Cozy Mysteries Women Sleuths Series: Box Set III: Books 9-12

by Hope Callaghan

  “What else are you having besides hot dogs and hamburgers?” her uncle asked.

  Loretta rattled off the list of popular picnic type fare. “Potato salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw and cookies for dessert.”

  It was a simple menu, but the simpler the better since she had a sneaky suspicion Lacy wasn’t going to help, which left the brunt of the work to Uncle Ichabod and her.

  Savannah had volunteered to help, as well, and Loretta was probably going to have to take her up on the offer.

  When they reached the van, they loaded all of the goodies in the back and climbed into the front. She was relieved this part of the task was complete. Now she could focus on making sure she had bingo ready to go, along with horseshoes, shuffleboard and the scavenger hunt, which was her favorite activity on the list.

  She had come up with some tricky clues and interesting items. Loretta dropped her purse on the floor, shoved the key in the ignition and started the van before reaching for her sunglasses, which were sitting on the dashboard.

  Loretta grabbed the glasses and slipped them on. “Huh! Check it out.”

  Uncle Ichabod fastened his seatbelt. “Check what out?”

  “The hearse. It’s gone.”

  ***

  “Maybe it wasn’t Ernie’s after all.” She had gotten a shot of what appeared to be mail, sitting on the passenger seat. “I’ll check my camera when we get home.”

  She had a sudden thought. “What about video surveillance of the pool area?” Uncle Ichabod had installed surveillance cameras throughout the trailer park and the teepee rental portion of the property, not to mention their home.

  “We might be able to see something on the video but don’t hold your breath. The motion detector light burned out and I haven’t had a chance to have Ted replace it yet. In fact, it was on my list of handyman projects.”

  “That figures,” Loretta muttered as she backed the van out of the parking spot and turned onto the road.

  When they reached the house, Loretta and Uncle Ichabod unloaded the groceries from the van and carried the bags inside.

  Loretta put the groceries away while Uncle Ichabod ran over to the clubhouse to check the surveillance.

  She eased the sack of potatoes, the last grocery item to be put away, in the corner of the pantry when he returned. “Well?”

  “Sorry Loretta. There was video footage but it was so grainy, I couldn’t make hide nor hair of anything. I saw a blob on the screen, which was probably Ernie, along with another blob.”

  He went on. “The cops and investigators are long gone but they left behind plenty of black and yellow police tape. I was gonna have Ted fix the security light but the entire back deck, bushes, seating area and such are taped off. It’ll have to wait.”

  Loretta made a mental note to call Officer Gatlin to try to push the investigation along. She spent the rest of the day and evening working on party details and after a quick supper of leftovers, she headed to her room. It had been a long day.

  Loretta tossed and turned all night, visions of Ernie’s body filling her dreams and keeping her awake. She woke late, her eyes flying open as she stared at her alarm clock. It was almost eleven.

  She hopped out of bed and darted downstairs to the bathroom, passing by Lacy’s bedroom, her bedroom door wide open and the room empty. Even Lacy had beaten her out of bed!

  She took a quick shower, brushed her teeth and combed her hair, and then headed down the hall to the kitchen. There was no sign of Uncle Ichabod or Lacy.

  Loretta wandered into the empty kitchen and grabbed her cell phone she’d left charging on the windowsill the night before.

  She picked up the phone and turned it over. There was a text message from Alex…Pastor Alex Jessup, telling her someone had cancelled a marriage counseling session and asking her if she’d like to go fishing around noon.

  Loretta glanced at the clock. It was 11:30. She quickly dialed his cell phone, hoping she wasn’t too late.

  He answered on the first ring, sounding out of breath. “I was getting ready to hop in my truck and head out to the lake. I figured you were busy. Heard they found a body out in the pool.”

  News in the small town of Misery spread like wildfire. Loretta was certain the entire town had already heard about poor Ernie Sapp’s demise. “Whew! If it’s not one thing, it’s another.”

  She tugged on her earring and gazed out the window. “I would love to go fishing, if it’s not too late to tag along.”

  Loretta hadn’t the foggiest idea what to wear fishing. She hadn’t gone in years, not since her grandfather had taken her when she was young. She had spent many summers staying with her grandparents, and had loved to go camping with them in their travel trailer they kept in a small park on the river.

  Every summer, they would invite Loretta and Lacy to spend a week with them. Lacy hated it and always complained it was too hot, too dirty, too smelly, and on and on.

  Loretta, on the other hand, loved it. She loved hiking in the woods with Gramps, as she called him. They would hunt for mushrooms, or pick wildflowers and take them to her grandmother.

  Sometimes, they would tromp through the woods in search of deer.

  One of her favorite pictures was one her grandmother had taken. Gramps and Loretta were sitting side-by-side on an old log, right near the creek, which ran out behind the campground.

  She was holding up a four-leaf clover they had found, and she remembered how Gramps had promised it would bring her luck.

  Loretta had taken the four-leaf clover home where she pressed it between two sheets of wax paper and used it as a bookmark.

  She hung up the phone and darted upstairs to change into some old clothes, but not too old. She didn’t want Pastor Jessup…Alex, to think she was a bum.

  She made it back downstairs just in time to see his blue Chevy pick-up truck and small jon boat pull up to the curb.

  Loretta darted out the front door and onto the porch. Uncle Ichabod was sitting on the front porch, drinking a cup of coffee.

  “Hello sleepyhead.”

  “Hello. Goodbye.”

  He watched her scurry down the steps and across the front lawn.

  “Goodbye! Have fun!” Uncle Ichabod called out.

  “Thanks! See you later,” she hollered as she stopped abruptly next to Alex’s truck.

  Alex smiled as Loretta opened the door and hopped in the passenger seat. “You look like a breath of fresh air.”

  “Thanks!” Loretta reached for the seatbelt and glanced at Alex, who was wearing a long sleeve shirt and a pair of camo shorts. “You look hot,” she said and then it dawned on her what she had said.

  “I-I mean you look really warm in that long sleeve shirt,” she stammered.

  “So I’m not ‘hot,’ I’m just hot,” he teased as he shifted the truck into drive and pulled onto the road.

  “No. You’re looking hot in both senses.” Loretta’s face began to burn and the tips of her ears were on fire as she continued to dig her hole.

  “Ugh!” she grimaced. “I’ll shut up now before you start covering the hole I just dug with a pile of fishing gear.”

  Alex started laughing. “I’ll cut you some slack. I was teasing.” He changed the subject and asked her about Ernie’s body.

  Loretta told him everything she knew up to that point and even mentioned the hearse in the parking lot of the Thrift-Co., how Uncle Ichabod and she had almost called the cops to tell them, but thought it might seem suspicious.

  “I took a few pictures but haven’t had time to look at them yet, which reminds me.” She pulled her cell phone from her back pocket, turned it on and switched it to camera mode. A couple of the shots had a bright glare and she couldn’t see anything.

  Only one was clear. She tapped the screen to enlarge the picture and then squinted her eyes. “Yeah. It was Ernie’s hearse, for sure. I see his name on some mail in the front passenger seat.”

  She switched the phone off and shoved it back in her pocket. “I wonder
what happened to the hearse.”

  Loretta was silent the rest of the way as she mulled over Ernie’s death and his hearse.

  When they reached the lake, Loretta scrambled out of the passenger seat to help guide Alex and the boat down the public access boat ramp and into the water.

  After the boat was off the trailer and floating in the lake, she kicked off her shoes and tossed them in the bottom.

  Loretta kept a firm grip on the side so the boat wouldn’t float away while Alex pulled the truck and boat trailer into an empty parking spot nearby.

  It was the middle of a workweek, and there were only a couple other vehicles parked in the lot. The two of them would have Lake Walton all to themselves.

  Loretta hopped in the boat and Alex handed her a tackle box, some fishing poles, a cooler and a backpack. She arranged the items in the center of the boat and headed to the back so he could climb in.

  Alex grabbed an oar and pushed them away from shore and into deeper water. When the boat was far enough out, they switched spots.

  He started the small trolling motor and they were off. Thankfully, Loretta had remembered her sunglasses. She flipped them down and settled in for the ride.

  She closed her eyes and breathed in the smell of the lake water, a mixture of fishy, dampness and for lack of a better word, sunshine.

  It was pure bliss and Loretta shoved all bad thoughts and worries over the upcoming party out of her head, determined to enjoy the afternoon.

  The warm sun on her shoulders felt wonderful as the boat sped along across the open water.

  When Alex deemed they had reached the perfect fishing spot, he shut the motor off and they coasted to a stop.

  A small wave rippled out from the boat and lapped onto the shoreline several yards away.

  Loretta looked around. Alex had picked a picturesque spot near a secluded cove. At the very end of the cove was a small, sandy beach. “What a beautiful spot,” she said as she shaded her eyes and studied the cove.

  Alex dropped the small anchor and nodded. “That’s where we’re having a light lunch if you’re hungry later. It’s a great spot and not many people know about it.”

  He handed Loretta a fishing pole and picked up a second one. “You need me to help you bait the hook?”

  “Nah.” It had been years since Loretta had baited a hook, but she decided she could figure it out. Alex dropped a lure in her hand. It looked like a mini guppy. “What’s this called?”

  “A jackall boil trigger. Bought these a few months back when they were on clearance. The sales guy at the sporting goods shop recommended them. I’ve been dying to try them.”

  Loretta easily hooked the lure to the end of the fishing line while Alex, who chose a different lure to see which one worked better, hooked a smaller, brightly colored lure on the end of his fishing line.

  Alex cast his reel on one side of the small boat and Loretta cast hers on the other.

  The sun beat down on them now that the boat wasn’t moving and Loretta was thankful Alex had dropped anchor in a spot where the towering pine trees cast long shadows over the lake and their small boat.

  The lake was like a sheet of glass, with nary a ripple on the smooth surface. It was peaceful and quiet, just what Loretta needed to recharge her batteries. A gentle breeze helped cool the air, but despite the shade and breeze, Loretta was still sweating up a storm.

  Alex gazed at a small stream of sweat that trickled down the side of her face. “Let me grab a water.” He popped the lid on the cooler, reached inside and pulled out an icy bottled water. He handed it to her before grabbing a second one for himself.

  Loretta shifted the fishing pole so it rested between her knees. She unscrewed the cap on the bottle of water and downed half of it. The cold water soothed her parched throat. “Whew! Thanks for the water. It hit the spot.”

  She started to screw the cap back on the water when she felt a tug on her pole. Loretta dropped the water bottle and grabbed the pole with both hands.

  She felt another tug, this time stronger than the last.

  “I think I got one,” she told Alex as she turned the handle and slowly drew in the line. The line grew taut and Loretta struggled to keep a grip.

  “Let me help.” Alex set his pole in the boat and eased in behind Loretta, placing his arms around her as he grabbed the pole with both hands.

  Alex’s nearness caused Loretta’s heart to thump loudly in her chest. She could feel his muscular biceps pressing against her upper arms.

  Loretta began to feel lightheaded as she adjusted her grip on the pole. It began to slip from her hands.

  Alex attempted to get a better grip and leaned into Loretta.

  Loretta sucked in a breath and held it as she shifted to the side.

  She lost her footing and began to fall forward, causing the small boat to rock back and forth.

  Alex released his hold on the pole while Loretta tried to tighten hers, but it was too late. She lost her balance and tumbled over the side of the small boat, falling headfirst into the water.

  Chapter 5

  Alex dove in after her. He quickly surfaced, his eyes darting around. “Loretta, are you okay?”

  Loretta surfaced, sputtering as she wiped water from her eyes. The only thing injured was Loretta’s pride as she flailed around in the water. “I’m fine,” she gasped and began to tread water as she swam to the side of the boat.

  Alex was right behind her. “I never thought to ask if you knew how to swim.”

  “I do, but thank you for your concern.” She pushed her soggy bangs to the side and blinked rapidly. “I’m so sorry. This was all my fault. At least the poles stayed dry.”

  Sure enough, the fishing poles were still resting on the sides of the boat. “I bet the fish got away, too.”

  Alex began to chuckle and then all out belly laughed. “We must look a sight. Well, that sure cooled us off.”

  He placed both hands on the side of the boat and pulled himself in before extending a hand to help Loretta.

  When she was safely inside, he reached into his backpack, pulled out a couple clean towels and handed one to her.

  “Let me guess. You knew I would fall into the water and you would have to dive in after me.”

  Alex shrugged as he wiped his face and toweled his hair. “Nah. I like to come prepared.” He pointed to the sandy cove. “Let’s take a break.”

  “Sounds good.” She eased onto the bench seat for the short ride into the cove. Since she was already soaking wet, she hopped off the side and helped pull the boat onto the beach.

  Alex reached inside for the cooler and carried the cooler, along with a small blanket he pulled from the backpack, to a grassy spot not far from the water’s edge.

  They spread the blanket on the grass and then Alex opened the cooler. Inside was a container of veggies and dip, some chicken tenders and sliced watermelon.

  Loretta reached for a celery stick. “Everything looks delicious.”

  “Thanks. Fishing can work up an appetite.” He handed her a napkin and plucked a chicken tender from the bowl.

  Loretta ate a couple tenders, along with some veggies and dip, and then reached for a slice of watermelon. She bit into the sweet watermelon and the juice dripped down her chin. It tasted like candy. “This is the sweetest watermelon I’ve ever tasted,” she declared.

  While they ate, Alex told her about his family…his older brother, Chase, an ER doctor who lived in Mobile, Alabama, his younger sister, Paige, a nurse in New Orleans and his parents, who were retired and lived in a large retirement community in Florida.

  Paige was married with children. Chase was single, claiming he was too busy to settle down.

  He told Loretta how they all got together every summer for a family reunion over in the Florida Panhandle.

  Loretta wrapped her watermelon rind in a paper towel and placed it in the empty container. “You were the only sibling who didn’t go into the medical field?”

  Alex nodded his head and smi
led. “Yep. I can’t stand the sight of blood.”

  Loretta shuddered. “Me either.” She remembered the bloody library book she had touched not long ago.

  After they finished their food and sipped on sodas, they packed up the picnic supplies and headed back to the boat.

  The sun was already sinking below the trees on the other side of the lake. It was getting late.

  “We better head back,” Alex said as he started the small trolling motor.

  Loretta was sad to see the afternoon end, certain he would never ask her to go again after the overboard fiasco earlier.

  They both jumped out of the boat when they reached the boat ramp. She held onto the side of the boat and waited for him to back the boat trailer into the water so they could load it.

  When the boat was on the trailer and secured, she placed the towel on the seat and climbed in the passenger side. “I’m sorry again, about causing us to end up in the lake.”

  “No need to apologize.” Alex buckled his seatbelt and shifted the truck into drive. “I had a great time, Loretta. We’ll have to do it again soon,” he promised.

  “I figured you’d never invite me again,” she admitted.

  Alex snorted. “You’ve brought more excitement to my life in the last several months than I’ve had in a lifetime. What’s funny is I don’t think you’re even trying.”

  “I’m not,” she groaned. “It’s as if a black cloud of pandemonium follows me around.”

  When they reached the house, Alex pulled the truck to the curb and shifted to park. “Thanks for going with me. Maybe next time, we’ll catch the big one.” He winked.

  A flush of warmth washed over Loretta as she remembered his muscular arms and taut body touching hers. “I would like that.”

  She quickly scrambled out of the truck and shut the passenger door, lest she lose control, lean across the seat, and clamp her lips onto his. “Thanks again.”

  She waved when she reached the steps before she opened the front door and darted inside.

  Lacy was lounging on the couch in her usual position, the remote in her hand. She looked up as Loretta closed the front door. “What in the world happened to you?” she gasped.