Murder Most Meow: A Hazel Hart Cozy Mystery Four

by Louise Lynn

  Christopher Allen backed up as if he’d seen a ghost, but Angela moved behind him, and his wife loomed over him. He looked like Macbeth caught between the invading army and his own sins.

  Fitting, Hazel thought.

  In the distance, Hazel saw the sudden flash of light cutting through the darkness, and several of the actors popped around the corner. Followed next by the audience.

  Hazel crouched in front of Christopher Allen and held her camera up. “Do we have enough evidence now or would you like to keep talking?” she asked with a smile.

  The man put his head in his hands and swallowed a sob.

  A few moments later, deputies burst into the clearing around the stage and started the process of arresting Christopher Allen.

  Even without Hazel recording it, they had plenty of witnesses who heard the entire thing. But, Sheriff Cross said the video would help, overall.

  Darcy ran up to his mother, who wrapped him in a tight hug and kissed his head.

  Hazel felt a strong twinge of guilt and frowned at them. Hopefully, they’d find a way to work through this.

  As Christopher Allen was led away in cuffs, Angela hovered nearby, stroking Anthony Ray absently since he had settled back in her lap. “You know, that worked better than I would’ve imagined. You’re not half bad as an actress,” the woman said, and gave her a faint smile.

  Hazel shrugged. “Coming from you, it’s quite the compliment. Oh. That reminds me. My assistant is a huge fan of yours and wanted your autograph.”

  Angela nodded. “After what you did, of course.”

  Hazel smiled.

  Chapter 23

  Hazel was more surprised than anyone to see the headline of the Cedar Valley Post the next morning. Since she usually didn’t look at the paper, it had to be brought to her attention by Celia.

  They’d return to their normal routine since the festival was now officially over. Especially since one of the council members was headed for a long prison sentence after he’d confessed to the plot to kill his wife and Dominic Dane.

  The headline read:

  Local Photographer Uncovers Murder Plot at Shakespeare Festival.

  Hazel felt her cheeks heat as Celia waved it in her face. “Come on. It’s better than the last headline. And this will probably make people forget that you accused a ghost of killing the actor.”

  Hazel rolled her eyes and took a long grateful sip of her latte. At least this time she hadn’t had to get physical with the killer, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t mentally draining. “Yeah. Let’s hope. I’m just glad he confessed and that Sophia went along with it. If she hadn’t crumpled when she did, he may not have fessed up.”

  Celia raised her brows. “Looks like you went into the wrong profession. Maybe you should be a director yourself. Or an actress.”

  Hazel shook her head. “No, thank you. I prefer to be behind the camera—and a still one at that.”

  Thankfully, Celia let it go with a smile.

  “Since you always give me grief about Colton, now I’m going to give you grief about Paul. I saw you guys at the matinee the other day. Was that an official date or not?” Hazel asked as Celia fixed her morning bagel.

  Celia shrugged. “It was just a picnic. You know how Paul is. I think I need to cut him loose. He’s too–”

  “Nice?” Hazel offered with a grin.

  Celia shook her head and her dark curls tumbled around her shoulders. How she kept them so perfect at all times, Hazel could never figure out. She’d shoved a hat on her head to keep her own frizzy curls from being too obvious. “No. Too outdoorsy. And I’ve always known that, and then you told me to give it a chance and I tried, but there’s no spark. You know? I think he agrees. At least, he hasn’t been following me around like a lost puppy. Thank goodness.”

  Hazel nodded. “That’s probably for the best.”

  Celia gave her best friend a sly smile and slid her bagel across the counter. “Since I’m supposed to bother you about Colton, how’s that going? And how are you and Violet getting along? She’s a sweet girl, but I never thought I’d see you cohabiting with a teenager.”

  Hazel snorted. “Me neither, but we actually get along great. It probably helps that I’m not her mother or related to her in any way.”

  Celia nodded and turned to help another customer, so Hazel took that as a chance to make her escape before Celia could ask any pressing questions about what Hazel and Colton’s relationship was, exactly.

  Hazel didn’t mind it existing in a nebulous state for now. Things were good, so why mess with it?

  That morning, she knew Sheriff Cross was much too busy gathering evidence for the Christopher Allen case to come to CATfeinated for breakfast.

  They already had a lunch date planned, and Hazel intended to get him to try the Vietnamese place again, Pho Real. The first time they went there, he’d ended up with too much Sriracha on his food and tears running down his face, much to Hazel’s delight. This time, she’d have him go easy on the stuff.

  To her surprise, Michael was standing in front of her Wild @ Hart Photo Studio and a woman with long red hair was there as well—Angela Dane.

  “Your boss said you were a big fan of mine, so I thought you might like this,” she said and handed Michael a silver crown.

  Michael gaped at it. “Is that from Lord of the Halos?” he asked, breathless.

  Angela nodded. “It’s the official prop that I wore throughout all three movies. And I don’t need it for anything, but since you’re such a fan I thought you’d enjoy it.”

  Michael nodded, speechless, and Hazel stepped up.

  Anthony Ray, who trotted next to Hazel on his leash, plopped near Angela’s feet and gave her a demanding meow. The woman bent down and petted him. “I was looking for you. I wanted to thank you for what you did. You got me out of a potential PR nightmare. And, sorry I thought you could’ve been the one behind it. I haven’t been at my best these last few years.”

  Hazel nodded. “You know, not to compare our situations, but my ex-husband cheated too. It was horrible. And not that it’s a good thing Dominic is dead, but you get a fresh start now. A chance to be careful on the next one.”

  Angela snorted. Unlike the entire time during the festival, she was dressed comfortably now in a pair of leggings and a fitted T-shirt with a sweater on top. She looked casually elegant, somehow, though Hazel knew in the same sort of outfit she’d look like she just rolled out of bed. “If there is a next one—which—who knows. But if you’re ever in L.A. let me know. I’ll take you out to dinner someplace incredibly fancy. Oh, and tell that sheriff of yours thanks too.”

  Hazel nodded, and watched the woman walk away.

  Michael stared between the two of them and tugged on Hazel’s sleeve. “You—you’re friends with Angela Dane! I think I’m gonna pass out.”

  Hazel shook her head. Friends seemed a little bit strong for their relationship. “You need a fainting couch? And here you’re not even wearing your corset,” she teased.

  Michael shrugged and smiled, and they went inside to get to work.

  Since it was the first Saturday after the festival, they weren’t busy. The tourists who’d come to town for the event had left, so Michael and Hazel had a lazy day of finishing up some client photographs and waiting to see if anyone popped in for the Old West studio.

  Just before noon, Violet and Sheriff Cross arrived together, and not in the middle of an argument either.

  “Come for a saloon shoot?” Hazel asked with a wicked grin.

  Violet’s eyes widened into saucers. “I want to be a saloon girl! But—no. We came for lunch. I mean, unless you guys want to go on your own or something.” She shuffled her feet.

  Hazel grabbed her purse and patted Anthony Ray. “Let’s go together. Michael, I’ll pick you up lunch. Do you want beef or pork pho?”

  Michael called out what he wanted, and Sheriff Cross got a skeptical look on his face. “Are you taking me to the Vietnamese place?”

  Hazel nodd
ed and led them outside. There didn’t seem to be as much tension hovering in the air around the two of them, and she assumed they had a heart to heart sometime that morning, since Violet hadn’t spent the night at Hazel’s cabin.

  As they were crossing the street, Violet slung her arm through Hazel’s. “We talked. Me and Uncle Colton. And I think we came to a good understanding. But, I’d still like to stay with you, if possible. I mean, I know I have rules and stuff, and I’ll follow them this time. Plus—like Uncle Colton said—it’s a lot harder to sneak away from your place than it is his,” she said with a slight pout.

  Hazel’s heart warmed, and she glanced at Sheriff Cross, who smiled at both of them. “Yeah. That sounds like a good idea. And does that mean your Uncle Colton is going to come by my place more often? We could do movie night. He even threatened to cook for me once.”

  Colton laughed. “Threatened or promised?”

  Hazel wrinkled her nose. “Since I haven’t tasted your cooking, I honestly don’t know which it is. But I don’t think you could be as bad as my mom.”

  Violet choked on a snort, and they all headed into the restaurant, together.

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  Coming June 6, 2018

  It’s wedding season in picturesque Cedar Valley, California, and photographer Hazel Hart is busy with the most high profile wedding of the year. But marital bliss doesn’t last long since the bride is poisoned by the wedding cake!

  Now, Hazel and her spunky feline sidekick have to track down the killer. Only all the guests are suspects, and the more Hazel learns about the victim, the more she realizes the bride was onto something nefarious—a secret that got her killed.

  With each new revelation, the danger grows. Can Hazel find the killer and reveal the truth before it’s too late?

  Read the rest of the Hazel Hart Cozy Mystery Series!

  Hazel Hart is having a terrible day.

  A man is murdered in her Wild @ Hart Photo Studio, and the new sheriff in Cedar Valley not only declares it a crime scene and insults Hazel’s fashion sense, but he also suspects Hazel of the murder!

  In order to clear her name and restore her shop’s reputation, Hazel must find the real killer. Problem is, the list of suspects and their secrets seem to grow the deeper Hazel digs. Not to mention the mysterious figure who keeps showing up in Hazel’s photos.

  Can she unearth the killer before time runs out?

  Meowsical Death: A Hazel Hart Cozy Mystery Two

  Hazel Hart can’t catch a break.

  While working as the photographer of the local elementary school, Hazel stumbles across the body of the music teacher. The woman has been murdered, and Hazel’s own mother is a prime suspect!

  Now, Hazel has to clear her mother’s name, and go head to head against the handsome and stubborn Sheriff Cross. Only, that’s not as easy as it seems. The victim’s life and death is shrouded in years of secrets, including decades old blackmail. As the list of suspects grows, the more dangerous it becomes.

  In a race against the clock, Hazel must pinpoint the real killer before it’s too late.

  Purrfect Alibi: A Hazel Hart Cozy Mystery Three

  Hazel Hart has awful luck.

  When the star quarterback goes missing after the local Spring Fling dance, Hazel and her feline sidekick find his body. The young man was murdered, and there are no shortages of suspects—including her best friend’s ex—a man Hazel doesn’t trust.

  As she digs for the truth, the mysteries around the quarterback’s life and death multiply. Someone is trying to bury the past, and the danger to Hazel grows with each unearthed secret.

  In a race against time, can Hazel find the real killer before she is the next victim?

  Read the Maritime Teashop Series:

  There has been a murder in San Bastion Bay and Olivia Darrow just might be next. Not the best birthday present she could have asked for.

  Now a potential suspect in the murder investigation, Olivia must find out who poisoned her least favorite customer and stop the killer from striking again. Unfortunately, her list of suspects includes nearly the entire town and a hooded figure seems determined to ensure the culprit remains hidden. In a race against the clock, will Olivia uncover the truth before it’s too late? Or has she been framed to take the fall?

  Maritime Teashop Book 2

  A film crew enters San Bastion Bay, and the movie turns deadly when a starlet who hailed from the small town is killed on set.

  Olivia Darrow must investigate the murder of the former prom queen turned movie star before the police arrest an innocent man. Unfortunately, the film crew and the town are full of potential suspects and dangerous secrets. In a race against time, can Olivia uncover the real killer before she becomes the next target?

  Thank you!

  Thank you so much for reading my Hazel Hart cozy mystery! I had such an amazing time writing this book and I really hope you enjoyed Murder Most Meow. If you did, please leave a review.

  No matter how short or long, I appreciate any sort of feedback. Being an independent author means this is my livelihood, and every review makes a huge difference.

  Reviews are the best way to support me, so I can continue doing what I love, which is bringing you, the readers, more mysteries in Cedar Valley.

  Thank you for spending time with Hazel Hart and I hope to see you soon!

  About the author

  Louise Lynn lives in a small town in California with a host of cats. She loves to crochet, travel, and indulge in both chocolate and all things mystery related.

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  Copyright © 2017 by Louise Lynn

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, businesses, and events are all products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is purely coincidental.