly bean, I thought. He was a solid six feet, and even though the clothing concealed it, I knew there was a muscular physique under there.
“Are you the owners?” His gaze traveled from me to Mary Jane.
Uh-oh. What had we done wrong?
“Yes, we’re the owners.” Mary Jane batted her long mascara-coated eyelashes. “I’m Mary Jane Hershey, and this is Reese Sweet.”
A lopsided grin appeared on his face. “Sweet? How appropriate.”
“I get that a lot,” I said.
Heat traveled to my cheeks. Why was I acting like a bashful teenager with a crush? The man’s gaze flickered warily across the room as he observed the stockpiles of candy.
He thrust a toothbrush toward me. “I brought you this. One for you too.” He handed the other one to Mary Jane.
I stared at the gift, remaining speechless. After a couple seconds, I took the red toothbrush from his outstretched hand. Did he have floss in his pocket?
Mary Jane snickered. The handsome man was a dentist… sweets were his nemesis. Would he stop people as they approached my shop and warn them about cavities?
I stuck out my hand. “Nice to meet you, Dr. Charleston. Thanks for the toothbrush.”
He grasped my hand and shook. “I’m not totally against candy.”
The way he flashed that dazzling smile around was dangerous. Of course I expected him to have gorgeous teeth, but the dimples were an added bonus.
“In moderation?” I asked, waving the toothbrush.
He chuckled. “Yes, exactly… well, I just wanted to say welcome. If your customers find they’ve eaten too many sweets send them my way.”
I noticed how he peered around the room again, no doubt realizing the store was empty. I quirked an eyebrow.
“I’m joking… Anyway, I’ll see you around.” He tossed his hand up in a wave and headed for the door.
“Heath Charleston is hot,” Mary Jane said as soon as the door clicked shut.
At least she’d waited until he was out of earshot. My face was already flushed enough.
“I didn’t notice if he was hot. I’m taking a break from men. Actually, it’s probably a permanent vacation.” I watched out the window as Heath disappeared into the building next door.
After breaking things off with the emotionally abusive Woody Whittaker I’d sworn I’d never date again. Okay, so maybe I was a tad bit dramatic after all, but that stupid schmuck would cause any woman to reevaluate her dating life. He’d told me I’d never own a candy shop. Guess I showed him.
“You’re as likely to take a permanent break from dating as I am to say no to another piece of chocolate.” She grabbed a bonbon and popped it into her mouth.
“Don’t eat the inventory.” I took the jar lid from her hands and replaced it.