Traveling Town Cozy Mystery Box Set

by Ami Diane

  Ella’s feet thudded across the grass. She hiked the skirt of her uniform up and poured on speed.

  Leaping, she bypassed the terrace steps altogether and barreled through the back door of the inn. In the kitchen, she skidded to a stop and snatched up one of Flo’s guns which still littered the table. It was a small peashooter that hummed against her touch and for whatever reason was painted lime green.

  Holding the weapon out, her finger near but not on the trigger, she raced down the hallway and into the entrance hall. She slid to an abrupt halt, nearly colliding with two figures.

  Chapman was escorting Diego towards the front door. The sailor’s hands were bound, his head down, a broken man from a broken ship.

  Ella was breathing heavily from the short burst of adrenaline, and if she were being honest, from the short sprint. “Oh, good. You figured it out.”

  “Perfect timing, Ms. Barton.” Chapman’s eyes caught on the weapon in her hand, and she quickly stowed it in her sweatshirt pocket. “Would you please tell this man he’s under arrest?”

  “You want me to recite the Miranda Warning too?”

  “The what?”

  Air hissed between her teeth. It was easy to forget he was from a different era.

  They stood in the cavernous room while Ella told the man in Spanish that he was under arrest for suspicion of murder. She also took the liberty of reciting the Miranda Warning to him, which, thanks to Law and Order, she knew by heart.

  “¡No lo hice!” Diego repeated the phrase, emphatically shaking his head.

  “What’s he saying?”

  “He says he didn’t do it.”

  With rough hands, Chapman turned Diego around, digging fingers into the sailor’s forearms, causing the man to wince. “Then these aren’t rope burns? And I suppose those weren’t your clothes Ella saw on Mr. Alexander, neither?”

  Ella interpreted this. Diego’s shoulders slumped, and he dropped his head again, beaten. Gripping the sailor’s uninjured arm, the sheriff escorted the sailor out.

  Walking to the nearest window, Ella watched them until they disappeared from view. It was over. The killer had been apprehended. She should feel relieved, but instead, it felt so anticlimactic.

  Leaning against the wall, she closed her eyes. On top of not getting enough sleep the past two nights, her recent escapades were catching up, and she was exhausted.

  The front door burst in, and Wink hollered for her, holding aloft a rolling pin.

  Ella waved her off. “You’re too late. Chapman just took him away.”

  Wink lowered her baking weapon slowly. “Really?”

  Ella nodded.

  “Huh.” Wink scratched her chin with the pin. “That seems too…”

  “Easy? Yeah, I know.”

  Putting an arm around Ella, Wink said, “Come on back to the diner. I’ll feed you donuts, and you can tell me what you think happened.”

  Chapter 24

  BACK AT THE diner, they sat in their usual corner booth, Ella nursing a decaf coffee. The remnants of a maple bar lingered on her plate, and she reached for a glazed donut as she explained how she’d come to suspect Diego behind the murder.

  “It was the rope burns. I noticed them when Rose and Pauline were working on him. At the time, I’d thought them sunburns. But once I realized it was Darren hanging from the mast and considered the muscles required to hoist him up, I knew it had to have left a mark on someone.

  “My guess is that the treasure hunter got too exuberant, maybe pushed too far, and they struggled. Whether an accident or on purpose, Darren died. To cover what happened, Diego put his clothes on Darren and hoisted him up, knowing it was only a matter of time before someone discovered the body.”

  “But why not just put Darren out to sea? And why put his clothes on the poor man?”

  Ella shrugged. “Maybe he wanted everyone to think he was dead so they’d stop hunting him?”

  Wink’s lips pinched in concentration. “Makes sense, I suppose.”

  “There was no way Darren’s body would stand up to scrutiny and be mistaken for Diego. So, he cut the body down. He’s probably one of a few people in town with the skill to climb out on the mast to do this. If Darren’s body hadn’t turned up, he would’ve continued being suspected for murder, and most would’ve continued thinking the sailor dead. Personally, if I were Diego, I would’ve pushed his body into the ocean.”

  “Maybe he didn’t cut down the body?”

  Ella had to concede this point. Sighing, she leaned back, letting the weight of it all pull her eyes closed. After a spell of silence, Wink patted her hand.

  “It’s pretty dead in here. Why don’t you take off early?”

  Ella opened her mouth to protest, then thought better of it. A nap sounded great.

  Standing, she grabbed the last of the donut and shoved it into her mouth before draining her cup. Wink followed her into the kitchen where Ella deposited her dishes in the sink.

  “And for goodness’ sake, go home and eat something healthy.”

  Ella rolled her eyes.

  Resting her apron on its hook, she thanked Wink then headed out through the back. Sunlight kissed her skin, and she tilted her chin to soak up its rays.

  She really wanted to get out of her uniform. On the other hand, she knew if she went home, she’d change into yoga pants faster than a blink and wouldn’t leave the inn for the rest of the day. It would be a shame not to take advantage of the weather.

  Turning right, she cut across to Stewart’s, edging the alley so she entered the front of the store. Inside, she bought apples and oranges, as much for the vitamins as to prove to Wink that she ate healthily.

  Sal wasn’t at the ancient register as she checked out. After thanking the cashier, she gathered her goods and stepped out onto the sun-warmed sidewalk, ambling towards the park.

  Under the canopy of a narrowleaf cottonwood tree, Ella watched a couple of fishermen drift along in a boat. Their lines created ripples that spread across the placid surface of the lake. Something dug into her side, and she realized she still had Flo’s pilfered gun tucked into her pocket. She’d have to give it back before the crazy woman realized it was missing.

  In the distance, a figure walked down the dock. A moment later, the person flew into the air, smoke and flames coming out the bottom of the jet pack strapped to his back. Will’s latest invention.

  He flew through the air, not quite with the grace of an acrobat, but certainly with more dexterity than Superman. It was just another surreal, Keystone moment, one of many more she was sure to come. Yep, just your average village life.

  Will exemplified progress, a sharp contrast to the town itself, forever frozen in the past. He was an unstoppable force, always moving forward. Emotionally, he’d weathered the strain of leaving behind a sister.

  True, it pained him to talk about it, she knew, but he wasn’t stuck. It reminded her of the first time she’d arrived home from school after being pushed on the playground, sobbing, as she collapsed into her mother’s arms.

  It also happened to be Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and the local rag had printed a piece commemorating him. Her mother had picked up the paper, holding the black and white photo of the man out for Ella to see. She explained the great adversity he had endured, the bullying and name-calling. Then she had read one of his quotes printed in the article.

  If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.

  It was a lesson Ella had taken to heart but had since forgotten. To keep moving forward, no matter the cost, no matter the stakes.

  Will, like a gnat, flew her way, growing larger by the second. He descended a bit shakily and touched down on the rocky shore, a lopsided grin on his face before he cut the engine.

  “Afternoon.” His expression said he was pleased as punch and eager to show off his latest invention.

  “Afternoon. Your pants are on fire.”

  The inven
tor looked down, yelped, and sloshed into the water. Steam hissed and billowed up, and for a moment, swallowed him whole.

  He unbuckled the jetpack and with a grunt hefted it to the ground before settling in beside her.

  “You know, I’m really amazed at your ingenuity.” She pushed her chin towards the jetpack.

  The back of his ears turned red as he thanked her.

  “I mean, you’re completely bananas strapping that to your back. Nevertheless, it’s ingenious.”

  “I don’t know what bananas have to do with it, but I’m going to infer you mean I’m crazy. Do all the people in your time struggle to give compliments?”

  “Just me.” Her smile waned. “Honestly, I think nice thoughts about people all of the time. I just fail to say them out loud.”

  “Why is that?”

  “I really don’t know.” She watched the fishermen reel in a catch. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m bananas too. That’s why I was such a spaz on our date.” Turning, she searched his eyes. “Please don’t give up on me. I’m not good at this, but I’d like another chance if you’re still game.”

  He inclined his head. “Are you under the impression that I’d given up on us?”

  “Well, yeah.”

  He smiled. “No, El. It’ll take a lot more than someone spilling their drink and blathering on about a great scientist to scare me off. Although, calling me grandpa didn’t help.”

  “Oh, boy. I did? I don’t remember that. It sounds like me, though.”

  “I’ll be honest, though” he said, his eyes glinting like the surface of the lake, “Molly Smith was starting to look good.”

  “Mustache Molly who works at Stewart’s Market? That Molly?”

  “What a horrible nickname.”

  “I agree. You can thank Flo for that.” She decided to call his bluff. “You know, I think you two would be a cute match. Yeah, you should totally go for that. Who am I to stand in the way of such obvious soul mates? And with your combined genes, imagine the hair follicles on your children.”

  His face reddened. “I should’ve known that would backfire on me.”

  She placed her hand on his arm, mustering a serious expression. “The heart wants what the heart wants, William.”

  He chuckled, and a comfortable silence filled the gap in conversation before he broke it. “I didn’t give up on you or us. We’ve just both been busy, and I wasn’t sure what the protocol was.”

  “Protocol?”

  “Yeah, you called on me first, something I’m still getting used to. I don’t know how they do it in your time. Do we take turns?”

  She considered this. “I like the idea of taking turns. Let’s do that.”

  He nodded, and she waited.

  “I didn’t mean right this minute,” he said.

  “Fine. Take your time, Grandpa.” Looking over at the inn, she realized he didn’t know Diego had been arrested. He might not even know that Darren’s body had been found.

  Leaning against the trunk of the tree, she filled him in. When she finished, she added, “See what happens when you go flying around in that death trap? You miss all the fun.”

  “Yes, I’m certainly not having fun of my own.”

  “Your sarcasm’s getting good.”

  “Thanks.”

  “See? I can give a compliment.” She flicked an ant off of her leg, dreading to ask the question she’d been thinking since she first spotted him soaring over the water. “Did you read the professor’s paper?” By the expression that clouded his face, she knew he had. “And?”

  “It would take weeks to go over it thoroughly enough to be absolutely certain, but by my preliminary, rough calculations, it makes sense.” His cheeks puffed out as he released a deep breath. “His proposed hypothesis would account for the time jumps. Theoretically and mathematically, it’s sound.

  “However, I can’t fathom that such technology to apply this theory could possibly have been built. We’re talking decades to design, build, and test this application. Not to mention the funding involved for such a ginormous project.”

  “But someone did build it, Will.” She gestured wildly at their surroundings, at nothing in particular. “We prove that every time we jump.” She hugged her knees, watching him peel a blade of grass apart. “What are we talking? A device as small as a bread box or as big as a house?”

  “I don’t know.” He threw the blade to the side. “I need a peek at his lab.”

  “I think it’s time we tell the sheriff.”

  It was a long time before the inventor nodded, agreeing. “If we’re wrong, prof will never forgive me.”

  Reaching over, Ella squeezed his hand, his skin rough against hers. “I know, and I’m sorry. But if we don’t do anything, this’ll never stop.”

  Chapter 25

  “AH, THIS BRINGS back memories.” Ella’s shoulders were squished up to her ears.

  She currently sat sandwiched between Chapman and Will in the inventor’s blue Chevy pickup. It bounced over the gravel road, climbing the steep hill towards the professor’s house.

  “Thanks for letting me tag along,” she added when neither man spoke up.

  The sheriff grunted. “You threatened to drive up there anyway, even if you had to steal a car to do it. This way, I can keep an eye on you.”

  She had threatened to take her jeep before realizing she was nearly out of gas. Hence the carjacking. “Yep, it’ll be just like old times. Only, maybe this time, you’ll let me come inside with the two of you.”

  Chapman grunted again, which she took to be consent.

  “Suppose the professor’s resistant to letting you into his laboratory…?” Ella let the unfinished question hang.

  “I guess I’ll force my way in.”

  For once, she was happy his antiquated knowledge of law enforcement didn’t include search warrants.

  “But you’ll take him away, right?”

  He hesitated, the lines in his face deepening. “There’s a lot of people I should be throwin’ in the calaboose that I don’t.”

  Don’t I know it. “I’m assuming calaboose means jail, yeah?”

  He nodded. “If I suspect he’s made some sort of contraption that’s intentionally causing the jumps, I’ll lock him up. Otherwise, I’m putting it off until after I finish charging Diego for murder.”

  Blood rushed in Ella’s ears. If he wasn’t taking the professor away, then that meant Dr. Kaufman would be home that evening. Her entire plan was in jeopardy.

  “On second thought,” she said, keeping her tone as light as possible, “I don’t think I’ll join you two inside. I did break the man’s toilet last time I was there, and he’s probably still a bit sore about it.”

  Will shifted in his seat, looking at her.

  She kept her focus on the waning light outside, her fingers fidgeting with her sweatshirt. “Besides, you’d probably get more out of him if I wasn’t there.”

  Chapman side-eyed her. “You serious? You begged to come, and now you’re just gonna sit in this metal carriage?”

  “First off, it’s a car. Say it with me, car.” He tensed against her shoulder. “And secondly, of course, I’m not staying in the car.” She checked her watch. “If I’ve timed this right, Wink’ll be sitting down for dinner any minute.”

  “You’re incorrigible,” Chapman said.

  “Thanks. I try to be.”

  They pulled up the professor’s steep graveled drive, and Will parked his pickup beside a fir tree. As they climbed out, the inventor sent her a parting look that said Be careful, and she, in turn, shot him an expression that said Aren’t I always? He clearly knew she was up to something.

  She waved a farewell to them as she cut across the dead grass that served as the professor’s lawn, passed his house, and climbed a steep embankment to Wink’s place.

  A setting sun gilded the side of her boss’s blue house. When this was over, all she wanted to do was sit on Wink’s porch and watch the sunset bleed across the sky with the
town falling asleep far below, maybe even with one of Flo’s drinks in hand.

  As she reached the porch steps, the pounding of Chapman’s loud knock next door echoed over the air. There was no time to waste. Without knocking, Ella barged through Wink’s door.

  “Change of plans,” she said to the two women sitting in the living room. “We’re going in now.”

  A couple of hours earlier, after having informed Chapman of what they’d discovered, Ella arranged an emergency meeting with the Keystone Gators (she was still workshopping the name). The trio had assumed Chapman would haul the professor off to a holding cell until he could sort everything out.

  Then they planned on waiting until night, under the cover of darkness, to sneak into the lab, only needing to worry about being spotted by a passing neighbor. But with the professor in the house, it was just too risky. If there was one thing living in the town had taught Ella, it was that most of the citizens were armed.

  “We’re going in now while he’s occupied with Will and Chapman. If we wait, we’ll be breaking in with him home. It’s too risky.”

  The two older women struggled to their feet, eager.

  “Do you have your bolt cutters ready?” Ella asked.

  Wink grabbed a black duffel bag that had been laying by the front door. “Already packed away.”

  Ella was about to ask what else was inside but figured if Wink had approved it, it was safe. Probably.

  “How’re we going to get to the cellar door without being seen?” Flo asked.

  Ella bit her lip. Darkness was supposed to have helped cover their ingress into the laboratory. Currently, the two older gals sported black clothes—with the exception of a sunburst of rhinestones on Wink’s shirt. The plan had been for Ella to borrow some of Wink’s clothes for her covert attire since they were closer in size than her and Flo.

  “The kitchen and bathroom overlook that side of the house. The guys are most likely in the living room and won’t spot our approach.”

  Wink frowned. “I don’t like it.”

  “I don’t either.”

  “I still say we come back at night, even if he’s home. We’ll just have to be quiet.” At Wink’s last words, they both glanced at Flo.