Pink Moscato & Murder: An Oceanside Cozy Mystery - Book 15

by Susan Gillard

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  “Eva's Delicious Mystery: A Donut Hole Spin-Off”

  Pink Moscato & Murder

  An Oceanside Cozy Mystery - Book 15

  Susan Gillard

  Copyright 2017 by Guardian Publishing Group

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication or the information in it may be quoted from or reproduced in any form by means such as printing, scanning, photocopying or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Printed in the United States of America

  Contents

  Pink Moscato & Murder

  1. Pretty Donuts

  2. Dinner Plans

  3. Wet Dogs

  4. Beautiful Butterflies

  5. Crime Scene Kitchen

  6. Station Talk

  7. Suspicious Staff

  8. In Defense of a Friend

  9. The Wife

  10. The Van Stake-Out

  11. Josh’s Side

  12. Arresting Behavior

  13. The Waitress

  14. The Scrunchie

  15. Cooking Dreams

  16. The Last Employee

  17. Recipe for a Solution

  18. Donuts for All

  About the Author

  Also by Susan Gillard

  Pink Moscato & Murder

  Pretty Donuts

  “Do these donuts call for a toast?” Amy asked.

  “They are Pink Moscato flavored like the sweet wine,” Heather said. “But I think they can be enjoyed without any pomp and circumstance.”

  “They’re very pretty,” Heather’s assistant Janae said. “Pretty in pink.”

  Heather, her bestie Amy, and three of her baking assistants were gathered in the kitchen of Donut Delights, admiring the newest flavor.

  "Lovely," Nina agreed. “Like a light pink rose.”

  “That’s exactly what I was going for,” Heather said. “Our friend Mona is getting married next week--“

  “This is the friend who moved her wedding date up to get a new venue and expects everyone to adapt and is driving you crazy with adjusting the wedding plans because you're the co-Maids of Honor?" Digby asked, aptly describing the situation.

  Heather and Amy answered him at the same time.

  Heather said, “I wouldn’t say she’s driving us crazy. And the new venue will be a dream come true. And things have been coming along. It’s mostly the donuts that we need to focus on now. ”

  Amy just said, “Yes” to agree with Digby’s description.

  "Just checking," he said.

  “Anyway,” Heather said, after realizing the differences in their responses. “She is going to have pink roses at the ceremony. These are one of the flavors I’m going to make that will be served at the reception.”

  “They’ll be great for the bachelorette party too,” Amy said. “They’ll go great with the real wine we’ll be drinking.”

  “I wanted to test them out before the day-of,” Heather explained. “With all the changes and plans being sped up, there are lots of opportunities for things to go wrong. I didn’t want the donuts to be one of them.”

  “I don’t think anything could go wrong with your donuts,” Janae said with a smile. “They’re always delicious.”

  "Right," Digby agreed. "The only problem could be if you don't serve them."

  “Speaking of,” Amy said, gesturing towards the tray of Pink Moscato Donuts.

  "All right," Heather said. "You can all try one. Hopefully, you'll say that they are fitting for a wedding."

  “I do,” Amy said, after picking one up and trying a bite. “Mona will love these.”

  “That’s so reassuring,” Heather said. “I still need to figure out a flavor that is specific for Col and Mona to go with the cake, but I’m glad you think these will work.”

  "And with one thing figured out, we’ll have time to focus on other things,” Amy agreed. “Like our dinner guest tonight.”

  “It somehow tastes light,” Janae said, after sampling it herself.

  Digby tried to agree, but his mouth was full of frosting.

  Nina was hesitant about trying hers. Being somewhat younger, she wasn’t always sure about the flavors based on alcohol, even if the desserts themselves were alcohol-free.

  “What does a Pink Moscato Donut taste like?” Nina asked.

  “Delicious,” Amy said, reaching for a second one.

  Heather decided to give her a more thorough answer. “Moscatos are sweet wines, and the pink ones often have hints of berries in them. The donut cake base in this is made to mirror that. It has traces of berries, as well as pomegranate and passionfruit, but they are all blended together as if it was something that you would want to take a sip of. It’s covered with a pink vanilla icing to keep it sweet.”

  "It sounds good,” Nina said. She tried a bite and agreed with her prognosis.

  Digby reached for a second donut and then stopped himself. “I better only have the one,” he said, sadly. “My New Year’s Resolution was to be less of a glutton, and one of the things I overindulge too much in are these donuts. These delicious, sweet, rich, tasty, velvety, creamy donuts.”

  "Stop talking about how you're not going to eat them, or you'll make me want more," Amy said.

  Heather tried to change the subject so that Digby wouldn’t be focused on the donuts, which she had to admit she thought were delicious too.

  "How are everyone else's New Year's Resolutions going?" she asked.

  “I’m doing great with mine,” Amy said. “I’ve really been able to keep it up so far.”

  "You mean your resolution not to scream when you see a dead body when you're working a case?" Janae asked.

  “Yeah,” Amy said. “So far, I’ve been able to maintain this resolution one hundred percent of the time.”

  “We’ve only had one case since you made that resolution,” Heather pointed out.

  “And I didn’t scream,” Amy said.

  Heather stopped herself from rolling her eyes and turned to Nina. “How is your resolution holding up?”

  "Oh dear," Nina said. “I hoped you wouldn’t remember. I had decided that I was going to try and be less nervous about things, but I’ve already started fretting about how everyone would think I was holding up under this resolution.”

  “I know that’s a tough resolution for you,” Heather said, giving her encouragement. “And I’m proud of you for attempting it.”

  "I've decided that I'm going to try and stay in touch better with my friends," Janae said. "I've been bad about staying in contact with my friends from school, and I'd like to reconnect."

  “If you do that you might end up with more dinner guests,” Amy said with a sigh.

  “What’s that?” asked Janae.

  “It’s nothing,” Heather assured her. “Amy is just nervous about meeting a friend of her boyfriend’s.”

  “When we were first thinking about moving to Key West, Jamie mentioned that he had a friend in Florida. Well, it turns out he’s not as far away as we thought. His friend Josh actually just started working at a restaurant in Key West. And Jamie invited him over for dinner tonight,” Amy explained.

  “That’s nice though, isn’t it?” Janae asked.

  “It’s extremely int
imidating in two ways,” Amy said. “Firstly, Josh is one of Jamie’s oldest friends. If he doesn’t like me, it’s going to be a messy situation.”

  “How could he not like you?” Heather said.

  “I don’t know,” Amy responded. “I’m honest and hilarious, but it’s been known to happen on rare occasions. I really want to make a good impression.”

  “You will,” said Heather.

  “What’s the other problem?” Digby asked. “You said there were two.”

  “The other problem is that we invited him over for dinner,” said Amy.

  “So?”

  “So, he’s a chef! How is he going to like anything we come up with?”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Heather said.

  “I can’t not worry about it,” Amy said. “I’m already worrying about it.”

  “If you don’t think you can make a dinner that you can be confident and happy about, we’ll pick up dishes from all the restaurants we like in Key West. It can be a culinary buffet and help him know the area,” Heather said.

  “That’s not a bad idea,” said Amy.

  “And we’ll have donuts for dessert,” said Heather with a smile.

  “Nice,” Digby said nodding and trying not to focus on the food in front of him. “Those enchanting, appetizing, scrumptious, sprinkled donuts.”

  "The wedding preparations are under control, and this dinner will be fun," Heather said.

  “Are you sure?” Amy asked.

  “I’m resolved that it will be,” said Heather.

  Dinner Plans

  “Jamie, you’re a lucky man,” Josh said.

  Josh Fulton was shorter than Jamie but had a big personality. He was a passionate man with dark curly hair. He enjoyed the company he was with that evening but didn't shy away from saying when he didn't like things. He seemed to have a short temper but tried to keep it in check.

  He was different in many ways from the easy-going Jamie, but they could see why the two of them were friends. Josh could push Jamie out of his comfort zone a bit, and Jamie could restrain Josh’s more destructive temperament. The stories they told of their time in school together seemed to reinforce this impression that Heather was getting.

  Heather was happy that she and her husband had been invited for dessert and had gotten the opportunity to meet Josh. Because they lived in the house underneath Amy and Jamie's, it was not a long trek to make. Heather made sure to bring extra Pink Moscato Donuts in case they were running short.

  “I know I am,” Jamie said in response to Josh’s statement.

  "Your girlfriend is delightful," Josh said.

  “That’s not a word often used to describe me,” Amy said. “I like it.”

  “And it seems like you have a real home here,” Josh continued. “You always wanted that.”

  Jamie beamed. “It’s the perfect home. Especially its location. Not just that it’s near the beach.”

  “Though that does help,” said Amy.

  “But because it’s so close to my friends,” Jamie said.

  “Hear, hear,” Ryan said, smiling at the group and squeezing his wife’s hand.

  “Just wait until you meet Eva and Leila,” Jamie said. “They’re like grandmothers to us now, but have so much life in them. But you should meet them if you come with us on Saturday. They’re keeping an eye on Lilly right now though. That’s Ryan and Heather’s daughter.”

  “Do you think you’ll ever have kids?” Josh asked.

  Jamie and Amy started sputtering about how they weren't at that point in their relationship and how they were too old anyway. Amy also added how children could be sticky.

  Josh laughed, and they knew that he had only asked to get a reaction out of his friend. "Besides you seem quite happy with just your dog," he said.

  “We’re just fostering her,” Amy said, but she had been cutting a piece of her leftover steak into small pieces for Miss Marshmallow, revealing how much she now cared about the small dog.

  "But we'd like to hear more about you," Heather said. "We hear you're a chef?"

  “You want to hear about me?” Josh asked. “No more embarrassing stories about young Jamie and me?”

  “That is tempting to listen to,” Amy laughed.

  "No, no," Jamie said. "We don't need to hear any more of those. You already told them about the time I made the neighbor’s dog look bald, trying to give him a haircut.”

  “If you started so early, I guess you were always meant to become a dog groomer,” Amy said.

  “I guess so,” Jamie said. “But I needed to practice a lot since then.”

  "And I guess they don't have to hear about the time you pushed me into the fountain in the town square," Josh said.

  “What?” Jamie said, “You pushed me!”

  They all laughed.

  "So," Ryan said. "I know a bit about how bakeries work, but what’s it like to work in a restaurant? What type of food do they specialize in there?”

  "Speaking of food, I think I could have a little more to eat,” Josh said. “That was a great idea, getting dishes from all around the island. And what do we have for dessert?”

  This time when he changed the subject, Heather got the idea that he was hiding something. However, she let the conversation turns towards her donuts.

  Josh tried one and complimented her. “This is a charming flavor. It maintains the integrity of the Moscato that you are trying to capture, and yet is also distinctly a dessert. It captivates the taste buds with its sweetness.”

  “Thank you,” Heather said, feeling herself blush a little. She knew that many people liked her donuts, but it felt good to have a professional in the culinary business be one of those people as well.

  “It’s the perfect end to a meal. There was so much to try before. Some dishes very good and others not so much. That chili we had was too hot to appreciate any of its other flavors. Its spiciness was disappointing,” Josh said.

  “It’s funny,” Amy said. “Because I could have sworn that we ordered it mild. But if that’s mild, I bet the hot is still in a volcano.”

  “What?” Josh said, slamming his fist on the table.

  “Bad joke?” Amy asked.

  Josh shook his head. “They ruined your order like that? I can’t stand that level of incompetence.”

  “I’m sure it was just a mistake,” Jamie said.

  "No excuse," Josh said. He hit the table again but less forcefully. Heather held onto her water glass to keep it from being knocked over in his passion. "What if that was the only thing that we were going to eat tonight and it was too hot for us to enjoy? That would have ruined dinner. And what if we had a medical reason for not wanting it so spicy? No. I can't stand this sort of thing."

  “If he cares so much about food, we should definitely visit him at work,” Amy said. “What’s the name of the restaurant again?”

  “It’s called Meals by the Sea,” Josh said. “But, well, actually, I’m not working there anymore.”

  “I’m sorry to have brought it up,” Amy said. “We won’t go visit you there then.”

  “What happened?” asked Jamie.

  "I went and got myself fired," Josh admitted. "The head chef there was making a mistake with a recipe. Saying there was only one way to make a dish. I called him out on it, and he got upset."

  “And you remained calm, cool and collected throughout the entire exchange?” Jamie asked.

  “I might have shouted. And called him names. And thrown a pot,” Josh said. “But he drove me to it.”

  “There’s always something driving you to it,” Jamie sighed.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Josh asked, but he sounded more hurt than like he was trying to start a fight.

  “Nothing,” said Jamie.

  “So, what are you planning on doing now?” Heather asked.

  "I'm not sure," Josh said, shrugging. "I might be able to get my job back if I apologize. But I really don't want to do that. The head chef Clint is pompous and dumb. B
ut usually a good chef. He should have realized what I was saying was right."

  “So, you’ll look for another restaurant to work at?” asked Amy.

  “I suppose so,” Josh said. “It’s probably the worst time to be job searching since it’s right after the holidays and businesses might be slowing down some. But I’m very good at what I do. Still, I don’t want to be without a paycheck for too long. I guess I will have to find something soon. But I won’t give up my culinary integrity for anyone.”

  “I know what,” Jamie said. “You can work with me until you find the proper restaurant job. The one that’s right for you.”

  “Work with you washing dogs?” Josh asked. “I don’t have any experience in that.”

  “I just need an extra hand,” Jamie said. “This week is going to be busy for me because everyone is back from visiting people for the holidays. It’s time to groom their pets again.”

  “I guess I could do that,” Josh said. “But I might need another donut tonight to treat myself to agreeing to something so different for me.”

  “And I think I’ll need another donut too,” Amy said. “Just because.”

  Heather happily handed them both one.

  Wet Dogs

  “You look miserable, Digby,” Heather said.

  "I can't help it," Digby said. "Since I've told myself that I could only have one donut a day, being here has become torture."

  “Isn’t that a little dramatic?” Heather asked.

  “I don’t know,” Amy said. “If I were here and couldn’t eat donuts, it would be harsh.”

  “There were plenty of days when I only ate one donut,” Digby said. “Occasionally, I wouldn’t even have any while I was here. But knowing that I can only have one if I want to stick to my resolution makes it really hard.”