Charlotte Denver Cozy Mystery Box Set

by Sherri Bryan

  Charlotte was in the kitchen when she heard the awning door open. “Yoo-hoo! I say. Anyone about?”

  She popped her head over the swing door of the kitchen and called out to Ava Whittington, long time St. Eves resident and one of Charlotte’s most favourite people.

  “Hi, Ava.” She waved. “Be right with you.”

  Jess came out of the ladies room. “Morning, Ava,” she called as she went to put on her apron. “You’ll be nice and warm out on that terrace today, that heater’s like a furnace once it gets going. I was cold to my bones when I got here this morning but ...”

  She stopped mid-sentence. Ava was perched on the edge of her chair in a white ski suit and matching gloves, a white half-balaclava, a fuchsia pink ski jacket with white fur around the hood, chunky snow boots with snow chains on the bottom, a ski pole under each arm and a slick of fluorescent pink sun block on her nose and cheekbones. She was nothing if not prepared.

  Jess smacked her palm against her forehead. “Damn it! I’m so sorry, Ava. We would have given you a proper send off, but I completely forgot - didn’t you, Charlotte?”

  “Forgot what?”

  “Yes, you “completely forgot” what?” The older woman frowned questioningly.

  “That today’s the day you’re setting off for the north face of the Eiger.” Jess giggled as Ava tutted and smoothed the legs of her ski suit.

  “Oh yes, very funny, I’m sure. You may laugh, young lady, but at least I’m warm and protected from the reflection of the sun’s rays off the snow.”

  “You look lovely, Ava,” said Charlotte, soothingly. “There’s nothing wrong with wrapping up against the elements.”

  “Hmpf,” said Ava. “Well, I’m not taking any chances. The pavements were so icy yesterday, people were dropping like skittles in the town. The last thing I need is to fall on my backside and break something.”

  “Quite right, Ava. I was only teasing, you know.” Jess squeezed Ava’s hand through the bulk of her glove and smiled.

  “I know you were, dear.” Ava smiled back. “I can take a joke, you know.”

  “You having a coffee?” asked Charlotte.

  Ava pushed back the cuff of her jacket to check her watch. “Yes please, I think I will while I’m waiting for the rest of the gang. We’re going for a walk along the beach. It’s so much easier to walk on the sand in this weather than on the pavements.”

  Charlotte shuddered. “Rather you than me,” she said. “I can’t say I see the appeal of walking on the beach in weather like this.”

  “Well, the sea air is very therapeutic, you know, and just because it’s snowing, that’s no reason to miss out on our daily exercise.

  “Anyway ...” Ava looked outside to check that the others weren’t on their way before leaning forward in a conspiratorial manner. “I wanted to come in a little early to let you in on a little secret. Don’t say anything, but there’s a budding romance in our midst.”

  Charlotte and Jess looked at each other, their interest piqued.

  “Romance? Between who?”

  “Harriett and Leo!” Ava waited for a reaction and wasn’t disappointed.

  “Harriett and Leo!” said Charlotte and Jess in unison, their eyes wide. “When on earth did that happen?”

  “Oh, only recently,” said Ava. “They’re terribly keen on each other, you know, but they’ve kept it very low-key. I’m the only person who knows. They’ve been stepping out together for a few weeks now.”

  Fourteen years previously, Harriett Lawley had divorced her adulterous husband and to Ava’s knowledge, had never looked at another man romantically since.

  Her two children, who lived in New Zealand, had cheered when the divorce had become final. They were all for their mother finding another man with whom to share her life but she hadn’t been in the slightest bit interested to do so.

  “I can do without the aggravation,” she’d said, when asked if marriage, or even a courtship, featured in her plans for the future.

  Leo Reeves was a warm and friendly man who’d lost his wife in a road accident twelve years previously.

  Close friends said that he’d never got over the loss of his wife but he kept his sadness well hidden. Outwardly, he was the kindest, gentlest, most fun-loving man you could ever wish to meet.

  “Well, good luck to them,” said Jess. “I hope it works out if that’s what they want.”

  “Yes, I hope so, too,” said Charlotte. “I think they’ll make a lovely couple. Goodness knows they deserve some happiness after what they’ve been through.”

  Right on cue, the door opened again and in walked Leo, Harriett, Harry and Betty, all smiles and snow jackets.

  “Morning, all,” said Charlotte. “You staying for a coffee or going straight off for your walk?”

  “I think we’ll get off now and call in on the way back,” said Leo. “We’ll be about an hour and a half - I think we’re popping into town afterwards to see what they’ve got in the fancy dress shop. That still okay with everyone?”

  They all nodded. “Fine by us.”

  “Right, come on then, let’s get going. It’s so cosy in here, if I hang around for too much longer, I won’t want to leave.” Harriett pulled her scarf up over her nose, strands of strawberry-blond hair peeking out from her hood and framing her face.

  “Allow me.” Leo stepped to one side and held open the door, giving her one of his arms to cling to as she stepped out into the slush.

  Ava winked secretly at Charlotte and Jess before she and Betty both took one of Harry’s outstretched arms. “Charlotte, dear, I’m leaving my ski poles here - I’ll pick them up later. We’ll see you after we’ve sorted out our costumes. Oooh, it’s going to be a real horror-filled Halloween - I can feel it in my bones!”

  If only had Ava known how prophetic her words would turn out to be ...

  Chapter 2

  “Considering the weather, it’s a lot busier today than I thought it would be. I didn’t expect there to be many people out and about, but we’ve certainly had our fair share of customers.” Jess mopped up puddles of melted slush from the tiled floor, left by Adam from the Mini-Mart when he’d popped in for two takeaway hot chocolates.

  Charlotte counted the food tickets. “Well, I’ve cooked more than 30 breakfasts in just over an hour and a half, so that’s not bad at all - as you say - considering the weather.”

  “You know, I think I’m going to ...”

  “You need to tilt the chair to the left!” Jess was interrupted by a loud voice outside.

  She and Charlotte turned to see two men in long black coats struggling to get a wheelchair through the doorway of the awning.

  “Oh my goodness! Hang on.” They rushed out and between them, managed to help the men manoeuvre the chair through the door.

  “Thank you.” The occupant of the wheelchair removed her black fedora to reveal mousy brown hair, cut short and streaked with grey, watery pale-green eyes and deeply suntanned skin, as wrinkled as an old peach. “I’m so sorry to have troubled you. We often have problems - but then, my transport is rather wide.” She smiled benignly at Charlotte and Jess and pulled her blanket around her legs.

  “Don’t mention it - it was no trouble at all,” said Charlotte as she closed the door against the bitingly cold air.

  The woman held out her hand, its pale blue veins clearly visible beneath paper-thin skin, despite her deep tan.

  “Maureen Slade,” she said. “And these are my sons, Trevor and Richard.”

  Like matching bookends, either side of the wheelchair, her sons nodded in acknowledgement and stuck out their hands before removing black beanie hats to reveal tanned, smoothly shaved heads.

  “Nice to meet you all,” said Charlotte. “It’s so cold outside, would you like to sit at a table near the heater?”

  “That would be lovely, thank you. We’ve only recently come back from Tenerife. We were there for a month and it was so hot! I can’t tell you what a shock to the system it was to come back to sno
w. Oh, what a charming little dog.” Maureen Slade put her hand down for Pippin to sniff before settling herself at a table in the corner. “I don’t suppose either of you have seen my son this morning have you? He looks just like Richard and Trevor but he’s got blonde hair. His name’s Samuel.

  “He went out last night, you see, and he hasn’t come back yet. Richard spoke to him last night but since then, we haven’t heard a word from him. Mind you,” she chuckled, “he could charm the birds from the trees, that one, so heaven knows where he’ll have ended up. He’s got an eye for the ladies, that’s for sure.”

  Charlotte looked at Jess and they shook their heads. “Sorry, I don’t recall seeing anyone of that description. Do you, Jess?”

  “No, I haven’t seen him, either.”

  Maureen Slade looked a little deflated and Charlotte found herself wishing she could have given the woman some more positive news.

  “Oh well, no matter. I’m probably worrying over nothing.” Maureen unwound her scarf. “You must think I’m a silly old woman, worrying about a grown man like this but once a mother, always a mother, doesn’t matter how old your children are.”

  “I don’t think you’re silly at all.” Charlotte put her hand on the woman’s shoulder. “I’m sure Sam will turn up soon, but in the meantime, we’ll keep a look out for him and be sure to tell him to get in touch with you if he hasn’t already. How’s that?”

  Maureen perked up considerably. “That would be wonderful. Thank you so much, dear ... but his name is Samuel, not Sam. I do hate it when people abbreviate names - it’s one of my pet peeves.”

  “Oh. Of course, I’m sorry. Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have some things to be getting on with in the kitchen, but Jess will make sure you have everything you need.” Charlotte smiled warmly.

  “What can I get you?” Charlotte noticed that Jess was pleasant but formal to the point of being abrupt when she took their order.

  “What’s up with you?” She whispered over the swing door of the kitchen when Jess came in to make three cappuccinos for the trio.

  “Can I have three chocolate brownies, please.” Jess looked over her shoulder. “Don’t you know who they are?” She whispered back as she held a jug of milk under the gurgling steam pipe of the coffee machine.

  “No. Why, should I?” Charlotte put the brownies on a tray and passed them through the serving hatch.

  “Hang on a minute, I’ll tell you after I’ve taken these out.” Jess poured the frothy milk onto the hot coffee and, with a few deft flicks of her wrist, created a delicate feather design on top of the foam. “Be right back.”

  Charlotte racked her brain. The name ‘Slade’ was vaguely familiar but she couldn’t for the life of her think why.

  “Right.” Jess dropped her voice to a whisper again. “About ten years ago, give or take a few months, Trevor, Richard and Samuel Slade were arrested for armed robbery. They were eventually convicted and sentenced to fifteen years but last month, they were released early for good behaviour.” She looked over her shoulder to make sure they were still alone.

  “Anyway, since Maureen’s husband died while the boys were in prison, she’s hardly been seen around the town. In fact, I haven’t seen her on the marina for years and I’m amazed to see her out and about in weather like this - she suffers with terrible arthritis, apparently, so I can’t imagine the cold is doing it much good.”

  “Why don’t I know any of this?” Charlotte peered out through the hole in the wall at the trio on the terrace.

  “Well, it would have been round about the time you bought the café, so you probably had your mind on other things.” Jess looked a little sheepish. “And also ... you do tend to freak out a little at the mention of even the most minor of crimes being committed in St. Eves, so sometimes it’s just best not to discuss certain things with you. And don’t look at me like that, Charlotte, you know it’s true.”

  Charlotte considered what Jess had said for a while and nodded. “Hmmm, I suppose you’re right. I do tend to shy away from negative stuff like that, don’t I?”

  “You do a bit. It’s probably why Nathan hasn’t said anything to you about it but I’m sure he’s been following the case. He’s the one who made the arrests, after all.”

  Charlotte’s eyes widened. “Nathan? Really?”

  Jess nodded. “Yes. At the time, he was convinced that the brothers were guilty of a whole string of armed robberies but there was only one he could prove they’d been involved in.”

  “And which one was that?”

  “The one at Hall’s Hardware Store.”

  “What? Larry’s parents’ place?”

  “Yep, the very same. Unlucky for the Slade brothers, Nathan happened to walk into the store just as they were rushing out. There was a scuffle and one of the brothers hit him over the head. Two of them ran off but he managed to restrain one of them until backup arrived. Then he went after the guys who’d legged it. He caught one of them and the other one gave himself up.”

  “Oh, my goodness! I wasn’t really in touch with Nathan when I first came back, so I had no idea.” Charlotte felt a sudden wave of anger towards the brothers and felt guilty immediately afterwards. “And their father passed away, you say?”

  Jess nodded. “Yes. I know it happened around the time the brothers were put away, but much more than that I’m not sure of. Ava’s the one to ask if you want more info.”

  “Ava? Why? Were she and her husband friends with the Slades?”

  “Well, I don’t know if they were friends, but they certainly knew each other. Hang on, looks like Richard’s coming in.”

  “Hello ladies. Could I trouble you for a little soda water, please? I’ve got a touch of heartburn and it always helps to calm it down. Then I’ll settle up with you, if I may.”

  “Bottle or syphon?”

  “Pardon?”

  “Would you like a bottle of soda water, or a splash from the syphon?” Jess elaborated.

  “Oh, just a splash from the syphon will be fine. That was a delicious cup of coffee, by the way. I particularly liked how you put the design in the foam. Very nice. I do like pretty things.”

  “Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it. That’ll be £3.75 please - thanks very much.”

  As he waited for his change, Richard’s eyes came to rest on a snow globe paperweight that Charlotte kept on the bar to stop the newspapers blowing around. “Well, I’ll be ... I haven’t seen one of these in years.” He shook it up and watched the snow swirl around in the glass dome with a childlike fascination.

  “Here’s your change. Can we help you out with the chair?”

  He dragged his eyes away from the snow globe. “If one of you could hold the door open, I’d be much obliged.” He pulled on his hat and gloves. “You ready, Trevor? You take the front and I’ll take the back. Right, Ma, we’re off. Hold on tight.”

  With a little tipping and tilting, Richard and Trevor managed to manoeuvre the chair back out of the door. They’d only just set off when Ava, Harriett, Betty, Leo and Harry came back into the café, their faces pink with cold.

  “Oh, it’s nice to be out of that wind. It cuts right through you.” Harry went straight to the heater and held his hands up to the flames.

  “How about five hot chocolates to warm you up?” said Jess.

  “Ooh, yes,” said Betty, “and as it’s so cold, I think I’ll have a splash of coconut liqueur in mine, please. Purely for therapeutic purposes, of course.” She winked at Jess.

  “Ooh, that sounds good,” chorused Ava and Harriett. “We’ll have the same.”

  “And I’ll have a tot of rum with mine, please,” said Harry, as he and Leo rearranged the furniture so they could all sit around the heater.

  “Make that two of them, would you, Jess?” Leo stuck his thumb in the air.

  Charlotte waved to the group of friends through the hole in the kitchen wall. She appreciated that, come rain or shine, they never failed to visit the café at least once every day.

 
Having lived in St. Eves all their lives, they knew there were plenty of other places they could visit but they always favoured Charlotte’s Plaice, bringing friends and family when they visited, and recommending it to tourists as a great place to go.

  They were Charlotte’s favourite customers and she loved them to bits.

  “You’ll never guess who’s just been in for coffee, Ava,” Jess said as she placed the tall cups of frothy chocolate on the table.

  “You’re right, I’ll never guess.” Ava shook her sugar sachet before tearing off the end. “Go on, just tell me.”

  “Maureen, Trevor and Richard Slade.”

  All five of them stopped talking and gawped at Jess.

  “You’re kidding,” said Harry.

  “No, honestly, they were sat right there on that table, not five minutes ago. You probably saw them walking up the marina as you got here.”

  “Maureen was the person in the wheelchair?” asked Ava.

  “Yes, that was her.”

  “Good heavens, I haven’t seen her out and about for donkey’s years. After she lost Bill, she turned into a recluse. She stopped going out and wouldn’t answer anyone’s calls, so I understand.”

  “What did she do before her husband died?” Charlotte had come out of the kitchen to join the conversation. “Did she work?”

  “Oh yes.” Ava stirred her chocolate and sipped a spoonful of foam. “She and Bill owned a very successful property business for years but when his health began to deteriorate - he had very weak lungs, you know - they made a decision to give it one more year and then sell the business while they were still young enough to enjoy their lives.

  “They already had a villa in Spain which they were planning to visit more often and they wanted to go on a cruise but, before they could sell up, the boys were arrested and they had to put all their plans on hold.”

  “Ah.” Charlotte nodded. “Mrs. Slade mentioned that they’d recently got back from a month in Tenerife.”

  Ava continued with her story. “Anyway, Bill had a fall at home just after the boys were put away. Three days later, he had a seizure and went into a coma - he never regained consciousness and died in hospital a month later. I heard that Maureen blamed his death on the stress of the trial.”