Home Sweet Homicide: A Cozy Mystery (A Gemma Stone Murder Mystery Book 5)

by Willow Monroe

  Already dressed for the day in a long, flowing, deep blue dress pretty much like the one she had worn the day before, her aunt moved around the kitchen with ease. She had some sort of amulet around her neck and she wore what looked like black ballet slippers. The hat was gone, though, so Gemma decided it wasn’t important to bring that subject up just yet.

  Aunt Maisy’s face lit up with a smile when she saw Gemma in the doorway. “Good morning, Sunshine. I hope you’re hungry.”

  “I am now,” Gemma said, taking the steaming mug her aunt offered. Her mom had always called her Sunshine in the mornings.

  The coffee was brewed just right. Gemma closed her eyes and let the caffeine light up her veins.

  “I was waiting until you got up, because I wasn’t sure how you liked your eggs,” Aunt Maisy said.

  “Scrambled is fine,” Gemma told her, sliding into a chair at the big wooden table that dominated the kitchen.

  Her father had built this table and she’d eaten meals here all her life. It was a little scarred and scratched up here and there from homework and crafts and who knew what else. But Gemma loved it. It seemed awfully big some days and she was glad to see Aunt Maisy’s plate across from hers. Again, Gemma decided it felt good to have family in the house again.

  “So, that man that was here last night was a police officer?” Aunt Maisy asked, placing plates full of scrambled eggs and buttered toast on the table between them.

  “Yes. Yesterday Holly and I went to look at a house. We found the realtor’s body hanging in the closet,” Gemma reluctantly told her. “He was just here to ask me some questions.”

  “Oh, how dreadful,” Maisy said, blue eyes widening. “Suicide?”

  “No, they think it was murder. There were some bruises,” Gemma didn’t want to frighten her aunt, but there was no reason to lie. “After they do the autopsy this morning, they’ll know more.”

  “So sad to lose a friend like that,” Aunt Maisy said.

  “We went to school together but we weren’t exactly friends,” Gemma told her aunt. “Oh, she was pretty and popular, you know the type, head cheerleader, home coming queen. But she was as mean as a rattlesnake when she wanted to be.”

  Maisy nodded.

  “Anyway, Katie went into real estate and became really successful really fast. She dominated the residential market here in town and surrounding areas. She was known for her ruthless, sometimes outrageous negotiating tactics,” Gemma said. “That was why Mitch insisted that we use her.”

  “But you didn’t want to?”

  Gemma shook her head and refilled their coffee cups. “Not really.”

  “What are you going to do now?”

  “Well, I’m pretty sure Holly is done looking at houses, at least for the next few days. We’ve hired Essie Hunt, who works only in commercial real estate to help us locate a good building for our HealthGems shop.”

  “That’s exciting,” Aunt Maisy said. “Tell me about HealthGems.”

  Gemma smiled. “Well, a year or so ago, Holly discovered that she enjoyed designing jewelry. She designed this watch for me.”

  “It’s beautiful. I’d noticed it earlier,” Maisy said.

  “But it’s more than beautiful. It’s practical. It counts my daily steps, keeps track of my heart rate and helps me watch calories,” Gemma explained, warming to one of her favorite subjects. “Every time I look at it, it reminds me of just how much our little business had grown. We had a kiosk at the mall last Christmas and sales were astronomical. That fed into our internet business which grows every day.”

  “That is exciting,” Maisy said. “I’m so proud of you.”

  “And, hopefully very soon, we’ll be opening a shop right in the middle of the tourist section in downtown Gypsy Hill to showcase our new line of jewelry for diabetics. I’m really looking forward to that.”

  “I’ll bet you are.”

  “That might be on hold,” Gemma told her, remembering the scene from the day before with Essie trying to control Katie’s mother. “Esmerelda Hunt was Katie’s cousin.”

  “Oh.”

  “They never got along really well but she is family. I’m sure she’ll be tied up with the funeral and family stuff for the next few days anyway,” Gemma explained.

  “Surely there’s another realtor in town.”

  “The only other really good real estate agent in town who has the most residential listings is Peggy Langstrom.”

  “And you don’t like her?”

  “Actually, she’s kinda crazy and twitchy. Very loud and boastful. She hated Katie with a passion and made no secret about it.”

  It occurred to Gemma that Katie had probably made a lot of enemies over the past few years, through her less than noble business dealings. It could be an ex-boyfriend - a long list in itself - to unhappy clients to rival realtors.

  “So they think someone killed her and then hung her in the closet,” Aunt Maisy said, pulling Gemma out of her thoughts. “To make it look like suicide.”

  “That’s what it appeared to be.”

  “That would have to be someone pretty strong and tall. Just getting a body up a flight of stairs would be difficult,” she mused.

  “You’re right. Definitely a male.” Gemma said, her thoughts drifting to the hand truck she’d seen in the garage before they went upstairs. That would help someone move a body easily.

  “Why take her upstairs at all? Why not just hang her in the coat closet?”

  Gemma laughed. “Listen to us. We sound like a couple of sleuths in a cozy mystery.”

  Aunt Maisy laughed as well. The black cat jumped up in her lap and she stroked it with long, pale fingers. “I’m a pretty good detective, if I do say so myself.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Gemma said, interested. She had no idea what her aunt did for a living.

  “I found you, didn’t I?” Aunt Maisy said and they both laughed.

  “I’m going to take a shower and get dressed for whatever this day holds,” Gemma told her aunt. “Leave the kitchen and I’ll clean up later.”

  “Nonsense. It’s the least I can do to repay your generosity.”

  “Hush. You’re family,” Gemma said, giving her a squeeze.

  She was smiling when she stepped into the shower.

  When Gemma returned downstairs, dressed in comfortable jeans and a yellow t-shirt with daisies embroidered along the hem, she discovered Holly in the kitchen sipping coffee and talking to Aunt Maisy. Maisy was wearing her witch hat again.

  “Good morning,” Gemma said, hugging her friend and then looking into her eyes. “How’d you sleep?”

  “Pretty good, considering what happened yesterday,” Holly said. “I didn’t even look at her that closely, but it still gives me the willies every time I think about it.”

  “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

  Holly lowered her voice. “She was naked wasn’t she?”

  “All but a red lacy bra and panties.”

  Holly seemed to think about that for a minute and then she added, “And that jerk of a detective was at my house last night, wanting to get a statement. I sent him packing.”

  Gemma laughed and nodded. When Holly got upset or angry about anything she began talking like her mother, who was originally from high in the mountains of Virginia. “Yes, he was here, too.”

  “So I’m guessing you gave him your statement,” Holly said, sipping the coffee.

  “It was sort of my fault,” Aunt Maisy said. “I thought he was a suitor and allowed him into the house.”

  Holly laughed.

  “He took my statement, and then he insinuated that Ross had something to do with the murder. Warned me to be careful,” Gemma told them.

  “He’s a jerk,” Holly repeated.

  This time they all laughed.

  “What are you doing out and about so early?” Gemma asked.

  “Gilmore asked me to come down to the police station and give him my statement this morning. I was hoping you’d go with me,” Holly said. �
�Mitch is in court and...”

  “I’ll be happy to go with you,” Gemma said just as the cell phone lying between them on the table vibrated loudly.

  Holly looked at the screen, made a face and then answered. “Holly Blake.”

  Chapter Seven

  Holly listened to her caller for a few moments, nodding and raising a perfectly arched eyebrow at Gemma.

  Gemma poured more coffee for the three of them and watched the black cat as he stretched and yawned in the sunshine coming through the window. His fur looked silky, almost like black velvet. She was about to ask Aunt Maisy his name when Holly began speaking again.

  “Okay, if you’re sure. We wouldn’t want to intrude on the...” Holly nodded again. “Alright, we’ll see you at two then.”

  “Essie?” Gemma guessed.

  “Yeah, she wanted to confirm this afternoon.”

  “That’s a surprise. I figured she’d still be trying to keep Katie’s mom from trying to kill me. By now they’ve been told it was murder, I’m sure,” Gemma said and then said to her aunt, “Aunt Maisy, if all this talk about murder upsets you...”

  “Absolutely not, dear. You don’t have to protect me,” Aunt Maisy said with a sweet smile.

  Holly shrugged. “She said keeping busy was the best thing she could do right now. Her husband is out of town on business and...”

  “Since when does he travel for business?” Gemma asked.

  Holly shrugged again. “I don’t even know what he does for a living.”

  “He sells insurance,” Gemma said. “Maybe he’s at some kind of insurance convention or something. But, with something like this going on, you’d think he would come home to his wife.”

  “Maybe. Either way, we’ll just make a day of it if you want. Go down to the police station, maybe have lunch...”

  “If Gilmore hasn’t killed our appetites by then,” Gemma put in.

  Holly chuckled. “And then meet Essie to look at what might possibly be the new HealthGems shop.”

  Gemma was suddenly elated. She squealed and danced around the room, flinging her arms wide. The cat on the rug merely lifted his head and gave her a solemn look. Aunt Maisy and Holly smiled at her antics.

  “You should see some of Holly’s designs, Aunt Maisy. They’re beautiful. And soon, we’re going to have a real brick and mortar store right in downtown Gypsy Hill. And we’re developing a whole new line for diabetics and....”

  “I think she’s a little bit excited,” Aunt Maisy said, clearing the table.

  Holly laughed. “Just a little bit.”

  “Aunt Maisy, it looks like I’m going to be gone most of the day unless you’d like to join us for lunch...” Gemma began

  Aunt Maisy shook her head. “No, you girls run along and don’t worry about me. I thought I’d just sit out back and soak up some of that beautiful sunshine, maybe read a book.”

  “This is my cell number,” Gemma said, jotting it down the back of her business card. “If you need me, just call.”

  “I’ll be fine, dear.”

  When they were in Holly’s SUV and headed downtown Gemma asked, “Do you still think she’s an imposter?”

  “Your Aunt Maisy?”

  Gemma nodded.

  “She seems harmless enough. But why the witch hat and where did that cat come from?” Holly wondered aloud.

  “I’ll ask her about the hat and that amulet she wears all the time. The cat came in with her so I assume it’s hers. If she’s a real witch it might be her familiar,” Gemma explained.

  Holly shot her a skeptical look and then laughed when she realized Gemma was teasing her. Neither of them believed in witches or anything else supernatural. “If you feel comfortable around her...”

  “She reminds me of my mom,” Gemma cut in.

  Holly nodded. “She does look a lot like your mom. They weren’t twins, were they?”

  Gemma paused. “You know, I don’t know. I don’t think so. Surely at some point someone would have mentioned that little tidbit of information to me.” She thought for a moment and then added, “We just lost touch with the family after we moved. I was really little, there’s no way I would remember anything. I wouldn’t have known I even had an aunt if she hadn’t shown me the photo.”

  “You could probably check it out online.”

  “I will as soon as we get through all this stuff and get the shop opened,” Gemma promised, wondering why she had never even considered checking into her family background.

  “Excited, huh?” Holly teased.

  Gemma knew Holly was excited about the shop as well. “Very excited. We’re probably going to have to hire someone to help out, at least part time.”

  “We’ll check with the college, maybe find someone working on a business degree who needs money,” Holly suggested.

  Gemma smiled. Neither of them had attended the college that sprawled on the edge of town but it was a good, accredited school. Elizabeth Bailey College, steeped in history and tradition, had started out as a finishing school for aristocratic young ladies in the late 1800’s but had morphed into the four year college opened to everyone and still going strong.

  The police department was housed in one of the old, hand cut stone historic buildings right behind the courthouse in downtown Gypsy Hill. Holly parked on the street and fed quarters into the meter while Gemma waited. Just a few spaces down, a bright blue Toyota screeched to a halt and then backed up so that it took up two parking spaces.

  “Look who’s here,” Gemma said, moving closer to Holly.

  They watched Detective Gilmore climb out of the small car and push quarters into both meters.

  “Why didn’t he park in the lot behind the building?” Holly whispered.

  “Who knows?”

  Gilmore paused and, at first, Gemma thought he was checking out his reflection in the side of the shiny car. Then she realized he was actually scrutinizing the car as if looking for scratches. He gave the hood a loving pat and then turned and trotted up the steps to the big double glass doors without ever looking at Gemma or Holly.

  “What a nut?” Gemma said.

  “I thought he was going to kiss that car before going inside.” Holly sighed, shook her head and Gemma followed her up the steps to the big double glass doors.

  “We’re here to see Detective Gilmore,” Holly told the young police officer at the front desk.

  He looked confused for a moment as if the name was unfamiliar, and then smiled when he remembered. “I’ll let him know you’re here.”

  Gemma recognized him as one of the first officers on the scene the day before, the one who had gone upstairs and found Katie Mack hanging right where they’d left her. Bailor was his name. She wondered why he wasn’t out on patrol. Maybe they took turns manning the desk.

  They waited for only a few moments before Gilmore appeared, looking as suave and dapper as ever. Same gray suit, lime green shirt and matching tie this time and every hair in place. He really needed a fedora and a cigarette to complete the look, Gemma thought.

  “Ms. Blake,” he said, taking the hand she offered. “I’ve already gotten Ms. Stone’s statement and I’d like to speak to you alone, if you don’t mind.”

  Gemma and Holly exchanged glances and Holly nodded.

  “Okay,” Gemma said, reluctantly. “I’ll wait right out here.”

  “Come with me please,” he said and led Holly through a door and out of sight.

  Gemma stood there for a few moments and then took a seat on the wooden bench that lined one wall of the reception area. It suddenly dawned on her that she might see Ross coming through there. True, they’d come face to face the day before and that had been awkward enough. Still, the thought of seeing him again set her nerves on edge. He might not be working the case, but surely he would be working on something. Every time the door opened and someone came in, she held her breath.

  The one person she wasn’t expecting to see come through that door was Nick Leonard. The sun was at his back so all she co
uld see was his silhouette but she’d recognize that walk of his anywhere.

  “Gemma,” he said, coming toward her. Now she could see that he was smiling. “It’s good to see you again.”

  “In a police station, of course,” Gemma joked as she stood up.

  “Yeah, well there’s that,” he laughed and gave her a quick, one armed hug. “Hey, I heard you guys are opening a shop downtown.”

  That was Nick. On top of whatever was happening around town. Of course, as a newspaper reporter it was his business to know what was going on but still, Gemma was impressed.

  “As soon as we find a location and get it set up and hire someone...” Gemma said. “The list goes on and on.”

  “Come on, let me buy you a cup of coffee,” Nick offered.

  Gemma wondered if he had some news about Katie that he wanted to share. It wasn’t unusual for them to brainstorm together when they were dating. She hoped he still felt as if he could bounce his story ideas off of her.

  Glancing back to the door where Holly had disappeared, Gemma turned to face him. “Holly is in there giving her statement to Gilmore. If she comes out...”

  “Bailor, will you tell Ms. Blake we’ve gone next door for coffee?” Nick asked the young officer.

  “Pretty sad about Katie Mack,” Nick said once they were seated in a back booth in the nearly empty café. “I mean, I know we didn’t like her in school and a lot of people liked her even less when we grew up.”

  “One person in particular, evidently,” Gemma put in, keeping her voice low just in case anyone was listening.

  “Yeah. The coroner gave me a little information, but they’re still keeping a lot under wraps, I can tell,” Nick confessed.

  “What did he tell you?” Gemma asked and then immediately regretted her question. “I’m sorry, that was out of line.”

  Nick shook his head. “No, it’s okay. I know how curious you are about everything.”

  Gemma blinked back sudden tears. She’d forgotten how well he knew her and just how much she enjoyed his company