East Pender Boxed Set: Cozy Mystery Series Bundle of Books 1-14

by Leona Fox

  She thought about the case as a whole, about Eric's entire movements in following Gary here and killing him in East Pender. These weren't the actions of a man filled with mindless rage. He was calculating. He knew he could disappear into the forest. His every movement was thought out and deliberate. Perhaps that was what he hoped people wouldn't think. Yes, it became clearer to her now. Somehow Gary had known Eric was following him. That's why he held the Napoleon figurine. Ellen smiled to herself for she knew the significance now. It was to show that Eric was a master strategist, she was sure of it. Far from being a man on the run it was likely he had anticipated this, and they were playing right into his hands.

  Their greatest mistake would be thinking he was panicked and would act rashly. Now that Ellen knew that, she felt as though the advantage was hers again and, of course, she was no slouch in the strategy department either. Eric was playing a game with them, but it was a deadly game and Ellen hated to lose. She looked into the depths of the forest and smiled as she began formulating a plan of her own. Enjoy the night, she thought, for when the morning sun rose things would be different and justice would find the killer. With that, she left the night watchers to their duties and returned home with Scampy. Yet she did not get much sleep for her mind was rampant with thoughts.

  Chapter 10

  Ellen awoke feeling rested even though she had enjoyed little sleep. The bright sun dawned and shed light all over the town. She saw it as a good omen for the day ahead, and her plan, which was sharp in her mind. However, before going to the forest to rendezvous with Andy and the rest of the hunting party, Ellen popped into the cafe only to find Kelly looking morose and miserable.

  Instantly Ellen knew the previous night's talk with Matthew had not gone as planned. In a way, she felt responsible for the outcome as she had pushed them to talk about these things. Checking her watch, Ellen grimaced as she already was cutting it close but she had to spend at least a little time with Kelly. Scampy jumped into Kelly's lap and the woman fondled his head but it brought her little relief. She recounted the events of her and Matthew's discussion in a trembling voice that crackled with emotion. Yet there was a steely quality to her voice as well, as though she was trying to distance herself from the feelings inside to protect herself from the pain.

  Ellen did not have much in the way of wisdom to offer. So she offered Kelly sympathy and told her everything would be alright, even though she didn't necessarily believe it herself.

  “At least it's better that the truth is out,” Ellen said, and Kelly nodded in agreement. Ellen surreptitiously glanced at her watch again and Kelly noticed.

  “How is the hunt going?” she asked idly.

  “It's going,” Ellen said, “but I don't have to go if you need me to stay with you. I know you probably want to talk about what happened so...”

  “It's not like my problems are more important than catching a murderer,” Kelly said. “Besides, I could use the distraction.”

  “Well, I actually did come up with a plan last night,” Ellen said.

  She leaned in close so nobody else could hear as she let Kelly in on the plan. When she finished describing it, Kelly leaned back and thought about it for a moment.

  “Huh, that might actually work,” Kelly said.

  “Do you want to come with us and see how it turns out?” Ellen offered.

  Kelly looked out of the window and sighed, then hung her head as she gulped down the last dregs of coffee in her cup.

  “I think I'll just stay here; I don't feel like doing all that much today. I'll probably do some painting later...maybe go for a walk...”

  Ellen wished the murder hadn't happened and that she could stay with Kelly, but the matters at hand were pressing. She had a duty not only to Gary, and the other people directly affected by the crime, but also to the people of East Pender. They had to sleep soundly at night, without being afraid there was a killer still on the loose.

  “I'm sorry I have to leave you,” Ellen said.

  “Don't be, I know you've got to do this, and I don't really mind the idea of being alone right now,” Kelly replied.

  “I'll be back once it's over, though. Then we can talk about this properly,” she said, rising.

  Before she left she squeezed Kelly on the shoulder and hoped it reassured her. However, just before she stepped out of the door Kelly had one last question.

  “Do you think I made the right decision?” she asked in a small voice.

  Ellen exhaled deeply. The answer wasn't simple, and she didn't even know the right thing to say.

  “You'll be okay,” she said, and hoped that was enough.

  Despite Kelly's insistence that she couldn't take the final steps of falling in love with Matthew, Ellen suspected Kelly actually loved him deeply, and this initial numbness would not last long. Soon enough her friend would need her more than ever, and Ellen was not going to leave her wanting. Kelly nudged Scampy off her lap and Ellen made her way out of the cafe to the police station, where Andy was gearing up with the others. They greeted each other with a kiss.

  “Sleep well?” she asked.

  “Not at all, you?”

  “Same,” and they grinned at each other, “but I did get struck by a thought last night. I know why Gary had a Napoleon figurine on him. He somehow knew Eric was after him and it was a clue for us.”

  “Does Eric have a Napoleon complex or something?” Andy asked.

  “No,” Ellen said, laughing.

  “I think Gary was trying to tell us Eric is a clever strategist. Andy, don't you see? We're not the ones hunting him. He's planned for this. He's got the upper hand here and he's just waiting for us to make a mistake. He knows we probably think he's some crazed killer on the loose but he's not. He's probably planning his escape route now. But I have a different plan,” she said. Once again she pulled Andy aside so nobody could overhear them as she described her plan.

  “Well, that's just beautiful,” he said, beaming.

  He wrapped his arm around Ellen's shoulder as they walked through the station to prepare things for the big hunt.

  As Ellen walked through the police station she saw how nervous people were. The hunting party was made up of officers and volunteers, but there was no clear line between those who were anxious and those who were not. Everyone was aware Eric had killed before and there was nothing to say he wouldn't kill again. Everyone here was putting their lives at stake for the greater good. It made Ellen swell with pride to think people would take this risk for the sake of the town’s safety. The main bulk of people moved out early in the morning but Andy and Ellen stayed behind to put her plan in motion. As she looked around at the volunteers, however, one of them stood out to her. He seemed to be observing everything carefully, especially Andy. It was a little unnerving, but Ellen brushed it away. Everyone was feeling tense, even her. Since she hadn't slept that well she probably just was imagining things.

  The air was fresh and there was barely a cloud in the sky. Ellen looked out in the forest and imagined Eric Martin in there, probably feeling smug that he was pulling everyone's strings. The men and women who had given up their time to hunt for him were making their way through the forest, slowly tightening the net around him. Ellen smiled grimly as she watched the equipment needed for her plan arrive, and those who were left around her gasped in astonishment. Andy had done well to gather these things on such short notice. He had managed to get everything she needed, including the speakers and smoke machines. She, along with the others, placed these things in position and ran extension cords to the power sources. When turned on, the heavy machinery was loud.

  Soon enough, smoke billowed out from the machines and wove its way into the forest, covering the lush greenness with its cloudy fog. From the speakers came the sound of crackling, roaring fire, and everyone began shouting in panic, as though their lives depended on it. Ellen and the others took smaller, portable smoke machines and speakers into the forest to make it seem as though the fire was spreading at an alarmi
ng rate. Those already in the forest, of course, knew nothing of what was happening. They began panicking, and their screams of terror were genuine.

  The smoke curled and billowed through the forest and the sounds of splintering wood only grew louder. Outside of the forest they had made a bonfire and hoped this smell would travel through the air. Although the heat was not as strong as it would have been had there been a genuine wildfire, it was Ellen's hope that the hunters’ panic, coupled with Eric's own state of mind, would convince him it genuinely was happening. The hunters ran back in fright, stampeding back to safety as they feared the imaginary fire soon would envelope them in its flames. Ellen felt a little sorry for them when they returned to find out the whole thing had been a hoax, and immediately they turned back as the realization dawned on their faces. It was a risky gambit and Ellen only hoped it would pay off.

  The wait for Eric to emerge from the forest was tense, but eventually they saw a figure make its way through the smoke. With bleary eyes and a loud cough Eric stumbled out, dressed in his camouflage gear. As soon as he saw everyone waiting for him he froze for an instant, the look of defeat etched on his face, before he turned to try running. But Andy was faster, his long limbs sprinted across the ground, and he slapped the cuffs on Eric, forcing him down on his knees.

  “You're under arrest for the murder of Gary Speed,” Andy declared loudly so everyone could hear.

  He read Eric his Miranda rights then hauled him to his feet, and dragged him back to the crowd, where Ellen was looking on with admiration.

  “He deserved it. He broke up my marriage,” Eric spat as he was taken to the police van and shoved in the back.

  At the mention of marriage Ellen's mind once again went to Kelly. Even though she just had been triumphant in catching a murderer she still was worried about her friend. She wondered if she had been responsible for the dissolution of Kelly and Matthew's relationship. Had she been too free with her advice? If she had left things alone would they still be together? It was a difficult thing to think about, and she only could hope she had done right by her friend. Soon enough, everyone crowded around Ellen, congratulating her on her ploy to lure Eric out of the forest as the van drove off, taking him where he belonged.

  Then, a loud, slow clap could be heard. A man walked through the crowd, the same man Ellen had seen closely observing Andy earlier. He was tall, with an impossibly handsome face and a square jaw that showed the barest hints of stubble. His eyes were the brightest blue and he seemed to have an athletic frame. He walked with a confident swagger and wore a smirk that seemed as though it belonged there. He walked straight up to Andy and continued clapping.

  “I'm impressed,” the mystery man said, and everyone looked at him in wonder. Andy stiffened for he did not enjoy surprises.

  “I have to say,” the man continued, “I wasn't expecting much when I came here but this has been rather enlightening. Who knew that a small town like this could be so full of these dark deeds? I never expected to come and find that you were catching a murderer but, yes, this is very, very, impressive,” he said, placing his hands on his hips.

  “Who are you?” Andy asked.

  Ellen remained in place, ready to move to Andy's side if he needed her, but for now she watched with as much curiosity as anyone else.

  “Why,” the man said, laughing softly, “I'm you.”

  Andy's brow creased in puzzlement. So did Ellen's as she tried figuring out the meaning of his words. With his next sentence the mystery man shed light on the matter.

  “My name is Paul Diamond, and I'm playing you in a film,” he said. Andy glanced at Ellen, and neither of them knew what to say next.

  Find out what Ellen discovers in book 7 of The East Pender Mysteries here: http://amzn.to/29RC3tY

  To find out when Leona Fox has new books available and to get exclusive free ebooks sign up here: http://bit.ly/1EhSzvE

  Volume 7

  A Fueling Disturbance

  An East Pender Mystery Book 7

  Chapter 1

  The morning was turning into the afternoon and the sun was making its slow, inexorable arc across the sky. Things in the town were tense. It should have been a time of celebration for Andy and Ellen, for they just had caught a killer who had been hiding in the forests that ringed the small town of East Pender. It had been an arduous search, and only through Ellen's ingenuity had they been able to lure him out of his hiding place. If they had not been able to do so the trained military man may well have led them on a wild goose chase for who knows how long. But in the end, justice had been served. The handcuffs had been clamped on the criminal and he had been taken away, not that Ellen was without sympathy for him. The development of the crime had been a tragedy for everyone involved. It had been a prime showcase for the folly of human behavior, as jealousy and infidelity entwined with the heart to create a tangled web of lies, from which nobody remained unscathed.

  Usually, after a case, the universe allowed the amateur sleuth a little respite to regroup, reflect on the case, and prepare for whenever the next one came along. Yet, this time there had been a surprising revelation by a Hollywood superstar visiting the town and it had thrown everything into chaos for Ellen and Andy. As soon as the murderer had been caught, Andy had been greeted and congratulated by a tall stranger. He was the very definition of classically handsome and exuded a magnetic aura. Almost as soon as he had met with Andy and told the East Pender resident he was going to play the character based on Andy in the police chief's brother's books, Andy had scowled and excused himself. He strode away from the crime scene with immediate purpose. Of course, Ellen followed.

  Now they were back at Ellen's place and Andy was pacing across the floor, muttering to himself. Ellen was sitting on the couch, looking pensive. Whenever Andy got like this she knew she had to wait for him to work through it. There was no rushing him into talking about it. Ellen had been there when his brother had called to tell him about the movie that was being made. It seemed a lifetime ago now, since it had been before the Gary Speed case, and so much had happened since then. (Ellen felt a little guilty being with Andy now because she knew her best friend Kelly needed her as well. She had just broken up with her boyfriend but, unfortunately, Ellen couldn't be in two places at once.)

  “This is stupid,” Andy muttered repeatedly, unable to settle down.

  Ellen watched him pace back and forth, his hands on his hips, wearing a stern look on his face. She loved him, but in times like these she grew frustrated because he seemed to want to isolate himself and descend into an abyss of his own making. It was just a symptom of the fact that they both had been on their own for a long time. It was easy to slip back into that way of thinking, but they were in a relationship and when it came to emotional turmoil like this they had to make an effort to include each other.

  “I can't believe this actually is happening,” Andy said, adding similar things under his breath as he stomped around the room.

  Scampy followed him and, despite the heavy mood, Ellen found it difficult to suppress a grin as she watched the small dog follow Andy back and forth, back and forth, turning and twisting its little body until it had done this so many times it grew dizzy and staggered back to the couch. Ellen picked him up and stroked him, feeling the rapidly beating heart inside.

  “Andy,” Ellen said, trying to break through his train of thought and remind her boyfriend that she was still in the room, still there to help in any way she could.

  Yet, almost as soon as she said this he slammed his fist against the wall and cursed loudly. It was a side to him she rarely saw as he usually managed to keep himself under control, but he was a man of deep passions and there were a couple of emotionally fragile weak spots in his psyche. This fictional depiction of him was most definitely one of them.

  “Andy,” Ellen repeated, this time in a soft, nurturing tone, trying to soothe the aching in his soul.

  “My brother never should have written those stupid books. He never should have written me i
nto them either. I can't believe this. And now they're making a movie and it's all going to be a mockery of me. And, of course, I'll have to see it because my brother made it and everyone is ‘Oh, so proud of him’ because he's such a popular writer but what does he actually do? He just popularizes the real crimes that happen every day and he makes everyone think this is a glamorous business but it's not. And now I have this Hollywood guy coming in to harass me? This can't be happening, I won't allow it to happen.”

  “I hardly think he's here to harass you,” Ellen said quietly. Andy turned on her, a raging, white hot fury in his eyes.

  “He walked up to me just after I had apprehended a suspect! I've a good mind to drag him in for interfering with police business. That would show him! These big-headed people, thinking they can come in here and look at us as though we're a sideshow or something. I should just tell him to leave. Yeah, that's what I'll do.”

  Ellen exhaled deeply and bit her lip. She knew this was a particularly sore point for Andy and that she would have to be rather...diplomatic in what she said next to reassure Andy she wasn't his enemy.

  “Andy, I know this is difficult for you but please come sit down and try to relax. You're doing yourself no good getting worked up over this. It's not worth the stress.”

  “Oh, it is worth the stress. It's making me see things clearly. Oh yes, I bet my brother relished my reaction when he found out they're making a movie based on his books,” Andy said.

  Despite his words he did move to the sofa, where he sat beside Ellen. She wrapped her arms around him lovingly and gave him soft kisses, and soon enough the fiery beating of his heart slowed and he breathed a little easier. When she broke it off and looked at him she saw he had a morose look on his face.