Beauty Secrets Cozy Mystery Boxed Set 1

by Stephanie Damore

  “Well, if you weren’t on his radar, you are now,” she said.

  “I know, what do you suppose was up with that?”

  “You shocked him, that’s for sure.”

  “He looked scared, right?” I asked.

  “Definitely. Like maybe you were going to kick his ass.”

  I smiled at that. A year and a half ago, that could’ve been a real possibility. But he had nothing to worry about now. He wasn’t worth it. I could see that plain as sugar. Here I was smokin’ hot while he looked … vanilla. What did I ever see in him? I sent up a quick prayer to my nan, thanking her again for saving me from marrying him. I could’ve sworn I heard her say, “anytime.” I pondered what my nana would’ve thought about Finn, and I instantly smiled. She would’ve loved him. I started to sigh but snapped myself out of it. Now wasn’t the time to turn into a lovesick teenager. We needed to talk more about Todd and Mr. Ego.

  I shivered. “I’m still not sure if Todd was shocked because it’s been awhile and here I show up looking like this…,” I motioned to myself.

  “Hot,” Aria supplied.

  “Or, if it’s because he’s the one messing with me and he’s scared that I know.”

  “Girl, I don’t know either, but if he is causing all this crap, I bet he’s rethinking a few things right about now.”

  “True, but I’m not letting him get off that easy if he is the culprit.”

  “So, that still leaves Justine.”

  “Oh, I didn’t tell you about that. I ran into her this morning at the pharmacy. Well, I ran into a shelf, but I saw her, and let me tell you, she is up to something fishy.” I filled Aria in on Justine and the rash.

  “I say we run a little recon tonight and see what she’s up to,” Aria offered.

  “I was hoping you would say that.”

  15

  I was cutting it close that afternoon. Luckily my replacement shipment was delivered on time and I had the rest of my sample packs ready to roll. This month’s promo featured lip gloss and nail polish in vivid colors. My favorites were the Rebel nail polish—a dark, rich blue; and the Sunburst lip gloss—a bright coral color. I snatched one of each for myself and planned on pairing it with a soft pink eye shadow and smidge of light shimmer on my cheeks. In my opinion, that was the only problem with being a Beauty Secrets consultant, you had to look put together all the time.

  My dad showed up just as the second coat on my nails was drying. I had asked him to puppy-sit Captain Jack, seeing my pup had spent a stressful morning at the groomer and I didn’t want to make him spend the evening in his crate. The groomer completely washed out Jack’s fake eyebrows, but after several washes, the captain still had some pink tones in his fur. However, he no longer looked quite as ridiculous. In fact, his color was more in line with recent color trends. My dad readily agreed to watch him, seeing I had cable and a comfy couch. I even offered to pick up some brews for the fridge. This was why I was an awesome daughter.

  “I might be a little late,” I told my dad, while loading up my truck.

  “I thought Finn was out of town?”

  “Dad!” He chuckled.

  “I like him, just so you know.”

  I thought about being annoyed at everyone telling me how much they liked my boyfriend lately, but I let it go. Until I realized that I just mentally thought of Finn as my boyfriend and started to freak out a little.

  “You okay?” Dad asked.

  “Yeah, I’m just used to thinking of all men as scum. Sorry. Present company excluded.”

  “Todd was scum. I never liked him, and I should’ve told you that.”

  “You didn’t?” This was news to me. My dad never said a word about the men I dated.

  “No, but your mother made me swear to keep my mouth shut. She didn’t want to ruin your happiness and thought you were a better judge of who was right for you than I was.”

  “Mom just wanted to see me married.”

  “Well, there’s that too.”

  “Okay, make me a deal. If you think I’m dating a jerk, give me a heads up. I don’t care what Mom says. She’s obviously not going to tell me the truth.”

  “Got it, but like I said, Finn’s a good guy.”

  “Noted.”

  “Now, what is it you girls are doing?”

  “Um, paying a visit to Justine? Recon mission.” I winked.

  “Don’t get arrested.”

  “Don’t plan to.”

  “And if you do, call my cell phone, and don’t forget to use the shaving cream. Remember, the foam doesn’t stick as well.” I may or may not have shaving creamed Justine’s house a time or two. Although, I think the best was when I turned her car into a moving pancake; that is, smeared butter, syrup and pancake mix all over it. Hey, it was high school and she totally deserved it.

  “Keep an eye out for her here, too. I think she’s up to her usual crap. And don’t tell Mom!” I turned to walk out the door.

  “Hey, Ziva?” I turned back around. “Take the Buick. Justine won’t know to look for it.” He tossed me his car keys. “Call if you need backup.”

  “Will do.” This, once again, was why my dad was the best.

  I adored it when Marion hosted Beauty Secrets parties. Not only did she always have a fabulous turnout, but her dessert spread was fantastic. Tonight, she featured buttercream-frosted sugar cookies cut in the shapes of high heels and lipsticks, chocolate-covered strawberries, raspberry crème petit fors, and mini peanut butter chocolate cheesecakes. Swoon. This, of course, was in addition to a signature creamsicle cocktail of vanilla vodka, triple sec with a splash of orange juice and half and half. Now that was refreshing. Today was turning out to be one cocktail-infused day, but I wasn’t complaining. It was good to have some days like that.

  I had done my spiel and was working the room, answering questions and promising quick deliveries (as long as they weren’t stolen) when a woman in her mid-to-late fifties approached me. She looked regal, with her hair swept up and dangly diamond earrings. I had noticed her eying me throughout the night. I didn’t think too much of it as people tended to scrutinize your makeup a little more than usual at these shindigs, but then she said, “I thought you looked familiar, and I just placed it. You were talking to my son today.”

  Creamsicle cocktail almost shot out of my nose. That’s not what I was expecting. “Excuse me, sorry, wrong pipe. Your son, you said?”

  “Yes, you were at Whip’s fundraiser this afternoon, weren’t you?”

  “That I was.”

  “I thought so. I loved your dress. Who’s the designer?”

  “Oh, I’m not sure, but thank you…,” I might have to borrow that one from Aria a little longer so Finn can see me in it.

  “You know, Whip’s father would’ve been so proud of him.”

  “Oh, was he in politics?”

  “It wasn’t meant to be,” Mrs. McGovern said with wistful eyes. “It was probably for the best as he did just fine as a businessman. But enough with that. I just wanted to say that I saw you two talking today and I thought you made a very fine-looking couple.”

  Ah, and there it was; she wanted to hook me up with her son. I did the inward cringe thing, but managed to say, “Oh, that’s so sweet of you, but I’m actually seeing someone.”

  “Is it serious?” Mrs. McGovern asked as a matter of fact.

  Maybe. Could be. Not sure yet. What was it with people bugging me about my relationship status lately? Gah! “Yes, yes it is,” I lied. But hey, it could be. “I thought your son was very nice though.” If superficial egos were my cup of tea.

  Mrs. McGovern looked disappointed, but she was going to have to live with it. No way was I dating Whip. Finn or no Finn, that was not happening. I excused myself and went over to check in with Marion to see how she thought the party was going.

  I stayed until the last guest left to close out the party and go over Marion’s hostess gifts and earned rewards. Like usual, Marion received all the bonuses and was even entered in the
Grand Beach Getaway contest. Now that was something I’d like to win, an all-expense paid vacation at the beach, preferably without a dead body.

  “So, I think that’s it. Tonight went pretty well, didn’t it?” I said.

  “I think so.” Marion was getting ready to put on a pot of tea. She reminded me of my mother in this regard.

  “You had some new faces here too. I talked to Mrs. McGovern. She seemed nice…”

  “Oh, Caroline? She’s something all right. I’ve known her and her late husband, Bob, for years.”

  “Oh yeah, she mentioned something about him and politics.”

  “Did she now?” Marion rolled her eyes and shook her head.

  “What? What’s that all about. You have to tell me now.”

  “It’s just that Bob was a bit of a schmoozer. Thought of himself as a smooth talker. About the only thing he couldn’t talk himself into was office.”

  “What did he run for?”

  “Bob thought he was headed to Washington. Congress, I believe. When that didn’t pan out, he set his sights on running Port Haven.”

  “Ah, like Whip. I get it now.”

  “Exactly. It was a pretty heated race. You know how nasty politics can be. I don’t have to tell you how it ended.”

  “Who was he running against?”

  “Oh, Humphrey Potts, of course. Those two ridiculous men ended up hating each other until the day Bob died.” Marion shook her head. “And Humphrey’s has been our mayor ever since. Don’t think he’s had a serious contender either. Well, not unless you count Whip now.”

  So, Whip had a family vendetta against Mayor Potts? Sounded as good as any motive to me.

  And maybe he killed off Paulette to dig the knife a little deeper. I wasn’t sure how if all fit together, but I was determined to figure it out.

  I looked at the clock as I pulled out of Marion’s driveway and headed to meet Aria. It seemed much later than eight thirty.

  I nabbed a couple extra mini cheesecakes and chocolate-covered strawberries for tonight’s mission before leaving the party. That was as healthy of an option Aria was going to get. Aria met me in the parking lot of the Piggly Wiggly. I texted her beforehand to be on the lookout for my parents’ Enclave.

  “What’s the game plan?” Aria said when she got in. She was dressed in dark-print leggings with a black t-shirt. I looked down at my bright blue skinny jeans and off-the-shoulder white shirt. I did not think this through.

  “Look in the bag,” Aria said. I did and noticed she had thrown in a similar dark-hued outfit for me. This is why she was my best friend.

  I climbed in the back and did a quick wardrobe change. While I did, I said, “I figured we’d swing by Justine’s place and see if she’s in. If not, we’ll take a little lookie-loo inside and see if we spot anything suspicious.”

  “Like a bunch of poison ivy plants growing on her kitchen table?”

  “Exactly. We just need to keep an eye out for Withers.”

  “Who’s that? New dog?”

  “Ha, no. Apparently, he’s her butler.” Aria gave me the look. “I know. Either that, or it’s some new fetish. I’m not sure which.”

  We pulled in front of Justine’s house just in time to see a black Porsche pull away. Even without a few choice words etched into the side, I’d recognize that car anywhere. The question was, where were Justine and Todd headed?

  We skipped snooping and followed them instead.

  Ariana and I hung back, doing our best PI impersonation, and followed the two of them as they merged onto the highway. Traffic was light, but I wasn’t worried. It was starting to finally get dark and I was confident neither of them would recognize my dad’s car.

  They bypassed the strip clubs that cluttered the highway along the way, which honestly was a bit of a surprise. I wouldn’t put it past Justine to suggest a stop off until I remembered who she was with; Todd, Mr. Vanilla.

  We crossed into Georgia and could see Savannah in the distance. By the time we got off on Oglethorpe Avenue, I had a hunch of where they were headed. When they turned left onto Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and we got the light, I wasn’t worried.

  “Shoot, we’re gonna lose them,” Aria said.

  “No, we won’t.” We turned left onto West Broughton and right on Montgomery, coming to Congress just in time to see Todd park in front of O Sole Mio. The Italian restaurant had been a favorite of his and was the very spot where he had proposed to me. I shuddered, recalling his horrible speech about not getting any younger, so we might as well… I should’ve stopped him right there, but man, that ring was blinding.

  “Isn’t that where…” Aria asked. I nodded. “Oh vomit.”

  “Right? Glad to see he’s trying something new.”

  “You feel up for some calamari?” Aria asked.

  “Not hardly. Let’s hang back. I don’t want them to see us. But don’t worry, I brought dessert.”

  A little over two hours later, the mini cheesecakes and strawberries had been long since consumed, and Aria snored peacefully next to me, giving me some time to think.

  Here was the thing. I wasn’t mad at Justine for dating Todd. She could have him. In some sick-twisted way, they were perfect for one another. The problem was, I couldn’t help but think this was more than a budding relationship. Throw in their mutual hatred for me, someone sabotaging my business, and Justine’s mysterious rash, and it was highly suspect. It couldn’t just be a coincidence. Now I needed to think of how to proceed. I know I told Aria that I didn’t want them to see us, but a big part of me wanted to confront them, to make a big scene and call them both out on all their crap. The only hitch was, once again, I didn’t have any proof.

  I took a long calming breath and wished I still had some cheesecake.

  It wasn’t easy, but eventually I decided I would try to be an adult and attempt to gather some evidence instead of acting like a psycho. Trust me, it was a challenge. I liked to think of it as character growth.

  I nudged Aria awake when Justine and Todd walked hand-in-hand out of the restaurant. Under the canopy of the restaurant, while a soft rain started to fall, Todd reached his hand up behind Justine’s cheese-doodle hair and went in for a kiss.

  “Oh gross, you woke me up for this?”

  I felt the same way.

  16

  Aria called me first thing Wednesday morning. It was early, too early, but I would forgive her. The bridal salon still hadn’t found her dress and she was in panic mode. T-minus three days until her nuptials, and she needed a dress.

  “I know you’re super busy, but I have a huge favor. Can you come to Atlanta with me today?” she asked.

  No, no I cannot. I could not afford to lose a day right now, not with the rebranding of Sugar & Sass and trying to solve a crime; I had plenty that needed my attention in Port Haven. I got a small headache just thinking about it all.

  I could hear Christina in the background, “Told you she was too busy. Why did you even call her? We don’t need her to come with us.”

  Christina’s bratty attitude had me doing a one-eighty. “What time are we leaving?”

  Super big shout out to Vince’s grandma, Inez, for watching Captain Jack, and on such short notice. All Aria had to tell her was that it was a dress emergency and she was more than happy to watch the little guy, even if it was potentially overnight. It was an eight-hour roundtrip to Atlanta and back. I had a feeling it was going to be a very long day. Especially when I climbed into the backseat of Christina’s Lexus and saw an itinerary laid out for me. We had a twelve o’clock appointment at the bridal salon, followed by manicures and pedicures at Posh, and dinner reservations at “The Club,” which I assumed was Christina’s family’s country club. Christina eyed my outfit. I had worn a pair of leggings with a flowy shirt, ballet flats, and oversized shades, going for comfort with a little style. Christina was dressed head to toe in white, with a white summer suit and heels. She had even woven a white ribbon into a braid that circled her head like a tiar
a. Personally, I thought she looked tacky. If anyone should be decked out in white it was the bride-to-be, not that Aria would ever dress like that. Like I said, white was not her favorite color.

  “I suppose we could try to get in a little shopping so you can find something a little bit … nicer for dinner,” Christina said to me in her rearview mirror.

  “Don’t worry, I brought a change of clothes,” I said with a wink. I knew Christina well enough to know we wouldn’t be eating dinner at a chain restaurant.

  “What was that?” Aria asked, looking up from putting directions in the car’s GPS.

  “Nothing, let’s roll,” I said, kicking my feet up across the backseat. Christina scowled. I smiled in return.

  The drive to Atlanta was long. Excruciatingly long, listening to Christina talk about her latest traveling adventures (You’ve never been to Switzerland?!) and the book she was writing as a result. “It’s going to be a best seller, you just watch!” she exclaimed at one point. After she exhausted that topic, she moved on to discussing her latest investment opportunity. Christina had gotten into real estate, courtesy of Aria’s uncle’s financial backing, and you’d think she was the next Donald Trump the way she went on about her real estate holdings. I feigned sleep for most of it, so I didn’t have to contribute much, but that didn’t stop me from having to listen.

  “I told them no. I wouldn’t settle for less than five million. The name alone is worth at least that.” Yada, yada, yada… She went on dropping this figure and that one. I had found that people who talked a lot about money didn’t have as much as they wanted you to believe. It’s the quiet ones driving the Lexuses who had it made, not the braggity-brag Christinas of the world.

  We made it to the upscale bridal salon ten minutes before our appointment. Christina swung open the door and held it for Aria as if she were royalty. Me? I ran in front of them in search of a bathroom. I really had to pee and Christina had refused to stop saying, “I don’t need to remind you that we’re on a mission, ladies.” Heaven forbid we were two minutes late. Christina even snapped at Aria when she agreed that stopping was a good idea. “If you didn’t want to spend all day in the car, then we should’ve chartered a jet, or even Vince’s helicopter would’ve worked.” Aria reminded Christina that she was trying to not stress out Vince and that he might’ve needed the helicopter for business. “Then quit asking me when we’re going to stop. We’ll stop when we get there!” Geez Louise. Christina was ridiculous.