by Emily Selby
'That wasn’t exactly selling the hard and valuable work I was doing.'
'No,' he chuckled again.
'So why did you come?' She stared at him. His lips pressed together to suppress the laughing. His eyes squinting, the tiny wrinkles around them looking like sun rays on children's pictures. 'I had a hunch it was something really important.'
Katie's jaw dropped. 'You had a hunch?'
'Yeah,' he had and clasped his hands. 'That’s what I think it was. I felt it here,' he said and punched himself in the middle of his chest. 'It must have been a hunch. Otherwise, I may need to go and see my doctor, huh?'
Katie burst out laughing. Tears streamed down her face.
'You promised you wouldn't laugh at me!'
'I'm not laughing at you. I'm happy to hear you've expanded your detective toolbox.'
They both laughed. And as their laughter echoed out in the cafeteria, his phone rang.
'DI Heaton,' he said, his voice instantaneously taking on a serious tone.
'Okay. I'll be there in a minute.'
He dropped the phone on the table.
'That was Celia. Miss Crabtree has regained consciousness. I need to go and do my duty. Then I'll have to collect that flask and make a few phone calls.'
'Yeah. Someone has to collect the evidence to support my hunch.' She smiled, but her heart ached.
'Someone does,' he said and stood up. 'I'll see you tomorrow. 5 pm? Do you want me to collect you from anywhere?'
'No, I'll drive up there. I need the details.'
He grabbed his phone and fumbled with it for a few seconds. 'Just sent you the address,' he said.
Her phone pinged.
'Great! See you tomorrow, Jack. And I expect a full report on your progress!'
His hand jerked to his forehead. 'Yes, ma’am!' He clicked his heels and then turned around and walked away.
Katie leant on the chair. Her body felt like a cup of soft, warm, sweet melted chocolate.
Some thirty hours to go, Katie.
31
The restaurant was warm and glimmered with soft lights. Nine days to Christmas!
The air was filled with the smell of food and pine trees.
She didn't care if the pine tree smell was sprayed from a can!
She was walking on the soft, crimson carpet, led by the most gorgeous man she had ever met, and he was smiling at her.
Her heart was dancing like the colourful speckles of light on the crisp-white table cloths and glasses as they walked towards their table.
Once they were seated (oh, my gosh, he looked so hot in his blue shirt!), and got over the initial, obligatory British chit-chat (Oh, yes, it's been a nice day... I wonder if it's going to snow for Christmas), and ordered their food (thank goodness for the pictures alongside the fancy French menu descriptions!), Katie sat up and cleared her throat.
'Before the food arrives, I wanted to ask you some questions.'
He pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at her through narrowed eyes.
'If you want to talk shop, here's the deal. I know I owe you some explanations, but I don't want to waste the entire evening talking about work, okay?'
A pinch of disappointment tugged at her. But only a pinch, she was looking forward to 'not talking shop' with the dishy detective.
'I've had some questions regarding your methods, though. And how to deal with some of the aspects of being involved in an investigation. You know: how to trust people...'
His mouth twitched in a smile. 'If you want to, then you can ask me, but there are so many other things I'd rather talk to you about.'
'Such as?'
'Your hobbies. What you like and don't like doing. Maybe your holiday plans. What makes you laugh.'
A warm blush crept up her cheeks. That was exactly what she was hoping to talk to him about. Only... she was a little worried. Would she find anything interesting to tell him?
Oh, well, she could always ask him about his life, his hobbies, Japan.
'Great idea. I was actually going to ask you about your trip to Japan.'
'Awesome! So, we've got a deal?'
'A deal!'
'Okay, now, fire away with your questions.'
Katie wriggled herself into a more comfortable position.
'Alright, but before I start, I have a little something for you,' she said trying to sound casual about it.
His eyes glimmered with curiosity behind the glasses. 'What is it?'
She reached to her handbag and pulled out a small white envelope. She passed it over the table to him.
'What's inside?'
'Have a look. It's for you. Happy Birthday!' she called out as he was pulling the small rectangle from the envelop.
'How did you know?' he asked looking at her.
'Local grapevine.'
'I was hoping to avoid this.'
'Don't. We celebrate little things like that here,' she said carefully. She needed to prepare the ground for his jumper on Monday... 'It's part of who we are: our little, Sunnyvale team.'
'Alright then,' he said, and the crooked smile returned. 'Oh, that's really nice,' he exclaimed, looking at the card. 'Did you make it?'
'Yes. A birthday card for a super-detective. With all the detective tools. I thought about adding a hunch, but I wasn't sure how to convey it.'
He chuckled. 'It's charming. Very creative. I love it,' he said and lifted the card to his face. He grinned. 'You must tell me how you make it.'
'It's nothing interesting. Some of the elements were made with Jane's machine, actually.'
'Oh, are we changing the subject?'
'We can, if you don't mind.'
'I don't, but let's get it over and done with.'
'Okay. First question,' Katie said, happy to be out of the spotlight. 'What was in Linda's flask?'
'You were right - a large dose of crushed benzodiazepines, of the type that were prescribed to Mavis when she was depressed. She crushed them, they didn't dissolve very well. If Linda had drunk all the tea, she would have died.'
'I'm glad she didn't. She's well. According to the grapevine, the doctor will be sending her home soon. Emily is delighted.'
'Edward is recovering, too.'
'Excellent. Glad to hear it. Did Jane finally admit what happened between them?'
Jack let out a sigh. 'Jane is a mystery. Poor woman. It looks like her family has not been quite aware of the degree of control Keith held over her. I've released her, of course. Her second secret journal was yet another form of venting. I think she's quite passive. And the relationship suited her to some extent. He was caring at the same time as he was controlling.'
'Have you found the girl?'
'We did. What did you find out?'
Katie looked away, blinking to hide the tears gathering in her eyes at the memory of Amy's story. 'From what I've heard from Emily, I can't stop feeling sorry for Amy. It happened last year, in Carlisle. Emily was actually on call, in the big hospital, doing a rotation, when they brought in Amy. I don’t know her surname...'
'Crabtree. She's the daughter of Mavis' brother, I understand.'
Katie nodded. 'When Keith dumped her, she took an overdose. She thought she was pregnant. She wasn't but it didn't make it any easier for her or her family. The family couldn't understand what happened. Apparently, Mavis, who found Amy unconscious and called for help, was the only one who worked it out. Linda told me poor Mavis had been 'ditched at the altar' by a man who happened to be married at the time he was promising our Mavis wedded bliss.'
'What a b–'
'Agreed,' Katie cut in. 'I can understand Mavis' trauma now.'
'Did Amy die?'
'No, they saved her life and she recovered, but she still has some residual symptoms. As Emily put it, "she's never got back to her usual self." Mavis took it really badly.'
'Clearly. So, she planned her revenge?'
'Apparently, and this is Linda doing a bit of guilt-management, I guess. Linda thinks it must have started
after Mavis saw Keith and Jane in church. Someone must have mentioned their names, maybe even Linda herself, being a parish council member. The penny dropped and Mavis started planning her revenge. She used the walks to work out the plan, I guess.'
'Makes sense.' Jack nodded. 'I’ve met a lot of people blinded by the drive for revenge.' He added, 'By the way, she has admitted to killing Keith and planning to kill Edward Sparrow and Linda. She used Oxycodone she must have snatched from the wards where she'd worked. Or maybe she used her own supply.'
'How did she put the drug in Keith's coffee?'
'Exactly as you said. Congratulations once again.' Admiration sparkled in his eyes, and Katie's heart flipped.
The unruly strand of hair came loose and swung across her face, tickling her cheek. Katie tucked it behind her ear.
'Your hair shines like red gold. It reminds me of sunny autumn days in the forest near the house where I grew up.'
A tingling flush pricked across her face. She wriggled in her seat, feeling elated and a little uncomfortable faced with his undivided attention.
'In the Borders?'
'Yes. There was a patch of aspen trees just behind our house - their leaves would sometimes turn the very same shade of red.'
The cotton candy sensation spread all over her body. She leant on the table, holding her head firmly in her hands. Keep yourself together, Katie. This is only the beginning...
Fortunately, the waiter arrived with their drinks, announcing that the starters would be following soon.
'Any last-minute questions about the case?' Jack asked, twirling the ruby wine in his glass.
'No,' she said, her voice sounding just as husky as she wanted. She raised her glass. 'To our first date,' she said.
'To our first date and hopefully many more to come. I have a hunch there might be,' he added, and sent her the butterfly-hatching smile she loved so much.
Thank You for Reading
Thank you for reading Journals, Jealousy and Jilted Sweethearts. I hope you enjoyed Katie’s new adventure.
Let me and other people know what you think of the story, the characters, the mystery… by leaving a review (please, no spoilers :)).
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Thank you
Emily Selby
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Also by Emily Selby
Did you enjoy Journals, Jealousy and Jilted Sweethearts? Can’t wait to find out what happens after that dinner date?
If yes, then you absolutely have to read the next book - out soon!
Blades, Betrayals and Broken Ties
Katie finds another body in the old, derelict house behind her workshop. Is this really Mrs Weatherspoon's missing lodger? What was he doing there and why was there an accident?
Or maybe, as Katie thinks, it was a murder?
Find out who and why might have wanted Archie Blackburn dead, and, of course, snoop a little on Katie and Jack. Murder, old secrets, new gossip, a little romance - the usual Sunnyvale stuff ;-)
Don’t miss out - click here to make sure you get your copy of the book when it’s released!
Have you read the previous books in the series?
Book 1: Filigrees Fortunes and Foul Play
The Paper Crafts Club Mystery Book 1
Katie finds the body of her best cleaning client stabbed with a… quilling needle and ends up being one of the prime suspects. Will she find the murderer before there is another victim and clear her name?
If you haven’t read the story yet, click here to find out.
Book 2: Dip Pens, Descendants and Dirty Deals
The Paper Crafts Club Mystery Book 2
Katie has just returned from a weekend away, only to find... another dead body right under her window and the beautiful ring missing from her drawer. Yes, that ring!
Is the missing ring a clue to solve the murder mystery? Why was the victim killed using Katie's dip pen? And most importantly, will Katie find out who has been on a killing spree this time around?
If you haven’t read the second book in Katie Redford's cozy crime adventures, click here to read it now!
Book 3: Glitter, Greed, and Gatecrashers
The long-awaited church fete has just closed for the night and everybody is looking forward to another day of fun and laughter. Maybe, except one uninvited guest... Katie finds his lifeless body, covered in glitter in the storage room.
Among good 'ol secrets and gossip, and mind-boggling new technology, Katie, Jack and the rest of Sunnyvale police team race to find the murderer before another person dies. Will they succeed? Click here to find out.
