The Bakers and Bulldogs Mysteries Collection: 20 Book Box Set

by Rosie Sams

  “What is going on?” Sophia shouted as she moved swiftly toward them. Wilbur stood behind her holding the coffee, while Alvin watched with wide-eyes.

  “I suggest you check his pockets, Sheriff. Mr. Williams has some important evidence on his person.”

  “You have no right to do such a thing!” Heath, who was sullen, and crocodile teary-eyed only moments ago, now gnashed his teeth and shook his leg, trying his best to shake Smudge from her bulldog grip!

  “Actually, we can. We have probable cause.” Wilbur tossed the coffee in a nearby trash can and grabbed hold of Heath while Alvin shoved his hand in his pockets. Like Rockford, the Resplendent performing a magic trick, Alvin pulled a scarf out of Heath’s coat!

  Sophia looked shocked and confused while the others grinned with triumph!

  “Allow me to explain, Ms. McGrath, and you may want to sit down for this.”

  Sophia didn’t sit, but she did listen intently.

  Heath struggled against Wilbur’s hold, but he was no match for the determined deputy.

  “The scarf you see in Sheriff Hennessey’s hand is that of Yolanda Wyatt’s. It was actually a scarf she favored. She could be seen wearing it often in the boutique.”

  Sophia gasped. “I’ve seen her wearing it!” she said.

  “When I found Yolanda dead in the dressing area of the boutique, she was clutching a torn piece of the fabric in her cold grip of death.”

  Alvin held up the scarf to show where a piece had been torn from it.

  “I found it odd that Mr. Williams insisted that he needed to pay his respects to Yolanda because he thought she was ‘kind’ to both of you. But the truth is, you, Sophia, and Yolanda had a strained partnership.”

  “We did,” Sophia said. “She was sabotaging my dress!”

  “Yes! But not because she was worried about her other clients.” Sophia was swift enough to understand what Melody was suggesting.

  “You pig!” Sophia lunged at Heath, but Alvin caught her around the waist in the nick of time! “You were cheating on me? Do you know who I am? You need me! Not the other way around, bucko!” The little woman's face was red, and she beat her fists at the air.

  “Sweetie, I wasn’t cheating on you! She’s making the whole thing up!” Heath denied Melody’s accusation vehemently, but Smudge was having none of it. She growled as she tugged on his pant leg until she nearly tore the pants right off him!

  Heath looked terrified of the little dog!

  “How does she know?” he asked Melody, fearfully. “She’s just a dog!”

  “She is not just a dog! She’s one of the smartest souls you’ll ever meet, and she knows a liar when she smells one!” Melody said proudly.

  Smudge growled again then tugged harder. Wilbur kept his grip on the man to keep him from running.

  “You might as well spill it, Williams,” Alvin said. “You’re not getting away now.”

  “Fine! Just call off the dog! I’ll tell you everything!”

  Melody signaled for Smudge to let go. She did and jumped right into Melody’s arms, where Melody hugged her tightly.

  “I never wanted to marry Sophia.” He glared at her. “But my parents forced me into it. They wanted the financial security that would come along with me marrying Port Warren’s little ‘princess.’”

  Sophia spat on him as Alvin held her back. Heath flinched but continued to confess.

  “I was hoping the engagement would evaporate when Sophia couldn’t have the perfect dress. I saw that Yolanda loathed Sophia from the moment she first entered the shop, so I seduced Yolanda. She was more than happy to help sabotage the McGrath Dress.”

  “The caterer keeps messing up the menu, did you stick it to her, too?” Sophia was ferocious.

  “So, you duped poor Yolanda into falling in love with you, then convinced her to do your bidding?” Melody asked.

  “Hardly! She was far from innocent. When I saw the plan wasn’t working, I called off the affair, but Yolanda had a wicked streak. She tried blackmailing me, saying she would tell Sophia everything if I didn’t pay her to keep quiet.”

  “Did you go to the shop intending to kill her?” Melody asked.

  “No! I didn’t plan for that to happen,” he protested.

  Smudge growled a warning at him from Melody’s lap.

  “I didn’t! That night was our usual night together. Yolanda would give Lollie sleeping pills, so she wouldn’t hear me come in after hours. I found her in the dressing room area, and we argued about her threats to blackmail me. It got physical, and I shoved her. It was purely an accident.”

  Smudge barked repeatedly.

  “Except that’s not what happened,” Melody said confidently. “You tried to choke her with her own scarf. When she struggled against you, the scarf tore, and she fell back. That’s when Yolanda hit her head.”

  “Who are you people?” Heath asked, both impressed and terrified.

  “But, wait, there’s more!” Melody offered. “Even if the killing was accidental, you still took the time to cover Lollie’s hands in Yolanda’s blood, framing her.”

  Alvin nodded. He smiled from ear to ear, watching his fiancée in action. “And, as you’re a proven opportunist, you tried to pin the whole thing on Ms. McGrath just moments ago!”

  “Sheriff, you better lock me up because I’m going to kill him!” Sophia roared and lunged again!

  Chapter Two Hundred Fifteen

  “Book him, Wilbur,” Alvin said as he kept Sophia back. He wanted them separated. There was no telling what Sophia would do if she got her hands on her ex-fiancé.

  Once everyone was back upstairs in the central station, Alvin handed Sophia off to another deputy. “Put her in the interrogation room. Keep her there until we have everything sorted.”

  Sophia scoffed! “You can’t keep me here! I’m Sophia McGrath!”

  “Yes, yes, we all know who you are! Now, shut it, you spoiled brat!” Heath shouted at her from across the room.

  “You screwed up the best thing you ever had. You were nothing but common your whole life, and now you’re a common criminal! Congratulations!”

  Sophia headed for him, but the officer pulled her back and led her toward the interrogation room. She spouted off. “I will still be the most beautiful bride with the best gown and a better man!” She glared at Melody. Smudge huffed doubtfully, but the woman’s last word hung in the air as she face-planted, tripping over her own designer heels.

  “The murder may have been solved, but it sounds like the dress war is not over,” Alvin said as he barely stifled his laughter at the sight of Ms. McGrath falling from her pedestal, and landing down here on Earth with the common folk.

  The officer picked her up and shoved her in the interrogation room for everyone’s safety.

  “You should learn to walk in case you ever do get the chance to march down an aisle! And you’re welcome!” Melody called toward the closing door. “Sheesh, she really is ungrateful, isn’t she?”

  To that, Smudge yipped.

  “Indeed,” Alvin said as he took her into his arms. He was grinning from ear to ear as he studied her beautiful face.

  “What are you grinning about, Sheriff Hennessey?”

  “You know how the thought of you in that wedding dress gets me all frisky?”

  “I do.”

  “Well, imagine what it does to me when I watch you solve a mystery.” He bit his lip flirtatiously, then kissed her right in the middle of the station. Everyone around them applauded. “You’re going to be the most beautiful bride ever. McGrath can’t hold a candle to Marshall.”

  “Well, I’m pretty confident I can beat her in a foot race after seeing her walk.”

  Smudge jumped up and ran to the door. Did someone say walk?

  Chapter Two Hundred Sixteen

  “This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Are you ready?”

  “I am.”

  Kerry Porter Smedley took a deep breath as she inspected her dear friend’s dress for the fin
al time.

  Leslie Mathers poked her head inside the tent. “Come on, you two. It’s showtime!” she said before disappearing again.

  Kerry’s eyes glistened with tears. “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry,” she said. “But I can’t help it. You look so beautiful!” Melody shooed her out of the tent. She was nervous enough already.

  From outside the tent, Leslie called Kerry again. Quickly, she blew Melody a kiss and ducked out.

  Melody gazed down at Smudge, who was wearing a big fluffy white bow around her neck. Smudge stared up at her. Her big soulful chocolate brown eyes reflected Melody in her perfect wedding dress, complete with the roses sewn perfectly around the neckline.

  This was it. The moment everyone’s been waiting for.

  The quartet played the first four bars of “This Magic Moment” by The Drifters. It was Melody’s cue. With a deep breath, she emerged from the tent and walked toward a flowered covered arch with Smudge by her side. Down the aisle, she saw Alvin first. Her eyes locked with his, and she exhaled, feeling relaxed for the very first time since she opened her eyes that morning.

  Alvin did everything he could to wait patiently under the pergola. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Wilbur, his best man, leaned in and whispered, “Now, that’s a dress.”

  Without taking his eyes off the future Mrs. Hennessey, Alvin said, “That’s ‘The Marshall Dress.’”

  Melody stepped onto the white runner to take her first steps toward a brand-new future. However, before she took another step, her guests rose from their white chairs. Each had a handful of white rose petals. As Melody walked forward, they showered her path with them, guiding her straight to Alvin.

  Grant Woodward, the local millionaire, sprinkled his petals first and blew her a kiss.

  Next, Brad Mortimer and Cathy Peck gently tossed their petals together and watched them float through the air. Cathy was pregnant with their second child.

  The Port Warren doctor, Ambrose Mitchum; his daughter, Dorinda; and his son-in-law, Ernest Brownlow, scattered their petals next. Ambrose smiled warmly as Dorinda blotted her teary eyes.

  Sam Barnett and Claudia Conway wouldn’t have missed this for the world. He wrapped his arms around Claudia’s waist as she opened her palm and blew their petals toward the path.

  She passed Quincy and Gloria Atkinson. He snapped her photo, capturing a moment as Gloria tossed the petals in the air.

  The Archer children blew kisses to Smudge and waved at her as their mother, Carole, cast their petals. Trevor stood proudly behind his family.

  Bradley Smedley kissed his petals before he tossed them in the air, then he turned and blew a kiss to Kerry as she stood near the pergola waiting. She bounced on her toes with excitement.

  Old Jake showed up, dressed in his best. Leslie helped him pick something special to wear for the occasion. He cupped a petal close to his heart, then tossed it toward Smudge. It fell gently and landed on Smudge’s nose. She huffed playfully, then shook it from her snout.

  Coleman Urquhart and Emily Norton joined in, happily sprinkling their flower petals on the path.

  Penelope Cross and Ramona Newman both offered their best pageant waves to Melody and Smudge as they made their way down the aisle. Penelope mouthed that she loved the dress!

  Wayne Arlen and Thelma Ford snapped their fingers, and petals fell from the sky.

  When she finally reached the pergola, Melody saw all the puppies of Port Warren lined up with pink and blue ribbons around their respective necks. Some were with Leslie on the bride’s side. The others were with Wilbur on the groom’s side.

  Abraham Thayer, the real estate tycoon from Las Vegas, stood up from his seat in the front row. He took Melody’s hand, and kissed her cheek, then guided her the last few steps toward Alvin.

  Alvin took her hand as she stood beside him. Smudge settled in between them, sitting on Alvin’s feet.

  As the officiate lifted his hand, the quartet stopped playing And the guests took their seats.

  “We gather together on this beautiful day to celebrate the union of Alvin Hennessey and Melody Marshall. This couple is so much in love that they have asked me to get directly to the vows.” He smiled, and the audience chuckled. He then motioned for Alvin to begin.

  “Melody, I remember how long you made me wait for our first date,” he said as he took her hands in his. “But, I think you know that I would have waited forever for you. It would have caused me a considerable amount of pain and suffering ... “

  Melody blushed, as the audience laughed again.

  “… But I would have endured it, gladly. I love you.” Then he looked down at Smudge and smiled. “And I love you too, my sweet little girl.” Smudge snuffled against his trousers and pressed her body against his legs. He got the message.

  The officiate held his hand out toward Melody.

  “Alvin, you have made me happier than I could have ever imagined. You’re so loving, and fearless, and protective.”

  “Are you describing Smudge or me?” he teased her, and the audience roared.

  “And that right there - your sense of humor is adorable, and you encourage my amateur detective skills!” She breathed in deeply and exhaled these words, “I am so absolutely in love with you, and I can’t wait to watch our future unfold.”

  Alvin looked at the audience and said, “Don’t let her fool you. She puts my investigative skills to shame.”

  Smudged barked, commanding his attention.

  “Yes, Smudge, yours put both of our skills to shame.” He scooped her up for the next part of the ceremony.

  “And now, the rings,” the officiate announced.

  Wilbur reached in his pocket and opened a small but wide red velvet case. He presented it to Alvin, who plucked Melody’s ring from it first. Slowly, he slipped it on her finger.

  “With this ring, I thee wed,” he said.

  Melody stared at it a moment, watching the rays of sunshine bounce off the gold band.

  Then she reached into the box and plucked Alvin’s ring from it. She noticed his hand was shaking as she slipped the ring on his finger.

  “With this ring, I thee wed,” she said. She held his hand steady and smiled lovingly up at him.

  Finally, he pulled one more ring from the box. This one was made to clip to Smudge’s collar. “With this ring, I thee love.” Alvin attached it to her bow collar. In turn, she kissed his face affectionately.

  “I now pronounce you husband, wife, and pup! Kiss now or forever hold your peace!”

  The quartet struck up the music to thunderous applause as Melody and Alvin leaned in for a long, passionate kiss for the first time as Mr. and Mrs., and Smudge!

  Dying to Retire

  Bakers and Bulldog Mysteries

  by

  Rosie Sams

  Chapter Two Hundred Seventeen

  “Mel - that was such a beautiful wedding,” Kerry Porter Smedley said as she applied French vanilla frosting to a lemon-yellow cupcake in the kitchen of Decadently Delicious. Her hands worked robotically, but her eyes looked dreamily at a photo of Tahiti that hung on the wall near Melody’s workspace. “It’s too bad you two couldn’t take that honeymoon, yet.”

  “It’s fine,” Melody said as she put the finishing touches atop the cupcakes Kerry was frosting, sprinkling them with edible gold dust. “We’ll get there someday.” Melody Hennessey nee. Marshall and Kerry were business partners, along with their good friend Leslie Mathers. As Port Warren’s leading pastry chef, Melody had made quite the name for herself both as a blue-ribbon baker, and a part-time amateur sleuth. Helped, of course, by her grey, blue French Bulldog, Smudge and new husband, Alvin, the Sheriff of Port Warren.

  “Smudge looked absolutely adorable in her big poufy bow,” Leslie said as she swept up flour from the floor.

  Smudge yipped in agreement and spun once like a little diva showing off on a runway’s stage.

  “Work it, girl!” Leslie tossed her a butter cookie.

  Upfront, the little bel
l over the bakery’s door rang. It was after hours, but Melody had left the front door open deliberately. “That must be Tara Leeson.” Melody took off her apron to go greet her.

  “Doesn’t her mother run the craft shop off Main?” Leslie asked.

  “Yes, that’s Francine. Tara is throwing her a retirement party and wants us to make a special dessert for the occasion. Please help Kerry finish up. Those cupcakes are being picked up first thing in the morning.” The door swung shut behind her leaving Kerry and Leslie to finish the little cakes.

  “Thank you for meeting with me this late. I really appreciate it,” Tara Leeson said in greeting. She was a petite woman with long, mousy brown hair that fell flat against the sides of her head.

  Melody thought she should have flowers in her hair, like a flower child.

  “Of course, it’s no trouble. We’re all here working on an order for tomorrow. Come on in.” She invited Tara to take a seat at one of the small cafe tables Leslie had added to the shop. There were two in total that were moved to the street every morning.

  As they sat down, Melody noticed Tara’s leather patchwork purse. It matched her leather jacket. “That’s a lovely bag. Did you make it yourself?”

  Tara blushed as she held the bag a little closer to her body.

  “Yes, I’ve been teaching some of the middle school girls how to make their own things. I made this one when I was about their age. All the other kids’ parents were buying them name brands, but my mother frowned upon that, so I taught myself how to make my own clothes and bags. I loved the bag so much, I made this jacket to match.”

  “Wow! That’s quite a talent! I guess you got your craft skills from your mother.”

  Tara looked away and nodded awkwardly. “Maybe. I learned more out of necessity rather than creativity. She didn’t much like the things I made, but some of the kids liked them so much they asked me to make a few for them, too.”