Cozy Creek

by K M Morgan

  Daisy smiled. “That’s so sweet.”

  “It’s just the truth. It’s also one of the reasons why I would never cheat on her. I would be a complete fool to throw away something so magical.”

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Daisy said.

  “Good,” Trevor said. “Without exaggeration, Samantha is the best thing to ever happen to me.”

  Daisy smiled. “You don’t know how happy I am to hear that.”

  “I’ll bet.”

  “By the way, have you told Samantha that?” Daisy asked. “The part about her being the best thing to ever happen to you?

  “I’ve told her that,” Trevor replied. “Why do you ask?”

  “Because in my experience, a woman can never hear something like that too much.”

  “That’s good to know.”

  “Anyway, I won’t keep you away from your brother any longer,” Daisy said. “You two have already spent enough of your lives apart.”

  Trevor chuckled. “I couldn’t have phrased that better myself.”

  The End.

  The Deadly Fiery Affair

  Chapter One

  “Who says that life isn’t just a day at the beach?” Daisy McDare-Watson joked.

  Daisy stared out at the waves crashing in front of her. Her toes were in the sand. Her husband, Gavin Watson, was sitting in a beach chair beside her. The sky was as clear as could be. What a gorgeous day it was on the coast.

  That was saying a lot, given the fact that Daisy lived in Cozy Creek. That part of British Columbia had a well-earned reputation for having plenty of overcast days. Most of the time, the sun tried its best to cut through the clouds, but it only had sporadic success.

  That was what made a day like that so special. Clouds were nowhere to be found. The sun had the sky all to itself. It was the kind of afternoon that had beach day written all over it. Knowing how rarely those days came along, Daisy wasn’t about to squander the opportunity to bask in the sun.

  That said, Daisy might have gotten a little too caught up in the moment. To the point where it clouded her memory of recent events.

  “Sure, this afternoon is a day at the beach. But I’m pretty sure you’d describe the last week of your life much differently,” Gavin said.

  “You’re right. It has been a pretty hectic time for me.”

  “Don’t you mean, for both of us?”

  “True. That interior decorating job at the Kimmelman’s house was a real beast.”

  “And those cases I’ve been finishing up were quite the thorn in my side.”

  “I’m glad all of that is over now.”

  “So am I. I’m also happy to have such extra cash in my wallet. Our bills aren’t going to pay themselves.”

  Daisy chuckled. “Isn’t that the truth? Even so, it’s nice to have a day off. We’ve both earned it.”

  “Honestly, an afternoon like this makes me wish that we had more days off.”

  “Hey, the way I see it, we’re only one lottery win away from that happening.”

  Gavin laughed. “Oh, is that all?”

  “Who knew that picking six lucky numbers would be that hard?” Daisy joked.

  “Magical lottery wins aside, it would be nice to just have a few more days off.”

  “I agree. But rather than bemoaning how busy our lives have been, we should really appreciate this moment.”

  “That’s my plan.” Daisy looked out at the Pacific Ocean. “I just love being here. The beach is such a relaxing place.”

  Gavin nodded. “It feels pretty great to do nothing.”

  “Honey, we’re doing something. We’re recharging.”

  “I suppose you’re right. Either way, it’s great spending time with you.”

  Daisy became playful. “I guess that means you haven’t grown sick of me yet.”

  “Are you kidding? I could never get sick of you. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

  Daisy blushed. “You’re so sweet.”

  “I’m just being honest.”

  “I know. That’s what makes you even sweeter.”

  Daisy leaned in and gave her husband a kiss. It was safe to say that the couple was still in the honeymoon phase of their marriage. Considering that they had tied the knot over nine months ago, it seemed like quite an achievement for none of the luster to have worn off. Sometimes they believed that it never would. If that was the case, it was fine by Daisy.

  As Daisy pulled back from the kiss, she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. There were two kayakers paddling by on the water. They appeared to be getting quite the workout in.

  “Look at them go,” Daisy said.

  Gavin nodded. “They are really moving fast.”

  “I’ll say.”

  “I wonder what the hurry is.”

  “Maybe they just want to work up a sweat.”

  “Seems like a lot of work to me…for a day off. In my mind, that’s the opposite of a day at the beach,” he joked.

  “Everyone spends their down time differently.”

  Gavin leaned back in his beach chair. “I like my approach better.”

  “It’s hard to argue with that. Although, I do like kayaking in the cove. Have you ever done that?” Daisy asked.

  Gavin shook his head.

  Daisy’s eyebrows rose. “Really? I can’t believe it.”

  “Why not? What’s the big deal?”

  “When you’re in the cove, you get to be up close to all sorts of seals.”

  “Daisy, I’ve seen plenty of seals in my life. They are constantly hanging out in the harbor.”

  “This is different. At the harbor, the seals keep their distance. In the cove, the seals will come right up to your kayak. They are so close that you can reach out and touch them.”

  “That does sound pretty cool.”

  “We have to go sometime. You need to experience this.”

  “All right. If you say so.”

  “Next time we both have a day off, I’m taking you. You’re going to love it. Trust me.”

  “That sounds great,” Gavin said. “It’s always nice to have something to look forward to.”

  Daisy smiled. “It sure is.”

  Chapter Two

  The rest of the day was as relaxing as could be. Daisy and Gavin stayed at the beach until nightfall came. The sunset was absolutely incredible. It was a magical experience to be able to just sit back and enjoy the light show that unfolded in front of them.

  Given their busy lives, it was too easy to get caught up rushing from one place to the next. In the process, they would miss the sunset entirely. Or at best, they would only give it a passing glance. That was a real shame. Gazing at the horizon was such a simple thing, but it brought them a considerable amount of joy.

  Once Daisy and Gavin left the beach, they headed home. The drive back to their Victorian-style home was a pretty one. Cozy Creek was a tourist destination for a reason. Daisy’s hometown was as scenic as could be. And not just because it was situated right on the coast. There were a number of historic buildings that had been revitalized recently. In addition, there was a healthy mix of Victorian-style homes and ranch-style homes. For nature lovers, there was a vast trail system that hikers and cyclists couldn’t get enough of.

  Daisy loved her hometown. That said, Cozy Creek did have its drawbacks. Not just the lack of a nightlife. Daisy and her husband could always take a drive into Vancouver if they wanted a taste of the city life. The real problem was that the crime rate had been steadily creeping up over the years. When she was younger, homicides were practically unheard of in town.

  Now murders took place with alarming frequency. At least, for a town of this size. Keep in mind, the residents weren’t dealing with big city numbers. It was more that the locals wanted to go back to the days when their town was incredibly safe. Unfortunately, there was zero chance of that happening.

  Daisy knew that all-too well. She had played the role of amateur sleuth quite frequently in the last
couple of years. It had gotten to the point where she felt like it was only a matter of time before another dead body was found. Waiting for the other shoe to drop was a terrible way to live.

  That’s why Daisy did her best to appreciate the quiet moments. She attempted to push the negative thoughts out of her mind. It wasn’t always easy to do, but deep down, she knew it was essential.

  When Daisy and Gavin arrived home a few minutes later, their cute little dogs greeted them at the door. There was nothing quite like getting a hero’s welcome. Of course, part of the fanfare was because Angus and Shamus wanted to be fed.

  They weren’t alone. Daisy’s stomach was growling as well. After cracking open a can of wet food for her doggies, Daisy whipped up a quick meal for herself and her husband. Chicken, potatoes, and vegetables were on the menu that evening.

  Daisy and Gavin then took a seat on the couch in the living room and let the TV entertain them for a while. Usually, Daisy loved watching detective shows. She would challenge herself to solve the case before the TV detective did. Most of the time, she was able to crack the case.

  That evening, she wasn’t in the mood to solve a mystery. Even if it was a fictional one. She ended up watching a nice little romantic comedy with Gavin. Her husband was such a good sport. Left to his own devices, Gavin probably would have put a baseball game on. He knew that wasn’t Daisy’s favorite thing in the world, however, so he didn’t force the issue. He was sweet like that.

  A few hours later, as Daisy plopped down in bed, she said a quick little prayer. With any luck, tomorrow would be just as peaceful and relaxing as this one was.

  ***

  Much to Daisy’s chagrin, the next day got off to a terrible start. Daisy had just gotten back from taking her dogs out for a morning walk when her phone rang.

  Daisy rarely received phone calls at that hour of the morning. When she did, more often than not, it was because the caller had bad news to share with her. Would this time be different?

  As Daisy looked down at the caller identification screen on her phone, she was surprised to see Annie Johnson’s name listed.

  Daisy could count on one hand the number of times that Annie had called her over the years. Typically, when someone in the Johnson family called, it was Annie’s granddaughter, Samantha. Daisy and Samantha had been friends since childhood. They talked to each other almost every day.

  Currently, Samantha was away on vacation with her husband. Had something happened to Samantha? Was that why Annie was calling? Or was it something else? After all, if Samantha had some sort of an accident, her husband could have phoned Daisy directly?

  Rather than entertaining a handful of different theories, Daisy just picked up her phone.

  Annie didn’t waste any time in getting straight to the point. She barely let Daisy say hello. She was frantic.

  “Daisy, you won’t believe what happened,” Annie said.

  Judging by the way that Annie’s voice cracked, she wasn’t phoning to share good news. Her tone was dead serious.

  Concern filled Daisy’s voice as she replied, “Annie, are you all right?”

  “No. Not at all.”

  “Why not? What’s the matter? Are you hurt?”

  “No.”

  “Good. Are you in danger?”

  “No. This isn’t about me.”

  Daisy’s heart sank. She got an awful feeling in her stomach. “Is it about Samantha?”

  “No. It’s about my goddaughter. There’s a fire at her house.”

  “Oh dear. Is that where you are right now?”

  “Yes. I’m standing on her front lawn. The flames are raging. It’s so scary.”

  “Is your goddaughter with you?”

  “No. I’m worried she’s still inside the house. She might be trapped in there. I called her a few times and she didn’t pick up.”

  “Annie, have you called 9-1-1?”

  “I just got off the phone with them. The fire department is on their way.”

  “Good. Hopefully, they’ll get there soon.”

  “Daisy, I’m so scared. I also feel so helpless. What if Charlotte is in there? What am I supposed to do?”

  “There isn’t much you can do except to pray.”

  “Trust me. I’m doing that. This is just so terrible.”

  “I’m so sorry that this is happening.”

  “So am I,” Annie said. “I’m just standing in the front yard in complete disbelief. I’ve seen a lot in my years, but I’ve never been this close to a fire before.”

  “Just hang in there.”

  “I’m trying my best.”

  “I’m sure you are.”

  “I know you’re probably wondering why I phoned you. With Samantha out of town on vacation, I didn’t know who else to call but you,” Annie said. “I just needed to talk to someone.”

  “I understand. And I’m here for you. As a matter of fact, I’m grabbing my keys and getting into my car right now. I’ll be there as fast as I can.”

  “Thanks. You don’t know how much that means to me.”

  Chapter Three

  Daisy jumped into her car and bolted over to Daffodil Drive. When she turned onto Charlotte’s street, a firetruck and an ambulance were already there. A team of firefighters were working hard to put out the blaze.

  It appeared that they were making decent progress. Although, perhaps Daisy was just being optimistic. Fighting fires was far from her specialty.

  There was one thing that Daisy was certain about right then. This was an absolutely terrible situation. The fact that a fire had broken out at all was depressing. The possibility that Charlotte might still be inside the house added an entirely new layer of drama to this predicament.

  Daisy’s biggest concern was Charlotte’s health. She just wanted Charlotte to still be alive. Even if she needed a great deal of medical attention, if Charlotte’s heart was still beating, there was a chance that she could make it through this.

  That was a big if.

  There was also the very real possibility that she had gotten trapped in there. That she was already dead. And that all of the firefighter’s efforts would be in vain.

  Daisy didn’t want to think about that. Negativity wasn’t going to get her anywhere. Still, it was difficult to be positive when she was looking at flames raging.

  Suddenly, Charlotte’s health wasn’t the only thing that was on Daisy’s mind. A new thought entered Daisy’s head. Charlotte had lived in that house for years. She had built a life there. All of her possessions were in there. It was home to so many memories. And now they had all gone up in smoke.

  With a situation like this, it was hard to find a bright spot. That being said, as Daisy parked and got out of her car, she noticed that the firefighters were making good progress putting out the blaze. In addition, the entire house was not engulfed in flames. The fire appeared to be mostly confined to the living room. Maybe it had made its way into the kitchen as well.

  Daisy had a feeling that a lot of that had to do with timing. Annie’s arrival at the scene was crucial. If she had gotten there even a few minutes later, the fire could have spread much further. At that point, it might have left firefighters with little more than a lost cause.

  Make no mistake. The fire department certainly had their hands full right then. The fire wasn’t taking it easy on them. Even so, the blaze seemed manageable.

  While the fire itself was a big concern, there was a much larger issue on Daisy’s mind. Houses could be rebuilt. Items could be replaced. Human life could not.

  As Daisy looked around, she saw no sign of Charlotte Canfield anywhere. She did see Annie, however. And her friend was looking gravely concerned.

  Annie was an absolute wreck. To the point where she didn’t even notice Daisy approaching her. When Daisy said Annie’s name, her friend nearly jumped right out of her shoes with shock.

  “I’m so sorry,” Daisy said.

  “So am I. This is an absolute travesty,” Annie said. “This is terrible.”
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  “It definitely sends a shiver down my spine.”

  “It’s so tragic to see someone’s house go up in flames. Poor Charlotte.”

  “Do you see any sign of her?”

  Annie shook her head. “Not yet. But the firefighters only got here a few minutes ago.”

  “Is there a chance that Charlotte isn’t in there?”

  “That’s doubtful. If she was somewhere else, she would have answered her phone by now.”

  “You’re probably right.”

  “Two firemen went inside to search for Charlotte. I sure hope they find her.”

  Daisy nodded. “The sooner, the better. Even though the firefighters have stopped the blaze from raging out of control, every second is precious.”

  “I couldn’t agree more. I just keep praying for the best.”

  ***

  A few minutes later, Annie got an answer to the biggest question that was on her mind.

  It was not the one she wanted, however.

  A firefighter emerged from the house carrying a woman’s body. The woman was completely motionless. There were no signs of life in her whatsoever.

  Once the firefighter got a safe distance from the house, he placed the woman’s body down on the grass.

  Annie’s jaw dropped as she looked at the body. “Oh no. This can’t be. Please tell me that my eyes are playing tricks on me.”

  “Unfortunately, they aren’t,” Daisy said.

  Annie stared at the body. “Charlotte, you can’t be dead. Please wake up. You have to pull through.”

  While Annie was trying to work through her shock, a pair of paramedics attempted to revive Charlotte. They did everything they could to get Charlotte to regain consciousness.

  A tense minute followed. Each second that ticked by was more excruciating to watch than the last. The paramedics had seen a lot during their time as emergency technicians. They were trained to deal with some incredibly tough situations. But as skilled as they were, there was only so much they could do.