Greed with Envy (Garden Girls Christian Cozy Mystery Series Book 15)

by Hope Callaghan

  The final piece of the puzzle had fallen into place when Margaret confirmed the dates Don had taken the money from their retirement, savings and checking accounts. They had all fallen on the same day of the week…Friday, the day before he met his golf partners, Club NED, for their weekly golf game.

  Ed Shields called Gloria back within the hour and they agreed to meet at the country club’s Snack Shack the next morning at eleven a.m.

  Gloria was on pins and needles the rest of the day as she mentally rehearsed how she would tell him she knew he was involved.

  Paul attempted to talk her out of it, telling her all the police had to do was bring the suspects in for questioning, to let the professionals handle it but Gloria refused. She’d put a lot of effort into figuring out what had happened and how Don had managed to lose his and Margaret’s life savings.

  The next morning, Gloria drove Annabelle to the country club. Paul followed behind. Detective Givens had called to let them know they were already on scene and in position.

  Gloria rented a cart and headed down the path to the back. When she reached the Snack Shack, she parked off to the side, climbed out of the cart, subconsciously patting the recorder she’d hidden inside her jacket pocket.

  Ed was already there waiting, seated at a table near the door. When he spotted Gloria, he sprang from his seat and hurried over to greet her. “You’re right on time.”

  “Thank you for seeing me on such short notice,” Gloria said.

  “My pleasure. I assume you’ve decided on your investments. You strike me as an intelligent woman with a keen business savvy many others lack.” Ed was laying it on thick.

  “I like to think I possess a solid business acumen, which is why I am going to pass on you and your partners’ investment offer,” she said. “I think it’s a scam and a scheme and you’ve somehow managed to bilk both friends and business acquaintances out of a great deal of money. I plan to report you and your partners to the local authorities.”

  The look on Ed Shields’ face was priceless. “You…you’re crazy,” he sputtered. “That’s ludicrous. You have no proof.”

  “Oh, but I do,” Gloria said. “I think you, along with Becky Stone, one of the co-owners of this fine establishment, cooked up a scheme, a Ponzi scheme to take money from people who trusted you.” Gloria tsk-tsked. “Shame on you for doing such a despicable thing.”

  He opened his mouth but Gloria continued before he had a chance to speak. “The first clue was when Don Hansen cleaned out his bank accounts to pay you. Perhaps the first couple of payments to Don came like clockwork, maybe even more than that. He was doing so well, he decided to invest even more for an even bigger return. By the time he cleaned out his third retirement account, things were starting to go south. You were putting him off on his payments.”

  Gloria crossed her arms. “Nolan Bolton invested, too. Don tried to warn him and they got into an argument shortly before Don’s death. Nolan was still in denial about the scheme. He was still getting those big fat returns and he began trying to convince others to invest with you.”

  It was time to put a final nail in the coffin. “Margaret and I chatted with Nolan last evening. He finally confessed to taking money from his retirement accounts and giving the money to you. Just like Don, Nolan always took the funds from the accounts on the same day of the week…Friday.”

  “So?” Ed huffed. “What’s that got to do with anything? Besides, it’s his word against mine.”

  “Ah, it has everything to do with it. Don had a standing one o’clock tee time every Saturday. So did Nolan, also a part of Club NED. Friday was the day before the men “met” with their financial advisers…you.”

  She switched tactics as she reached inside her purse, pulled out the financial sheet Shields had sent her and waved it in front of his face. “It’s obvious that none of the other investors bothered to research the list of investments you sent me but I did.”

  She continued. “The luxury resort on the island of Pelletree doesn’t exist. In fact, Pelletree does not exist.”

  The color drained from Ed Shields’ face and Gloria thought he was going to pass out. “Follow the money, Ed.” Gloria tapped the side of her forehead. “It’s not that hard. All of this started not long after Becky Stone arrived in Green Springs, joining Montbay Hills Golf & Country club as the third co-owner. That’s when Don started taking money from his and Margaret’s retirement. Same for the Boltons and I’m sure once the investigators start digging around, they’ll find a lot more just like ‘em.”

  The expression on Ed’s face changed to a mask of hatred and he took a step toward her. “You meddling dirt bag. If you were smart, you would’ve stayed out of this.” Ed Shields began to growl. “Who do you think you are?”

  “That’s enough.” Detective Givens appeared from the back storage room and clamped his hand on Ed’s arm. “You’re under arrest for fraud, perjury, money laundering and theft, and depending on the outcome into the investigation of Rex Wetzel’s death, possibly even murder.”

  Paul, who had been watching from not far off, strode over. “I just heard they made an arrest up front at the office.”

  The undercover cops cuffed Ed Shields as they read him his rights.

  “You don’t know who you’re messing with.” Shields glared at Gloria. “This ain’t over, not by a long shot.” The officers led him to a nearby golf cart and drove off.

  A burning heat crept up Gloria’s neck at Shields’ threat. She got the feeling the man held a grudge for a very long time.

  “I can’t wait to tell Margaret, Liz and the others how Ed nearly confessed to his crime,” Gloria said as she climbed into the golf cart parked next to her husband’s cart.

  Paul leaned over and kissed his wife before sliding behind the wheel of his cart. “Was there ever any doubt?” he teased.

  When they reached the front, they parked their golf carts next to the pro shop. Gloria climbed out and took the keys to Paul’s cart. “I’ll return the keys and cancel the membership now that we’ve solved the case.”

  Paul reached out to stop her. “No. I don’t think you should. You already paid for the entire month. I’ve decided I’d like to give it a go.”

  “Really?” She leaned over and hugged him. “I think you’ll like it.”

  Gloria chattered all the way home about the sting, thrilled to know justice would be served.

  The house was strangely quiet when they arrived. “I wonder where Liz wandered off to. I hadn’t noticed before, but her car is gone.”

  Gloria headed to the spare bedroom. The door was wide open. The bed was unmade. Empty food wrappers and trash littered the floor and the top of the dresser but Liz’s personal belongings were gone.

  “I found this on the counter.” Paul stood in the bedroom doorway and held up a key.

  Gloria narrowed her eyes. “That’s our house key. It looks like Liz took off.”

  “I hope she’s all right,” Paul said.

  “She’s fine,” Gloria said. “This is Liz’s MO all the way. I wonder if she drove back to Florida.”

  Just to be safe, Gloria dialed Liz’s cell phone and the call went to voice mail. “This is your sister. It appears you’ve flown the coop. Call me to let me know where you’re headed.”

  “We’re empty nesters again,” Gloria said as she disconnected the call. “How shall we celebrate?”

  “I’ve been promising to take you to Garfield’s for dinner,” Paul said as he drew his wife close.

  Gloria smiled, a twinkle in her eye. “Hmm. It sounds wonderful but I have an even better idea.”

  “Oh you do?” Paul placed a hand behind his wife’s head and drew her close as he gently kissed her lips. “I can’t wait to hear it,” he said before he lowered his head to kiss his wife a second time.

  Chapter 23

  “I have a surprise for you,” Gloria said as she reached inside her purse.

  “For me?” Paul glanced around Garfield’s dining room and lowered his voice.
“You’re pregnant.”

  Gloria laughed aloud. “Very funny.” She reached inside her purse, pulled out a white envelope and slid it across the table.

  “What’s this?”

  “Open it.”

  Paul opened the envelope and pulled out a just because I love you card. Inside the card was a gift certificate for All Seasons Sporting Goods in Green Springs. His eyes widened when he noted the amount. “This is a gift card for five hundred dollars.”

  “It’s the same amount I spent on the golf membership,” Gloria said. “I hope you like it.”

  “I love it, but you shouldn’t have,” her husband scolded. “I feel even worse now for saying anything since I enjoyed my first attempt at golf.”

  The couple had visited Montbay Hills earlier in the week for a round of golf. While they were there, they discovered not only had local investigators arrested Ed Shields and Becky Stone but Phil Holt, as well.

  The only partner not involved was Dylan Nestor, the silent partner who lived in California. The local news had been covering the ongoing investigation for days now. It seemed not only had Don Hansen and Nolan Bolton been duped, but also several other members of the prestigious country club.

  The police were still investigating Rex Wetzel’s death as a possible homicide when rumors began to circulate that Rex had originally been in on the scheme with Ed Shields and Becky Stone. When Phil Holt joined the scheme, they cut Rex out. He became angry and decided not only to start his own money scheme but also to sabotage the others by warning potential investors to steer clear.

  Gloria had nicknamed the scheme greed with envy instead of green with envy.

  Detective Givens had revised his final report and listed Don’s death as a suicide and Gloria was saddened to think Don was unable to confess to his wife what he had done so they could work through the financial loss as husband and wife.

  Margaret discovered Don had renewed the generous life insurance policy just days before his death and Gloria suspected in his final moments on earth, filled with remorse and regret, he realized he could never recoup the money he’d lost but at least he would not leave his wife penniless.

  Paul tucked the gift card in his shirt pocket. “You ever hear from that sister of yours?”

  “Yes.” Gloria reached for her glass of ice water and took a sip. “She’s in Poughkeepsie. She finally confessed the night of the party she’d tracked down Martin’s new golf gig in New York and drove there to confront him. She said they patched things up and plan to head back to Florida in another week, when her temporary tenants are scheduled to move out.”

  “I tried to warn her she was setting herself up for more heartache but she wouldn’t listen.” Gloria shook her head. “I don’t think she’ll ever learn.”

  After dinner, Gloria and Paul wandered down to the water’s edge. The lake was as smooth as glass. There was a damp chill in the evening air and Gloria snuggled under Paul’s arm. “Poor Margaret. I worry about her and wonder how she’s going to adjust to life alone now that Don is gone.”

  “She has her friends, you and the others,” Paul said. “If not for you, there would be even more sad stories of unsuspecting people being scammed out of their life savings.”

  A stiff breeze blew off the lake and Gloria shivered.

  “C’mon my dear. It’s time to go home.”

  Gloria slipped her hand into her husband’s hand. “Let’s go.”

  The end.

  The Series Continues... “Click Here To Download Book 16, “Dying for Dollars”

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  Download All Books In This Series

  Garden Girls Cozy Mystery Series

  Who Murdered Mr. Malone? Book 1

  Grandkids Gone Wild: Book 2

  Smoky Mountain Mystery: Book 3

  Death by Dumplings: Book 4

  Eye Spy: Book 5

  Magnolia Mansion Mysteries: Book 6

  Missing Milt: Book 7

  Bully in the ‘Burbs: Book 8

  Fall Girl: Book 9

  Home for the Holidays: Book 10

  Sun, Sand, and Suspects: Book 11

  Look Into My Ice: Book 12

  Forget Me Knot: Book 13

  Nightmare in Nantucket: Book 14

  Greed with Envy: Book 15

  Dying for Dollars: Book 16

  Book 17: Coming Soon!

  Garden Girls Box Set I – (Books 1-3)

  Garden Girls Box Set II – (Books 4-6)

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  Meet The Author

  Hope Callaghan is an author who loves to write Christian books, especially Christian Mystery and Cozy Mystery books. She has written more than 50 mystery books (and counting) in five series.

  Born and raised in a small town in West Michigan, she now lives in Florida with her husband.

  She is the proud mother of one daughter and a stepdaughter and stepson. When she's not doing the thing she loves best - writing books - she enjoys cooking, traveling and reading books.

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  Rose’s Black-Eyed Peas Recipe

  Ingredients:

  8 cups water

  1 pound dried black-eyed peas (rinsed)

  12 ounces ham, diced

  6 slices bacon, chopped

  4 cloves garlic, diced

  1 med. onion, diced

  1 bell pepper, diced, (seeded and stemmed)

  2 teaspoons ground black pepper

  1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  1 teaspoon cumin

  Salt to taste

  Directions:

  Pour the water into slow cooker.

  Combine black-eyed peas, ham, bacon, garlic, onion, bell pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin and salt. Stir to blend ingredients.

  Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours until the beans are tender.

  Serve over bed of white rice with a hot buttered cornbread muffin.