Swept Up (Maid in LA Mystery #4)

by Jacobs, Holly

  “Maybe have her over at holidays if she’ll come? She won’t have anyone when I’m locked away.”

  “I will,” I promised.

  He nodded. “I thought you would. I’ve seen how close you are with your ex-husband’s wife. I figured you could ignore the fact that Sheila has a murderer for a father and simply see the sweet kid who’s all alone.”

  I got up and moved from me chair to the couch next to Mr. Dubrinski. “I’ll treat her like she’s one of my own. She’ll be one of the family.”

  “I saw your family at the party. And not just your folks and brothers, but all the people there. You love them all, and they’d do anything for you. Sheila could use people like that in her life. Thank you.”

  I nodded and at that moment, the door burst open and Cal and Detective Charlie raced into the living room with guns drawn.

  “You can put those away, guys. Mr. Dubrinski is turning himself in and willing to make a confession. Right?”

  “Right,” he said softly.

  “I’m going to leave you guys here and just ask that you give me an hour to go find Shia before you take him in and book him. I don’t want her to hear this one the news.”

  “Quince,” Cal started, as if he planned on lecturing me. I gave him a pleading look and he looked at Charlie, then back at me. “One hour. After that, we’re putting him in the car and taking him to the station.”

  “Fine.”

  I patted Mr. Dubrinski’s shoulder and hurried out the door.

  I called Shia’s phone. “Hello?” she said.

  “Shia it’s Quincy. I have some news.”

  “Is it Dusted? Oh, Quincy, I just knew they’d pick it up.”

  My heart broke because she was expecting good news and I was going to bring her news that would shatter her world. “Are you at home?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Wait for me there,” I said.

  I’d meant what I told Mr. Dubrinski. I would watch over Shia for him.

  I wish I felt better about solving this mystery, but I couldn’t quite manage it.

  Chapter Ten

  The next week we heard that Dusted had been picked up. The exposure from our Mortie’s and Mellie’s murder didn’t hurt.

  This was Hollywood and the story was everything.

  I was asked more than once if I was planning to write the screenplay for Mellie’s murder. I gave the same answer every time—an emphatic no.

  I was working on a new idea. My Next Ex about a woman who was looking for love, and rather than finding it, she found a bunch of ex’s who became her best friends. So she gave up and rather than looking for the love of her life, she was looking for a man who could be her next ex and fit into her band of friends who were former boyfriends.

  It was light and funny.

  And there’s not a murder anywhere in the mix.

  Two weeks after Mr. Dubrinski was arrested, I called Cal and asked him to meet me at Big G’s.

  I was talking to Big G when Cal, my fiancé, walked in.

  “You gonna sit with us?” he asked his friend and headed for a table.

  I snagged his hand and said, “No, not here,” and then led him to the office in the back.

  Big G didn’t follow.

  There were salads on the desk.

  “This is where we had our first official date,” I said.

  “That wasn’t a date,” Cal said. “It was an interrogation. I simply fed you because I was afraid you were going to pass out if I didn’t.”

  “You brought me to your friend’s place and fed me because it was a date…you just didn’t realize it yet.” I nodded at a chair and he sat down.

  He looked at me. “So what is this all about?”

  I slid the engagement ring off my finger and handed it to him.

  “Quincy, no,” Cal said. “Whatever this is, we’ll work it out. I—”

  “Shh,” I said as I sank to my knees. “It’s been pointed out that after not saying yes to your very romantic Christmas proposal and making you wait so long in engagement limbo, I owed you a better proposal than in a hall outside a murder scene.”

  Cal realized what was going on and grinned. “Honey, you finally said yes…that was pretty much perfect in my book.”

  “Still let me try and do better.” There on my knee, I asked, “Caleb Parker, will you marry me?”

  He pulled me up and onto his lap. “Yes.”

  He slid the ring on my finger. “I just have one request.”

  “Love you forever?” I guessed. “It’s done.”

  “Two requests. Love me forever, and no more Quincy Mac, Amateur PI.”

  “Done and done,” I promised and I meant it. Well, unless someone in my family needed me. Or…

  Well, I meant it until I didn’t.

  But the loving him forever? There was no question about that.

  BONUS Chapter: The Wedding

  “Quincy Mac, you are absolutely stunning.” Tiny’s voice was all breathless wonder.

  I’d been having feelings of deja vu for the last two weeks. This one was particularly strong.

  Tiny had said those exact words to me as I stood wearing a pumpkin colored bridesmaid dress for her wedding. This time, I was the one in a wedding dress and Tiny once again had full-blown wedding-fever. And again, everything she said was breathless.

  Breathless wonder.

  Breathless excitement.

  Breathless anticipation.

  Just like for her own wedding.

  “Breathe, Tiny,” I reminded helpfully as I had countless times the last few weeks.

  “You look so.…” She started to cry.

  Breathless and crying. Those seemed to be her go-to emotions for any wedding.

  “…so beautiful,” Tiny finally managed. The rest of the women gathered in my bedroom, echoed their agreement.

  When I’d been wearing that pumpkin color bridesmaid dress, I’d lied and told Tiny I loved it. The truth was, I loved her and if having me look like a walking jack ‘o lantern made her happy, then I’d been prepared to be the happiest jack o’ lantern ever.

  Today I didn’t necessarily feel beautiful—I could pull off cute on a good day, but beautiful was a bit much to expect. But I did feel good. I was wearing a simple white linen skirt and jacket, with the smallest hint of the Mclean plaid as an accent at the sleeves and jacket closure.

  “It’s almost time,” she said.

  Despite the fact Mom, Tiny, and Peri had wanted a full-blown wedding, I wanted something smaller. And Cal stood by me. Peri had offered to host it at her house, but after Mellie’s murder, I’ll confess, I didn’t even feel slightly tempted. Instead we were having it in my backyard. Now people from other regions might have to worry that a backyard wedding was an iffy thing without tents for backup. But this is California…the odds were in my favor, I’d maintained.

  I woke up to the sun streaming through my window.

  I thought it was a good omen.

  But seriously, as long as we didn’t find a dead body, I didn’t care what the weather was like. I was marrying Cal.

  June is a traditional wedding month, and that worked for me because all three boys were home from college for summer break. It also worked because I couldn’t wait any longer than that to marry Cal.

  I marveled that I’d once thought I could make it to August before we were officially engaged.

  “It’s time,” Tiny said.

  I was beset by a flurry of hugging. Peri, Honey, my sisters-in-law and even Theresa hugged me. They all left the room, which left just me, Tiny and my mom.

  My mom said, “Honey, I have two things to say, one is thank you for letting me plan this wedding with you. I’m finally wearing a mother-of-the-bride’s dress. Mother-of-the-groom isn’t nearly as much fun, though don’t tell your brothers that I said that. And secondly, I want to offer you a bit of motherly advice.”

  “Don’t go to bed angry?” I teased.

  “No. That’s bound to happen. I’m not even goin
g to pass on my mother’s advice.” She chuckled in such a way that I really wanted to know what that was.

  “Which was?”

  “Never tell a man no…it only takes a couple minutes.”

  The three of us burst out laughing.

  “Not if you’re doing it right,” Tiny managed to spit out.

  When our laughter died down, Mom said, “Love Cal. Love him enough to forgive him if you do go to bed angry. Love him, laugh with him and have a happy life. You’ve said that I was disappointed you didn’t become a doctor, but Quincy, that wasn’t my greatest wish for you. My greatest wish has always been that you be happy…and that you live up to your potential. It’s a wonderful thing when a mother can see her wishes for her child has come true.”

  I felt myself tear up.

  “No,” Tiny bellowed. “No crying. The two of you will mess your makeup. Judith, go take your seat. I’ll bring Quincy out in a second.”

  Mom kissed my cheek and scurried. Tiny the wedding-enforcer was scary enough to make Judith Quincy Mac run.

  “And you,” she said. “Your mother’s right. Love him. And let him love you. You deserve nothing but a life of love and happiness.”

  And with that, Tiny led me to through the house to the sliding glass door that led to my backyard. There, Hunter, Miles, Eli and my father all waited to escort me down the aisle.

  Hey, I’m a feminist and I’m not saying I believe any man has the right to give me away to someone, but these four men meant the world to me and I was happy they were walking down with me.

  And there, at the end of our makeshift aisle between the folding chairs I’d borrowed from Jerome’s newest set, was Cal…wearing a kilt of Mclean plaid, just like the boys and Dad. Everyone stood as I entered. And every male there, from Big G to Dick was wearing a kilt. Jerome was, too. From his expression I knew that Peri had forced him.

  Then I spotted Detective Charlie…also in a kilt.

  No one had warned me about the wedding’s dress code. I laughed as I saw all the knobby, knocky kneed men in my life. Then I teared up again.

  Tiny turned around and gave me a thumbs up. I knew she and my mom had planned this.

  I shot them both a look filled with love.

  Speaking of love—I walked toward the man I loved. A man I’d met at one murder scene and had become officially engaged to at another.

  The man who drove me crazy and made me laugh.

  The man I could envision growing old with.

  The ceremony went along in a very traditional manner, until the minister told me to repeat after him.

  “I Quincy take you, Caleb. …”

  “I Quincy,” I parroted. “Take you, Caleb.”

  “To be my wedded husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward.…”

  “To be my wedded husband.” I wasn’t sure after Jerome I’d ever marry again. But I couldn’t imagine going another day without being married to Cal. “To have and to hold, from this day forward.”

  “…for better, for worse.…”

  “For better for worse,” I said. Being with Cal made me a better person, and he’d shown me in so many ways that he’d stand by no matter what. With the boys, with my family, with whatever life threw at me.”

  “…for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'till death do us part,” the minister said.

  “For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'till death do us part,” I could promise him these things wholeheartedly.

  “AND.…” The minister grinned as he drew out the word and said it with such emphasis that I knew something was up. I glanced at Cal who had a very-pleased-with-himself expression on his face.

  “I pledge,” the minister continued, “that if I’m every investigating a crime, I’ll let you be my partner in that, too.”

  I burst out laughing, and when I had myself under control, I repeated the words.

  I hadn’t thought to add anything to our very traditional vows, but I didn’t need to make Cal promise anything else. I knew that whatever happened, he’d be there, right beside me no matter what. And when you know something like that about someone, you don’t need any other promises.

  The day was a blur of Mclean tartan and happiness. I danced, I ate, I laughed, and I teared up…but only happy tears.

  And when the party ended, I sat next to my kilt-wearing husband and whispered, “I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” he whispered back.

  And that’s why I can end this story with a very decisive promise.

  They lived happily ever after…

  at least until…

  Thank you for reading Swept Up: A Maid in LA Mystery! I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please help other readers find this book:

  1. This book is lendable, so send it to a friend who you think might like it so they can discover Quincy and her friends, too.

  2. Help other people find this book by writing a review.

  3. Sign up for my newsletter by contacting me at HollyJacobs1@gmail.com, so you can find out about the next book as soon as it's available.

  In case you missed the first three books, they’re:

  Book #1 Steamed: A Maid in LA Mystery

  Book#2 Dusted: A Maid in LA Mystery

  Book #3 Spruced Up: A Maid in LA Holiday Novella

  2-1-014

  Dear Reader,

  And thus ends Quincy’s adventures. Well, maybe. I wanted to leave the possibility of a fifth story open. But in case this was the last, I tried to make sure she had a happily-ever-after. When we first met Quincy, she was a once-wanna-be-actress who’d become a harried business owner and a single mom. As we finish this book, she’s also a successful screenwriter and is married to the love of her life.

  Because I often get reader letters asking about other characters in a story, I thought it would be fun to do a quick “Where-Are-They-Now…” ending for some of Quincy’s friends.

  Tiny had a baby boy. Salvador Addison Mardones Jr. Quincy called him Sal-Ad once and somehow that morphed into Caesar Salad, and finally to simply Caesar. The name will stick with him throughout his life. He’ll never mind until he’s older and falls in love with a woman named Cleo.

  Jerome and Peri did divorce right on his schedule—but Peri’s acting career had taken off and she met a very nice cowboy (well, an actor who was playing a cowboy on TV) named Buck and married him. She’s still very good friends with Jerome and still the boys’ favorite stepmother. Well, these days they don’t call her that. You see, Quincy and Cal adopted her. They had Honey cater a lovely dinner where they presented her with her ‘official’ adoption papers. Quincy’s entire family flew into LA for the party…they adopted her, too. When Peri married Buck, Cal walked her down the aisle and Quincy was her matron-of-honor. Peri’s adoption papers hang in her living room. Her children call Quincy and Cal Grandma and Grandpa, despite the fact they claim they are way too young for those titles.

  Big G still flirts with Quincy and swears he’ll break her out of jail if needs be, but his wife, Honey, doesn’t mind the flirting and says she’ll be right there next him during the great jail break. These two foodies were meant for each other. (Cassandra and Julian are still together, too.)

  Theresa is still the worst maid ever, but she’s a fantastic manager of Mac’Cleaners’ original store. Tiny and Quincy have Mac’Cleaner’s franchises now and they are selling fast. Oh, and Theresa married Rob. They have a houseful of computer nerds. Theresa doesn’t even clean her own house…she hired a Mac’Cleaner’s maid.

  Quincy’s agent, Deanne, sold Dusted to the HeartMark Channel. And Sean, the director, was back again, and so was Shia as Tiny. Sean also directed Quincy’s first major motion picture, My Next Ex and Peri starred in it. Quincy’s collaborating with Dick on Cereal Killers. It’s in its second season, and there’s a lot of Mortie buzz. Shia’s starring in it and comes to Quincy’s for holidays…the family is thinking about another ‘adoption.’

&n
bsp; Dick has a new girlfriend. Her name is Pat. She’s petite, feisty, and madly in love with him…which is good because he’s planning to pop the question soon.

  Detective Charlie moved to Cal’s division and they became partners…and friends.

  Oh, and the boys all graduated from college. Hunter’s gone all Maccish and is in medical school. Miles is working with his father. And Eli…he’s got his own show on Comedy Central. He’s talking about getting a tattoo.

  Now, in case you’re thinking there couldn’t be another story because I just told you what happened…there could. But since neither Quincy nor her author wanted her stumbling across dead bodies on a regular basis (or stumbling on art heists and forgeries), it would probably be a few years after Swept Up. I’ll keep you posted.

  But in the meantime, thank you so much for all your support for Quincy! I’ve been so very lucky to have you all in my corner. You’ve read my romantic comedies and my romance dramas. And now you’ve followed me to my cozy mysteries. Thank you all!

  ~Holly

  BIO

  Holly Jacobs leads a life full of romance and adventure. From skydiving to jet-setting around Europe, from snorkeling in coral reefs to writing while wearing beautiful silk peignoir sets and popping chocolate bonbons, Holly Jacobs leads a life that is the epitome of romance.

  Well, my fictional life sounds more interesting, but not better than my real life. Really, I'm the happily married mother of four. I write for Montlake Romance and Harlequin.

  You can visit me at http://www.HollyJacobs.com.

  Other Kindle Books by Holly Jacobs:

  Maid in LA Series:

  Book #1 Steamed: A Maid in LA Mystery

  Book #2 Dusted: A Maid in LA Mystery

  Book #3 Spruced Up: A Maid in LA Novella