Nosy Neighbor: All 7 complete Nosy Neighbor cozy mysteries PLUS: 2 short Christmas stories (A Nosy Neighbor mystery)

by Cynthia Hickey

  We ducked and froze.

  “Who is it?” Maryann asked.

  “How should I know? But, if they’re here this late, it can’t be good.”

  “Have I ever mentioned how dangerous being your literary assistant is?”

  “A few times.” I duck-walked to the door and peered into the hall. “I don’t see anyone.”

  “Well, I see you.” A flashlight clicked on and blinded me.

  “That’s rude, Wayne.” I got to my feet. “You scared us.”

  “You shouldn’t be here.” He turned on the office light. “I figured when you weren’t there for dessert that you were up to something. This is the only thing I could think of. What did you find?”

  I pointed out the hole in the floor. “His daughter told us we might find something like that.”

  He retrieved the box. “Did you make copies?”

  “Noooo.” I shook my head at Maryann.

  “Sure, you didn’t.” He shrugged. “Well, you’ll be Matt’s problem tomorrow. He’s coming home.”

  I clapped my hands. “Great. Let’s go.”

  “I want those copies.”

  “I said, I don’t have any.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “Whatever.” I pulled them from under my shirt. “Here. Happy?”

  “Yes.” He grinned and motioned for us to go ahead of him. “I promised Matt I’d keep you out of trouble. You sure make it hard on a guy. Angela is fuming because I left. Now, I’ve got to take these to the station before heading back to your house and turning her frown into a smile.”

  “Just lock them in your trunk. No one knows about them but us.” I winked at Maryann and sailed into the hall. I’d gotten one over on Wayne. My night was complete.

  8

  The next morning, dressed in one of my only suits, black with a scarlet blouse, I headed to the bookstore in Little Rock for my signing. I parked in front of the store and grinned. Standing out front clutching a dozen red roses was my man.

  I turned off the engine, shoved open my door, and ran as fast as my three inch heels would allow. “You’re back.”

  He wrapped his free arm around me and pulled me close, landing his lips on mine. “With flowers.” He straightened and handed me the roses. “Good luck with your signing. There’s a line already forming inside.”

  “I hate these things.” I took the roses and breathed deeply of their sweet scent. “Not the roses, the signing.”

  “I know. That’s why I’m here to give moral support. Maryann is at your table right now making sure you have plenty of books available for purchase. You have five minutes before your signing begins.”

  I slipped my hand in his. “I’d better get moving, then.”

  Sure enough, the line leading to my table was over twenty deep. Whispers and pointing fingers followed me to my assigned seat. I clutched Matt’s hand harder and forced a smile on my face.

  Maryann handed me my favorite signing pen. “Have fun and let me know if I need to get you anything.” She reached under the table and retrieved my favorite coffee, then placed my roses in a crystal vase.

  “You think of everything.”

  “That’s why I quit teaching, and you pay me the big bucks to wait on you hand and foot.” She smiled and stepped to the side.

  My cheeks hurt and my hand started to cramp within half an hour. I did my best to only spend a couple of minutes with each customer, but still those waiting were straining their necks to see around those in front of them. I sighed and held out my hand for the next book.

  “I’m not here to get you to sign anything.”

  I glanced up, my smile fading, and stared into the face of Rachel. “Good morning. If you aren’t here to purchase a book, I’ll have to ask you to step aside.” I motioned for Maryann to find Matt. “Or perhaps, you’d like a complimentary copy.”

  She planted her hands flat on the table and leaned close to my ear. “I want you to step aside and let me have what is mine. If not…well,” she straightened and smiled, “then you’ll find other gifts besides a doll and a darling cat on your doorstep, maybe something three feet tall with curly hair.” With a flip of her hair, she whirled and stalked away.

  Coming toward us at a fast pace was Matt and Maryann. Rachel stopped, grabbed Matt’s face in her hands, and landed a kiss on his lips that looked hot enough to rival the sun.

  Still, it was nothing compared to the heat rising in my face as I struggled to keep my composure and focus on the next customer. The woman had a lot of nerve coming here and threatening me. If it was war she wanted, it was war she would get.

  I forced another smile on my lips and signed a book for a lovely woman named Allison, while Matt forcefully extracted himself from Rachel’s clutches before grabbing her arm and dragging her from the store.

  I no longer had to pretend to smile. I had recognized the look on my fiance’s face and tried not to gloat over the hot water Rachel had just landed in. Oh, to be able to eavesdrop on their conversation. That would be the highlight of my day.

  By the time I’d signed three more books, Matt had returned, jaw clenched, and took up his stance next to my table. The customers cast him wary looks.

  “Don’t mind him,” I said. “He’s a disgruntled bodyguard.”

  “At least he’s handsome,” an elderly woman said. “He could guard me anytime, smiling or not.”

  I laughed. “There is that.”

  Other than a twitch of his lips, Matt pretended not to hear us. He stayed in that position for the next hour of my signing. By the time the last customer had left, I’d signed fifty books and taken orders for many more. I stood and popped the kinks from my back.

  “Okay, handsome bodyguard, come over here and tell me what happened with Rachel.”

  “She’s delusional. She must have been smoking too much loco weed on one of her travels.”

  “But, what did she say?” I tossed my empty paper coffee cup in a nearby trash can.

  He exhaled sharply. “Here is not the place.”

  My blood chilled and I faced him. “I think here is exactly the place.” While no one paid us any attention, whatever bad news Matt had to tell me was better said where I could not make a scene.

  “She has a little girl.”

  My heart stopped.

  “She says the child is mine.”

  I collapsed into my chair. “Is it possible?”

  He shrugged. “It’s possible. The child is three. I told Rachel I’d have to get a paternity test.” He knelt in front of me. “This changes nothing, Stormi. I love you. If the child is mine, I’ll take responsibility, but I’m going to marry you.”

  “I’ve never asked a lot of questions about your past.” I sniffed back tears. “Maybe I should have.”

  “Do you love me?” The look in his eyes almost made me lose my strength and let the tears fall.

  “With all my heart.”

  “Do you trust me?”

  “With every fiber of my being.”

  He pulled me to my feet and into his arms. “Then nothing changes between us.”

  He was right. Rachel was probably lying. “Take me home?”

  “Yes. I’ll tell Maryann I’m riding with you.” He gave me a quick kiss and darted off to find his sister.

  A laugh from behind a display of new releases drew my attention. I turned and faced Rachel, my hands curling into fists.

  “I can tell from the look of devastation on your face that Matt told you our good news.”

  “Go away before I shoot you.” I reached for my purse.

  “Tsk tsk.” She crossed her arms. “I can see the headlines now, Best-Selling Author Murders Customer Inside Book Store.”

  “If your daughter is Matt’s, then why wait until now to tell him?” I plopped my purse on the table. The gun inside made a satisfying clunk.

  Rachel eyed the purse. “Why not? I never thought he was the marrying kind. There seemed to be all the time in the world to give him the news.”

&n
bsp; “Fooled you.” I stood and slung my purse over my shoulder. “Matt will be back any second. I suggest you leave before he sees you. Oh, and Rachel?”

  She raised her eyebrows.

  “Mind yourself. Matt is a very good detective. If you aren’t squeaky clean, and your daughter is his…well, you might find yourself with only visitation rights.” I grinned and sashayed away, my roses cradled in my arms, leaving her with her mouth hanging open.

  I wasn’t normally a spiteful person, but that woman pulled the worst behavior out of me. I found Matt at the front of the store. From the shocked look on Maryann’s face, he’d just broken the news to her.

  She turned a wide-eyed look on me. “Are you all right?”

  “Never better.” I slipped my hand in Matt’s. “Ready?”

  “Yes.” A look of relief crossed his features.

  “No worries, Matt. It will all work out.”

  “I don’t deserve you,” he said.

  “No one does.” I winked at Maryann and led my man to the car. “You drive.” I released his hand and dug the keys from my purse. “I’m going to sit here and finally get to enjoy my roses.”

  Once we were headed north on Interstate 40, I glanced at Matt. “That was the most interesting book signing I’ve ever had.”

  “I’m really sorry, Stormi. I’ve made some mistakes in my life, but I never thought I’d have one like that come back to bite me…us.” He reached over and grabbed my hand.

  “It’s fine. Really. We’ll get through this. If you’re a daddy, well, then, I’m a stepmother.” I chuckled. “I threatened Rachel with removal of the child and you gaining custody if she didn’t shape up.”

  “You what?” His eyes widened.

  “I know it was petty, but it felt good at the time.”

  “You are full of surprises.”

  “So are you.” I grinned and gave his hand a squeeze, then settled back in my seat for the hour drive home.

  Rachel’s news might have taken me by surprise, shocked me to my core, rocked my world, but I was strong. The love between Matt and me wasn’t something a spiteful woman could easily destroy. Child or not, we’d be just fine.

  Somewhere along the drive, I fell asleep. The next thing I knew we were pulling up in front of my house and Matt was shaking me awake. “It doesn’t look as if your nephew went to school today.”

  I glanced at the front porch and groaned. Dakota sat on the swing, laptop in his lap. “He’s taking the death of Mr. Dixon very hard. Seems to think he needs to spend all of his time hacking into the man’s computer system.”

  “School is more important at his age.” Matt exited the car and came around to open my door. “Do you want me to talk to him?”

  “Would you? I’ve already tried. He fancies himself my tech guy, even wants a salary, and won’t listen to the fact I said to go to school.”

  “Why don’t you put those flowers away and I’ll talk to him. Detective to delinquent boy.”

  He helped me from the car.

  “Nice.” I gave Dakota a stern look on my way inside and headed for the kitchen.

  On the counter sat the remains of Mom’s famous chocolate cake. Having missed dessert the night before because of snooping, I cut Matt and I a slice, poured two glasses of milk, and sat down to wait.

  I didn’t have to wait long. A contrite Dakota and his soon-to-be uncle joined me.

  “He won’t be missing school in the future,” Matt said. “Go ahead and cut him a slice of that cake.”

  I nodded and slid Dakota my slice, then got up and cut myself another. “I’m glad to hear it.”

  “It isn’t fair, but I don’t want to have to go to court for truancy or have my Mom find out.” Dakota dug into the cake. “But,” he pointed his fork at me, “the things I’m finding out. Once you show me the list of his clients, I’ll be able to solve this case.”

  “What list?” Matt glanced at me. “The one Wayne had you turn over to him? How many copies did you make?”

  “One question at a time, please.” I took my time getting my cake and milk. “Yes, those copies. I knew he would know I’d made a copy, so I made two and Maryann hid them in her shirt. I have no intentions of giving them to Dakota.”

  “There are some very influential names on that list, Stormi.” Matt shook his head. “Names that will go to great lengths to keep their secrets.”

  “Even kill?”

  He sighed. “Yes, even kill.”

  9

  After a restless night’s sleep, I sat in front of my laptop and searched the names on Dixon’s client list. There were several influential business owners, some suburban housewives, even a local celebrity or two. Which of them would kill to keep Dixon quiet?

  I tossed the papers on the desk next to my computer. After Rachel’s bombshell the day before, concentration was in short supply. Much like my sleep the night before.

  I smiled as Midnight grabbed Sadie’s tail and wrapped his body around it. Sadie looked up at me with big brown eyes. I scratched behind her ears. “It’s okay, girl. He won’t hurt you.”

  Wait a minute. I grabbed the sheets of names and dashed to the foyer. Grabbing my purse, I shoved the papers inside, set the front door alarm, and rushed to my car. If anyone knew anything about these names, it might be Norma. After all, her clientele might once have been some of these very people.

  When I arrived at the coffee shop, Tyler waved me back to Norma’s office. I knocked, then entered at her invitation.

  “Why don’t you sit out there anymore?” I asked, sitting across from her.

  “I hate accounting. Unless numbers are going into my bank account, I have no use for them.” She closed her laptop. “I’m going to hire an accountant. I’ve been too cheap to fork out the expense, but if I don’t want to pull my hair out, it’s time. I don’t want my customers to see me in a foul mood. What’s up?”

  I explained about finding the papers at Dixon’s house and slid them across to her. “I’m hoping you might know some of these people.”

  “A prostitute doesn’t…you know…and tell.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

  “You aren’t a prostitute anymore. Besides, weren’t you more of a high-class call girl?”

  “Semantics.” She perched a cute pair of red-wire frame glasses on her nose and studied the pages. “Yes, I know several of these people. I think you can discount the wives spying on cheating husbands. I’d focus on these names.” She took a pencil and checked off a few. “If anyone is capable of murder, these have the most to lose if they were doing something dirty.”

  “Thanks.” I took the pages back as Tyler brought me my usual frozen mocha concoction. “I’m thinking of telling them that as a PI, Dixon was asking me to join his organization. Now that he’s dead, I’ll be taking over.”

  “You do like to walk a dangerous line.” She shook her head. “I wish you’d give this up and focus on your writing. Hey.” She grinned. “I’ve started writing a book. Now that our local erotica writer has left town, someone needs to take up the pen, so to speak. I’m taking your cue of writing about real-life events. Namely…my former profession. I’ll change the names, of course.”

  “Now, who’s walking dangerously? Some of the same people in your book are on my list.”

  “True, but you aren’t changing names, and I’m not coming face-to-face with them.”

  I changed tactics and told her about Rachel. “I’ve put on a smile, but I’m not feeling happy about it at all.”

  “I don’t blame you. That’s a knock to the head for sure.”

  “It’ll all work out. I love Matt enough to deal with whatever comes.” I stood. “Thanks for your help. Let me take a look at your book when it’s finished. If it’s any good, I’ll send it to my agent. But,” I gave her a stern look, “I’ll be brutally honest.”

  “That’s how I want you to be.” She grinned. “Go interrogate and leave me to the torture of accounting.”

  “Have fun.” I closed the door after me and head
ed outside.

  I stood on the sidewalk and contemplated turning over the new information to Matt and Wayne, but experience had taught me people were more likely to talk to me than the police. What I needed now was a plan of attack. Maybe Greta could help. She was an ex-cop. Surely, she had tips I could use.

  I glanced both ways before crossing the street and caught sight of Mrs. Rogers, my neighbor and on again off again nemesis pointing a finger in Dakota’s face. I sighed. Ditching school again. Maybe a trip to the High School would be my first plan of attack. I headed their way.

  “What’s up?” I crossed my arms and glared at my nephew.

  “It’s early release day,” Dakota said.

  I glanced at my watch. “At ten a.m.?”

  “Your delinquent nephew is ditching.” Mrs. Rogers scowled. “I watch all that goes on in our neighborhood and he’s been missing a lot of school.”

  “Perhaps you would like to take over the Neighborhood Watch program. You’re good at keeping tabs on everyone,” I said.

  “Maybe I will. You haven’t done such a fine job keeping out the riff-raff.”

  “Because I don’t have the help I need.” My next door neighbors, the Salazars, used to help me, but they’ve been on an extended vacation. Rusty, my simple-minded gardener, has also been out of the picture due to a family reunion in another state. “I’ll start it back up if you’ll sign up for one night a week. Unless roaming the streets at night frightens you.”

  “What scares me is what goes on in your den of inequity.” She huffed and turned away. “I’ll take Mondays and Wednesdays. Someone needs to take the initiative around here.”

  “As long as you don’t start handing out a petition again to drive me and my family out of town, then you’re welcome.” I grabbed Dakota’s arm, not trusting him to leave with the old woman. “We’re heading to the station to talk with your mother.”

  “She’s going to flip out.”

  “As she should.”

  I marched him to my car, then drove us to the station.

  Angela scowled the moment we walked in the door. “Why is he out of school?”

  “He’s been ditching since Mr. Dixon died.”