Zee Town Paranormal Cozy Mystery - Complete Series Omnibus: Books 1 - 6

by K E O'Connor

  I opened the door and walked through. “Is now a good time to pick up the check?” I gripped my hands behind my back and met Johnny’s surprised gaze.

  He still wore the same polo shirt and pink slacks, but had a sweater tied around his shoulders. “Have you brought any of your zombie friends to protect you this time?”

  “Marcus was trying to help,” I said. “He got confused about what he saw.”

  Johnny waved his hand in the air. “Don’t worry, I know Marcus. I’m always kicking him off the golf course. Even when he was the mayor of this town, he was obsessed with the place. Rules are rules. I can’t have him messing up the sand bunkers.”

  “Marcus didn’t mean any harm,” I said.

  Johnny stared at me for a few seconds before sighing. “Sit down, Cassie. Are you sure I can’t get you that drink I was pestering you about?” He gave a half-shrug. “What can I say, you’re a pretty little thing. I got ahead of myself and made assumptions I shouldn’t.”

  “Yes, you did,” I said sharply.

  He placed a hand over his heart. “Can you forgive me for being such a creep?”

  I was surprised he’d given in so easily. I perched on the edge of the seat opposite Johnny. “There was no harm done. Thanks to Marcus.”

  “Hmmm, I guess he was trying to help.” He leaned back in his seat. “My ex-wife always called me a tactless oaf. I lived up to that on the golf course.”

  “Maybe you did.”

  “Let me make it up to you. Dinner? Drinks? A spin on my boat? What will it be?”

  Johnny sure was persistent. “How about the check for the carnival?”

  Johnny chuckled. “If you insist. Let me write it out now.” He pulled out a file from his desk drawer. “I spoke to Sybil after we met at the golf course. She told me more about the memorial stand. It sounds like a good idea. I miss Bert, even though he used to wind me up something rotten with his terrible jokes. He didn’t deserve what happened to him. No one deserves to be bitten by zombies.”

  I took the check Johnny had written and placed it in my purse. “Thanks. That’s only a rumor. The police are still investigating whether it was zombies.”

  “Do you think it was a resident?” The surprise was clear in Johnny’s eyes.

  “Possibly. Maybe even someone he knew,” I said, carefully studying Johnny’s face. “The two of you were friendly enough, weren’t you?”

  “We were friendly,” Johnny said.

  “It’s just that, well, I heard that maybe you and Sybil...” I deliberately let my words trail off.

  Johnny raised his eyebrows. “Did you now? And if we had been—you know what—what does that have to do with Bert?”

  I had the check in my purse, so was confident I couldn’t mess this up. “Well, jealous lovers are often prime suspects in a murder case. At least, they are on the TV.”

  Johnny choked out a laugh. “You’re thinking Bert’s death had something to do with me?”

  “No, well, maybe. I’m not convinced it was a zombie.”

  “I’m sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart. I’ve got a solid alibi. Dozens of people saw me at the club house at the time of the murder. It was a charity event. It went on way past midnight. Then I had some buddies back for brandy and cigars. If you’re looking for suspects, try his girlfriend.”

  “I know Bert recently moved someone to the town. I’ve not met her. Who was Bert seeing?”

  “He saw a lot of women,” Johnny said with a smirk. “But this one, in particular, Abigail Lovejoy, is who you should speak to.”

  I didn’t recognize the name. “Why do you think she’s a suspect?”

  “They weren’t happy. Abigail has this thing for diamonds. The bigger the better. Bert was tearing out what was left of his hair, trying to figure out how he could keep her and afford her expensive habits.”

  “Does Abigail have a temper?”

  “When she didn’t get her own way, I believe she does,” Johnny said. “She came to the store on one occasion, and they got to arguing in the office. Bert kept his business and personal life separate, so I didn’t see much of her, though. I can’t figure out why he kept the relationship going, given the hassle she gave him. You should speak to Abigail about whether diamonds are a girl’s best friend and if she got rid of Bert because he wouldn’t get her one.”

  Maybe I would. “What’s Abigail like?”

  “Young, sexy, widowed. She lives at the top of the hill. Bert was paying her rent, but I’m not sure who will do that now. Maybe she won’t stay in Zee Town for much longer.” He scrubbed his chin. “On the other hand, she’s awfully easy on the eyes. Perhaps I should go over and offer my sympathy.” He winked at me.

  I wrinkled my nose. “I might drop in on Abigail and make sure she’s doing all right since Bert’s death. She could be lonely not knowing anyone here.”

  Johnny grinned at me. “Have you got a job as a part-time investigator?”

  “No, just being neighborly.”

  “Nosy more like. Leave that sort of work to Nick Morton. He’ll figure out what happened to Bert.”

  “Nick’s distracted, and he’s focusing on the wrong suspect. I’ll poke around as much as I need to, to make sure he doesn’t convict the wrong person.”

  “You two have a real love-hate relationship,” Johnny said. “I see you bickering all the time.”

  “There’s no love lost between us.” I stood. “It’s a relationship based on frustration and dislike.”

  Johnny laughed. “Nope, I see a spark. He likes you.”

  My cheeks grew warm. “I promise you, he doesn’t.”

  Johnny raised his hands. “Fair enough. I hope the carnival goes well for you.”

  “Make sure you’re there. The store is our main sponsor.” I patted my bag before leaving the office and letting out a big sigh.

  I’d gotten my check, and I had a new suspect. The mysterious Abigail. I had to get to her quickly before she left town.

  I gave Danny a wave goodbye and headed out of the store, almost bumping into Nick as I did so.

  “Replacing some lost balls?” Nick asked.

  “I could ask you the same question.”

  “My balls are just fine.”

  I looked away. “I’m happy for you.”

  “So, what are you doing here? I know you don’t play golf.” Nick crossed his arms over his chest. “Don’t tell me you’re still looking into Bert’s murder?”

  “Only because you’re still focused on the zombies.”

  Nick frowned. “How do you even know that?”

  “This is a small town and people talk.” I wasn’t going to get Julia in trouble by revealing my source. “I will not let you blame one of our zombies for Bert’s murder.”

  “Does that mean you want to confess? Or maybe just give me the statement I keep requesting?”

  “No to both those questions.”

  Nick rubbed the back of his neck. “The zombies aren’t my only line of inquiry. Don’t assume that I’m chasing only zombies. In fact, I’m here to talk to Johnny.”

  I waved a hand in the air. “Don’t waste your time. He’s innocent, too.”

  “And how would you know that?” Nick’s gaze hardened.

  I bit my bottom lip and looked at the ground. “Well, he might have mentioned that he’s innocent, and he has a good alibi.”

  “Cassie!” Nick hissed out my name. “You asked him for his alibi?”

  “He might have volunteered it. I don’t remember.”

  “Whatever he said, Johnny Catt is known for being less than honest.”

  I knew that, having already researched Johnny’s history. “How about Bert’s girlfriend?”

  Nick’s eyebrows shot up. “Abigail Lovejoy? How do you know about her?”

  I stifled my grin. It seemed like I was two steps ahead of Nick in this investigation. He would hate that. “I like to know the new people who come to Zee Town and make them feel welcome, you know?”

  “What I do know is
that you’re still sticking your nose into police business. This is a murder investigation, not some fun little Nancy Drew mystery.”

  “I’m doing no harm.”

  “You might not be, but the killer is still out there. If they realize you’re poking around and trying to discover who killed Bert, they could target you next.”

  I stepped back and licked my lips. “I hadn’t thought about that.”

  “Leave the thinking to me with this case. Stop getting involved. Keep focused on the carnival.”

  “Will you stop harassing our zombies?”

  “I will when they prove to me they’re innocent.”

  “Then I won’t stop being involved. For all I know, you’ll pick the most vulnerable zombie and decide they killed Bert.”

  “I don’t operate like that,” Nick said. “But I need to rule out everybody from the investigation. I will start talking to likely zombie suspects.”

  I matched his stance, my arms folded over my chest and feet splayed. “I want to be there when you interview each zombie. They need a representative to stand up for them if you turn into a bully.”

  “That’s not happening. And I’m not a bully,” Nick said. “I’m trying to do my job. This case would most likely be solved by now if I didn’t keep bumping into you at every turn.”

  I took a deep breath to calm down. “I get that you need to do your job. Just don’t put the zombies at the top of the suspect list. We need to protect them, not pick on them.”

  Nick sighed. “I need to protect everybody. I’m not going to stop investigating until I find out who killed Bert. Speaking of which, I have a suspect to speak to.” He stepped around me and into the store.

  I watched him leave, frustration and anger swirling through me. Nick was so stubborn. I could be stubborn too. And I wasn’t done with my own investigation.

  I hurried back to the tourism office. As I opened the door, I discovered Zara wound in bunting. The phone was ringing and there was a pile of unopened mail on the desk.

  “You look like you need a break.” I gently unfolded the bunting from around her waist. “Shall we check on the preparation for the floats? They should be about ready to go. They could be fun to look at.” And I needed some fun after my encounter with Nick.

  Zara nodded as I removed the last of the bunting. “Lots of brains?”

  “Yes, plenty of brains. Although, none for eating.” I bundled the bunting, placed it in two large boxes, and we each took one before walking to the harbor.

  Twenty minutes later, we were outside a large green warehouse. The main door was open, revealing the colorful carnival floats.

  “Zara, look at these. Aren’t they beautiful?” I placed my box down and took hers, carefully stacking them one on top of the other. We approached a float that looked like a miniature version of Zee Town, with its own sandy beach, harbor, and tiny rows of shops and cottages.

  Zara ran a hand along the side of the float, studying the design.

  “There’s even a representation of the police station where Nick works.” He was still playing on my mind. His stubbornness at refusing to discount the zombies in Bert’s murder irritated me. Maybe I should follow through on my threat to propose that we get a new police sergeant, one who was open-minded when it came to all our residents.

  Nick was never outspoken in his dislike of zombies, but he didn’t have any zombies in the station, and every business employed at least one zombie. It was part of Zee Town’s constitutional law.

  “What do you think of Nick?” I asked Zara.

  She mumbled a reply and looked at her feet.

  “Do you like him?” I persisted.

  “He’s very serious,” Zara said. “He’s mean to you.”

  I sighed. “No, not really mean. He just doesn’t me poking my nose into what he considers his exclusive business. Has he ever been mean to you? Or any other zombie that you know of?”

  Zara plucked at her red hair, a habit I discouraged because it had left her with bald patches. “He doesn’t speak to the zombies. Keeps to himself.”

  I nodded. She was right, Nick was a private person. I struggled to remember the last time I’d seen him at a social event, and I’d never seen him on a date.

  “I’m not sure Nick’s right for Zee Town,” I said, more to myself than Zara.

  “He’s nice to his dog,” Zara said.

  That was a plus in Nick’s favor. Although he often moaned about Stool following him around, there had to be some good in him. Any man who loved animals was decent in my eyes. I was missing something when it came to Nick.

  I pushed my confusing thoughts about Nick to the back of my mind. I had a carnival to finalize and floats to inspect. Nick Morton would have to remain a mystery. Just like Bert’s murder.

  Chapter 15

  The next day was another deliciously sunny one. I felt excited as I freshened my makeup before leaving the office for my lunch date with Alex.

  I’d selected a fitted cream dress with pictures of birds on this morning and wore my favorite pink pumps. It was a dressier than I usually wore, but I was meeting a good-looking guy and wanted to look my best.

  I bounced happily along the harbor side toward the ice cream stand. I was tempted to see if Alex wanted ice cream for lunch, but maybe I shouldn’t reveal my obsession with the sweet stuff so early in the date.

  Alex was leaning on the harbor wall, dressed in a smart dark shirt and jeans, his gaze on the bright blue ocean. It was a view I could stare at for hours, watching the tide come in and out, seabirds hunting in rock pools for their food, and families playing on the beach.

  As I approached, Alex turned, his blue eyes sparkling as he spotted me. “It’s nice to see you, Cassie.” He leaned over and kissed my cheek. “I’m so glad you didn’t stand me up.”

  “You too,” I said. “I had no plans to stand you up. Do you fancy a walk before we eat?”

  “That sounds good,” Alex said. “You can point out the decent places for us to stop for food.”

  “Zee Town has great restaurants. We’ve fought off having any fast-food places, although the Lifeboat Bistro does a mean veggie burger and fries if you ever fancy one.”

  Alex grinned. “I could go for that now.”

  We walked along together, and I pointed out the Cornish Deli, the Boat Shed, the V Joint, and our exclusive silver service restaurant, The Bay, where you had to book at least three weeks in advance if you wanted a table.

  “The V Joint looks good,” Alex said, after we’d walked along the harbor side and reached the end.

  “It’s great. They do everything. Their burgers are amazing.”

  “Let’s try there.”

  We turned and walked back to the cafe, taking our time as we soaked up the afternoon sunshine and listened to the children playing on the beach.

  We selected a small table outside the cafe. I ordered a spicy bean burger and dressed salad while Alex went for a double stacked chickpea burger with a side order of curly fries.

  “Police work must keep you hungry.” I sipped the freshly made lemonade that had been brought out.

  “I’m surprised how busy Zee Town has kept me,” Alex said. “I never wanted to work in a big city like London. When my uncle said there was an opening down here, it seemed like a great opportunity to try out policing without it being overwhelming. You know, not lots of gang crime, or drugs, or murder.” He lifted his eyebrows as he said the last word. “Bert dying seems to have shocked the whole town.”

  “It has. Is this your first murder investigation?” I asked.

  “It’s my first investigation of anything,” Alex said. “I did my training at the police academy in Manchester. Shortly after I completed that, I got a message from my uncle letting me know there was an opening here. I’d only been here a few days before Nick got the call about Bert’s death. Off we went, investigating a murder. My first big case. My first big investigation.”

  “What did you do before joining the police?” I asked.

/>   “This and that,” Alex said. “I did a few months in sales, worked in a department store, even worked as a gardener, but the work was too seasonal.”

  “Why did you decide to be a police officer?”

  “It seemed like a good idea. A stable career and decent money,” Alex said. “And my uncle suggested it. I thought I’d try it. I like being around people, and this sort of work involves dealing with the public.”

  “You couldn’t have picked a better place than Zee Town,” I said.

  Alex nodded. “I always imagined I’d end up in the countryside or by the sea, but didn’t think I’d make it down to the coast before I retired.” He smiled at me. “What about you?”

  “I’m a Zee Town girl. Born and bred,” I said. “Of course, it wasn’t always called Zee Town. We changed the name because of the zombie refuge status we gained.”

  “You’ve never been tempted to try big city living?”

  I wrinkled my nose. “No chance of that. I love having the sea on my doorstep and be able to walk along the street and feel safe.”

  “Even though there are zombies everywhere?”

  “Our zombies are safe,” I said. “I argued that point with Nick just yesterday.”

  Alex grinned. “Yes, he mentioned that once or twice when he wasn’t snapping at everyone. He said you were caught interrogating Johnny Catt.”

  “That’s not strictly true. I had to see Johnny for business. I might have mentioned Bert’s murder.” I tried to ignore my glowing cheeks. I hated that I’d been caught snooping.

  “Nick ranted about you for half an hour. He even had Stool cowering in the corner because he was so angry,” Alex said.

  “Poor Stool.”

  “There’s nothing poor about that dog. Nick spoils him,” Alex said. “He gets better treats than I do. Nick brings in toys and dog treats almost every day. I’m lucky if I get an oatmeal cookie with my tea.”

  Our food arrived, and we took a few minutes to sample the delicious freshly made burgers, salads, and fries.

  “Is there any progress on the case?” I asked after I’d devoured half my burger.

  “You mean with Bert?” Alex asked. “I shouldn’t reveal too much. Nick won’t be happy if he realizes I’m speaking to the enemy.”