Pumpkin Glaze & Murder: An Oceanside Cozy Mystery - Book 5

by Susan Gillard

  “Eva, check my temperature. I’m seeing double,” Leila said as they entered the room.

  “I’m seeing double detectives too,” said Eva.

  “We seem to have had a miscommunication,” said Heather. “So, they’ll be two Sherlocks tonight.”

  "Hopefully, the cruise won't need your particular sleuthing talents, and you can enjoy the evening," said Eva.

  “Thanks,” Heather said. “How is your costume planning coming along?”

  “Not so well,” Leila admitted.

  “But we hoped that Lilly might be able to help us with some ideas when we babysit tonight,” said Eva.

  “I’d be glad to,” said Lilly.

  There was a knock at the door, and Heather hurried to open it and see what her bestie's couple's costume was. She stood puzzled for a moment and then grinned.

  Amy was dressed as a black cat, complete with a long tail and pointy ears. Jamie was dressed as a spotted dog with long ears. They were both wearing galoshes and holding umbrellas.

  “Raining cats and dogs?” Heather asked.

  “I told you that they’d know what it was,” Jamie told his girlfriend.

  "That wasn't my concern," Amy retorted. "It was that this is a silly phrase to dress up as."

  Jamie shrugged. “I think it’s cute and no one else will have the same costume.”

  “I think you’re right about that,” said Amy.

  “And it might even help my business,” said Jamie. “It would be easy for me to talk about my new pet grooming business opening soon if I’m already dressed as a dog.”

  Dave and Cupcake ran out from the other room to join the gathering. The dog and kitten stared at Amy and Jamie with their heads tilted. Then Dave wagged his tail.

  “I think they like your costumes,” said Heather.

  “I’m glad someone does,” Amy muttered. But then she smiled at Jamie and said, “Sorry. I’m being catty.”

  He groaned but otherwise accepted the apology.

  “Wait a second,” Amy said. “Why are there two Sherlocks?”

  “We didn’t investigate properly,” Heather said.

  “But we should get going,” said Ryan. “We don’t want to ship to set out without us.”

  “Bon voyage,” Eva said.

  The costumed friends smiled and departed while Lilly, Eva, and Leila waved goodbye. Dave and Cupcake danced around, excited for the night's babysitting because they were sure that there would be donuts involved.

  Ryan parked, and the friends emerged from his car near the ship's dock.

  “That’s impressive,” Amy said. “I don’t think we’re going to need a bigger boat.”

  “This is going to be fun,” said Jamie.

  “Halloween dancing and donuts,” said Heather. “What more do we need?”

  “Well, maybe we can check out that movie that everyone has been talking about,” said Amy.

  They started walking towards the ship when suddenly Heather shivered.

  “What’s wrong?” Ryan asked. “Don’t tell me you’re scared of the Halloween party.”

  "No," Heather said. "I just had a creepy thought, and I suppose it scared me."

  “What was it?”

  “Well, if a murder occurred tonight, we’d be stuck on the ship out at sea with no way to escape,” said Heather. “We’d be trapped with a murderer.”

  “That’s scarier than the vampires and ghosts and goblins,” said Amy, holding her umbrella close.

  “But I’m sure we won’t have to worry about it,” Ryan said. “And if we did, there would be two Sherlocks on the case.”

  Arriving at the Party

  Heather and her friends walked up the ramp to board the ship but had to pause as the line in front of them stopped too.

  “I think they’re checking bags before we board,” Ryan said.

  “Maybe they’re checking to make sure that no one is really a werewolf or a ghoul,” Amy said, and then she looked at the crowd. “Or a zombie pirate.”

  They looked at the other partygoers in line and noticed a distinct trend. Most of the men were wearing shabby blue pirate coats, tall black boots with a bone seeming to come out of one, and a large feathered hat with a skeleton parrot sitting on it. The degree of zombie makeup on their faces varied from monster to monster.

  The women were dressed in short red dresses, wigs with long black hair and big pirate hats. They were also wearing varying degrees of zombie makeup, and most of them were carrying a fake sword.

  “I guess we missed the memo,” Amy said.

  “It must be from that movie we keep hearing about,” said Heather.

  “Well,” Amy said to Jamie. “You were right. No one has the same costume as us.”

  They made their way easily through the security checkpoint when it was their turn, and then they saw Tanya right before they boarded.

  "I'm checking tickets and reservations. It's also a booze cruise, so I do need to check IDs to make sure that everyone is over twenty-one," Tanya said.

  "Does she really not think we're over twenty-one?" Heather asked, realizing she was approximately double that particular age.

  “I’m not complaining,” Amy said.

  Tanya finished checking them in. She placed a sticker on each of their costumes to prove that they were cleared to enter and wished them a spooky and fun evening.

  The friends walked onto the ship and admired how detailed the decorations were. There was a graveyard area and a haunted house area, and as promised the band was dressed as skeletons.

  "I'm pleased to see some variety in costumes," Lucrecia said when she saw them. She was dressed as a vampire. There were some touches of red in her mostly black outfit. Her long black hair was pulled back into a braid. There were fangs on her teeth, and her makeup made it look as if blood had dribbled from her mouth.

  “Thanks,” Jamie said. “I was pretty proud of this idea.”

  "It's cute," Lucrecia said. "There are so many pirate zombies. They must have heard the news."

  “What news?” asked Heather.

  "Jason Myers is onboard tonight," said Lucrecia. "He might give a little talk before the movie plays. However, I think he is here mostly as a guest. I hope the other guests aren't disappointed to find him drinking and dancing instead of talking about zombie pirates all night."

  “Well, we won’t be disappointed,” Amy said. “We still haven’t seen the movie. Though we’ve seen tons of zombie pirates on board tonight.”

  “They won’t be eating brains tonight though,” said Lucrecia. “They’ll be enjoying the dessert spread that includes your donuts.”

  “I hope everyone enjoys them,” Heather said.

  "I'm sure they will. Unless their taste buds have died," said Lucrecia. "But I should get going. I should make sure that all my bat wings are fluttering properly and that we're all set to sail."

  “You do pay attention to every detail,” Heather said. “Your décor is amazing. I can see why you were disappointed by what was in our shop.”

  “I love Halloween,” Lucrecia said simply. “The monsters, the horror, the death. What’s not to love?”

  With that, she left them. Amy shrugged.

  “Part of me feels the same,” she said. “I do love the contained creepiness. But I would mention candy rather than death.”

  “Why don’t we check out the candy and snacks now?” suggested Heather. “And then we can decide what else we want to do. Movie or dancing.”

  “I think I’d like to try one of those poison apple martinis,” said Amy.

  They were headed towards the food when they ran into a man in a captain’s uniform.

  “Are you the captain or in costume?” Heather asked.

  “Captain Braxton,” he said, shaking their hands. “Captain of this ship and the chaos of the evening. Though Lucrecia tries to keep the party in order for me, so my first mate and I can focus on the sailing.”

  “Tell me, Captain,” Amy said. “Are you concerned about all the pira
tes on board?”

  Captain Braxton laughed. “I think we’ll survive. Even if they are zombie pirates.”

  “People sure seem to love this movie,” Heather commented.

  “Yes,” the captain said. “The one thing I’d be concerned about is having Jason Myers onboard. I wouldn’t want fans to get unruly trying to talk to him. He’s a bit of a local hero because he found and saved the movie. If you don’t mind a bit of gossip from an old seafarer.”

  “Not at all,” Amy assured him. “As long as it’s not too salty.”

  He smiled, but then said, “I heard the fame is going to his head. He’s become a heartbreaker. There were disturbances at his theater from his ex-girlfriends.”

  “Do you think it’s possible that one of them boarded tonight?” Heather asked.

  Captain Braxton shook his head. "Jason Myers gave us the names of the women who caused the disturbances, and Tanya has been checking IDs as guests board."

  “So, she didn’t really think there was a chance we were under twenty-one?” Amy asked, sadly.

  “I’m afraid she was matching whether the guests who made reservations had identification to prove they were the person they said they were,” he said. “But you do both look lovely.”

  “This does seem like rather a dramatic situation,” Heather said. “Setting out a ship with a man who has many friends and many enemies.”

  "I'm sure it will be fine," said Captain Braxton. "Everyone has come here to party and not to cause trouble."

  Then they heard an ear-piercing scream.

  Screaming and Yelling

  “This way,” Ryan said, starting to lead them by the ambient battery-operated candlelight towards the source of the scream.

  “Wait,” Captain Braxton said.

  "Don't worry," Ryan said. "Even though it looks like it, we're not just blindly running towards danger. I'm a detective soon set to join the Key West Police Force. And these women are talented private investigators."

  "I'm just a dog groomer," Jamie admitted. "But I help where I can."

  Captain Braxton followed them as they hurried towards where the scream originated. They breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that it was all part of a Halloween show, and not a person really in need of help.

  A skeleton band member had screamed to get their attention. When she had it, she said, “Well, we know you’re all dying for the music to start. So, we’re not going to make you wait anymore!”

  The band started playing, and Lucrecia's bats fluttered to life. The guests enjoyed the show, and some started dancing.

  “I’m sorry,” Captain Braxton said. “I tried to let you know.”

  “It’s all right,” said Ryan.

  “We’re just glad that nobody really needs our help,” said Heather.

  “Now that I know that I have detectives ready to help if I do have any issues, I’ll be sure to call for you,” the captain said. “It’s nice to know they’re not just costumes.”

  He thanked them and left to prepare for departure.

  “Well, I could really use that drink and those snacks now,” said Amy. “And then I think I want to sit down for a while.”

  “I’m fine with that,” said Heather. “Let’s stock up on snacks and then check out the movie.”

  “The food is afoot,” Ryan joked in his best English accent.

  Heather and her friends enjoyed their snacks and then moved into the area designated for the movie viewing. It was decorated like an old theater. There were fake cobwebs amid the curtains and candelabras, and Heather wouldn’t have been surprised to see a phantom make a grand entrance.

  “This movie better be good to drag me away from the donut table,” Amy said.

  “You brought half a dozen with you,” Heather pointed out.

  “I didn’t know how long the movie would be,” she responded.

  “I’ll take one off your hands,” said Jamie.

  “You’re taking one of my donuts?” she asked.

  “Don’t fight like cats and dogs,” Heather teased.

  Before Amy could do anything more than groan at the comment, a man stood up in front of the crowd assembled to watch the movie. He was also in the costume that so many men were wearing, complete with the blue pirate jacket and boots.

  “Hello everyone,” he said with a dramatic wave of his big hat. “I am Jason Myers, the man responsible for finding this treasure and sharing its bounty with you all. Based on your costumes, I can tell that you’re all fans. And, you’re welcome.”

  He sat back down. The crowd grumbled, but only one person let their annoyance at the short introduction bubble over into action.

  One female zombie pirate in a red dress with a foam sword jumped to her feet and stomped over to where he was sitting.

  “That’s the speech you’re going to give? That’s the speech you give to the people who support you and back you? You’re welcome? That’s it?” she demanded.

  “Celia, get out of here,” Jason Myers said.

  “Oh? So now I can’t even be in the same room as you?” she yelled. “I knew you were a lousy cheating boyfriend, but I didn’t know you were going to cheat all your fans too. And now you think I can’t even be in the same room as you? You’re too high and mighty to associate with me?”

  “You can’t be here because you’re causing a scene,” he said.

  “Good,” she said. “My scene will be a whole lot better than this stupid movie!”

  Ryan and Heather were on their feet, ready to help with the situation. However, Lucrecia beat them to the punch and prevented any violence. The vampire led the zombie pirate lady out of the room.

  “An interesting pre-show,” Amy commented.

  The rest of the film was somewhat entertaining. Heather realized that most of the fans of this movie loved it because it was so easy to mock and laugh at rather than being a truly scary movie.

  The two pirates that the guests dressed up as were the main characters of the film. They were pirates slowing turning into zombies that were plundering to find a cure. They planned a heist to steal a potion from a mansion, but it failed to help them.

  In the end, the female pirate in the red dress stabbed the male pirate in the stomach, hoping to end his cursed life. However, this was a not a fatal blow, and a huge fight occurred. Eventually, she severed his head and killed the other zombie. Then she tied herself to an anchor and threw herself into the sea, hoping she would never kill any other humans.

  "What was scarier?" Amy asked when it was over. "The storyline about the zombies? Or the special effects?"

  Heather shrugged. “I’d like to get another drink and another donut.”

  “Then, may I have a dance?” Ryan asked.

  “I bet you can guess my answer, Sherlock,” Heather said with a smile.

  The friends had some snacks and then headed towards the dance floor. They had some fun swaying to the music.

  “No bones about it,” said Amy. “This skeleton band plays great.”

  Then the lights went out. They weren’t concerned that this was anything other than a Halloween party trick because robotic spiders also chose this moment to start dancing around their webs that had suddenly started glowing.

  “This must be for that black light dance that Lucrecia mentioned,” said Amy.

  “Look, I’m glowing too,” Jamie said, pointing to the white on his costume.

  “Do you want to keep dancing?” Ryan asked, as more guests headed onto the dance floor for the special dance.

  “Why don’t we look at the waves for a while?” Heather suggested. “That should be calming and romantic.”

  The other agreed and headed towards the railing. They only enjoyed the peacefulness for a few minutes, however. Then they heard another scream. It was followed by several others.

  “Could this be another part of the Halloween show?” Amy asked.

  "I've got a feeling it isn't," said Heather.

  She was soon proved right when another voice joined the
screams. Someone yelled, “He’s dead!”

  The Dead Zombie

  Heather and Ryan ran to the dance floor, followed by their friends. The lights had turned back to normal, and this time it was clear that the horror was real. Many dancers had backed away from the dead body, but some were still gathered around it.

  Ryan moved forward. “I’m Detective Shepherd. Please clear a space.”

  The zombie pirates and other costumed guests moved back, and they were able to see who the victim was. Jason Myers lay on the ground with a sword sticking out of his chest.

  “The captain needs to be informed,” Ryan said.

  “I’ll tell him,” Jamie said, before hurrying away.

  Heather moved closer to her husband and surveyed the scene. “I don’t think we’ll need a medical examiner for this case. The cause of death looks pretty clear.”

  “Hopefully there were enough witnesses that we can get an idea of what happened,” said Ryan.

  “What happened?” repeated Amy. “I’m pretty sure the guy was stabbed with a sword. Just like in the silly movie.”

  "But who did it?" said Heather. "There were many people on the dance floor. That's why we left."

  "We'll see what the captain wants to do for the remainder of the voyage," said Ryan. "He'll obviously want to return to shore. But should we keep everyone out in the open where we can see what everyone is doing? Or should we carry on as normally as possible, knowing that the killer cannot escape unless they jump overboard?"

  “I can’t believe this,” Captain Braxton said, as he joined them. He was out of breath after running to get there. “How could this have happened?”

  “We should have been worried about the pirates,” Amy muttered.

  “He was clearly murdered,” Ryan said. “Based on the angle, I don’t see how this could have been an accident.”

  “A murder on my ship,” Captain Braxton said. “I don’t see how this could happen. It was supposed to be a party.”

  “Captain, how would you like to handle this situation?” Heather asked.

  "I don't mind admitting to you I'm out of my depth," Captain Braxton said. "I've been dealing with these party cruises for many years now. There were occasional fights and one or two impromptu weddings. However, I've never encountered this situation before."