The Sandy Bay Cozy Mysteries series Box Set

by Amber Crewes

  “I have some other news for you,” she said curtly. “I talked with Mariah Cooper.”

  “Her?” Jackie laughed. “What did she have to say? Did she throw a fit like her friend, Rosie?”

  “Actually, it was the opposite,” she told her. “I explained to Mariah about what happened with Rosie at the salon. Mariah felt really bad about the whole thing. She wrote a blank check for you. She wants you to be properly compensated for your time and efforts, Jackie.”

  Meghan could hear the excitement in Jackie’s voice. “You’re joking,” she declared. “The Mariah Cooper wrote a blank check for me? I get to decide how much I get paid in the final check?”

  “Yeah, that is what she said,” Meghan shared. “I can drop it off to you tomorrow.”

  “Please do,” she replied. “A blank check from Mariah Cooper? What kind of dream world am I living in?”

  14

  “You had him in a headlock?” Pamela asked in disbelief as Meghan recounted the incident of the mugger from the night before. “Meghan, I didn’t know you were that strong.”

  “I didn’t either,” Meghan admitted. “Honestly, it was the class with Mrs. Sheridan that saved me; Mrs. Sheridan talked about staying calm and in control when in a fight, and I made sure I was keeping my breath even and my body steady.”

  “There’s no way Mrs. Sheridan saved you,” argued Jamie, the local handyman who had stopped by to fix a leaky faucet in Meghan’s bathroom. “Sally Sheridan is an old bat with a cane. I don’t believe for one second that she could teach you how to fight someone.”

  Meghan shook her head. “You should have seen me last night,” she said as Pamela, Trudy, and Jamie listened with wide eyes. “I was like a true martial arts warrior. I went left and right, I avoided his blows, and I even managed to get him to fall on the ground. Mrs. Sheridan may not have taught me the fanciest kicks, or the hardest punches, but she taught me how to stay composed and how to use my momentum. Thanks to her, that mugger is in jail, and I am sitting here talking with you all today.”

  Jamie laughed. “I’m glad you are alright, Meghan, but I still don’t believe that Sally Sheridan taught you anything related to martial arts.”

  “Is that so, Jamie?”

  Everyone gasped as Mrs. Sheridan hobbled into the bakery, her face dark. “Say that to my face, Jamie. I dare you.”

  Jamie rose to his feet and offered Mrs. Sheridan his chair. “Sally, please, take my seat. I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.”

  Mrs. Sheridan glared at Jamie, but then turned to Meghan. “I came in today to return some of the peanut brittle I bought two weeks ago,” she said. “The peanuts are too hard, and the brittle is too chewy.”

  Meghan shrugged. “You know my rule, Mrs. Sheridan. I can’t do returns past the one week mark.”

  Mrs. Sheridan rolled her eyes. “Exceptions can always be made, especially for your sensei.”

  Jamie chuckled. “Her sensei? Sally, you crack me up.”

  Mrs. Sheridan moved quickly, dropping her cane and scuttling to the left of Jamie. She reached her hands over his head and took hold of his ears. “Owww,” Jamie complained. “Get off of me, Sally.”

  Mrs. Sheridan continued to fight, using her legs to hoist her cane up. She wrapped it around Jamie’s legs, and he fell to the ground. “That’s Mrs. Sheridan to you, Jamie,” she said with satisfaction as she surveyed her handiwork. “Old Mrs. Sheridan knows a thing or two about martial arts, and I suggest that you never again suggest otherwise. Ladies, it was a pleasure seeing you. Have a nice day.”

  Everyone watched in awe as Mrs. Sheridan picked up her cane from beside where Jamie lay and hobbled out of the bakery. “She knows her stuff,” Meghan confirmed. “She doesn’t mess around.”

  Meghan’s phone rang, and she saw that Lawrence Griffin was calling her. “I have to take this,” she told the group. “Lawrence is calling.”

  “Lawrence?” Pamela asked dreamily as Meghan walked away.

  “Meghan, it’s me,” Lawrence said. “Can you stop by and answer some questions? It shouldn’t take too long.”

  “No problem,” she replied as she felt her phone buzz. “I have a call on the other line, but I plan on dropping by in a few minutes.”

  “Great,” said Lawrence. “See you soon.”

  “Meghan,” Jackie said as Meghan pushed the button to switch over her call. “Hey, can I stop by? I want to grab that check from you.”

  “I’m actually on my way out,” she told Jackie. “I have some errands to run, but you are welcome to come with me. I have to stop by the police station to talk with Lawrence.”

  “Count me in,” Jackie said immediately.

  Meghan thought for a moment, remembering how frustrated she had been with Jackie’s reaction to the mugging incident from the previous night. Meghan did not feel like watching Jackie fawn over Lawrence, and she quickly changed her mind. “Actually, I forgot, I am not supposed to take visitors,” she said, cringing as the white lie came out of her mouth. “I’ll just drop the check by after.”

  At the station, Meghan was escorted into Chief Nunan’s office. “Meghan,” she said warmly as Meghan entered. “Good to see you. I hope you have recovered from last night?”

  “I’m still feeling a bit shaky,” Meghan admitted as she sat in the wooden chair across Chief Nunan’s desk. “But I’m feeling better. I slept well and had a big breakfast, so I feel like a new woman today.”

  “That’s good,” Chief Nunan said, her blue eyes filled with relief. “It can be quite a scare to be mugged, but you really fought him off. We had to have him sent to the clinic at the jail because you fought him so hard. I am impressed. You are a lot stronger than you look, Meghan.”

  Meghan smiled. “I did what I had to do,” she shrugged. “If I didn’t take care of myself, no one else was going to.”

  Chief Nunan bobbed her head. “I just wanted to thank you personally for apprehending the suspect,” she told Meghan. “We are very sure that we have caught the mugger.”

  “Very sure?” Meghan asked. “Not one hundred percent sure?”

  Chief Nunan sighed. “The mugger is refusing to confess,” she admitted. “He insists that he did not mug you, and he insists that he is innocent.”

  “What? But he tried to rip the bag from my arm. He tried to attack me. How can he insist that he wasn’t trying to mug me?”

  The Chief shook her head. “He’s been difficult to deal with, that’s for sure. He has been asking for a lawyer, and legally, we cannot charge him quite yet.”

  Meghan rose from her seat, her face hot with anger. “Let me identify him,” she demanded. “I will identify him in front of you, and in front of everyone. The man who Lawrence arrested last night tried to mug me, and I will not let him walk free.”

  The Chief agreed. “We can have you look at him,” she said. “It might be alarming, though. I just want to make sure you are sure that you want to see him.”

  “I do,” she confirmed. “I want him brought to justice, and if this helps the process move faster, then I will do it.”

  Chief Nunan picked up the telephone on her desk and spoke to the operator. “A guard is coming to pick us up,” she told Meghan after hanging up. “We’ll be behind a glass barrier. He won’t be able to see you, but you will be able to clearly see him.”

  Meghan was led to a small room in the basement of the police station. The lights were low, and there was a long, thin window stretching across one of the walls. “When I say the word, he will be brought into that room,” the Chief said, pointing through the window at a small concrete room.

  “Are you ready?”

  Meghan nodded, and the Chief spoke into her walkie-talkie. Almost immediately, a man was brought into the small concrete room.

  “That’s him,’ Meghan whispered immediately. “I would know him anywhere. I can tell from his eyes and his stature that it is him.”

  “Are you absolutely certain?”

  “Yes,” Meghan insisted. “I have no d
oubt.”

  Chief Nunan spoke into the walkie-talkie again, and the man was led away. “Other victims of the muggings will be brought in to see him,” the Chief told Meghan as they walked back to her office. “We don’t have enough evidence to charge him with murder yet, but we are trying to connect the dots. From what you’ve told me, he sounds merciless, and I have a feeling that he is responsible for Cathy Thomas’ death.”

  Meghan sighed. “How long until you can prove it?”

  Chief Nunan shrugged. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “But we’re working on it, Meghan. I promise you, we are working on it.”

  15

  That evening, Meghan and Jackie bundled up in their winter coats and took the dogs for a walk along the beach. Although it was sunny, the wind was sharp, and Meghan cringed as Fiesta and Siesta shivered along the shore.

  “I think we need to call it a day,” she told Jackie. “Dash is going fine, but the little dogs look so cold.”

  Jackie nodded. “I feel like an icicle myself,” she admitted. “And besides, you’ve been going on and on about Jack for the last hour. All of this love talk is going to make me crazy.”

  “I’m sorry,” Meghan said, blushing. “I just miss him so much. He is the best, Jackie. When I told him about the mugger being apprehended, he was so worried about me. He sent flowers and chocolates to my apartment! I know he feels so bad that he isn’t here to look out for me.”

  “I wish I had someone to look out for me,” Jackie said wistfully as she stared off into the horizon. “What you and Jack have is so special. I just want someone to look after me.”

  Meghan grinned mischievously. “I know that you have a big crush on Lawrence,” she told Jackie. “It’s so obvious. Let me fix you up with him. When Jack gets back, we could do that double date! He could be the one for you, Jackie.”

  Jackie smoothed her hair. “I don’t know,” she said softly. “I’ve been out of the dating game for so long. I don’t know if I could handle a relationship. I don’t know what to say, or what to do. You’ve heard me talk about him, Meghan. I can hardly keep it together when he is around. I don’t know what I would say to him on a proper date.”

  Meghan shrugged. “That’s what makes it fun,” she insisted. “The mystery, the romance, and the unknown is so exciting. I think you should give him a chance, Jackie. I think you two would really hit it off.”

  “Hey,” she murmured, pointing to two figures in the distance. “Look over there.”

  Meghan’s eyes widened. She squinted, trying to make out who was rapidly approaching them. “Can you see who it is?”

  “It’s Mariah and Rosie,” Jackie whispered.

  Mariah and Rosie jogged toward them, their ponytails bouncing in sync with their step. “Girls,” Mariah greeted them. “How are we doing today?”

  Jackie smiled. “So good. Thank you so much for your kindness. That check was greatly appreciated….”

  Rosie looked down at her designer running shoes, and Mariah gave her a sharp jab in the side. Rose muttered something, but her words were unintelligible.

  “Say it louder,” Mariah prodded.

  “I’m sorry I was rude at your salon,” Rosie said quietly. “I was in quite a mood that day, and I shouldn’t have been so terrible. I am very sorry.”

  Mariah nodded at Rosie. “That was the right thing to do,” she told her friend. “Now, we can talk about other matters. Jackie? I’ve been thinking, and I was wondering if you would be open to doing another pampering session? My entourage wants to do something to honor Cathy, and we think a day spent receiving massages, doing manis and pedis, and being taken care of would be the best way to honor her.”

  Meghan raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. She looked over at Jackie, who was thinking about Mariah’s request.

  “Thoughts?” Mariah asked. “You did such a nice job last time, and your team was a good fit. They were very professional and clean, and I want to hire you again.”

  Rosie sighed. “What?” Mariah asked her. “You’ve been moody all day.”

  Rosie crossed her arms in front of her chest. “It’s a waste of time,” she breathed to Mariah. “We have a busy schedule for the next few weeks, and I don’t think we can afford to lounge around for a day when your new exhibit is due at the Met next Monday.”

  Mariah narrowed her eyes at Rosie. “It’s what Cathy would have wanted,” she sharply insisted. “Cathy loved being pampered, and she would want us all to remember her like that.”

  Rosie scoffed. “If you say so.”

  Mariah glared. “I do say so. Invite our closest friends and make the arrangements.”

  Turning to Jackie and Meghan, Mariah winked. “Sometimes, you have to be firm,” she shrugged. “Anyway, I hope to see you both there. Meghan? You could drop by with your sweet friend, Pamela. She is a cutie, and I’m sure she would love a pampering session.”

  Meghan wrinkled her forehead as Mariah and Rosie began to jog away. “That was strange,” she said to Jackie. “There seemed to be some serious tension between them. I wonder what Rosie’s problem is. She seems so different than Mariah.”

  Jackie scowled. “I think that Rosie is just a jerk.”

  Meghan shook her head. “I can’t imagine it is easy being the assistant to someone who has been your best friend,” she said, trying to consider Rosie’s side.

  Dash began to bark, and Meghan and Jackie noticed the two women jogging back toward them.

  “Hey again,” Mariah said. “I forgot to ask you something. Jackie? Would it be possible to include a few more things in the pampering session?”

  Jackie nodded. “Your wish is my command. What did you have in mind?”

  Mariah grinned. “We need something suitable for a man,” she said.

  Meghan smiled. “Your boyfriend?”

  Mariah shook her head. “Ron Thomas? The graphic designer? Perhaps you have heard of him?”

  16

  “Meghan? Meghan?

  Meghan looked up from the pot of chocolate sauce she was stirring to find Trudy staring at her. “Oh, Trudy, were you talking to me?”

  Trudy nodded. “I’ve been trying to get your attention for fifteen minutes. You look a little lost.”

  Meghan sighed. “Between everything that has happened with the mugger and Cathy Thomas, I am spent,” she told Trudy. “And I miss Jack. I’m counting down the hours until he returns.”

  “When does he get back?”

  “He gets home from his training tomorrow. It will be so nice to have him home. He’s loved New Orleans, but with everything going on, I am ready to have him back.

  Trudy thought for a moment. “I have an idea,” she announced. “What if we make a treat for him? A King Cake? Those have been selling out like crazy lately, and they are famous in New Orleans. We can give Jack a little taste of Mardi Gras right here in Sandy Bay!”

  Meghan’s eyes sparkled. “That is an amazing idea,” she commended Trudy.

  The two women got to work, but as Meghan was adjusting the temperature on the oven, Trudy chastised her. “Meghan,” she began. “I don’t mean to be rude, but you are not helping here.”

  Meghan’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?” she asked, tucking her dark hair up into a high ponytail. “I’m turning on the oven.”

  Trudy shook her head. “You’ve been over there messing around with it for ten minutes. Meghan, you’re still looking lost. Why don’t you call it a day? Pamela’s shift starts in an hour, and I can manage until then. I’m worried about you.”

  Meghan closed her eyes. “You’re right,” she said. “I need to accept your help and take some time to clear my head. Trudy, thank you for being so understanding.”

  Trudy nodded. “That is what I am here for.”

  “What should I do with the rest of my day?” Meghan thought to herself as she removed her apron and wandered upstairs. “The dogs need to be groomed before Jack gets home. I think I will take them to the pet store for a wash and some treats.”

  Megh
an bundled up and harnessed the dogs into their leashes. She hated to see their faces as the wind chapped their skin, but Meghan knew that they would ultimately enjoy the pampering at the pet store.

  “Come on, Dash,” Meghan urged Jack’s dog as he sniffed a fire hydrant.

  “Meghan?”

  Meghan looked up to find Jackie standing in front of her. “Hey,” Meghan greeted her. “How are you?”