A Bitter Sweet Murder (A Chocolate Centered Cozy Mystery Book 3)

by Cindy Bell

  “That’s the new homicide detective, Ballantine,” Luke whispered in her ear as he looked at a man walking towards them. He remained by her side as the investigation continued. When the detective walked up to them, Luke stepped slightly in front of Ally.

  “This is your car, ma’am?” The detective was a short man with a round stomach and an ample amount of brown curls.

  “Yes.”

  “And you say you were staying at Bella Hotel in Mainbry and that the valet parked your car which now has a dead body in it?”

  “Yes.” Ally leaned a little closer to Luke. “I have no idea how this happened.”

  “Well, maybe when you come down to the station with me, things will be a little clearer,” Ballantine threatened. Luke moved in front of her.

  “Why do you need to take her down to the station? She is cooperating with you.”

  “Look Elm, this isn’t your case.” The detective scowled at him. “And you will never be on it now we know you have a conflict of interest.”

  “I know.” Luke clenched his jaw.

  “Then why are you here?”

  Luke dropped his gaze for a moment. He tightened his lips as he looked back up at the man. “It’s obvious she didn’t know the victim was in her trunk. Why would she call it in? Why would she have these boxes stacked up to go in the trunk? How could she even physically get him in the trunk?”

  “A lot of things about this situation don’t make sense, Elm. Right now, I’m trying to figure out how you fit in.”

  Luke’s posture tensed. “I’m here because Ally called me. I called it in to the police department and then came to offer support.”

  Ally reached into her pocket for her phone. “Here, just call Denise, the food and beverage manager at the hotel. She’ll confirm that I was there, why I was there. Really, that’s all you have to do.” Ally’s voice shook as she tried to reason with the detective.

  “That’s going to magically make the dead body disappear?” Ballantine took the phone from her. “I don’t think you understand the situation here, Ms. Sweet. You are the last person who had contact with this man.”

  “No, I’m not, I’m certainly not. I mean, I only saw him in the early evening, and then not again after that.”

  “Ally, careful.” Charlotte stepped up beside her. “There’s no need to explain yourself without a lawyer. You had nothing to do with this.”

  “Mee-Maw, I am telling the truth. There’s no reason to hide that.”

  “You’re absolutely right.” The detective looked towards Charlotte with a withering glare. “Unless there’s something that you’re afraid she’ll say.”

  “I don’t trust you not to take what she says and twist it.” Charlotte met his eyes boldly. “She has the right to a lawyer.”

  “You think she needs one?” The detective smirked. “That’s good to know. You send one on down to the station to meet us there.”

  “That’s not necessary.” Luke cleared his throat. “You’re new here, Ballantine. I might not be able to pull rank on you, but I have connections in this town and advise that you listen to my opinion. I know what you’re doing, and there’s no need to strong arm her. She’s been traumatized by this. She lives here and operates a business here. She is not a flight risk. There is no reason to take her into custody.”

  “Simmer down there, young stallion.” Ballantine laughed so loud that a bit of spit flew out of his mouth. “No one said anything about custody. I was looking forward to a friendly conversation.” His laughter faded as abruptly as it started. “Are you threatening me, Detective?”

  Luke looked away from him and grimaced. “No Sir. I just think that this is a delicate situation that should be handled in a delicate manner.”

  “Sure. She looks real delicate.” Ballantine winked at Ally. Ally shied back closer to Luke. She was certain he had stepped out of line by speaking to Ballantine that way, but she was impressed by his boldness. Luke glared at him in response to his comment. “Elm, I’m not going to take her in right now. I’m going to leave her under your watchful eye. That doesn’t mean that I won’t arrest her if her story doesn’t check out. Make sure she doesn’t go missing, understand?”

  “Yes Sir.” Luke nodded. Ally had to bite into her bottom lip to keep from telling the detective what she thought of him. She was grateful that she wasn’t cuffed, but not happy with his attitude towards her or Luke.

  “If you want me to come down to the station I will.” She pulled away from Luke. “I have nothing to hide.”

  “No, you won’t.” Luke grabbed her by the hand and held it tight. “This is fine. He’ll check things out, and you’ll be fine, Ally.”

  Detective Ballantine’s phone buzzed. He handed Ally back her phone while he checked his own.

  “Oops, it looks like it might not be up to me much longer. Mainbry is likely to take over the case since it’s believed the murder took place at the hotel. However, I’m sure there will be a bit of go-between.” He looked up at Luke. “Don’t expect special treatment for your delicate friend here from the Mainbry homicide detective. They’re pretty by the book.”

  “I know.” Luke nodded and watched him as he walked away. Ally was very aware that his hand was still grasping hers.

  “Luke, you didn’t have to do that. You don’t have to stand up for me.”

  He turned to look at her, his expression grim. “I did what I thought was right, Ally. You have to trust me on these things. The moment he had you in an interrogation room I wouldn’t have been able to help you. As long as you are out, we have options.”

  “Options?” Ally searched his eyes.

  “We don’t need to worry about that now.” He turned her towards the cottage. “Let’s go inside while they process the crime scene.”

  “No Luke, I don’t want to go inside. I have to go back to the hotel. I have to talk to Denise.” She turned towards Charlotte. “Mee-Maw, can I take the van?”

  “Wait a second, you’re not going anywhere.” Luke crossed his arms.

  “What?” Ally spun around to look at him. “Luke, there was a dead man in my trunk. I have to find out what really happened, and fast. What if they come back for me?”

  “Hey, you don’t have to worry. All right?” Luke met her eyes. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

  “Thank you, Luke, but the last thing I need right now is a babysitter.” Ally turned back to Charlotte who held out the keys to the van. Luke intercepted them and took them right out of Charlotte’s hand.

  “Sorry Ally, but that’s exactly what you have. Until we know more about what happened here, you’re stuck with me.”

  “Luke.” She looked into his eyes.

  “Ally.” He quirked his brow. She sighed.

  “Well, then come with me. I’ll even let you drive.”

  “I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Ally. The hotel is going to be crawling with investigators. Let’s just give it a little time. All right? Let’s go inside for a few minutes and think this through.”

  “All right, but not for long. I want to get ahead of this before it gets out of control.”

  “Ally, it’s under control.” Charlotte patted her back. “Don’t worry we’ll figure this out.”

  Chapter Four

  Luke opened the door to the cottage for both Ally and her grandmother. Once inside, Ally began to pace. She couldn’t stop herself from moving as she felt a strong urge to run. Peaches lay on the couch and Arnold lay on the rug. They both watched her as if sensing she needed room.

  “Luke, let me get you some tea. We’ll let Ally calm down for a few minutes, okay?” Charlotte looked past him and met Ally’s eye. Ally nodded. Luke followed after Charlotte into the kitchen. As soon as he was gone, Ally reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She dialed Denise’s number. With every ring she grew more anxious.

  “Hello, this is Denise.”

  “Denise, it’s Ally. Listen to me, the police are on the way there to question you. I found D
ustin dead in the trunk of my car.” She stumbled over her words as she spoke too fast to make herself clear.

  “What? Dustin’s dead? Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “But why was he in your trunk? Ally, what is going on?”

  “I don’t know, Denise. But you have to know I had nothing to do with this. I would never hurt anyone.”

  “I do know that. I do, Ally, of course. But how can this be happening?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m going to have to figure it out and I think I need your help. Someone murdered Dustin and put him in my trunk for a reason. It must be personal.”

  “I’m sure the police can get to the bottom of it.”

  “I’m not so sure. Unfortunately, I think they already feel they have. They think I was involved. My friend, Luke, is the only reason I’m not down at the station right now.”

  “Oh Ally, that can’t be true. There’s no way they can prove you did something that you didn’t do.”

  “I can’t take the risk. I need to try and find out the truth myself. This is serious. And there’s something else.” Ally paused a moment and took a breath. “Dustin was wrapped in your jacket, Denise. The one that you had on yesterday. How could that be?”

  “What? Really?” She paused for a moment. “I don’t know. I really don’t. It had a stain on it so I left it in the laundry last night before I went home. Do you think the police will know it’s mine?”

  “I’m not sure, but they will probably find out. I’m worried. I just didn’t want you to be surprised when the police arrived.”

  “Oh Ally, they’re here, I have to go.”

  “Denise?” She winced as the line cut off.

  “Ally? What are you doing? Who were you talking to?” Luke set down his cup of tea on the coffee table as Ally hung up the phone.

  “Denise.” Her breath escaped her as she saw the frustration in his expression.

  “What? Why would you call her? Are you trying to make this easy on Ballantine?”

  “I just didn’t want her to be surprised by the police.” Ally shrugged and looked away. “What’s the problem?”

  “You shouldn’t have done that, Ally.”

  “She had to hang up because the police were there to talk to her. I’ll call her back in a few minutes and see how it went.”

  “Ally!” Luke took her phone out of her hand. “Are you ever going to trust me enough to listen to my advice?”

  Startled by his frustration, Ally took a step back. “I’m sorry, I’m a little out of it, Luke. I didn’t mean to upset you. Why is a phone call such a big deal?”

  “The problem is that now you are conspiring with someone at the hotel. Ally, can’t you see that you have to be careful right now? You can’t just do whatever you want.” Luke ran his hand back through his hair and groaned. “This is just getting worse. These things have a way of snowballing, you have to calculate your every move.”

  “Luke, I didn’t kill Dustin, so I shouldn’t have anything to worry about.”

  “I wish that were the case, Ally. But someone put that body in your trunk. Someone is probably trying to frame you.” He balled his hands into fists. “I don’t tell you things for no reason, Ally. You have to let me protect you, or you’re going to end up in jail.”

  “That’s why I want to go to the hotel, to find out what really happened, Luke. I know that you want to protect me, but I know that will only go so far.”

  “I know you’re scared, but this is not the time to make any mistakes. Look, the truth is, me meeting you at the carwash makes it look like I might have helped you hide the evidence. We’re in this together, and I need to know that you’re as interested in protecting me as I am in protecting you.” He sighed and handed her back her phone. “I’m sorry I just want you to be careful.”

  “No, you’re right.” Ally tightened her grip on her phone. “I can’t think clearly about anything right now. All I want to do is go to that hotel and find out the truth. Am I really supposed to sit here and wait to see what happens? What if they find some reason to think that I am responsible for his death?”

  “We can only take it one step at a time. We don’t have any control over what happens next.”

  “I do.” Ally stared into his eyes. “Luke, I don’t want to go against your wishes. I respect you, and your experience, you know that. But this is my life we’re talking about. I don’t want to go to prison.”

  “Ally, I’m not going to let that…”

  “But you can’t stop it, can you?” Ally shook her head. “If they find more evidence, which they might if someone is framing me, they’re not going to hesitate to blame me for the murder. Then it will be too late. I have to go down there and find out something, anything, that will clear my name.”

  Luke reached out and ran his hands along the curve of her shoulders. “Try to calm down. You’re talking about interfering with an investigation and putting yourself at even more risk.”

  “I am calm.” Ally stepped back from him. “If you really thought about this you’d see that it’s my only option. I have no alibi, I was alone in my hotel room, the body was in my car. What jury is going to believe that I’m innocent?”

  “But you have no motive, there’s no reason for you to have killed Dustin.”

  “That doesn’t mean much. Does it, Luke? How many people have you put behind bars that had no motive?”

  “Ally.” He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

  “You know I’m right, Luke. This might be my only chance to clear my name. I’ll just go…”

  “You’re not going anywhere.” He opened his eyes again and stepped towards her in the same moment. “Not without me.”

  “I can’t ask you to put yourself at even more risk, Luke.”

  “My reputation is on the line here, too. If this is what you’re determined to do, then I will go with you. But you have to understand that if you get caught, the consequences could be dire. You might be arrested on the spot.”

  Ally looked away at the thought. “I know. But I need to get to the bottom of this, before it’s too late.”

  “All right. Then you and I will go together to the hotel. I want you to promise me that you’re not going to try to go off on your own. Can you do that?” He met her eyes.

  “Yes, I promise.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes Luke. Please can we go?”

  His jaw rippled and he looked up at the ceiling. She could tell that he was going against his instincts. “Yes, let’s go. We’ll take my car.”

  “Be careful, please.” Charlotte stepped into the living room. Ally assumed she was listening from the hall.

  “I suppose you think this is a good idea, too?” Luke asked.

  “You can’t leave your fate to other people, Luke. She’s right. The situation isn’t good, and the more information we have the better off you will both be. I don’t want Ally to be in danger any more than you do, but I think she needs to take action now. Before it’s too late, don’t you think?”

  Luke lowered his eyes and nodded. “I guess you’re right.”

  “Just be careful.” Charlotte patted his chest. “I don’t want you to get in trouble, Luke, and I want both of you to come back unscathed.”

  “Mee-Maw, we’ll be fine.”

  “We’ll be careful.” Luke nodded.

  Chapter Five

  Luke led Ally out of the cottage and to his car. He opened the trunk and took out two pairs of sunglasses and two baseball caps. He handed them to Ally.

  “So we can be a bit incognito.” He winked.

  “Always prepared.” Ally smiled as they got into the car.

  Luke started the car. As they drove down the road towards Mainbry, Ally found it hard not to fidget. After a few minutes of silence she looked over at Luke.

  “I’m sorry, you know. I really am. I never would have involved you in this.”

  “Don’t say that.” He looked over at her, then back at the road.<
br />
  “Why?”

  “Because it’s not your fault. I expect you to involve me in anything that puts you at risk. Ally, I know we haven’t known each other that long, maybe that’s why you don’t understand that when I say I’m here for you I mean it. It’s not just something I say.” He turned a corner and then looked over at her again. Ally’s cheeks burned as she looked down at her hands.

  Ally’s attention was drawn by the large amount of police cars in the parking lot of the hotel. Luke drove past. He parked at the grocery store a few blocks down from the hotel.

  “Maybe you were right, Luke. How are we going to get past all of those officers?”

  “There’s always a back way.” They each put on a pair of sunglasses and a baseball cap. Ally tucked her long, brown hair into the cap. She was surprised at how well the caps and sunglasses hid their features. They stepped out of the car. “Just try to act casual.” He slid his hand into hers without hesitation. Ally glanced over at him, but his eyes remained trained on the sidewalk. As they walked towards the hotel, Luke tilted his head towards the building.

  “I want you to tell me everything that happened when you arrived.”

  “I gave my keys to the valet. I didn’t want to. I asked him if I could just park it somewhere, but he insisted. So, I gave him my keys and overnight bag. Then as I was walking into the hotel, I almost bumped into Dustin. He introduced himself and took me to Denise.”

  “Did he mention anything else to you that might have stood out?” Luke steered her along a maintenance driveway that led to a rear door of the hotel.

  “He said he was spending the night at the hotel to test out the security.”

  “Hm.” Luke quirked a brow. “Guess it wasn’t great.”

  “I guess not.” Ally paused when Luke held up his hand to her. He opened the maintenance door a crack so that he could peer into the hotel. “All clear,” he said softly and gestured for her to step inside. “Anything else you can remember? Anything Denise mentioned?”