Sage Gardens Cozy Mystery Series Box Set Volume 1 (Books 1 - 4)

by Cindy Bell

“Thanks,” Samantha said with appreciation.

  “I’ll let you know if I find anything,” he said. “But I don’t like my chances. I promise I’ll tell you if I find anything, you just make sure you get some rest.”

  “All right. You make sure you do, too.”

  “I will,” he agreed.

  Eddy’s watched as Samantha walked away. His muscles were still tense from attacking Abe. When he had seen Abe in Walt's bedroom, his protective instincts had gone through the roof. He hated the idea that Abe might have hurt his friends. It was not something he could let go of easily.

  Once Samantha had turned towards her villa Eddy stepped back inside to check on Walt.

  “Are you doing okay?” Eddy asked him. Walt sat down on the easy chair in his living room and stared. He looked dazed.

  “I think so. I have to say that's the closest I've ever come to a home invasion and I hope I never experience it again.” He scowled. “I thought it would be fine since we all planned for it to happen, but it really wasn't.”

  “It's violating.” Eddy nodded. “I know the feeling. But it will ease with a little time. The important thing is that nobody got hurt.”

  “Yes, you're right,” Walt agreed with relief.

  “Do you want to come to my place until the officers finish up?” Eddy offered. “You could catch a nap.”

  “No, that's okay. I'll wait until they're done. There's going to be a lot of straightening up to do.” He gulped as one of the officers accidentally knocked over a carefully organized stack of magazines.

  “All right then, I'm going to head out. Just let me know if there's anything that you need.” He shook Walt's hand. “You did a great job.”

  Walt smiled in return. Then his gaze shifted back to the disarray that was occupying his mind.

  Chapter 20

  Samantha couldn't just sit in her villa. She had tried to sleep for hours, but found it impossible. Her mind kept returning to the thought of Abe sitting in his wheelchair, watching Joel and Anna's house. He had given up everything in his life for the con. He had made sure that he never made a mistake. All of the freedoms that most people took for granted, he gave up willingly, because he wanted money.

  Early the next morning she decided to go for a walk by the lake to try and relax.

  As she neared the lake Eddy walked towards her. “How are you doing, Sam?”

  “I honestly don't know,” Samantha said hesitantly. “There have been many times that I've researched crimes that went unpunished, but this is the first time I personally know someone is getting away with murder, and there is nothing I can do about it.”

  “Anna didn't actually kill him,” Eddy pointed out. “That was all Abe's decision.”

  “I know,” she said thoughtfully. “But she did have an influence on his decision. Anyway, it doesn't matter now, does it?” she added as she shook her head. “She's gotten away with it, and there's nothing that we can do about that.”

  “Oh, there might be a little something that can be done.” Eddy raised an eyebrow with a mischievous smirk.

  “What do you mean?” Samantha asked with surprise.

  “Well, that’s why I came to see you. I got a call from Chris and he found out that from what Abe told the police they have decided to further investigate Anna’s involvement in the murder. Of course it will depend on what they can dig up, but trust me, Anna's luck is going to run out, and soon.” He reached up and tipped his fedora slightly forward on his head. “There is no perfect crime, Samantha, at least not when we're around.”

  Samantha smiled at him. As they walked back down the hill towards the water, the tall grass swayed slowly as if beckoning to them. The familiar sound of the birds chirping and the glistening, blue lake made her feel at peace. Samantha felt that Sage Gardens was safe once again. She had never felt more at home.

  The End

  Ties Can Be Deadly

  Sage Gardens Cozy Mystery Book 4

  Chapter 1

  Eddy fumbled with his wallet. His thumbs were a source of frustration. It was as if they had lost some of their sensation over the years. When he tried to use them they tended to fail him. With a grunt of disapproval he managed to get his license out of his wallet. The young brunette behind the desk knew him by sight, but he didn’t like to be treated differently. He knew the rules said that he had to show his identification when he withdrew funds, so that was what he did, every single time. Perhaps it was his past career as a police detective that made him such a stickler. He just felt rules were rules for a reason. Of course when he was wearing a badge he didn’t always feel that way.

  There were four people in line ahead of Eddy. He had waited for at least twenty minutes so far. His right knee ached. He shifted his feet and tapped his driver’s license against his palm. It was unusual that there was only one teller at the desk at midday on a Friday. He would have avoided the bank rush hour, but whenever he visited in the past the line moved quickly.

  Eddy considered himself a patient man. Others had commented on his short temper over the years, but he never really bought it. He got angry when the situation demanded it. If people would do what they were supposed to he wouldn’t get so angry. Now he was losing his patience. Not because he had to wait so long, but because the brunette behind the desk looked frazzled. Eddy had been served by her many times and she was always very courteous. It was clear from the tension in her expression that she was very stressed by the fact that she was alone with so many customers to deal with. People began to grumble and complain.

  The pretty, young woman looked as if she might cry. It really bothered Eddy when he saw someone being treated unfairly. He glanced around the bank in search of another teller. He noticed that there were three men in a glass-walled office to the side of the desk. The office was behind a secure door. He glared through the glass as if his displeasure could be communicated through the heaviness of his stare. He thought about waving to the men to try and get their attention. Then he noticed a gleam of something in one of the men’s hands. At first he thought his eyes had to be tricking him. Maybe he was seeing something that wasn’t there. What were the chances that he could be right about what he thought that was? Then he looked back at the brunette behind the counter. She looked past all of the other customers, straight to him. She met his eyes. Eddy stared at her for a long moment. She shook her head just enough for him to see. He knew then that he was right.

  The gleam that he saw was the barrel of a gun. The reason why there weren’t more tellers at the desk was because the bank was in the middle of a hold-up. Eddy had investigated his share of those during his career as a police officer. However, he had never come across one where the bank continued to function as if it was a regular business day. It was genius really. The robbers could be in and out without anyone suspecting a thing. By the time the alarm was set off there wouldn’t be a chance of the police catching them.

  Eddy felt his chest tighten with rage. All he wanted to do was take out a little cash to buy Samantha a birthday present. Instead he was thrust into the midst of a bank robbery. How could he ignore that? All of the grumbling people in line ahead of him were in grave danger. All of the bank employees were as well. He couldn’t just ignore that.

  The person in the front of the line finally completed his transaction. He turned around and walked out of the bank. Eddy tried to catch his attention. He was going to mention to the man to alert the authorities, but the man refused to even look in his direction. That was how it was in modern times, no one even bothered to look at each other. It irked Eddy, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it. He knew that things could change, and fast. As long as there was an armed robber inside the bank anything could happen. He looked around at the other people in line and tried to make eye contact to see if any of them were concerned. He thought about turning around and leaving to get help, but he didn’t want to leave these people alone.

  Eddy’s heart began to pound. He presumed that he was the only customer who had noticed what w
as happening in the glass office. His gaze swept the line in front of him. The potential hostages were great. An elderly woman, a man with a young boy hanging on his hand, and a young woman likely not yet in her twenties. Eddy looked back at the glass office. The man holding the gun had his back to the glass. Eddy couldn’t tell much about him aside from his build. The other men in the room looked a little frantic. Whatever they were discussing was escalating quickly.

  For a split second Eddy thought about drawing his weapon. But then he remembered that he didn’t have his gun anymore. He wanted to do something, but he did not want to put anyone at risk. If he tried something and it didn’t work bullets might start flying and people were going to die. The father and son were at the front of the line now. Eddy could hear the little boy pleading for a lollipop. Then he heard the sound of the door on the glass office opening. The armed man stepped out behind the desk. His face was obscured by a cap and dark glasses. He raised his weapon for all to see.

  “Lock that door!” He barked at the security guard.

  Eddy’s head spun. He had hoped that things would end peacefully, but it was clear from the anger in the robber’s voice that something had gone wrong. Eddy wasn’t sure what to do next. He could confront the robber and risk people getting hurt, or he could obey his commands.

  “All of you, on the ground with your hands in the air. No funny business.” He pointed the gun at the people in line. The little boy giggled as if he thought it was a game. His father cupped his hand around his mouth and pulled him down to his knees beside him. Eddy got angry, this was a moment the little boy might never forget. He glared at the robber. The pretty teller behind the counter met his eyes again. This time there were tears in hers. Eddy tried to think of how he could subdue the robber. He knew he had to be smart about the situation and not let his temper override his caution.

  “Do you want me to hurt these people?” The robber waved his gun around as he directed his question to one of the men that had come out of the office. “All you have to do is give me the money.” The man who the robber was talking to looked scared. “Now!”

  Eddy was struck by the fact that there appeared to be only one robber. In his experience bank robbers almost always worked with partners, many times in groups. The fact that there was only one armed man made him very vulnerable. But Eddy could tell that he was also intelligent. He remained very close to the little boy. If Eddy tried something the boy might get hurt. Eddy gritted his teeth. He placed his wallet that he still held in his hand on the floor beside him. He kept his gaze focused on the teller behind the counter. She was shaking like a leaf caught in a windstorm, but she held back her tears. Eddy wished he understood how to use his cell phone better. He might be able to discretely call for help.

  As the bank robber held up his gun the bank manager said in a trembling voice, “Please, don’t hurt anyone.”

  “Like I said just get me all of the cash. No dye packs. All I want is money. Nobody has to die.” He punctuated his words by pointing his gun directly at the bank manager’s head. The man grimaced and nodded. Once the money had been collected, Eddy’s gut twisted. He knew if the man was going to shoot, now would be the time. He instinctively slid his hand up his hip to where his gun would have been holstered, but there was no gun there.

  “Like I said, nobody has to die. Just let me leave.” He stepped out from behind the desk and began to walk towards the door. The security guard that had locked the door when he was instructed to, ducked out of the way of the robber. “Unlock it.” The robber pointed at the door with his weapon. Eddy jumped up. He saw his chance. He was going to tackle him from behind.

  “Don’t!” The security guard spoke up. The robber spun around to face Eddy with his gun pointed at him.

  “Don’t be a hero, you old fool!” He tightened his grip on the gun.

  Eddy raised his hands to show submission. The robber turned and fled out of the bank without ever firing a single shot. Eddy was relieved that no one had been hurt, but annoyed that the man had escaped. He felt that familiar adrenaline rush that had assaulted him anytime he had chased after a suspect.

  “Why did you do that?” Eddy demanded as he ran past the guard. The guard appeared to be in shock. He was armed, but didn’t even attempt to go after the robber. Eddy shook his head and ran out onto the sidewalk. He no longer felt the stiffness in his knee or the exhaustion from waiting in line. His adrenaline was pumping. But the moment he stepped outside, he heard the screech of tires. A car sped off down the street. Eddy couldn’t even catch the license plate as it took off too fast.

  “Gone,” he mumbled. He reached for his radio to call in the robbery, only to be reminded once again that he no longer wore a radio, that he was no longer an active police officer. He heard screeching sirens in the distance that alerted him to the fact that someone had called the police. He felt miserable as he stepped back inside the bank. The pretty brunette offered the little boy an assortment of lollipops. He shook his head and clung to his father. Eddy scowled in the direction of the security guard who talked with the bank manager. He was tempted to leave before the police arrived, but he knew that every witness mattered.

  There was a smattering of conversation between the other people at the bank. Eddy realized that he must have had a foul expression on his face because not a single one of them approached him. He looked over at the teller. She stared at the door as if she was looking for someone or something. Her hands were clenched together so tightly that he could see the skin on her knuckles turning white. Eddy started to walk over to her, but before he could reach her, the doors of the bank burst open.

  The entire lobby flooded with police officers. Eddy raised his hands cautiously. One of the officers approached him with a stern look in his eyes.

  The officer eyed Eddy for a moment, then broke into a wide smile.

  Eddy was a little surprised by his reaction until he saw a familiar face walk through the door. Detective Brunner, a young detective that he knew from a previous case he had gotten mixed up in and who he had occasionally given advice to.

  “Eddy, can’t say that I’m surprised to find you here.”

  “What do you mean by that?” Eddy frowned.

  “I mean that this is the first bank robbery in this town in over ten years, and you are a witness.” Detective Brunner shook his head. “It just seems fitting to me I suppose.”

  Eddy sighed with remorse. “A lot of good it did for me to be here.”

  “I’m sure that you had a clear grasp of the situation and the risks involved. It says a lot to me that everyone survived, Eddy. Too many times people play cowboy when there are lives at risk.”

  “I guess you’re right.” Eddy wasn’t convinced. He felt ancient as the young cops milled about taking statements from the witnesses. He guessed that each one judged him for the fact that he did not handle the situation or at least stop the robber from escaping.

  “Wait here for me,” Detective Brunner instructed. “I’ll be back to get your statement shortly.”

  “Sure,” Eddy agreed even though what he really wanted to do was get out of there. Eddy watched as Detective Brunner went to speak to one of the officers. Eddy felt like he was in a bit of a daze as he watched him. He was still trying to process what had just happened. Eddy noticed the teller talking to a police officer. She was still shaking.

  “Sorry about the wait, Eddy,” Detective Brunner apologized. “Can you tell me what happened?” He asked as he pulled out his notepad and pen.

  “To be honest I was standing in line for some time before I even realized that a crime was taking place. This guy was clever.”

  “And how did you notice what happened?”

  “Well, usually there are more tellers at the counter. That was the first thing that made me feel like something wasn’t right. I looked towards the office, to see if the manager noticed the line. I saw the other tellers in there with the manager and another man. I noticed that the other man had a gun in his hand. Then he revealed h
imself.”

  “The security guard said you went after the suspect.” Detective Brunner looked him in the eyes. “That was risky.”

  “I didn’t catch him, I’m not even sure what I would have done if I did. He disappeared around the corner then sped off in a car. I didn’t even get the plate.” Eddy shook his head. “I guess I’m not as quick as I used to be.”

  “Do you remember any details about the suspect? Could you give a description to a sketch artist?” Detective Brunner looked hopeful.

  “No, I’m sorry. He had a cap and dark glasses on, I couldn’t really see his face. He was white, stocky, probably about six feet tall, brown hair.”

  “That’s good. That’s a good start.” Brunner nodded. Eddy suspected that he was trying to make him feel better. He had given the detective absolutely no evidence to work with.

  “Have you ever seen a case like this before? I mean if I hadn’t seen the gun I wouldn’t even have known the bank was being robbed,” Eddy said.

  “Actually, it was only after the manager refused to unlock the vault that the suspect started threatening the hostages. I think if the manager had complied, the suspect might have left without the customers ever knowing,” Detective Brunner explained.

  “That would have been an interesting robbery.” Eddy couldn’t stop thinking about whether he could have done more to stop the robbery. “I hope that you’re able to catch him.”

  “We’re going to do our best to do just that. Just lay low for a while, Eddy. Whoever did this is still on the loose, and I’d hate for you to be in any danger.”

  “Don’t worry about that, Detective, I can handle myself.”

  “I’m sure you can, Eddy. I’m sure you can.” Detective Brunner gave him a light pat on the back. Eddy tried not to take that as an insult. Although Detective Brunner’s words were kind, Eddy doubted that he was really taking him seriously. The problem with young detectives was they didn’t remember a time when their elders knew better. Eddy was raised in a generation that revered their elders, while Brunner had grown up in a time when many things that the previous generation did was questioned.