“What are you talking about? Noah is right here. He just heard everything you said,” I replied.
“True. But Noah is going to keep his mouth shut about this. Just like he did about William’s murder. Otherwise, I’ll make sure his entire career will go up in smoke for good.” Isaac stared Noah down. “Are we clear, Noah?”
Noah reluctantly agreed. “Yes.”
My eyes widened as I looked at Isaac. “Wait a minute. That’s what you were arguing about earlier, wasn’t it? Noah knew that you killed Richman. So, in exchange for Noah’s silence, you agreed to keep producing his comeback show. But Noah began to have doubts about the deal he had made. Isn’t that right?”
“It turns out you’re pretty good at this whole sleuthing thing. Too good. You’ve left me with no choice. I have to kill you,” Isaac said.
“This was all about Michelle, wasn’t it? That’s why you killed Richman. Because you’re in love with his wife,” I said.
“William didn’t deserve Michelle. He cheated on her…with Audrey. Some dumb receptionist. Michelle deserved better than that. She deserves me,” Isaac said.
“You’re not going to get away with this,” I said.
Isaac laughed. “That’s a good one. Considering how you have a gun pointed at you.”
“What you fail to realize is that I’m not the only one who has a gun pointed at them,” I said.
Isaac’s forehead wrinkled for a moment until he felt the cold steel barrel of a gun press against the back of his head.
Throughout the conversation, Isaac had been too caught up in threatening me to notice Hope sneaking up behind him. Now, Hope had the upper hand.
“Put your gun down,” Hope said.
“Wait. But how did you—?”
“That wasn’t a question, it was an order. If you want to live, put your gun down right now,” Hope demanded.
With a terrified look in his eyes, Isaac put his gun down.
I walked over and picked the gun up.
“Now we’ve got you,” I said. I reached into my purse and pulled out my phone. “And the confession we need to put you behind bars.”
“Wait a minute. You were recording our conversation?” Isaac asked.
I nodded. “Every word.”
“You walked right into our trap,” Hope said.
“You see, we noticed you following us earlier and wanted to see if we could use that to our advantage. So I had Hope go over to the set of Sassy Sleuth to grab one of the prop guns. Then I came over here to Noah’s trailer, hoping to provoke you, and you took the bait.”
“So wait, the gun Hope is holding is just a prop?” Isaac asked.
“It is. But the one I’m holding is real. And now it’s all over for both of you. Face it, you’re both going to jail for a long time,” I said.
I held Isaac and Noah at gunpoint while Hope called Detective Taggart.
When the detective arrived at the studio half an hour later, I played him the recording I made.
Taggart then arrested Isaac for murder while Noah was booked as an accessory after the fact.
Chapter Thirty
With William Richman dead and Isaac Terwilliger in jail, Michelle Richman became the new head of Richman-Terwilliger Productions. Initially, Michelle wanted to scrap Sassy Sleuth. But the president of the TV studio overruled her decision. With all the press that the Richman murder case had received, the studio was more confident than ever that a series based on my amateur sleuthing would become a smash hit.
I ended up staying an extra week in Los Angeles to watch the entire filming of the pilot. When it finally wrapped production, Hope was kind enough to drive me to the airport to catch my flight back to Treasure Cove.
We stood inside the airport and said a reluctant good-bye to each other. Even though we had only known each other a few weeks, I felt an instant connection with her. And not just because she was playing the character based on me in the TV show. We just got along so well together.
“I feel like you need a vacation from this vacation,” Hope joked.
“I wouldn’t turn down a trip to Hawaii, that’s for sure,” I said.
Hope threw out her arms. “Who would?”
“So true.” I smiled. “You know, despite all the changes that Richman made to the script, he did make at least one genius decision—casting you in the lead role. I couldn’t imagine a better actress to play me.”
“How sweet of you to say.”
“I’m just being honest. It’s uncanny how similar our personalities are.”
“I know what you mean. That’s why I’m sad to see you go back to Treasure Cove. I wish you could stay in Los Angeles longer. I feel like we could become really good friends.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
“Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay?”
I shook my head. “I’m afraid not. Don’t get me wrong—Treasure Cove is a weird little place, but I miss it. My husband is there. Same with my family and friends.”
“I understand. Besides, you haven’t exactly had the best experience in Hollywood,” Hope said.
“This wasn’t one of my top ten vacations ever, that’s for sure.”
“I’ll bet. It turns out that a murder investigation is a real vacation-killer,” Hope said.
“It sure is. But at least justice will be served.”
“True. That said, if you’re ever in Southern California again, let me know. I’ll make sure that you have a good time.”
“Thanks. That would be great.”
“Of course.”
“And hey, if you ever want a break from the Hollywood hustle and bustle, I’d love for you to come visit me in Treasure Cove. My friends and family would absolutely love you. Plus, you’ll get to see the real-life inspiration behind the TV show.”
“I wish I had the time for that. But if this TV series is as successful as I think it will be, I will be working like crazy.”
“As long as you don’t let Hollywood drive you crazy,” I joked.
“I won’t.”
“Anyway, I hope this show becomes a huge success.”
Hope crossed her fingers. “So do I.”
The conversation fell silent for a moment.
“So, I guess this is it then?” I said.
Hope nodded. “Unfortunately, this is good-bye. But hey, we’ll stay in touch.”
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Neither would I,” Hope said.
Hope then leaned forward and gave me a big hug.
The End.
Chocolate Pudding with a Side of Murder
Chapter One
“What’s the verdict?” David Carlson asked.
I stared into my husband’s soulful brown eyes and opened my mouth to give him an answer. Unfortunately, words eluded me.
David waited patiently for a few seconds while I tried to untie my tongue.
Much to my surprise, that proved to be quite difficult.
To be fair, I didn’t expect my life to change that morning. When I woke up, I thought it would be like any old Sunday. I figured that my husband and I would have a nice big breakfast at the kitchen table before heading off to church. After the sermon was over, maybe we’d head over to the beach to take a walk in the sand. Or perhaps we would just stare out into the distance and enjoy the scenery.
In truth, this wasn’t like any Sunday I had ever experienced before. Whether I was ready to believe it or not, nothing would ever be the same again. You see, over the last few weeks, a number of different thoughts about my health had drifted in and out of my brain. Each time they popped up, I pushed them to the side. Sometimes I did that because I was busy with work. Other times, I was in the middle of dealing with family matters. Or I was running errands. There always seemed to be something going on.
Finally, that day, there was no ignoring the question any longer. My mind demanded an answer. It didn’t care how early on a Sunday morning it was. So, I took a drive to the local
grocery store and bought a test. I then returned home, went into the bathroom, followed the instructions on the box, and awaited the results.
According to the box, it wouldn’t take very long. Before I got the results, however, I wanted to inform my husband what was going on. I explained the situation to him so he knew exactly what was at stake.
A few minutes later, the results were ready. The moment I looked at the test, I finally had an answer. Now, the only thing left to do was share the results with David.
That was easier said than done. Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t seem to get any words out.
When a few more seconds went by without me responding, David became antsy.
“Sabrina, what were the results of the test?” he asked.
Thankfully, when I opened my mouth again, I managed to untie my tongue and reply, “You’re not going to believe this.”
“Why not? Were the results positive or negative?”
“Positive.”
David’s eyebrows rose. “Wait a minute. Are you telling me that you’re—?”
I nodded. “I’m pregnant.”
“That’s unbelievable,” he said. “Are you sure?”
I handed him the pregnancy test that I was holding. “See for yourself.”
He stared at the test and didn’t utter a word.
I desperately tried to read his body language, but all I saw was shock. Was he happy with the results? Was he disappointed? It was impossible to tell. I was ecstatic, but what if he didn’t feel the same way? I desperately wanted us to be on the same page. At a time like this, it would be heartbreaking if our opinions differed. Then again, if we felt the same way, it was cause for great celebration.
As I continued to stare into his eyes, I still couldn’t tell what he was thinking. I gave him a few more seconds to process the news. After all, it was a lot to take in.
Finally, when a good fifteen seconds had passed without a reply from him, I knew I had to speak up.
“David, please say something. Are you happy or sad?”
A big smile came to his face. “Happy, of course. I’m going to be a father.” He leaned in and gave me a hug. “This is incredible.”
“I’m so glad you feel that way.”
He threw out his arms. “Why wouldn’t I? This is amazing news.”
“It was just a little hard for me to tell, at first,” I said.
“Well, make no mistake about it. This is the happiest day of my life.”
“Mine too.”
He gave me a kiss. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” I then stared at the test again. “I can’t believe it. This is really happening. Our lives just changed forever.”
He took my hand. “They sure did.”
Chapter Two
There were a lot of people that I needed to share the news with. And I would get to them all in due time. But my family members came first.
David and I headed over to my parents’ house. Once we arrived, David let me do the honors. I was glad that my mother, my stepfather, and my grandmother were all sitting down as I began speaking, because I was pretty sure that this revelation would knock them off of their feet.
When I told them the news, they reacted just as I expected. They were ecstatic and immediately began congratulating me. But my trim, jet-black haired mother, Elizabeth Daley, went one step further and wrapped her arms around me.
“This is so incredible,” she said.
“It is pretty amazing,” I said.
As my mom pulled back from the hug, she gazed at my stomach. “I can’t believe I’m finally going to be a grandmother.”
“I know you’ve been waiting a long time for this moment,” I said.
“Are you kidding? I’ve been waiting so long that I was wondering if this day would ever come,” Elizabeth said.
My mother was so giddy that I began to wonder if she was more excited about the news than I was. And that was saying a lot. Especially given the fact that I was over the moon.
I became playful with my mother. “I’m glad I was able to make your dream come true.”
My mother stared off into the distance. “I can’t wait to spoil this kid rotten.”
After hearing that statement, my feisty, petite grandmother, Betsy Daley, chuckled. “You sound exactly like me.”
Elizabeth turned to Betsy. “I guess you rubbed off on me.”
“You’re welcome,” Betsy said.
Elizabeth chuckled. “You’re never shy about taking credit, are you?”
Betsy threw out her arms. “Why would I be? One of the perks of getting older is being able to live your life bolder.”
“I thought the biggest perk of getting older was being able to get gelato whenever you feel like it,” I joked.
Betsy held up her pointer finger. “That too.”
As the conversation quickly devolved into a discussion of dessert items, my tall, pear-shaped stepfather, Luke Norton, tried to get things back on track.
“I feel like we’ve gone a little bit off topic,” Luke said.
“No. That never happens with this bunch,” David deadpanned.
“Guilty as charged,” Betsy joked. “And sure, I’ve never met a tangent I didn’t like. But that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the magnitude of this moment. After all, I’m going to be a great-grandmother. I never thought I’d live to see that day.”
Elizabeth nodded. “This is a momentous occasion. Just think, after that child is born, there will be four different generations of our family living in Treasure Cove at the same time.”
“I don’t know if this town can handle that level of feistiness,” Luke joked.
“Probably not,” David said.
Betsy blurted out the first thought that came to her mind. “Speaking of momentous things. If there has ever been a time to go out and get gelato, it’s right now.”
Elizabeth folded her arms. “Mom, you’re seriously thinking about dessert right now?”
Betsy nodded. “Absolutely.”
“But we haven’t even had dinner yet,” Elizabeth said.
“It’s not my fault that my sweet tooth is going nuts on me. Ever since I heard the word gelato, I haven’t been able to think about anything else,” Betsy said.
I laughed. “I don’t blame you. So, I’ll tell you what. When we’re done with dinner, let’s make a gelato run.”
Betsy’s eyes lit up. “That sounds delicious.”
Chapter Three
The evening was filled with reverie and delicious food. And the good times didn’t stop there. The next morning, when I headed over to Watterson Park for my outdoor fitness class, I got to share the great news with Melissa Wilcox.
My tall, thin, angular-faced friend was ecstatic when I told her I was pregnant. She congratulated me a number of times and told me how happy she was for me. The entire experience left me so aglow that I briefly forgot I would be spending the next hour doing intense cardio exercises.
Unfortunately, the celebration came to an abrupt end when Melissa and I spotted another one of our classmates, Benjamin Maddox, arriving at the park looking awful.
We immediately rushed over to him to find out why he was so down.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
Benjamin was an athletic man in his late thirties. He had a clean-shaven, angular face, short black hair, and blue eyes. He was also typically in a good mood, which made his current emotional state really curious to me.
“It isn’t the best morning ever,” Benjamin said.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked.
“You don’t want to hear about my problems,” Benjamin said.
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to know,” I said.
“Besides, Benjamin, we’re here for you,” Melissa said.
“I know you are. And I’m grateful for that,” he said. “But it will be fine. I just need to give things time to work themselves out.”
“Fair enough,” I said.
<
br /> While Benjamin was doing his best to bottle up his feelings, it became too difficult for him to keep a lid on them any longer. “Actually, who am I kidding? Everything is falling apart.”
I stared at him with sympathetic eyes. “What’s wrong?”
He took a deep breath. “That’s the thing. Right now, I’m wondering, what isn’t going wrong?”
I held my hand up. “Let’s back up for a moment. Why don’t you start from the beginning?”
“I don’t think we have time to get into all of that. Class is beginning soon,” Benjamin said.
He had a good point. If he was having serious problems, it would take more than a few minutes to tell us about them. In addition, time was something we didn’t have a lot of. After all, we weren’t at the park for just any old fitness class. This particular class was involved intense cardio activity. And the instructor never started late.
I checked the time on my cell phone. “You’re right. In that case, why don’t you give us the condensed version?”
“Basically, I’m having personal, professional, and romantic problems,” Benjamin said.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Melissa said.
He grimaced. “It’s pretty awful.”
“Is there anything that we can do to help you?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No.”
“Are you sure?” Melissa asked.
“I wish there was,” Benjamin said.
“Why don’t you talk us through things a little more?” I asked. “Maybe with some specifics, we can come up with solutions for you.”
Benjamin opened his mouth to respond, but he wasn’t able to get a word out.
Adam Grant, the muscular, loudmouthed, thirty-eight-year-old instructor of our fitness class yelled loud enough for everyone to hear. “All right. Quiet down. We have a lot of calories to burn, and a very limited amount of time to do it. So, let’s get started.”
Chapter Four
Daley Buzz Cozy Mystery Boxed Set Page 109