Apple Pie With A Side Of Murder
Page 13
“Pretty decent,” I said.
He smiled. “That’s good to hear.”
“Although, lately, a pretty decent day to me is being able to go through an entire twenty-four-hour period without becoming embroiled in a murder case.”
“I never thought I’d be judging my day by whether or not a murder had occurred, but I guess that’s what we’ve come to,” David replied. “The good news is that Treasure Cove has been homicide-free for a whole seven days.”
I stared off into the distance. “What a crazy benchmark to live life by. Here’s hoping we can go the entire rest of our lives without having to investigate another mysterious death.”
“I pray for that every night.”
“Keep praying. It seems to be working.”
“Trust me, I will,” he said. “I’m ready for peace to be restored in this town.”
“Unfortunately, that’s not completely up to you.”
“No. But as a police officer, I do have some say in the matter.”
“Speaking of your job, how was your day?” I asked.
“Besides the lack of a murder case?” he deadpanned.
I nodded.
“It was actually pretty interesting,” David replied.
My muscles tensed up. “Interesting, how?”
When the biggest crime in town was the occasional petty theft, David’s work stories were a lot easier for me to stomach. Ever since murders had started occurring, my breath shortened whenever he brought up his work.
“You can relax,” David replied. “Don’t worry, it’s not crime-related.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. What is it related to?”
“Xander Watterson.”
“What about him? Is he installing a new gate at the Watterson estate?”
David shook his head. “Just the opposite, actually. He is getting rid of the place.”
That was eye-opening news. Xander had been looking to sell the place for well over a decade. He had cut the price repeatedly, desperate to attract a buyer. Over the years, he hadn’t gotten a single bite. Everyone assumed that was because no one wanted to buy a place where a murder-suicide had occurred. So for him to be unloading the place now was pretty remarkable.
My eyebrows arched. “Did he finally find a buyer?”
“Not exactly,” David replied.
I scrunched my nose. “I’m confused, then.”
“Xander has decided to donate both the estate and the grounds to the city.”
I bit the corner of my lip. “Really?”
David nodded. “Under one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“That the estate be demolished and that the grounds be turned into a public park.”
I took a quiet moment to let that news sink in. “Wow. I didn’t see that coming.”
“Neither did the mayor. He looked shocked when he made the announcement.”
“That was really nice of Xander to do that. Talk about an incredible donation.”
“It sure was. Although, I get the sense that Xander did it as much for himself as he did for the benefit of the city.”
My eyebrows knitted. “Really?”
“It’s no secret that he has been trying to sell the property for years. It’s also pretty clear that no one was going to buy the place from him. For the longest time, he seemed content to just sit on the place, hoping for a sucker to come along. I imagine all that changed when he got wind of Craig Coburn and his high school buddies trespassing on his property to try to complete the haunted house challenge.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
“I’ll bet Xander realized what a liability nightmare he was staring down. He probably worried about things escalating and he decided to cut his losses by just donating the estate.”
“You’re probably right,” I said.
“It makes sense,” David replied.
I got a faraway look in my eyes. “Although, I have to admit, it’s going to be a pretty big change to drive to the north side of town and see a city park in the spot where the Watterson estate now stands.”
“Yeah. I’ll probably do a double take the first few times I see it. But it’ll also be refreshing. And as an added bonus, you won’t get creeped out going by there anymore.”
“That’s always a plus.” I became pensive. “I bet it’ll be an amazing park. The grounds are sprawling.”
“With all the changes that have been going on in Treasure Cove, this is one I’m actually looking forward to.”
“Go figure. Not all change is bad,” I joked.
He chuckled. “It’s nice to be reminded of that every once in a while.”
“That being said, I would still prefer for some things to stay the same.” I gazed at him.
He gave me a playful look. “What kinds of things?”
“One thing in particular,” I said.
He reached over and took my hand. “Don’t worry. No matter how much the world changes around us, my love for you stays the same.”
I smiled wide as his words made me swoon. I couldn’t speak for the future, but in that moment, I felt that all was right with the world.
The End.
Will Sabrina and David be able to get to the bottom of what the secret society in town is up to? What’s going on with those pills the hypnotherapist has been giving to his patients? Has Shannon really chosen the right man? And what about Sabrina’s missing sister? Will she ever be found?
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Books in the Daley Buzz Series
Book 1 – Chocolate with a Side of Murder
Book 2 – Caramels with a Side of Murder
Book 3 – Apple Pie with a Side of Murder
Book 4 – Lemon Bars with a Side of Murder
Book 5 – Cookies with a Side of Murder
Books in the Hope Hadley Series
1. Fame Is a Killer
2. Fishing for a Murderer
3. Murder of a Yoga Instructor
4. Drowning In Deceit
5. A Not So Merry Christmas Murder
6. Killer Injustice
7. Murder of a Restaurant Critic
8. Murder of a Movie Producer
9. The Killer Holiday Office Party
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