by K M Morgan
“You’re welcome.”
“How about a donut to celebrate?”
Chloe reluctantly declined. “I’m not sure my waistline would appreciate that. I already have a long overdue date with the gym to get to.”
“Suit yourself. That means more donuts for me,” Detective Thicke insisted.
Chloe laughed.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chloe wasn’t the only one that was happy to be putting this case behind them. Paige O’Doul nearly wept when she found out the killer was in custody. The relief on her face was unmistakable. She looked like she had a whole new lease on life.
Paige gave Chloe a hug that she was in no hurry to pull back from.
“Thank you so much. You literally saved my life,” Paige said.
“It’s funny. Normally I’d just say you were being dramatic, but this time, you’re right,” Chloe replied.
“Trust me, after what we’ve just been through, I don’t have any interest in drama anymore.”
“I never thought I’d hear that line coming out of an actress’s mouth.”
“I meant real-life drama. The scripted variety is a completely different animal.”
“As long as you leave the drama onstage from now on.”
Paige smiled. “Gladly. Speaking of, the guy who wrote the play I’m in heard about your unique story and is interested in writing a show about your amateur sleuthing. Isn’t that exciting?”
Chloe bit the corner of her lip, not nearly as enthused. “I don’t know about that.”
“You have to admit, it’s a killer story.”
“Please, don’t say killer.”
“Right. Sorry. Think of it this way, if his script gets picked up, I could play you in the stage show.”
Chloe was confused. “Wouldn’t you want to play yourself?”
“Are you kidding? Why would I want to be me? What’s the fun in that?” Paige said.
Chloe laughed.
“I meant, the whole point of acting is to pretend you’re someone else. Besides, your character would be the star of the show, and what actress doesn’t want to be the center of attention?” Paige continued.
Chloe remained non-committal. “I’ll think about it.”
“Your humility truly does know no bounds. If I’m going to pull off playing you convincingly in this show, I’m going to have to keep that in mind.”
“While you’re plotting your next star turn, I’m getting bummed out by the fact that you’re going to be leaving town soon.”
“Hey, we only have twenty-five more cities left on this tour. Don’t worry, I’ll be back…to do research into your character for the play,” Paige joked.
Chloe smiled. “You always did know how to make me laugh.”
“That’s what friends are for.”
“Other than solving murder cases, you mean?”
Paige nodded. “Besides that of course. Tell you what, next time I’m in town, dinner is on me. I’ll even take you out to Chez Pierre’s.”
“Oo la la. I can’t wait,” Chloe said.
Paige couldn’t resist giving Chloe another hug while she leaned in and whispered in Chloe’s ear.
“Thanks again for everything.”
Epilogue
That night, Chloe was in for a different kind of celebration. Dylan took her out for a dinner date. As someone who had just performed surgery in the last few days, Dylan thought he’d have the most interesting story of the day. He couldn’t have been more wrong.
“Here I thought I was dating a makeup saleswoman. Little did I know I was getting involved with someone who is making a habit of outsmarting the police,” Dylan said.
“It’s not my goal to make the police look bad. I was just trying to help out an old friend,” Chloe explained.
“And that, in a nutshell, is why I like you so much.”
“Because I make the police look bad, or because I’m trying to help out a friend?”
“Because you’ll do anything for a friend. That kind of loyalty is rare in this day and age. Trust me, I know.”
Dylan got a wistful look in his eyes.
“Are you thinking about Will Abbott again?” Chloe asked.
Will Abbott was one of Dylan’s oldest friends…right up until the point when Dylan caught Will sleeping with his wife. That day everything changed. It was a heartbreak that had taken Dylan over a year to get over. Chloe couldn’t blame him. In one moment, Dylan had been betrayed by both his wife and his best friend.
In light of all the twisted romantic couplings that were involved in the Ryan Foster murder investigation, it was no surprise that Dylan was very emotional. Hearing about the romantic backstabbing that had gone on with Paige’s old acting troupe had clearly made Dylan reflect on the old wounds in his own past.
At the same time, this was a celebratory dinner. Dylan pulled himself together and put the focus back on Chloe.
“Let’s just say, I’m glad people like you are still out there,” Dylan replied.
Chloe was just as complimentary to him. “I could say the same thing about you.”
“Well thanks, but there’s no chance of me solving a murder case,” Dylan insisted.
“To be fair, I didn’t know I’d turn into a sleuth.”
“The killer didn’t realize it either,” Dylan joked.
“There’s nothing like the element of surprise,” Chloe said.
“I guess the question is, what other surprises do you have up your sleeve?”
“None that I know of.”
Dylan got playful with her. “I find that hard to believe. I’m sure another hidden talent is hiding in there somewhere.”
“If so, I haven’t discovered it yet.” She switched gears. “How about you, do you have any hidden talents I should know about?”
“I’ve been told I’m pretty good at giving foot rubs.”
Chloe’s eyes opened wide. “How is this the first I’ve heard about this?”
“Come on, women don’t like massages, do they?” Dylan joked.
“Very funny. Now that the cat is out of the bag, you know I’m going to be taking you up on one of those.”
“I figured you would.”
“I’d be a fool not to. A foot rub is a girl’s best friend,” Chloe said.
“I thought diamonds were a girl’s best friend,” Dylan replied.
“A woman can have more than one best friend. There’s no reason to limit yourself.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
“Just like I can’t argue with heading back to my place and getting one of those foot rubs you were telling me about,” Chloe said.
“I wish I could, but I have another surgery to perform in the morning.”
Chloe sighed. “You got me all worked up for nothing.”
“How about a raincheck?”
Chloe smiled. “I think you already know the answer to that.”
Dylan laughed. “I suppose so. Now, you’re not going to solve another murder while I’m in the operating room, are you?”
Chloe was coy with her response. “I can’t promise anything.”
Dylan stared her down.
“I’m kidding. As far as I’m concerned, if another murder happens in Cape Cod, it’ll be too soon for me,” Chloe continued.
“Good. It’s hard not to worry if I know you’re out questioning murder suspects.”
“You know I can take care of myself, don’t you?”
He nodded. “I do. It’s just that I’m really falling for you, so naturally I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”
“You’re really falling for me?”
Dylan gazed deep into her eyes. “Oh yeah, I’m falling for you, head over heels.”
“Trust me, the feeling is mutual,” Chloe replied.
Dylan and Chloe got wrapped up in one another’s gaze. At that moment, it was as if time had stopped. All that mattered was each other. Chloe could feel her knees getting weak. She hadn’t experienced emotions this stro
ng in a long time. Even more, she didn’t want those feelings to end.
The End.
Killer Finale
Prologue
Chloe Cook couldn’t believe the rug had been pulled out from under her again. Just when she thought her life was back on track, the universe found new ways to throw her for a loop. This was becoming a disturbing pattern. Unfortunately, it was one she had no control over. With the way things were shaking out, it seemed the only thing she could do was to expect the unexpected to keep happening.
Another murder had occurred in her quaint, touristy hometown of Cape Cod. This was the third this year. Unlike the big city, where a jaded worldview often set in among the population, that wasn’t the case here. To Chloe, it wasn’t just another day, another dead body. To her, each murder was just as unsettling as the last. It would always be that way. How could she ever get used to someone’s life being cut so tragically short?
Part of the reason Chloe was so unsettled was because these killings were in direct contrast to the reputation of the sleepy hometown she knew and loved. Things like this didn’t happen in the Cape when she was growing up. Her youth was filled with happy days at the beach and joyful nights playing kick the can and eating delicious seafood. Things had gotten much more complicated since then. She hated to think the Cape she lived in now, where murders were just as numerous as shark attacks, could be the new normal.
Nothing about the crime scene was ordinary. Chloe looked around in complete shock. Then again, she was particularly shaken by this murder because she had a personal stake in the outcome of the case. The victim was a well-known comedy-and-magic-club owner with a nasty habit of making enemies. Chloe could list half a dozen names off the top of her head, each with a good reason to want the club owner dead.
Unfortunately, the police had their eye on a seventh suspect, someone near and dear to Chloe’s heart. Against all odds, one of Chloe’s good friends was in the hot seat. Even more, that friend wasn’t just on the suspect list—she seemed to be at the top of it.
Chloe wouldn’t stand for that. She knew the police were wrong on this one. Detective Todd Thicke disagreed. He refused to listen to reason. The detective was stubbornly sticking to his guns on this one.
That left Chloe with no choice. She couldn’t let one of her friends go to jail for a crime they didn’t commit. She had to take matters into her own hands. There was only one way to do that. To prove her friend’s innocence, Chloe would have to find the real killer herself.
Chapter One
One Day Earlier
“What a night,” Dylan Robertson said.
Chloe couldn’t disagree. In her case, it was a wonderful evening. In her boyfriend’s, she was convinced that he was just being nice. Dylan had taken her out to dinner and a movie. The food was fabulous. Then again, it was hard to go wrong with a bowl of New England clam chowder and some homemade pie.
The movie they saw was a completely different story. They’d gone to a chick flick, which was right up Chloe’s alley. Dylan’s cinematic tastes leaned more towards blockbuster popcorn fare with plenty of action sequences and explosions. Watching a whimsical female heroine with an addiction to sweets and a slew of sassy best friends at her side trying to find Mr. Right wasn’t exactly his preferred way to spend ninety minutes.
That being said, he didn’t complain like a man who’d been reluctantly dragged to the mall on a Sunday shopping trip when he’d rather be home watching football. Instead, Dylan had been a good sport about seeing the chick flick. Was that all about to change?
“I imagine it was much better for me than you,” Chloe remarked.
Dylan looked confused. “What makes you say that?”
Chloe’s boyfriend was either better at hiding his true feelings than she thought, or going to the romantic comedy truly didn’t bother him.
“It was nice of you to go to ‘Single Woman In Search Of A Soulmate’ with me, but it clearly wasn’t your first choice,” Chloe said.
Dylan gave the best possible answer. “It didn’t matter what movie we went to. All I cared about was spending the evening with you.”
“You sure have a way with words, but I can read between the lines. Be honest—wouldn’t you have preferred to see some other movie?”
“Well, yeah. That movie wasn’t my first choice, but seeing the smile on your face makes it all worthwhile.”
“Wow. That is a seriously smooth answer. I’m impressed.”
“Why do you seem so surprised?” he asked.
“Do you know how many men have belly-ached about me dragging them to chick flicks over the years?” she replied.
Dylan laughed.
Chloe became curious. “What’s so funny?”
“If they were putting up a fuss about something as innocuous as going to a romantic comedy, they were obviously the wrong men for you.”
“Do you think you’re the right man?” she asked.
“I hope so,” he replied.
They got caught up in each other’s gaze. Just as it seemed like they were about to lean in for a kiss, another thought pulled Chloe’s mind away.
Dylan noticed her mind off in the ozone. “Is something the matter?”
“I was just wondering, if your comment earlier wasn’t about the movie, then why did you say ‘what a night’?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Apparently, it’s not obvious enough.”
“I’m falling for you,” he revealed.
Chloe gazed deep into her boyfriend’s eyes. “How did you get to be so sweet?”
“What can I say? You bring out the best in me.”
Chloe then leaned in and gave Dylan a kiss.
Chloe smiled. “Forget chick flicks. When I’m with you, I feel like I’m starring in my own real-life romantic comedy.”
“Speaking of, what do you say to going out to dinner again tomorrow?”
Chloe shook her head. “Actually, I can’t.”
Dylan was surprised. “Oh…okay.”
“Hope Callahan and I are having a girls’ night out.”
Dylan furrowed his brow. “I thought you were supposed to do that a couple of weeks ago.”
“We were. Her job keeps getting in the way.”
“Well, you two have some fun.”
“We will. How about a rain check on that dinner?”
“Of course.”
“So, what are you going to do tomorrow then?” Chloe wondered.
“Maybe I’ll go see ‘The Swift Bullet Of Justice.’”
“The Swift Bullet Of Justice” was a check-your-brain-at-the-door action flick that was heavy on explosions and light on emotional complexity.
“That’s what you really wanted to see tonight, wasn’t it?” Chloe asked.
“I told you, what I wanted to see tonight was you. Since I won’t be seeing you tomorrow, it seems like a good time to watch stuff get blown up,” he explained.
“I can’t argue with that logic.”
“Are you kidding? It’s an action movie. There’s no room for logic. They have too many explosions to fit in.”
Chloe shook her head. “I’ll never understand your fascination with those kinds of mindless movies.”
“I can’t say I’m wild about chick flicks either, but I respect your affinity for them.”
“And I’m happy you do.”
“The fact is, there are some things men and women will never see eye to eye on, but there is one thing we can both agree about,” Dylan said.
“What’s that?” Chloe asked.
“There’s nothing quite like a good kiss.”
Dylan leaned in and gave Chloe a deep kiss.
Chloe’s heart fluttered as Dylan pulled back.
She smiled. “That’s so true.”
“Good night,” he replied.
Usually, Chloe was the one who had to cut things short. This time, she didn’t want the night to end.
“How about one more for the road?” she suggested.
“I can’t turn that down.”
Dylan leaned in and gave Chloe another kiss. What a perfect way to end the evening. After a kiss like that, Chloe knew she’d have sweet dreams.
***
When people thought of Cape Cod, images of sandy beaches came to mind. Tourists flocked into town during the summer with carefree rest and relaxation on their minds. They had no idea how much the Cape changed in the winter. It was a good thing, too, as it would be a shame to have their pristine memories tarnished.
The Cape turned into a bit of a ghost town in the off-season. That was how the townies liked it. They had the whole place to themselves, including the peace and quiet that came with it. The locals-only atmosphere of the off-season meant a steep drop in business. Some restaurants and corner shops closed outright until the spring. Others had limited hours. From October to April, the Cape took on a homey, small-town atmosphere that was surprising, considering there were still over two hundred thousand full-time residents remaining in town.
With all the changes in the area, the only thing the locals didn’t like was the drastic change of weather. Cape Cod winters were bitter affairs, with dismal temperatures and snow banks often piled high. It was hot chocolate weather, for sure. At the same time, there was only so much that hot cocoa and bite-sized marshmallows could do.
In her thirty-plus years in the Cape, Chloe had learned to take the good with the bad. The harsh winters made her appreciate the spring, summer, and fall all the more. Considering it was early January, spring was far off. Chloe tried not to think about that. She wanted to take each day as it came. It was better to live in the moment, rather than to dream constantly of a warm spring day that was months away.
That particular Friday put Chloe’s normally sunny disposition to the test. She’d had a rough day at work. Chloe was in cosmetics sales, so unlike an office job, her commission-only, day-to-day income could fluctuate wildly. Luckily, she had cultivated a nice core of loyal clients. Unfortunately, some of her regulars were more demanding than others. Somehow, Chloe seemed to meet with all her challenging clients on the same day.
