Sabrina Carlson Cozy Mystery Anthology

by Meredith Potts

  Of all the things he could have said or done in that moment, he decided to snicker. He then remarked, “You two must be really desperate to be coming to me.”

  David’s eyebrows knitted. “How do you figure?”

  “Because there are a lot of people who disliked her far more than I did,” Nick said.

  “You admit then that you two weren’t on the best of terms,” David said.

  “Instead of beating around the bush, why don’t we just get right to the point?” Nick said.

  “That works for me,” David said.

  “Kristie fired me the other day, so you figure I might have killed her in retaliation,” Nick said. “Am I right?”

  David’s eyes widened. “You weren’t kidding about cutting to the heart of the matter.”

  “I have nothing to hide. So why not just be honest, right?” Nick asked.

  “I like that attitude,” David said.

  “There’s more where that came from,” Nick said. “For example, I’m going to make things really easy for you. Was I angry that Kristie fired me? Yes. Did I kill her? No.”

  “I have to be honest with you. I don’t think a suspect has ever been that direct with me before.”

  “I’ll bet it’s pretty refreshing.”

  David gave Nick a stern look. “That’s one way of putting it.”

  Nick threw out his arms. “Now that we got all of that out of the way, why don’t we end the conversation right there?”

  David held his pointer finger up. “Not so fast. Are you in a hurry to get rid of us?”

  Nick shook his head. “No. I just figured there wasn’t anything else to say.”

  “You figured wrong,” David replied.

  Nick folded his arms. “Did I miss something?”

  “Mr. Fulton, there’s a number of questions that we need to ask you before we can leave,” David said.

  “In that case, fire away,” Nick said.

  “To start, where were you this morning?” David asked.

  “If you’re asking if I have an alibi for the time of the murder, I don’t,” Nick said.

  “Is that so?”

  Nick shook his head. “At least not one that you’ll be able to verify. I only woke up a couple of hours ago. After I rolled out of bed, I watched some sports highlights and then scrolled through my social media feed.”

  “I don’t suppose there’s anyone in there with you, is there?”

  “Nope. I’m all by myself.”

  “That’s really unfortunate.”

  “It’s just a fact of life. But the way I figure it, I’d rather be single than dating a crazy chick.”

  “I wasn’t asking about your love life. I meant, it’s unfortunate that you don’t have anyone who can verify your story.”

  Nick shrugged. “The truth isn’t always pretty, but what can you do?”

  My nose scrunched. “Is that all you have to say for yourself?”

  “I don’t know what more there is to say,” Nick replied. “You asked your questions and I gave you honest answers.”

  “So you say, at least. The trouble is, with no one to verify your story, there’s no way to confirm if what you told us was the truth,” I said.

  “That’s your problem, not mine,” Nick said.

  “Not if I haul you into the police station,” David said.

  “We both know that’s a huge waste of time.”

  “How can you be so sure about that?”

  “You clearly don’t have any concrete evidence against me. And without that, you can’t hold me for long. Which means you’d have no choice but to release me after a few days.”

  “A lot can happen in a forty-eight hours,” David said.

  “I realize that. But I’ll say this, my story isn’t going to change.”

  Chapter Ten

  Nick was clearly done speaking with us. But we had a few more things to say to him. Unfortunately, our additional questions didn’t result in any case-breaking answers.

  Ultimately, we ended up walking back to the car empty-handed.

  When I got back in the car, I let out a big sigh.

  “I understand your frustration,” David said. “That interview certainly could have gone better.”

  I chuckled. “That’s putting it lightly.”

  “What can I say? You’re not the only one who has a flair for understatement.”

  I took a playful tone with him. “I guess I’m rubbing off on you.”

  “I suppose you are.”

  “That makes me wonder what other ways you’re taking after me.”

  “That’s an entirely different conversation. And considering how we’re in the middle of a murder investigation, I think there’s more important things for us to talk about right now.”

  “I can’t disagree with that,” I said. “Here’s the thing, though. With the way this case has gone so far, I think it might help to take a step back.”

  David gritted his teeth. “This investigation has been quite stressful.”

  “There you go, understating things again. This case has been a dumpster fire.”

  “I don’t think it’s been that bad. We’ve definitely seen worse.”

  “Well, yeah. We’ve had guns pointed at us before. That said, despite the fact that no one held us at gunpoint today, it was still a pretty lousy start to an investigation.”

  “True.” He took a deep breath. “It’s crazy to think of everything we’ve been through over the years.”

  I held my pointer finger up. “Which is why it’s probably best if we avoid diving into the sordid corners of the past.”

  He responded with a wry tone. “Are you saying there’s some memories that should stay buried?”

  My eyebrows rose. “You’re really getting sarcastic with me this afternoon.”

  “Sorry. I can’t help it.”

  “You must be even more on edge than I thought.”

  “I can’t imagine why,” he deadpanned.

  After letting out a chuckle, the weight of the case began weighing me down again. “Talk about a troubling day.”

  David nodded. “You aren’t kidding. This has been a disaster from top to bottom.”

  “It sure has. And the worst part is that we’re fresh out of suspects.”

  “In all honesty, the last thing this case needs is more suspects.”

  “Good point. If anything, it would be nice if we could eliminate some of the names from our list.”

  “Unfortunately, we can’t do that,” I said. “Apparently, a rock-solid alibi is hard to come by in this town.”

  “Tell me about it.” He looked out into the distance. “Just once, it would be nice if all but one of the suspects had verifiable alibis.”

  “Or if the forensics team was able to pull the killer’s fingerprints from the murder weapon.”

  “How about being able to track down someone who actually witnessed the murder and could identify the scumbag who did this?”

  “If we’re going to ask for crazy things, we might as well just pray for a time machine to be invented so we can go back and prevent this murder from ever occurring.”

  “Let’s be honest. If someone invents a time machine, there’s a lot of things that I want to go back and change about the past.”

  “Same here.”

  “Unfortunately, there’s never a time machine around when you need one.”

  I let out a groan. “Isn’t that the truth?”

  He remained quiet for a moment and then wiped his forehead. “As fun as it is to talk about time machines, it doesn’t really get us any closer to finding Kristie’s killer.”

  “I hear you. But here’s the thing. Even though I know that I need to face reality, it’s just so hard to do that right now.”

  “Maybe some food will help you focus.”

  I scratched my chin. “I could go for some junk food right about now.”

  “To be fair, when aren’t you interested in junk food?”

  “Good point,” I
said. “But I’m particularly excited about a snack at the moment.”

  “I figured as much. I wasn’t about to suggest a salad at a time like this.”

  “Why would you? That would be downright foolish.”

  “I know,” he said. “And I’m a lot of things, but a fool isn’t one of them.”

  “You sure aren’t,” I said. “Now how about we go and make an ice cream run?”

  His nose crinkled. “Ice cream?”

  I threw out my arms. “Why do you look so surprised?”

  “Because I figured you had a chocolate craving.”

  “Yes, a craving for chocolate ice cream.”

  “And here I thought chocolate bars were your go-to snack.”

  “They are. On a day like this, however, a single bar isn’t enough. Instead, it will take three scoops of ice cream to hit the spot.”

  His eyes widened. “Three scoops? You’re really going bold, aren’t you?”

  “What can I say? Sometimes cheating on your diet isn’t enough. Occasionally, you have no choice but to set your diet on fire.”

  David laughed. “That’s the kind of statement that could make a dietician cry.”

  “It’s a good thing there’s no dieticians in earshot then.”

  “You’re right about that.”

  “Now why don’t we get some scoops?” I said.

  Chapter Eleven

  The ice cream was fantastic. Almost too good, in fact. It was so delicious that I could have easily ordered a fourth scoop. But, despite appearances, I did have some restraint.

  Besides, as I finished up my third scoop, I received a phone call from Shannon. As I looked at my phone, it became clear that I couldn’t distract myself from reality any longer. An emotionally charged conversation was inevitable.

  Just as I expected, my friend didn’t waste time with pleasantries. Of course, given how unpleasant the circumstances were, I expected her to get right to the point with me.

  “Have you and David had any luck finding my cousin’s killer?” Shannon asked.

  I grimaced. “Just keep in mind that it’s still really early in the case—”

  “Is that a no?” Shannon said.

  “Unfortunately,” I replied. “But like I just said, the investigation has only just begun—”

  “Don’t get me wrong. I know I should be patient, but it’s just so hard to do that.”

  “Trust me. I understand. Patience is something I’ve always had trouble with.”

  “I just hate the idea that Kristie’s killer is out there somewhere. Roaming free.”

  “I know what you mean. I want to bring your cousin’s killer to justice as soon as possible. Every moment that they are at-large is agony.”

  “It definitely is. Of course, it has just been a brutal day all around. I just keep thinking about how much I miss my cousin. How she deserved better than this. Today was just so devastating.”

  “I wish there was more I could say,” I said. “I’m so sorry.”

  “So am I.”

  “I know it isn’t much of a consolation, but if I was there right now, I’d give you a big hug.”

  “Forget about a hug. I’m glad you’re out there with David. I want as many people looking for the murderer as possible.”

  “Trust me. All hands are on deck. The entire police force is searching for the guilty party.”

  “Good.”

  “Regrettably, I don’t have any good news for you. At least, not yet.”

  “I’ll keep praying that you catch a break.”

  “Sounds good to me,” I said. “And who knows? Maybe tomorrow will provide us with answers.”

  “Fingers crossed.”

  “No matter how long it takes, though, I’m not stopping until the killer is in custody.”

  “I don’t doubt it. After all, you never gave up the fight to find your sister’s killer.”

  “True,” I said. “Although, let’s just hope that this case doesn’t take eleven years to solve.”

  “I’m right there with you. The point is that you’re the most persistent woman I know. So, whether it takes a few days or a few months, I know that nothing will keep you from finding out the truth.”

  “Speaking of which, I do need to be getting back to work.”

  “I understand,” Shannon said. “Let me know when you have an update.”

  I nodded. “You’ll be the first person I call.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Even though I told Shannon I was going to get back to work, my body had other ideas. I was exhausted, both mentally and physically. While I could deal with a certain level of fatigue, there was no getting around the fact that my brain was fried.

  That left me with little choice but to head home and regroup. Once David and I arrived back at our house, the first item on my agenda was to get some protein in my system. When my stomach was full, I figured some time in front of the TV would provide me with a good distraction. After all, there always seemed to be some kind of baking program or wedding planning show on.

  Before I could disappear into the world of cooking competitions or wedding gown selection, I heard my phone beep. I immediately reached for my phone to check my text messages. For a moment, I wondered if the text had something to do with this investigation. When I looked at my phone however, I realized that my daughter, Jessica, was just checking in.

  Instead of sending her a series of text message replies, I decided to open up a video chat with her. Naturally, Jessica was horrified when she heard the news about Kristie Wakefield’s death.

  “Talk about a devastating loss,” Jessica said.

  “Not to mention, completely unexpected,” I said.

  “I’ll say,” Jessica replied. “And here I thought I was having a bad day.”

  My eyebrows rose. “Wait. What happened?”

  “It was just a rough day at the police academy,” Jessica said. “But it was nothing compared to the afternoon you had.”

  “Honey, why don’t you tell me what happened?”

  “Forget about it. Honestly, it all seems pretty trivial after what you just told me.”

  “Jessica, I’m your mother. Nothing in your life is trivial to me. Now explain to me what took place.”

  “Basically, we spent the entire day doing exercises designed to teach the class how to restrain unruly suspects.”

  “That’s a good skill to know.”

  “I’ll bet it is. Unfortunately, I did not perform well. As a matter of fact, I got overpowered a number of times during a few of the exercises.”

  “I’m sorry about that. But just remember. Sometimes it takes a while to learn a new skill.”

  “I understand that. Even so, I got a little scared. After all, if a perpetrator overpowered me in the real world, I could end up injured…or dead.”

  I grimaced. “I wish I could disagree with that, but I can’t.”

  “You can see then why I’m so discouraged.”

  “Absolutely. Especially since most suspects tend to be unruly.”

  The moment I finished my sentence, I regretted saying those words. Not because they were untrue. Rather, because they were brutally honest.

  Normally, I had enough restraint to keep an opinion like that to myself. But I was just so tired that the truth spilled right out of my mouth.

  “Are you serious?” Jessica asked.

  Talk about a tough spot to be in. I could try to retract my statement, but my daughter would see right through that. On the flip side, if I was going to give her the truth, I wanted to temper it a little bit.

  “Look. That’s just my experience. Yours might be different,” I said.

  “What if it isn’t?” she asked.

  “I know you don’t want to hear this, but maybe becoming a police officer isn’t for you.”

  “You’re right. I didn’t want to hear that.”

  “At the same time, there are other ways you can make Treasure Cove a better place without putting your life on the line day in an
d day out—”

  “Speaking of putting your life on the line, you and dad need to be careful out there.”

  “We always are.”

  “I realize that. But with a case this personal, it would be really easy for your emotions to get the best of you.”

  “I’m well aware of that. At the same time, as troubling as it is to admit, I have investigated cases far more personal than this.”

  “That is troubling,” she said. “As I’m learning in the academy, the world is a crazy place.”

  “I know it. Why do you think I’m so worried about you becoming a police officer?”

  “Mom, I know you’re worried about me. But I’m not going to let one bad day of training make me reconsider my entire career choice.”

  “Fair enough,” I said. “Here’s hoping you have a better day tomorrow.”

  “The same goes for you,” Jessica said.

  Chapter Thirteen

  When I woke up the next day, none of the details of the case had changed. It wasn’t like I had some crazy epiphany in my sleep that would break this investigation wide open. There was one key difference that the morning provided, however. With a full night of sleep under my belt, I felt like I had energy to spare.

  I was certainly motivated to make some serious progress. Especially after I finished a latte. While the jolt of caffeine was great, the mood at Daley Buzz was more somber than ever. That wasn’t exactly a surprise. It didn’t help though, that’s for sure.

  After a brief chat with my friend, Kelly Hogan, I joined David back at the car. My husband then made quick work of a double espresso before driving us over to the police station.

  Unfortunately, as eager as we were to take the next step in solving this case, we were uncertain about what that step should be. This stage was always my least favorite part of any investigation. I hated staring down a big question mark.

  The killer was out there somewhere. And no matter how well they had covered their tracks, the odds were that they’d make a mistake at some point.

  Deep down, I realized that David and I just needed to be patient. To keep the pressure on all of the suspects. And to wait for one of them to slip up. That was easier said than done, though.