Daley Buzz Cozy Mystery Boxed Set

by Meredith Potts

  “She would have—if she was really psychic,” Brendan replied.

  I knitted my brow. “Are you saying—?”

  “She doesn’t actually have the gift. She just pretends to be able to see the future,” Brendan said.

  “What makes you say that?” I asked.

  “Like you brought up, if she was really psychic, she would have seen our breakup coming. When I left her, she was completely blindsided.”

  I scratched my chin. “Interesting.”

  “How about Joshua?” David asked.

  Brendan’s face went blank. “What about him?”

  “Do you think he might have killed his mother?”

  Brendan shrugged. “I can’t say.”

  “Because you don’t know him well enough or because you’re not sure if he’s capable of murder?” David replied.

  “I know Joshua seems a little rough around the edges, but deep down, I don’t think he’s a bad guy,” Brendan said.

  My eyebrows arched. “I can’t say he feels the same way about you.”

  Brendan grumbled. “That’s not surprising.”

  “Why?”

  “Children of divorce—no matter their age—always have a hard time accepting their mother dating a new man. Years ago, I was the same way when my mom started dating after her divorce, so I recognize what Joshua is going through now. Joshua’s adjustment is even tougher given that his mother and father were still fighting things out in divorce court,” Brendan said.

  “How bitter of a divorce are we talking?” David asked.

  “Terri broke things off with her husband because she walked in on him in bed with his secretary. In retaliation, Terri was determined to make her ex pay dearly in court. Trust me, divorces don’t come much uglier than hers,” Brendan said.

  “Ugly enough to result in murder?” David replied.

  Brendan shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “Can you think of anyone else who might have wanted Terri dead?”

  “Maybe her sister.”

  “Really?” David asked.

  Brendan nodded.

  “Why?” David said.

  “Erin came to Terri a few weeks ago, asking for money.”

  “Did Terri give it to her?”

  Brendan shook his head.

  “I’ll bet that went over well,” David said.

  “Terri and her sister hadn’t spoken since,” Brendan replied. “Anyway, are we done here?”

  “Are you in a hurry to get somewhere?” I said.

  Brendan shook his head. “I’m just really emotional right now, and I want a chance to grieve.”

  “All right. But stay local for the foreseeable future,” David said.

  Chapter Thirteen

  A discussion with Miss Lyndy was suddenly in order. While the investigator in me wanted to interview her right away, I knew that it wouldn’t hurt to get some more caffeine in my system.

  David didn’t put up an argument. He loved espresso just as much as I did. In addition, by heading over to my family’s coffee shop, not only would our drinks be free, but they would be far tastier than the store-bought coffee that they brewed at the police station.

  As an added bonus, the coffee shop was only a few blocks away from Miss Lyndy’s business, so David and I didn’t even have to go out of our way to get our java fix.

  When I walked in the front door of Daley Buzz Coffee Company with David by my side, my mother came out from behind the front counter and rushed toward me. When she reached me, she threw her arms around me.

  “I’m so glad you’re safe,” Elizabeth Daley said.

  A look of bafflement came over my face. “Of course I’m safe. What would make you think otherwise?”

  “You haven’t been answering your phone.”

  My eyes widened. I pulled my cell phone out of my purse and looked at it. There were four missed calls and three text messages waiting for me.

  “That’s because I put my phone on vibrate,” I replied.

  “Why? You never do that.”

  “I’ve just been really busy with…”

  I didn’t want to finish my sentence. If my mother found out that I was investigating this case—even with David watching out for my safety—she would freak out.

  Elizabeth stared me down. “What’s the end of that sentence?”

  “I have just been busy with stuff. It’s nothing to concern yourself with.” I quickly changed the subject. “But enough about me. What’s new with you?”

  “Murder,” Elizabeth said.

  “Murder?”

  Elizabeth nodded. “I can’t believe there has been another murder in town. Why does this keep happening?”

  David held his hand out. “Wait a minute. How did you know that there’s been another murder in town?”

  “Betsy told me,” Elizabeth replied.

  Leave it to my grandmother, Betsy Daley, to be able to sniff out the latest breaking news.

  David’s forehead wrinkled. “Wait. Mrs. Daley, how did your mother find out that information?”

  Elizabeth scoffed. “Are you kidding? She’s retired. Gossip is her new full-time job.”

  David groaned. “Great. I already spend enough time trying to keep the press from sticking their heads where they don’t belong. It never occurred to me that I might need to start worrying about Sabrina’s grandmother as well.”

  “You have been worrying about the wrong thing all this time. My grandma is far more intimidating than the press,” I deadpanned.

  “You’ve got that right. Betsy is relentless,” Elizabeth added.

  “Unstoppable is more like it,” I said.

  David grimaced.

  I put my hand on David’s shoulder. “Honey, we’re just kidding. My grandma is harmless. She just likes having juicy bits of news to gossip about with her book club.”

  “Don’t forget her pottery group,” Elizabeth replied.

  “And her yoga class,” I said.

  David’s eyes opened wide. “She really does keep busy.”

  “Yeah. Certainly too busy to cause you any trouble with your case,” Elizabeth said. “Speaking of, how is your investigation going?”

  “It will be a lot better when I get a double espresso in me.”

  “That good, huh? Well, caffeine to the rescue.” Elizabeth turned to my fifty-six-year-old stepfather, Luke Norton, who stood behind the corner. “One double espresso please.”

  Luke nodded and fired up the espresso machine. “Coming right up.”

  David glanced at my mom. “Thanks, Mrs. Daley.”

  “Of course. Anything to help the police.” She stared deep into his eyes. “Are you sure there’s not something else bothering you? You seem really tense.”

  My mother looked at me with the same critical expression on her face. “You both do.”

  “We just both could use some coffee. That’s all,” I said.

  Elizabeth looked me up and down like a doctor performing a full-body exam.

  A few moments of silence passed before a deeply concerned look filled her eyes.

  “Sabrina Marie,” Elizabeth said.

  Uh-oh. She had middle-named me. It had been at least a decade since that had happened.

  I replied sheepishly, “What is it, Mom?”

  Elizabeth stared me down. “You’re investigating this case, aren’t you?”

  “Well…technically…I mean…yes,” I stammered.

  She ran her hand over her forehead. “Oh dear. Not again. What a nightmare.”

  “Mom, it’s going to be fine. I mean, look how things turned out the last time I worked on a case.”

  Elizabeth ignored me and zeroed in on David. “You’re actually letting her investigate?”

  David tensed up.

  A fire came to my eyes. “Letting me? I’m a grown woman.”

  “Then you should start acting like one. David is a professional. Why don’t you let him do his job?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Because he could use my help,” I
said.

  “Did he ask you for your help?” Elizabeth replied.

  David held his hand up. “You know, I’m right here. I can speak for myself.”

  Elizabeth stared at David. “I’m in the middle of something with my daughter here.”

  “Fair enough,” David said.

  “Don’t bring David into this,” I said. “This is about bringing justice to Miss Terri.”

  Elizabeth shook her head. “No. This is about you being stubborn. Why do you insist on putting yourself into danger?”

  “I’m not in any danger. David’s here to protect me.”

  “That’s not the point.”

  “What is the point?”

  “That sometimes there’s just no talking sense into you. It’s like you’re trying to give me a heart attack,” Elizabeth said.

  “No. I’m just trying to put Miss Terri’s killer behind bars,” I replied.

  “And give me a heart attack in the process.”

  “What if we had clues about Jessica’s disappearance? What if we had a chance to find out what really happened to her? Wouldn’t you want everyone who could possibly help to be involved in the case?”

  “Well, yeah, but—”

  “But nothing,” I said.

  “Sabrina, you know that’s different. We don’t have clues about Jessica’s disappearance. This case isn’t about family. Now, I’m sorry about what happened to that psychic, but it doesn’t have anything to do with you,” Elizabeth replied.

  “Mom, I understand your concern, but I really believe that I can help solve this case,” I said. “I’m going to do everything in my power to stay safe.”

  Elizabeth took a deep breath. “Forget coffee. Does anyone have any booze?”

  I chuckled. “No. But I do have this.”

  I leaned in and gave my mother a big hug.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “You’re talking to the wrong woman,” Miss Lyndy said.

  Murder suspects weren’t known for being helpful to investigators, but Miss Lyndy gave David and me an especially cold shoulder. If that weren’t a disappointing enough way to start the interview off, Miss Lyndy’s mood only soured further when David mentioned Terri Baxter’s name.

  David narrowed his eyes at the psychic. “That’s what all the suspects say.”

  “I wouldn’t know. I can’t speak for anyone else, just myself,” Lyndy replied. “And I’m telling you that you are wasting your time with me.”

  Lyndy was a diminutive forty-nine-year-old with a purple headband holding back her curly red hair. Freckles dotted the cheeks of her round face as multiple brass bracelets jangled on her wrists. Lyndy wore a long, sparkling purple dress that almost looked like a Halloween costume.

  She clearly had a favorite color, as the walls of her establishment were lined with a purple velvet-like wallpaper. The lighting was purposefully dark and moody, and the background music was ethereal and new age. David and I sat across from Lyndy at a wooden table in the middle of the room.

  David bit the corner of his lip. “That’s a curious answer.”

  She scrunched her nose. “How so?”

  “You just told us that you wouldn’t know what other suspects say, but isn’t that your job? After all, isn’t that the point of being psychic—knowing what others are going to say and do?”

  Frustration was in her eyes. “It doesn’t exactly work that way.”

  “How does it work?” David asked.

  Lyndy squirmed in her chair. “It’s hard to explain.”

  A look of steely determination was on his face. “Try.”

  “Little bits and pieces come to me every now and then. I don’t ever get the whole picture at once, just the occasional snippet.”

  David gave her a skeptical look. “Uh-huh.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

  David shook his head. “No.”

  Lyndy threw her hands up. “Why not?”

  “To start, I have seen fortune cookies less vague than that last answer.”

  She shot him a glare. “I don’t have to sit here and listen to you insult me and my gift.”

  “There’s another reason I don’t believe you,” David said.

  Lyndy folded her arms. “Because you’re a royal pain?”

  David shook his head. “No. Ms. Thompson, do you know what led us here today?”

  Her mouth remained closed. The same could not be said for her eyes. They shot daggers at David.

  “I’m all ears,” Lyndy replied.

  David scoffed.

  Lyndy snarled. “What did you do that for?”

  “It’s just that if you were really psychic, you would know what led us here today.”

  Lyndy groaned. “I already told you, my gift doesn’t work that way. I get bits and pieces here and there, not the whole picture.”

  David’s eyebrows arched. “Or maybe you don’t really have a gift.”

  Lyndy got up from her chair in a huff, looking like she was going storm out of the interview. “I don’t have to listen to this.”

  David put his hand out to stop her. “Those weren’t my words.”

  Lyndy scoffed. “Do you really expect me to believe that?”

  David nodded. “I sure do.”

  “Why?”

  “Because they came out of your ex-boyfriend’s mouth.”

  Lyndy’s jaw dropped. “No.”

  David nodded. “Oh yeah.

  Disbelief was all over her face. “What did he say?”

  “That he broke up with you to be with Terri. That you didn’t see the breakup coming. And that you still haven’t gotten over your heartbreak.”

  “He…really said that?” she stammered.

  “You didn’t see that coming, did you?” David asked.

  “You don’t have to take so much pleasure from my pain.”

  “I’m not taking pleasure—”

  “You could have fooled me,” Lyndy barked.

  “It’s more that your reaction proves his point. How can you honestly stand here and tell me you’re psychic if you weren’t able to predict Brendan breaking up with you?”

  Lyndy’s voice volume shot up. “How many times do I have to tell you that my gift has limitations?”

  “Severe limitations, it appears,” David replied.

  “Hey, I’d rather have some gift than no gift,” Lyndy said.

  I knitted my brow. “I notice that you aren’t disputing any of Brendan’s points about your breakup. Is that because they are all true?”

  Lyndy shot me a nasty look. “No.”

  I narrowed my eyes at her. “What parts aren’t true?”

  She broke eye contact and sat quietly.

  I snickered. “That’s what I thought.”

  Lyndy seethed. “I can’t believe he threw me under the bus.”

  “Whether you believe it or not, it’s the truth,” David said.

  A fire emerged in her eyes. “How dare he?”

  David gave her a distrustful look. “Again, you seem very surprised for someone who claims to be a psychic. Your supposed gift seems so limited that it’s practically nonexistent.”

  Lyndy groaned. “Okay, so I don’t really have a gift.”

  David and I took a moment to let Lyndy’s words sink in.

  A remorseful look came to her face. Her admission had clearly been a slip of the tongue that she wanted to take back, but the cat was already out of the bag. She desperately scrambled to get the next word in.

  “I tell people what they want to hear,” Lyndy said. “I’m not going to apologize for that.”

  David stared her down. “You should.”

  She threw her arms out. “Why?”

  David folded his arms. “Because you’re running a fraudulent operation here.”

  She shook her head vehemently. “No. I don’t know where you get that from.”

  “Have you picked up an encyclopedia recently? Look up the word fraud, and you just might see your pictu
re there,” David said.

  She glared at him. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  David scoffed. “Me? You’re the one posing as a psychic when you have no special ability to see the future.”

  Lyndy waved her finger at him. “Nice try, but I’ve never claimed to be a psychic.”

  I couldn’t help but break into laughter. “How stupid do you think we are?”

  Lyndy remained dead serious. “You two are the ones who keep referring to me as a psychic. But if you look at the phrasing I used on the sign outside my door, you’ll see that I have clearly labeled myself as a spiritual advisor. That’s exactly what I do here—advise.”

  David stared her down. “Way to straddle the law.”

  “I may straddle it, but I’m still on the right side of it,” Lyndy replied.

  “That’s debatable,” David said. “In the meantime, there are more disturbing issues on the table, like Terri’s murder.”

  Lyndy’s eyebrows arched. “You can label my business any way you want, but the one thing that you can’t label me is a killer.”

  David had a wary look on his face. “You already lied to us about having a gift. Why should we believe that you’re telling the truth about not being a murderer?”

  “Because this is ridiculous. I’m not some cold-blooded killer.”

  “You say that, but you had a motive. Brendan broke up with you to be with Terri. Not only were you blindsided by the breakup, but you clearly still have feelings for Brendan,” David replied.

  Lyndy snarled. “I can’t believe Brendan.”

  “You’re just proving my point,” David said.

  “No. I can’t believe Brendan fed me to the wolves.” Lyndy got a steely look in her eyes. “Two can play at that game.”

  I shrugged. “What are you talking about?”

  “Can’t you see? Brendan clearly told you those things about me because he wanted to take the focus off of himself.”

  “What makes you say that?” I asked.

  “As Terri’s ex-boyfriend, he should be a prime suspect in her murder,” Lyndy said.

  My forehead wrinkled. “Wait a minute. Why did you refer to Brendan as Terri’s ex-boyfriend?”

  Lyndy chuckled. “What? You didn’t know? Terri broke up with him.”