Snowflake Bay Cozy Mysteries Boxset 1

by C Farren

  “I don’t know.”

  Chapter 29

  Chelsea was sitting on a comfy chair on her front porch. There was a table next to her with a steaming pot of coffee and a table full of chocolate donuts. They smelled delicious and looked warm, home cooked. Kids were running and screaming inside.

  “The kids seem happy,” said Wren, walking up to her.

  “I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet,” said Chelsea. She took a donut, but it slipped from her fingers onto the floor. “They’re five, and the twins are four. Death is an alien concept to them.”

  “Why did you wait so long between having Kerry and the others?”

  Chelsea sighed and said, “Sit down.” She bent down to pick up the fallen donut and groaned in pain. “Damn. My back never hurt this much when I was having the other three.”

  Three?

  “I’ll get that for you,” said Wren.

  She picked up the donut and took it to the garbage bin at the side of the house. She opened the lid and was immediately hit by the odor of sea water. There was a large wet towel in there, half buried beneath a pile of chicken bones.

  “Have you fallen in?” Chelsea called.

  Wren sat down and Chelsea poured her a cup of coffee. It was strong but with a chestnut flavor to it. She liked it.

  “I overheard you talking about Lenny on the day of the crash,” said Wren. “You were scared he was going to reveal a secret that could take you away from your children.”

  “It’s none of your business,” snapped Chelsea.

  “I have an awful feeling that this secret is what led to your husband’s death and to Delia’s death, and I don’t think it’s over.”

  “You think Lenny was involved somehow?”

  “Lenny has done a lot of foolish things lately, but not murder. He just wants to be close to his family again. He wants to be close to you. Whatever secret he has he’s kept it because he loves his family.”

  “I can’t bear to have him near me. It makes me feel so guilty for what happened.”

  Wren expected anger, but not guilt.

  “Please tell me,” said Wren. “I think we can sort all this out.”

  “On the night Belinda died, it wasn’t Lenny driving the car,” said Chelsea. “It was Delia.”

  Wren hadn’t foreseen this. Delia seemed to be at the center of everything, like a cancer. She was only glad the woman hadn’t had cause to come at her.

  “How?” Wren asked.

  “Lenny was driving the car at first, but then we picked Delia up outside the bingo hall, and she refused to allow someone so drunk to get us home. She offered to drive, and so we let her. A few miles down the road Lenny had passed out, and Belinda had started singing songs from the concert.” Chelsea smiled, lost in memories. “She had such a wonderful singing voice. She could’ve gone pro, but she had to give it all up.”

  Wren wanted to know why she had to give it up, but Chelsea didn’t elaborate.

  “On the night of the crash, Delia took her eyes off the road to complain at me,” said Chelsea. “She was going at it, over and over again, telling me I must be barren because I hadn’t given her grandchildren, and I was sick of it. The next time she turned to me to complain I was going to slap her. But I didn’t get that chance. Delia crashed the car.” Chelsea took a long drink of her coffee. Her hands started to shake. “Forgive me. I don’t like reliving that night. It’s very painful.” She pointed to a raggedy, blow-up Santa on her front garden. It glowed brightly. “That was Belinda’s Santa. She bought it with her pocket money when she was twelve. She was the generous one. She was the kind one. Sometimes I wish I was the one that died that night. What Delia made me do... she made me drag Lenny’s passed out body from the back and put him in the driver’s seat.” Wren was outraged. “You don’t know what that woman’s like. She can make anyone do anything. She was a monster.”

  “But Lenny did find out the truth, right?”

  “It was five years later. Lenny kept having flashbacks and the prison doctor recommended hypnotherapy to help him cope. He remembered something while under hypnosis. He remembered waking up and seeing Delia driving the car. He phoned Delia, but she pointed out that if he told the truth it would put me behind bars too, and he didn’t want that. He didn’t tell anyone because he didn’t want to hurt me.”

  “Lenny is a good man.”

  She wasn’t sure he was exactly as pure as the driven snow, not anymore, but he wasn’t a killer. He didn’t kill his sister or Delia or Everett.

  “I want to make it up to him,” Chelsea admitted. “I really do. That woman took great delight in telling me what Lenny knew.” Chelsea was bunching her right hand into a fist. She laughed. “I wanted to punch her so much, but I just wasn’t brave enough to stand up to her. Nobody was. Now she’s dead I’ll never be able to stand up to her, never be able to tell her how much I hated her.”

  They sat drinking coffee for a while as Chelsea calmed down. Wren didn’t know what to say. It must have been hellish to live under the control of that woman for so long. The town knew Delia wasn’t exactly the friendliest person in the world, but how could anyone realize what she was like with her family?

  I would’ve punched her.

  “You need to go to Delia’s grave and tell her how you feel,” Wren suggested. “It might make you feel better.”

  “I’ll wait until Kerry’s finished the gravestone,” said Chelsea. “She’s using the electroplating lab at the university to make the letters on the stone have a veneer of silver. I wouldn’t have bothered if I were her.”

  Electroplating...

  “Why did Belinda have to drop out of college?” Wren asked.

  The answer clicked into place, but Wren needed it confirmed. This was the very last piece of the puzzle.

  Chapter 30

  “What an unexpected visit.”

  “Cut the crap,” said Wren angrily. “You know why I’m here. You’re already talking like a supervillain.”

  Chelsea had told her they were at Delia’s house. She’d considered phoning Keegan but decided against it. They’d be expecting it.

  “I presume you’re recording this and the police are waiting to pounce,” they said.

  “No,” said Wren.”

  “Then this is just between you and me? I like that. It’s very intimate.” They crossed their arms, smugness personified. “Tell me how I did it first. I want to know if you figured it out. I can’t wait to hear it!”

  Kerry Rickard was grinning, waiting for her to fail. Wren was going to thoroughly disappoint her.

  “It was simple,” said Wren. “You crashed your car into the toy shop while your accomplice stabbed Delia in the chaos that followed.”

  “Yes,” said Kerry, sounding bored. “But how do you know?”

  “Several clues stood out. The first one was you crashing the car in the first place. You said you did it on purpose because the brakes failed. You said you hoped the fire hydrant would stop the car, but I did a quick check on the internet and found a story from a neighboring county. You had a similar accident two months back where you rammed your car through a fire hydrant.”

  “You have to test these things to see if they’ll work.”

  “The brilliant part was cutting the brakes in the first place, but you don’t know a thing about car mechanics, do you?”

  “That sort of stuff is beneath me.”

  “Your accomplice does. Your father learned all about that stuff from his uncle. Everett was your accomplice. He helped you to cut the brakes on the car and he stabbed Delia, his own mother.”

  “Very good. But do you know why he was helping me?”

  “How many reasons do you need? Delia treated him like garbage all his life, belittling him, putting him down, eroding his confidence. I think the final straw came when Delia hounded Veronica so much her IVF treatment failed. He lost it and was that the moment you found him and dug your claws in and convinced him to help you to commit murder.”

  �
�I’m just a child. I’m not that conniving.”

  “Oh, but you are. You’re super intelligent and manipulative.”

  Kerry smiled and stepped forward, making Wren uneasy. She had nobody to back her up but she didn’t think the situation was out of her control just yet. Kerry was a child. She could take her on if it came to it.

  “My father... no, Everett, is weak,” Kerry stated. “He was weak because that creature who called herself his mother ruined him. All it took to convince him to murder her was to wait for Delia to turn him into a sobbing mess and tell him my plan.” She grinned. “And you’re right. Veronica’s IVF treatment failing was the catalyst. After that he was putty in my hands. I could make him do anything.”

  Wren hated being right.

  “Do you know why I wanted Delia dead?” Kerry asked.

  “She crashed the car that killed Belinda,” said Wren. “She was your mother. Chelsea and Everett took you in and raised you as their own, am I right?”

  “They did a good enough job I suppose, but I would’ve preferred Belinda. She was my real mother and Delia killed her.”

  “How did you find out?”

  “I’ve known for years. I overheard my mother and Delia fighting about it. I’ve wanted to kill Delia, my so-called gran, for years. She took my mother from me. She took away my life.”

  The words sounded hollow.

  “I’d like to think you killed Delia in revenge, but that’s rubbish. You don’t do revenge. You didn’t kill Delia for any reason at all, did you? You didn’t care about the pain she’d put your father through at all. You didn’t care that she was the one who helped Chelsea frame Lenny for driving the car that killed your mother. You didn’t care about anything vile that woman did. You just wanted to see if you could commit murder and get away with it.”

  Wren waited for Kerry to burst into tears and say she was wrong. Wren really wanted to be wrong, but she was sure. When Kerry grinned she knew.

  I’m looking at pure evil.

  “I’ve gotten away with two murders,” Kerry boasted. “You can’t prove a thing.”

  “You had a reason for killing your dad, though, didn’t you?” Wren asked. “Unlike his nasty psychopathic daughter, he had a conscience. He wanted to confess.”

  “Tell me how I killed him.”

  “You’re working on your gran’s headstone at the university metal plating lab. They use cyanide in that process, don’t they? You stole some and poisoned Everett.”

  Kerry shook her head. ‘That was just a lie. Like I’d go to all that trouble to make a fancy gravestone for that old baggage? I snuck into the lab and stole some cyanide. I don’t care about Delia’s gravestone. They can throw her corpse to the wolves for all I care.”

  “First, though, you knocked him out somehow. You were driving his car when it drove off the pier. You even did a very good impression of his voice, calling out for help. You swam out and away while he drowned. I found wet towels that smelled of salt water at Chelsea’s house.”

  Kerry clapped. “You’re so clever!”

  “Everett didn’t have to die. You could’ve let him be.”

  “I had to put him out of my misery.”

  “You don’t feel misery, or joy, or anything. You don’t care about other people’s feelings at all, do you?”

  “Not really. Other people don’t matter.”

  It was snowing again. Wren had wrapped up warm for the confrontation but she was starting to shiver now. Snowflakes were landing on Kerry’s head, making her look almost angelic.

  A pair of horns would suit this girl more than a halo.

  “So, what now?” Wren demanded. “Are you going to plan more murders?”

  Kerry pretended to look thoughtful for a time. “Not for the moment, though I do have a few ideas in the pipeline. I was thinking about killing one of my so-called siblings next. I’d like to see how that would upset my mother. I think she might even have a breakdown.”

  “You really are evil.”

  Kerry pointed at her. “Or maybe I’ll get rid of you before you can come up with some evidence to send me down. That might be fun.”

  “I’ll tell the sheriff what I know. He’ll have to bring you in.”

  “But without any proof there’s nothing he can do. A decent lawyer will have me out of that station in an hour.”

  “It would give us time to find something on you.”

  “Hmm. You know I actually enjoyed this little game we had going. You’re not as smart as me, but you managed to figure it out. You were worthy.”

  Kerry struck out, pressing a taser against Wren’s neck. She shook, 50,000 volts coursing through her entire body. The pain was excruciating, but pretty soon she was falling into unconsciousness. The last thing she saw was Kerry’s leering face, knowing she could never be outsmarted.

  Chapter 31

  Wren woke in semi-darkness, lying prostrate on a cold concrete floor. She didn’t recognize the place. The air was all mold and dust. There was a small plastic box near her with a rat in it, scrabbling to get out. The layout of the room seemed familiar.

  Will this be the place where the police find my body?

  “What have you done to me?” Wren demanded.

  “You’re in the basement of your coffee shop,” said Kerry, stepping out from the darkness like a wraith. “You should really do something about all these cardboard boxes and dust. It’s very messy.”

  Wren tried to move her limbs but found she was completely paralyzed.

  “I can’t move!” Wren screamed.

  “That’s because you’re paralyzed,” said Kerry. “It’s amazing what a little horse tranquilizer stolen from Everett’s surgery can do to a human.”

  The feeling of not feeling anything was the worst thing Wren could imagine. She couldn’t even feel her hair prickling her neck.

  “I’m going to scream!” Wren declared. “I’m going to scream!”

  Kerry shook her head with mock sadness. “Nobody is going to hear you. The entire town are at the town hall watching the Nativity play. My little baby brother, or cousin, is playing the Baby Jesus.” She grinned wickedly and pulled a lighter from her pocket. “And when this place burns to the ground and takes you along with it they’ll think it was suicide.”

  “Nobody would believe that.”

  “Really?” Kerry lit the lighter before blowing it out again. “Your family and friends are worried about you. All it took was a little whisper here, a little whisper there. When they find your note, which you’ll send to your mother by text by the way, they’ll believe it. They just never saw the signs, did they? Your dad is in jail. You’re struggling with this new business. You’ve failed in your new relationship with Benedict. You have nothing left.”

  Wren had never suspected Kerry had anything to do with those things. The girl was planning really far ahead.

  She expected me to figure out what she did and she planned for it!

  “You hacked my phone and sent Benedict that awful text,’ said Wren. “You hacked Paula’s Kindle and sent her that threat.”

  “When Everett told me the girl saw him kill Delia I had to do something,” said Kerry.

  “And you set the rats loose in the Metropolitan.”

  “You rang up every pet store and breeder in the county, didn’t you? You never even thought to check if any were stolen from the university.”

  Wren was angry with herself. It hadn’t even crossed her mind.

  “They still won’t believe it,” said Wren defiantly, though less sure now.

  “They will,” said Kerry, grinning. “You know they will.”

  There was a tingling in Wren’s toes. The tranquilizer was starting to wear off. She just had to keep her talking.

  “What made you like this?” Wren asked.

  “Nothing made me like this.” Kerry was standing only a few inches from Wren’s feet now. She was staring down at her. “I wasn’t abused or saw someone murdered or anything traumatizing. I just thought it would be
fun to get away with murder. And you know what? It is fun. It’s so much fun.”

  “Someone will suspect you eventually.”

  “No, they won’t. I’ve gotten away with it.”

  “Wait. Talk to me. Tell me...”

  “I’ve got things to do, murders to plan. It’s been nice knowing you.”

  Kerry started to walk up the steps, away from her. Sensation was starting to come on Wren’s left leg, but it was too little too late. The moment Kerry closed the door behind her that would be it. There had to be something she could say that would halt her.

  “Wait!” Kerry shouted. “I told someone I suspected you!”

  She stopped and turned around. “Who did you tell?”

  “My friend Fiona and I tell each other everything. She knew I was coming to talk to you.”

  “But did she know I was going to bring you here?”

  “No, but even you have to admit that if I suddenly die after planning to accuse you of murder it will seem suspicious.” A hesitant look appeared on Kerry’s face and Wren knew she had her. “The sheriff will look into it, and he will find something. You won’t get away with it.”

  More of Wren’s body was regaining feeling. Not much longer.

  Kerry shook her head. “Like I said, a simple lawyer will...”

  “Maybe a lawyer could get you off, but your simple murder won’t be so simple any longer, will it?” Wren asked. “People will know. They’ll be watching you. How would you ever be able to get away with anything ever again?”

  “Hmm. You’re right. I’ll just have to move to England or something under another name. Yes. I’ll do that. Thank you for the suggestion.”

  Wren was about to scream at her to stop when Fiona flitted into the basement. Kerry opened her mouth in shock.

  “What are you?” Kerry demanded.

  Fiona grinned as her wings spread out in all their glory. “I’m an angel.”

  “You can’t be. You don’t exist.”

  Fiona swooped forward and knocked the lighter from Kerry’s hand. The girl went flying down the steps, landing in a heap on the hard concrete basement floor. She seemed dazed, about to pass out.