by Louise Lynn
His head snapped up, his eyes were wide and wild. "Don't you think I know Hilde isn’t coming back? I spent my life mourning her, and I couldn't do it another minute. You want to know what drove me over the edge? It was that fight with John the morning before I killed him. I told him I'd forgiven him, and he knew what I meant. He said he didn't have anything to be forgiven for. He couldn't even give me that! He deserved what happened to him. They both did. And now—“ he cried and lunged at her.
Hazel didn't know how a man that was older than her parents could move so swiftly, but he did.
Even Anthony Ray, who leapt at him, couldn’t halt his progress.
Hazel stumbled backwards and caught her boot at the corner of a pew. She fell, and her purse scattered.
The phone slid out and across the smoothly carpeted floor and out of her reach.
"Too bad you won't be around to explain what happened. Maybe you'll commit suicide too. Wouldn't that be fitting for a nosy photographer like you," he growled like an animal.
Hazel rolled onto her knees and sprung forward, but she didn't get far. A strong hand grasped her ankle and pulled her up short. She hit the ground hard, her elbow slammed into it, and her head cushioned on her arm.
He pulled her backwards, and she reached for the only thing she could see.
It had fallen out of her purse, and the red wrapper crinkled, but it was heavy. More than heavy enough, she hoped.
She wrapped her hand around the fruitcake and turned, kicking as she did.
Charles Benson let go of her in the rush of movement, and Anthony Ray leapt toward the man's face. He screamed and held his hands up, swinging his arms wildly.
Hazel took that as her cue and swung the fruitcake with all of her might at the man's head.
It connected with a sharp crack, and Charles Benson's eyes went wide and empty before he toppled over sideways.
Hazel sucked in several rapid breaths, stared at the man's unconscious form, the rock hard fruitcake in her hands, and did the only thing she could think of in that moment.
She called Sheriff Cross.
Chapter 22
"You brained a man with a fruitcake on Christmas Eve. I gotta say I'm impressed," Celia said and pushed a cup of chamomile tea toward Hazel's shaking fingers.
She smiled wanly at her friend and took a grateful sip. "Thanks. I don't think Charles Benson was too thrilled, but I don't really care about that at the moment."
"And you shouldn't, crazy old man. And disgusting old man, if you ask me,” she said and made an exaggerated shudder.
It had been well over an hour since Sheriff Cross had arrived and arrested Charles Benson. Well, it took a while for Charles Benson to be revived so he could be properly arrested. She didn't think Sheriff Cross was particularly gentle with him, nor did she care about that.
Not after Mr. Benson had tried to kill her.
Colton had hugged her so many times she felt as if she were going to squeeze down to a smaller version of herself, and then he'd taken her to her studio and alerted Celia of the predicament.
Ever since then, Celia and Marcus had taken turns keeping an eye on her.
Michael had shown up several times as well, but he'd run off to finish her job at the Christmas Fair, considering he couldn't do the Santa photography anymore since they’d lost their Santa for the second time that week.
"Believe me, I wouldn't have gone in there if I knew what he was capable of. I would have called Colton right away."
Celia nodded, and took a sip of her own drink. “Well, you were in the right place at the right time. If you hadn't, he could've gotten away with framing Justin Collins for those murders. So, you saved a man's life too, if you think about it,” Celia said and squeezed Hazel's hand.
Hazel sucked in a deep breath. "Yeah, thanks. I hadn't thought about it like that, but it does make me feel better.”
As she finished her tea, a knock came at the door. Wild @ Hart wasn't open that day, but Deputy Simmons peeked his head around the corner. Sheriff Cross had ordered a deputy to be on guard for the next several hours, though Hazel didn't really think it was necessary considering they had their culprit.
And this one had actually confessed.
"Someone wants to see you. Albert Stone?" Deputy Simmons said and cast the old man a weary glance.
“Sure,” she said and stood to greet Mr. Stone.
He was dressed in his Scrooge costume again, and the silver-tipped cane clicked against her floors as he walked inside. His frock coat and top hat looked completely out of place in the modern foyer of her studio, but he would fit in the old West section perfectly. She wondered if, someday, he’d let her take a photo of him like that. She decided not to ask about it now.
"I can't believe I've never been in your establishment. It's quite lovely,” he said and tipped his hat to her.
Hazel smiled. "Yes, thanks. I'm sorry about your friend, but he confessed to everything. It wasn't Justin, and as far as we can tell, he wasn't going after you either," she said, assuming that's what he'd come for.
Albert nodded slowly. "Yes, well, I'm not here about Charles. I had no idea he was involved with that Hilde girl, believe me. But I'm glad he was apprehended. His method of punishment didn't fit the crime that Carol and John committed. But I wanted to thank you for talking with me yesterday. And for looking out for me. I realize you thought I might've been the culprit, but you still spent time and effort to find me and talk to me, and not many people do that anymore. I'm an old man, Ms. Hart. And I never had a wife or family of my own. When Marley died, he was alone. I realize now that I don't want to be that way,” he said and dipped his chin to his chest.
Hazel felt a bit of warmth fill her belly, chasing out the coldness that had seared itself to her bones after the fight with Charles Benson. "I don't think you have to be alone. Even if you lose some of your friends, there's plenty of people in this town who would be willing to fill in for them. And, just so you know, you can always use some of that money to snatch up a bunch of property in town, and maybe improve it the way Marley Sinclair never did. And make sure the people who live there don’t lose their homes.”
Albert Stone's eyes brightened. "I could. That actually sounds like a marvelous idea. Thank you," he said and turned to leave.
A sudden thought struck her. "It was you. I thought at first whoever organized Hilde’s funeral was the same one who did it for the fire victims, but that's not true. You did it."
A flash of color rose to Albert Stone’s cheeks. "It's just between us though. I don't think I'll ever be able to properly atone for what I did, I can only try," he said and ducked back out into the snow.
When Hazel turned back around, Celia was staring at her with wide eyes. "You meet some of the strangest people," she said and broke down into a fit of laughter.
Hazel smiled. "You should talk. You're my best friend, which means you must be the strangest of all."
Celia's only response to that was to laugh harder.
Hazel wasn't sure how she’d managed with everything else that had gone on that day, but she'd gotten home and wrapped all the Christmas presents before she was supposed to show up for Christmas Eve dinner at her parent’s house.
They were tucked into her arms now, and Anthony Ray pawed at the door as she waited for someone to answer.
To her surprise, she was met by two smiling faces, one her redheaded niece, Ruth, and the other a dark-haired little boy, Simon.
"I told you it was Auntie Hazy. Come on, I need to finish explaining wrestling to you,” Ruth said in that bossy tone of voice she only used with children her own age.
Simon nodded eagerly. "Okay, then dinosaurs, because you don't know enough about the Cretaceous period," he said and ran after her.
Colton stood behind them, a tired smile on his face. The bags under his eyes were still there, but they’d lessened overnight, for which she was glad. "They made fast friends.”
He nodded. "I have a feeling this was some strategy of yours. G
et Simon and Ruthie to be best friends right off the bat so he doesn't want to leave town?" he said and pulled her into a tight hug.
She hugged him back and set down the gifts. “Does that mean you've given it some thought?" she said and beamed at him.
He gave her a non-answer with a sweet kiss, and all four of their parents popped their heads around the corner.
"And there she is, the woman of the hour! You are just the bravest lady, confronting a killer like that all by yourself,” Colton's mother said and ushered Hazel into the dining room.
"And after Colton arrested the wrong person. To think he made detective at twenty-five, but he still can't pin it on the right guy," Mr. Cross said and threw his son a sardonic smirk.
Hazel had a feeling his parents were very much like him and glanced at her boyfriend helplessly.
Colton shook his head. "You can deal with them for a bit. I have to go help Esther cook."
Someone put a glass of eggnog in her hand, and a gingerbread cookie in the other, and Colton's parents stared at her expectantly and waited for her to start telling her tale.
Overall, it was better than her ex's parents, who'd given her everything from disdain to disinterest in the ten years she'd been married.
"Okay, I'll tell you everything, but we should probably talk about Violet first,” she said and glanced around for the girl.
Hazel hadn't seen her, but she knew Violet was there somewhere. Probably in the kitchen with Esther.
Colton's mother shook her hands in a way Hazel's own mother did. “Violet is fine. She loves it here. Were you afraid we were going to take her back to Santa Rosa with us? We wouldn't dream of it, would we, darling?"
Colton's father shook his head. Unlike Hazel’s own father, who sported a bushy beard, he was clean-shaven, like Colton often was. He also looked like an older version of Colton, with green eyes instead of blue. “Not at all. In fact, we were hoping Simon could stay for a bit. We love our grandchildren, but we've already raised kids once. And, it seems to me that Colton is finally ready to settle down. Don't you think so?" he asked his wife.
She nodded eagerly. "We're retiring this year, and we want to travel a bit. Is that selfish of us?" she asked in a hushed voice.
A slow smile spread over Hazel's lips. "Not at all. In fact, I think it’s a great idea. And Colton won’t have to handle the responsibility alone. He has plenty of local friends and family to help out. That makes it a perfect Christmas for everyone."
Colton's parents cast each other relieved glances, and Anthony Ray curled in Hazel's lap.
With that settled, she bit the head off of her gingerbread boy, and started the story of how she caught the most recent murderer.
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 side-kick 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?
Murder Most Meow: A Hazel Hart Cozy Mystery Book Four
Hazel Hart feels like a walking shadow.
When the Shakespeare festival consumes Cedar Valley, Hazel is hired to photograph the performances and the actors, but she catches something through her lens that no one expected to see live on stage—a murder!
The lead in Macbeth is the victim, and the list of suspects is as complicated as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, including everyone from the actor’s diva wife to the sheriff’s own niece. Good thing Hazel is there to suss out the truth.
But as she creeps closer to the killer, accidents plague the production at every end. Will Hazel unmask the murderer before another life is claimed?
Purrfect Poison: A Hazel Hart Cozy Mystery Book Five
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?
Cat Got Your Corpse: A Hazel Hart Cozy Mystery Book Six
Hazel Hart can’t stay out of trouble.
With Hazel’s dad back in Cedar Valley for the summer, they resume their father daughter camping trip tradition. Hazel wants nothing but a relaxing vacation with plenty of opportunities to photograph the local wildlife, but she stumbles across a dead big game hunter instead!
It looks like the work of a mountain lion, but Hazel isn’t so sure. Foul play is written all over it, and her vacation turns into a race against time to find the killer—especially since her father is a prime suspect for the crime.
Can Hazel clear her father’s name and find the murderer before it’s too late?
Purrfect Haunt: A Hazel Hart Cozy Mystery Book Seven
Hazel Hart is being haunted.
The most notorious property in Cedar Valley opens its doors for Halloween. Known as Massacre Mansion, the house has a dark history full of murder and betrayal. Hazel is hired to be the official photographer. Everything goes awry when one of the ghost hunters is murdered while alone in a room—and the only suspect is an evil headless ghost!
Hazel is sure the killer is flesh and blood, but with each new unexplained incident, her certainty wavers.
With the help of her black cat, can Hazel separate fact from fiction and find the murderer before another victim is claimed?
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 t
he 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?
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Thank you!
Thank you so much for reading my first Hazel Hart cozy mystery! I had such an amazing time writing this book and I really hope you enjoyed Purrfect Murder. If you did, please leave a review.
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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.