Back Room Bookstore Cozy Mystery Boxed Set: Books 1 - 12

by Susan Harper

  At last, Isaac reached the edge of the forest—the forest that had somehow seemed darker and more frightening during his sprint—and he bolted out of the driveway and into the street just as a truck came down the road. Isaac froze, and the truck swerved and wound up in the nearby ditch. “Are you… Are you insane!” a voice roared, and he recognized it as Officer Brian’s.

  The familiar voice woke Isaac from his state of horror, and he shook himself and darted over. “Brian! Brian, are you all right, man?” he asked, jumping down into the ditch and flinging open the driver’s side door. The airbag had gone off, and Brian’s nose was busted.

  “Get away from me!” Brian snapped, shoving Isaac back. He struggled to unbuckle himself, and he punched the airbag out of the way and jumped out of the truck. Brian walked around the front of his truck to see that he had hit a rather large stump. “You have got to be kidding me…”

  “Brian, I am so sorry…” Isaac said.

  Brian exhaled heavily. “I’m just glad I didn’t plow you. What are you doing all the way out here anyway?”

  “I could ask you the same question,” Isaac returned.

  “Wilma told me the garden needed watering when I went by to get coffee this morning, and I offered to do it for her.” He touched his bloody nose, grumbling angrily. “Now, your turn. Why are you here?”

  “Er…”

  Brian glared at him. “Did you… Are you… You’re creeping around her house!”

  “Okay, maybe…”

  Brian punched Isaac in the arm, and Isaac winced a bit in pain. “Hey, easy! Listen, Brian, she’s got something weird in her house… I don’t know what it is, but—”

  “In?!” Brian questioned. “Did you— Were you in her house?!”

  Isaac realized he had just confessed to breaking and entering directly to a local officer. “Well, you see, the door was, er…opened…”

  Brian punched him in the arm again. “You idiot! What are you doing breaking into my girlfriend’s house?”

  “Girlfriend?” Isaac asked. “So, you two are serious then?”

  Brian made a move like he was going to punch Isaac again, and Isaac quickly jumped back. Brian huffed and crossed his arms, again examining the damage to his truck. He pointed in Isaac’s face. “You’re going to pay for the damage you caused and for the wrecker that’s going to have to come out here, and maybe I won’t slap cuffs on you.”

  “Deal!” Isaac exclaimed.

  “And, you’re going to help me water her garden and drive me home,” Brian said.

  “No deal. I’m not going back down there,” Isaac said.

  Brian huffed. “Fine. But you’re waiting by your car and calling me a wrecker while I go water the plants.” Brain trotted off down the road, and Isaac did as he was told.

  He supposed he was getting off lucky. He could have gotten hit by the truck. He could be spending the night in jail. He could have been killed by whatever weird thing Monica had hiding in her house. The wrecker arrived the same time Brian did, and Isaac watched with a horrible feeling of guilt as Brian’s personal vehicle was taken away. “Hopefully they’ll be able to fix it,” Brian griped, sitting down in the passenger’s seat of Isaac’s car.

  Isaac got in the driver’s seat. “Did anything weird happen to you while you were down there by the cottage?”

  “No,” Brian said. “I just watered her vines and her flowers. And I’m going to tell you right now to stop whatever it is you are doing. Because if you don’t stop creeping on my girlfriend, Isaac, I’m going to have you arrested.”

  Isaac smirked. “So, she is your girlfriend, then?”

  Brian punched him again.

  5

  Monica could not possibly have been happier for Holly. The warm welcome she had received from her half-sisters and stepmother had been far greater than anything they had expected. And to learn that her father had been searching for her was just incredible. And, now, here they were in her father’s house surrounded by friends and family. Anniston and Angel had gotten their way, of course. They seemed like true go-getters and opinionated young ladies.

  Monica sat at the edge of the sofa with Abigail perched on her lap, watching the scene unfold. “She’s very happy,” Abigail whispered.

  “Of course, she’s happy,” Monica said. “Look at all these people. Coming out at the last minute just to meet her and to surprise her father—her father who has apparently been looking for her for a few years now. It’s beautiful.”

  “Kind of antsy to meet this guy,” Abigail said. “How do you think he’s going to react when he gets here and sees all these people and Holly?”

  “If his daughters’ and Norah’s reaction is any indicator, I’d say he’s going to be beyond himself excited,” Monica said.

  Holly was glowing. She seemed a little overwhelmed by all of the people Anniston and Angel had called, but her smile was very telling. “Okay, so how am I related to you?” Holly asked a woman near her age.

  “Okay, so I’m your cousin Marsha,” the woman with the strawberry blonde curls explained. “Your dad is brothers with my dad. My dad and mom died when I was nine. Car accident. Your dad has pretty much raised me.” Marsha’s cheeks flushed slightly. “He was a little more, you know, settled and mature when that happened.”

  Holly smiled at Marsha. “I’m not bitter about being put up for adoption, Marsha.”

  “Oh, good,” Marsha said. “Because your dad is such an amazing person. You have no idea how much it’s going to mean to him when he sees you.”

  Holly couldn’t help herself. She was a hugger, and she threw her arms around Marsha’s neck. “I can’t believe I have a cousin I didn’t even know about… Who am I kidding? I’m still trying to wrap my head around having two little sisters.”

  Marsha smirked. “Yeah. I imagine that one is a big surprise.”

  Angel and Anniston appeared around the corner, both giggling terribly to one another. The two seemed rather attached at the hip. “Marsha and Daddy are really close,” Angel said. “If you ask me, I think he took her in the way he did because he didn’t want to see another girl in the family wind up in foster care.”

  “Gee, it couldn’t be because he loved his little niece, could it?” Marsha asked half-heartedly.

  “I didn’t wind up in foster care,” Holly said. “I’ve had a really good life. My parents, my adoptive parents, they are amazing.”

  “How do they feel about you being here?” Anniston asked.

  “They were so supportive,” Holly said. “I only just told them recently that I had started looking for my biological parents. They gave me all my adoption paperwork and called the agency for me. They’ve been wonderful.”

  “I’m so glad,” Marsha said. “Okay, I won’t hog you for too long. You’ve got so many other people to meet.”

  Angel and Anniston each jolted on either side of Holly, hooking each of her arms. “Come on!” Angel said. “We’ll introduce you to Uncle Weston and Aunt Tora!”

  They dragged Holly off. Monica laughed and stood up, deciding to follow. Abigail jumped to the floor with a slight grunt before scurrying off. Norah was standing with a couple a bit younger than herself, chatting away, as Holly approached, her sisters dragging her out the back door and onto the porch. Monica slipped outside where more people were standing around the grill.

  “Uncle Weston, we brought her to you!” Angel exclaimed.

  The man who had been talking with Norah grinned. He was a handsome guy, and Monica could tell instantly that he was related to Norah. They had to be siblings, and after only a moment of conversing, she was able to confirm this. “So, you’re Norah’s younger brother?” Holly asked, shaking his hand.

  “That’s right,” he said. “You can call me Uncle Weston. I suppose I would be your…step-uncle?”

  His wife slapped his arm and shook her head, looking mildly entertained. “I’m Tora, Weston’s wife. So, you can call me Aunt Tora.”

  Holly smiled. “Okay, I will,” she said.r />
  “Hey! Don’t forget me!” a man who had been working the grill said, spinning around and revealing a large Kiss The Cook apron. “Can’t forget your Uncle Roczen.”

  Holly smiled at the man with the dark red hair. “And how am I related to you exactly?”

  Norah shook her head, smirking in Roczen’s direction. “Roczen is actually your father’s older cousin. He’s always just been Uncle Roczen to my girls, though.”

  “So, that means you gotta call me Uncle Roczen too, kiddo,” he said with a wink. “Now, open the door up for your Uncle Roczen, I’m bringing in the first round of burger patties.” He had in his arms a large platter, and Holly hurried to open the door.

  Slowly, everyone trickled back into the house. Holly was pulled from one person to another, and Monica could tell that Holly was growing antsy. Her father was supposed to be there soon. Since first arriving at the home, they had learned that he worked for a moderately large corporation in their marketing firm, and he had been on an overseas trip for about a week now overseeing the opening of a new location.

  “All right,” Roczen said, throwing his oven mitts aside. “I’m off to the airport to pick up your old man. We’ll be back soon. Save us some burgers, all right, everybody?”

  Roczen hurried off, and now Holly was pacing slightly. “You okay?” Monica asked her.

  “Nervous,” Holly admitted. “But honestly, I am a lot less nervous than I was when I first knocked on that door. Everybody has been just incredible. I mean, can you believe all this? They just threw together a last-minute party to celebrate me being here and to surprise my dad. They’re just all so wonderful, aren’t they? And to learn that Dad actually wants to meet me, well, it certainly has calmed my nerves. I guess now I’m just more anxious. I’m ready to meet him!”

  “I am so glad I’ve gotten to be here for this for you,” Monica told her, and they heard a quiet, whispered, “Me too,” below them where Abigail was acting a little extra cat-like by rubbing her head against Monica’s leg. Monica smiled down at Abigail. “You really are just a little softie, aren’t you, Abs?” Abigail grunted and disappeared again. Angel and Anniston found her though and wound up picking her up, but Abigail didn’t seem to mind since they were scratching her behind the ears.

  “Sometimes I forget she’s actually a witch,” Holly whispered.

  “Well, she’s been a cat for hundreds of years,” Monica said. “Can’t really blame her for adapting.”

  Another half hour went by before Holly’s Uncle Weston started shouting excitedly from the window. “They’re back! Everyone, shut up a second! He’s coming up the driveway!”

  They turned the lights off. Evidently, they were all quite serious about making this into a surprise party. Monica, who was crouched on the floor near Holly, could hear Roczen and Holly’s father speaking on the porch. “What’s with all the cars? Someone in the neighborhood having a party or something?”

  “I don’t know, man,” Roczen said. “They were here when I left.”

  “Thought you said you came from your place,” the other man said, opening the door.

  “Er, stopped by here first,” Roczen said just as Holly’s father flicked on the lights and was greeted by loud shouts of “Surprise!” that startled him, and he nearly flung himself back into Roczen.

  Clutching his chest, Joseph Kent, Holly’s father, came into the house full of laughter. “What in the world? Was I who everyone was expecting?” he asked. “I was only gone four days, you guys…”

  Norah came hurrying over to him. She hugged him and then turned him to face Holly directly. The man smiled politely at Holly, who was standing there nervously. “Joseph,” Norah said. “It’s Holly.”

  Joseph stared for only a moment before he was pulling Holly into a tight and tearful hug. He pulled back after a moment and wiped his eyes. “Ah, Anniston, get that camera out of my face, please,” Joseph said, laughing and hugging Holly again.

  “I’m Angel, Dad,” Angel said with an eyeroll.

  “Ah, sorry, honey,” Joseph said. “Eyes are watery…”

  Angel snickered, as did Anniston who was standing right beside her twin with an identical expression. Joseph turned his attention back to Holly. “How are you here?” he asked, thrilled but shocked and overwhelmed all at once.

  “I’ve been looking for you,” Holly said. “It took some time, but I managed to track you down.”

  Joseph wiped his eyes again. “You’ve been looking for me?” he asked.

  “Of course. I have,” Holly said.

  “I’ve been looking for you too,” he promised her.

  “I know,” Holly said, getting teary-eyed herself now. “Anniston and Angel told me…”

  “Oh, yes, so you’ve met your sisters…” he said, sputtering nervously.

  Norah got everyone’s attention. “Let’s all head into the kitchen!” she said, waving to the crowd. “The food is getting cold, and I think my husband and Holly need a moment!”

  Monica smiled and gave Abigail a little nudge, and they left Holly and Joseph standing by the front door. Roczen slipped around them awkwardly and followed Monica. She noticed Weston hand Roczen a twenty-dollar bill with an eyeroll. “What was that about?” Monica whispered curiously as they slipped into the kitchen.

  “I bet Weston twenty bucks Joseph would start blubbering,” Roczen said, snickering victoriously. “Told you, my little Cuz is a big baby.”

  Weston smirked and joined his wife in preparing burgers. Eventually, the party continued. Monica, once her burger was made, wound up sitting in the living room as the crowd started dispersing throughout the house. Joseph seemed unable to speak to Holly for more than a few minutes at a time without giving her another hug. “This is just too sweet,” Monica said, the house growing more crowded as no one was outside any longer. It had started to rain hard all of a sudden.

  “I just can’t believe this,” Joseph kept saying, and he’d kiss Holly on the forehead. “I–I’m sure you have so many questions…”

  “I do,” Holly said, quite eager to start asking them.

  Just then, the power flickered out. Some of the younger children, distant relatives of Norah’s, all shrieked excitedly. “Oh, you all hush!” Joseph called over the surprised shouts. “I’ll go to the breaker box and get the power back on…” He disappeared in the dark.

  Several minutes ticked by, and when the lights came back on, the family all applauded Joseph, acting rather silly. But then, Monica heard Norah screaming. Monica jumped up, nearly knocking her half-eaten dinner onto the nice carpet. Spinning around, she saw one of Norah’s twin daughters lying dead on the floor.

  6

  They had to pull Joseph off Angel and drag him into a back room to calm him down. He seemed the most mortified and unable to function after discovering that one of his girls was dead. Norah, evidently a true soldier during a crisis, got on the phone with police. Monica stood in the living room, looking around Angel’s body for any sign that might point her in the right direction. She studied the faces of those around, and she caught Anniston’s eye. She had been staring down at her twin, looking pale and sickly, and she noticed the girl’s knees starting to buckle.

  Monica hurried to her, and she put an arm around Anniston. “Come on, sweetie, let’s get you out of here,” she said and walked Anniston toward a back room. She located a bedroom that she assumed belonged to the twins based off the white and frilly twin beds on either side of the room. The beds had the girls’ names written in pink and purple swirls on the headboards. Monica started to lead Anniston over to the bed with her name on it, but Anniston pulled her way over to Angel’s and threw herself down in pained sobs.

  Joseph, who had been taken to his own bedroom by Holly moments ago, arrived. His eyes were bloodshot, and his hands were shaking. “Anniston?” he beckoned, and she nodded. Evidently, even he had a hard time telling his girls apart. He came over and sat next to her, and Anniston rested her head on her father’s shoulder. After a moment, she sta
red shaking.

  “I’m going to throw up,” Anniston said, and Holly, who had been standing in the doorway, ran to get a trash bin for her younger half-sister, which she quickly placed in her lap. Sure enough, Anniston made quick use of it, and her father held back her hair and tried to coax her into relaxing. Anniston’s entire body was shaking, and she looked close to passing out.

  Norah appeared in the doorway, her phone at her side. “Police are two minutes out,” she said and disappeared again.

  Monica glanced up in Holly’s direction, and she realized she was trying to usher her out of the room. Monica followed Holly out and around a corner. Holly had tears in her eyes. “You can… You can use magic, right? Is there a way to, I don’t know…save her?”

  “Magic can’t bring people back from the dead,” Monica said. “I’m sorry, Holly.”

  “Can you use your magic to find out what happened?” Holly asked, glancing toward Anniston and Angel’s bedroom. “I know I don’t know her, not really, but…”

  “She’s your little sister, I know,” Monica said. “We’re going to find out what happened, but we have to bide our time. We’re in a house full of mortals, Holly.”

  Holly nodded, and she began wringing her wrists in anticipation. They heard unfamiliar voices from the living room, so the two of them slipped back down the hall where they saw two officers ushering everyone out of the living room and onto the porch. One of them glanced up at Holly and Monica and pointed toward the door. “Out,” he said rudely.

  Holly glared at them. “That’s my little sister,” she told them, though it hardly seemed necessary.

  “Yes, I know,” the officer said. “They told me. Her twin and her father, they’re in the back?”