Manicures & Mischief (A Cozy Spa Mystery Book 6)

by Jenn Cowan

  Breathless, I reluctantly pull away. “I’ll be fine and nothing will keep me from marrying you on Saturday.” At least I hope not.

  4

  I step out into the August heat and feel my scrubs begin to stick to my back. Why I ever let my mother talk me into getting married in the hottest month of the year, I’ll never know. I guess it’s because I’m so ready to marry Josh nothing else matters.

  I wave to the police officers taping off the scene. Travis must have told them to let me look around because they don’t give me any trouble. I sniff the air, but don’t catch the scent I smelt earlier. The outline of the body is taped off. He was shot from behind. Did someone sneak up on him? What was he doing out here? It’s not like this is a park or restaurant where people meet. It does overlook the park, but it’s not easily seen from the trail. Someone either lured him here or he was lurking around the building. “Who are you and what were you doing back here?” I mumble to no one.

  “Talking to yourself?”

  I jump and place a hand over my racing heart. “Josh! Don’t do that. You scared me.”

  His expression turns sympathetic. “Sorry. I thought you heard me shut the door. You must have been deep in thought.”

  “I was trying to figure out why he would have been back here. I mean this isn’t a public place.” I glance around and take in the metal patio furniture and several potted plants sitting next to the door. The natural stone pavers where the body was found are stained with blood. I squat down to get a different angle and catch a whiff of something rancid. “What is that smell?” I cover my nose to ward it off then peruse the area to see where it’s coming from. That’s when I spot them. Sunflower seeds. They smell awful when they go bad. It’s disheartening that my favorite flower, which smells amazing when it’s blooming, can put off such an odor when it goes bad. I read somewhere it happens when the natural oils break down from oxygen exposure.

  Josh squats down next to me. “Regina must be using them to feed the birds. There’s some birdseed over there.” He points a few paces away at some scattered seed in the grass. “It did rain the past few days so it’s probably going bad.”

  “Hmm.” It’s a likely explanation, but the birdfeeder is out closer to the trees, not on the patio. Maybe she dropped some along the way. I make note of it then continue my scan of the patio. When I come up with nothing else, I ask Josh, “Did you see what kind of gun Allison was holding?”

  “I watched Travis bag it. It looked old. Black and silver. Travis did say that the social security number had been scratched off.”

  “Interesting.” I tap my chin, contemplating this information. “So, there’s no way to track the killer based on the murder weapon. That’s convenient… well not for us.”

  Josh smirks. “Anything else Miss. Sleuth?”

  I punch his arm and he laughs. “I think I’ve seen everything I need to see here. Let’s go have a chat with Chase. Maybe he can give us some more information about the murder victim.”

  “Why do you think he’s going to know who he is?”

  “It’s just a hunch. My guess is the mystery man is someone from Chicago. Someone who knew Allison and Chase.”

  “And why do you think that?”

  I shrug. “We both thought Allison knew the guy and he looks so much like Chase. There’s no way Chase couldn’t have known him.” I chew on my lower lip. “But I could be wrong.”

  “Well let’s go test that theory,” Josh says, winking at me and taking my hand.

  We walk hand in hand across the salon parking lot, waving to a few fellow Daysvillers as they run their errands.

  I glance over my shoulder at the spa, the day’s events soaking in. “Are you sure Cat’s okay at the spa alone? Someone was just murdered next door to the spa. Maybe we should head over there to check on her one more time.” I turn to head back to the spa.

  Josh squeezes my hand and pulls me into his chest. “I just left there before coming to check on you. She was fine. She’s busy calling a few clients to move them around so I can see them later today and you can focus on this case. I also have her cancelling Allison’s manicure clients for the rest of the week in case she’s not out of jail by then. I also checked all the doors and windows before I left and Travis has two police officers stationed around the building. She’s completely safe and I told her if she doesn’t feel safe to call or come over to the hardware store.”

  I sigh with relief. “What would I do without you?” I lift up onto my toes and give him a quick peck on the cheek.

  “Hopefully you’ll never have to find out.” Josh leans down and nuzzles my neck before kissing me on the lips. “Come on, Miss Fisher. Let’s get this case solved ASAP so I can have my bride-to-be enjoying our wedding festivities this weekend.” He holds open the door to the hardware store.

  We step inside and are met with a musty smell. The hardware store hasn’t been used since Harold died and I know the judge hasn’t set foot inside to do any sort of cleaning or repairs. The memories must be too hard for him to bear. I’m glad the judge is welcoming Chase into his family though. At least now he’ll have someone to celebrate the holidays with and maybe he can give Chase some answers as to why Harold rejected him when he told him he was his son, but then left Chase his fortune, I don’t get it.

  I find Chase Holliday toward the back of the store. He’s pacing back and forth in front of the checkout counter and whispering into his cell phone. When he sees us, he holds up his index finger then turns his back to us.

  Josh takes off down an aisle as if on a mission to find something so I take the time to check out the store. The place looks exactly the same as when Harold had it. I can still catch a whiff of sawdust and grease every now and then. There are shelves full of tools and a long counter at the back of the store with tools hanging behind it. A light filters out from the small office off to the right. I shiver thinking about the office being the place where Harold took his last breath. I turn my back to it and swipe a hand over a shelf filled with dust. Chase has a little more cleaning to do before he opens up, but otherwise it doesn’t look like he’s changing a thing. I know that will make Josh happy. He’s been worried that whoever bought the place would change everything.

  “Autumn, right? What are you doing here?” Chase steps closer, tucking his phone in his jeans pocket.

  I decide not to sugar coat anything and get right to the point. If he’s guilty, I don’t want to spend any more time than I have to in his presence. I clear my throat, which has Josh making strides back to my side. “Allison’s been arrested for murder.”

  Chase nods and his face falls. “My uncle just called and told me, but she didn’t do it.”

  “We know that.” I gesture to Josh and myself then inquire, “How do you know that?”

  “Allison isn’t a killer… of course I’m sure I would be the exception to that rule.” He huffs out a laugh then runs a hand through his hair. “I can’t say I blame her though. I wasn’t a good husband, but I’m working on it. I want to be better. To be here for her. She didn’t do this and I plan to prove it.”

  I quirk an eyebrow. “And how do you plan to do that?”

  He frowns. “I-I don’t know. I haven’t gotten that far yet, but I will. I’ll move heaven and earth to prove her innocence. I don’t care how much money or time it takes.”

  I smile at his words then bite my lip, unsure of how to proceed. I decide to just dive in. “We think Allison knew the guy who was murdered. She seemed shaken. Upset even and not just because it was a dead body. It seemed personal. Not to mention the guy looks almost identical to you… except for the birth mark on his cheek.”

  Chase’s eyes grow wide. “A mark just below his cheek that kind of looks like a clover?”

  I turn to Josh because he got a better look at the guy than I did.

  He nods to confirm Chase’s description. “So, you know the guy?”

  “You’re sure?” Chase asks again. His face is white and he looks about ready to faint.
“It’s right here.” He points to his cheek just below the cheek bone.”

  Josh nods again. “Yes, I checked his pulse. He was shot in the back.”

  Chase staggers back and grabs onto the counter for support. He takes some deep breaths and wipes a few tears from his eyes. “It can’t be him. It just can’t be.”

  “Who?” I ask softly, stepping up to the counter.

  “Wyatt Beck. My best friend. My brother from another mother.”

  “Your best friend?”

  Chase rubs both eyes and straightens. “Yes.” He sniffles and wipes his nose. “We’ve been friends since grade school.”

  “So, he was here to help you get settled?”

  “No. He was here to talk me out of getting ‘settled’.”

  I raise an eyebrow. “Why?”

  “Wyatt was in love with Allison.”

  My jaw drops open. “What?”

  “She was his hair stylist back in Chicago, but he could never get the nerve up to ask her out. He talked about her non-stop to me. The guy was obsessed to say the least.” Chase let’s out an exasperated breath then continues, “My boss bought the salon Allison was working in. I went in to introduce myself to the owner and it was love at first sight… for both of us.” He pauses and gulps before continuing, “I didn’t realize she was ‘his’ Allison until after she and I started dating. By then I was head over heels in love with her and refused to step aside for him We fought. I thought we’d get past it after he saw how happy we were together, but he didn’t. In fact, he went a little crazy.”

  I jerk back in surprise. “Crazy, how?”

  “He sent Allison dead roses every day. He’d show up drunk to her apartment and bang on her door until the cops would have to drag him away. There were hate notes left at the salon. He even vandalized her car. We pressed charges and he was sent to a mental institution and after that, lots of counseling.” Chase sighs and runs a hand over his mouth before continuing, “Allison and I got married in that time and were happy for a little while. She opened her own salon. We bought a house. I purchased a few rental properties. We were even going to have a ba-” He clears this throat then changes the subject. “I started playing at the boats with some of my business investors. It was all downhill from there. We lost everything. Allison left me. I was in a pretty bad place when Wyatt saw me at a bar one night. He got me to rehab and helped me get my life back together. We talked and figured out some stuff. He had my back when no one else did.”

  “So, I’m guessing your move here didn’t make him happy. He’d already lost you once to Allison.”

  Chase sighs and shakes his head. “No. He was angry. He thought seeing Allison would cause me to relapse, but I think it was more than that. I think he was still in love with her.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “I would catch him staring at our wedding picture or smelling her perfume.”

  I lift an eyebrow at him.

  He smirks. “She left a bottle and I didn’t throw it away. I liked seeing it on the counter. It gave me hope that maybe one day she would be back to use it.”

  “Did you ever call Wyatt out on those things?”

  “Wyatt would always laugh it off and tell me how he wished he could have been my best man at our wedding or he was looking for a gift for one of his flings and didn’t know what kind of perfume to buy. I never pushed him on it because he was my best friend and I’d probably be dead if he hadn’t found me when he did. I owe the guy my life.” He sniffles again.

  “Did you know he was in town?”

  “He left me a message saying he had business in town. Something about meeting with a developer then he was coming by to check out my new store, but he never showed. Now I know why.”

  “Were you concerned about him seeing Allison? Or how Allison would react to seeing him?”

  Chase rubs a hand over the back of his neck then nods. “I tried calling him. I told him not to come for fear it would make things with Allison worse. He didn’t know I planned to try and win her back. I kept that part from him. He knew she was from Daysville, but I’m not one hundred percent sure he knew she’d moved back here. We didn’t talk about her. It was a sore subject for both of us.”

  I toy with the end of my braid. “Who was this developer he was meeting?”

  Chase hesitates. “Wyatt was pretty hush-hush about his business dealings especially when it came to this guy.”

  “And why is that?”

  “The only thing Wyatt told me was this guy had big plans for Daysville.”

  I scowl at his words. The thought of someone coming in here and changing the town I love makes my blood boil. A bowling alley coming to town is one thing, but what if someone is going to come in here and build strip malls or, heaven forbid, high rises. I swallow down my emotions and focus back on the case. “Where did you go when you left the spa?”

  He jerks his head back like I slapped him. “Am I a suspect?”

  “Just covering my bases.”

  “Why would I kill Wyatt? He saved my life.”

  “But you said yourself you feared him coming here and causing trouble between you and Allison. Does your love for her trump your friendship with Wyatt?”

  He narrows his eyes at me. “I’ve heard about you. My uncle said you’re some kind of amateur sleuth. That you’ve solved a lot of murders in the past year.”

  I shrug. “Are you going to tell me where you went after leaving the spa or should I go down to the station and tell Travis everything you told me? I’m sure he’d love to interrogate you.”

  Chase scowls, but replies, “My phone rang. It was a vendor. I came back here to check my records and give them my credit card information.”

  “And I’m sure the vendor will verify all of this.”

  His eyes darken and he grits out, “I’ll get you the number.” He scrolls through his phone then jots down the number on a piece of receipt paper before shoving it in my hand. “Here. Clear my name so you can focus on finding the real killer and clearing my wife’s name.”

  I take the paper, feeling kind of guilty for my interrogation tactics, but I can’t leave any stone unturned. “Thanks,” I mumble. “I’ll let you know if I have any other questions.”

  “You do that,” Chase grumbles.

  As Josh and I turn to leave, sirens scream outside.

  5

  “What’s going on?” Chase cranes his neck to see out the front windows, which are covered with a film of dust.

  I ignore his question and hustle out to the street with Josh right on my heels. Lights are flashing down the street so we take off in that direction.

  The air is thick and thunder rumbles above us. The dark clouds look like they could dump buckets at any minute. Sweat breaks out on my forehead as I huff and puff my way down the street. I really need to hit the treadmill more than once a month.

  When we reach the police barricading off the scene, I spot Travis getting his head wrapped with white bandages. My heart nearly stops in my chest. My first thought is Cat. If something happens to Travis, what will happen to her? I know she has Regina, but she needs her dad too.

  I move around the barricade. At this point, they don’t even try to stop me. The captain made it clear, I have free reign when it comes to helping on cases, although we haven’t had a chance to discuss this one yet. Josh grabs my hand and I spin around to face him. I almost bark at him for stopping me, but when I see the worry in his eyes, I pause.

  “I’m going to check on Cat. I think she needs to be with her dad. We’ll close up the spa and meet you at the hospital.”

  I nod and watch him run toward the spa. That man, always thinking of others. How did I get so lucky? I sigh then snap back to reality and turn toward the scene.

  Travis’s SUV is smoking. The front end is smashed in. I’m surprised I didn’t hear the crash from the hardware store. Then I remember Harold put in sound boards, which kept out most sound except for sirens. He wanted to always be able to hear the sirens in
case there was some sort of danger.

  I notice that the door to the backseat is open, but no one’s inside. Immediately, I scan the area for Allison. Is she hurt? When I don’t see her, a sickening feeling starts in my gut. Where is she? I hurry over to Travis. “What happened? Are you alright? Where’s Allison?”

  Travis holds up a hand to silence me then places the other one to his forehead.

  “I think he has a concussion. He was hit pretty hard.” A young blond paramedic says, wrapping another layer of gauze around his head. Her slender fingers move slowly to ensure the wrap is smooth. “I think you should reconsider and go get checked out at the hospital.”

  “Of course, he’s going to the hospital.” I glance at Travis, who doesn’t meet my eyes. “You are going, right?”

  “No,” Travis slurs and tries to stand, but sways.

  I reach out to steady him and so does the petite paramedic, whose name tag reads, Taylor. She must be new in town because I’ve never seen her before today.

  She turns to me and gives me a once over. “Are you his wife?”

  Travis snorts.

  I glare at him. “No.”

  Taylor’s cheeks pink. “Fiancée, then?” She gestures to my ring.

  I shake my head. “No… just a friend. Why?”

  Her cheeks darken. “Um, no reason.” She pauses then continues, “If he refuses to go to the hospital to get checked out, he should probably have someone stay with him.”

  I nod, wondering if she’s volunteering herself for that duty. With the way she’s blushing, I would say she has a little crush. She’s a little young. Maybe late twenties, but cute. I could see them as a couple. I push my match making thoughts aside when I notice blood seeping out from the back of the bandage. “Why is your head bleeding from the back? Didn’t you get hit from the front?”

  Travis blinks his eyes open then closes them again. “I was hit from behind.”

  I smirk. “You must have a concussion because I’m staring at your SUV and the damage is on the front, not the back.”