Sunbaked Snowbird: Cozy Mystery (Poppy Pepper's Paradise Cove & Mini Golf Book 1)

by Molly Dox

  Poppy knew where she was heading later. She had some things to take care of first. She could leave her father alone for a short while, but definitely not during the busier time of their day, check-ins and check-outs. Martin Pepper was a character in his own right, and while he thought he still housed all his marbles, Poppy disagreed. Martin Pepper had lost a few of those marbles over the years, most of them falling to the floor after Agnes died. He was good at what he did, but he was forgetful and not always dependable.

  If she waited for Reggie, she could go in the morning after check-ins. He was on a late shift this week. Normally he worked days, but he was doing a few fill-ins and his schedule got changed.

  With a little help from Reggie’s sheriff badge, she might get a few more details. Not that it was her business, or even that she should be poking around, but she almost couldn’t help herself. It was a morbid curiosity that she couldn’t let go of.

  The answer was no. There was no way he was using his badge that way, and on the reservation it was pointless anyway. He had no authority there. Poppy leaned in and smiled sweetly. “At least come with me. I’ll look more official with you by my side.”

  Reggie groaned. “Poppy, you should let the professionals handle this. What do you expect to find?”

  “Reg, Rocky old boy, he had green felt under his fingertips. You tell me where else he would have gotten that from.” She pleaded with him until he finally caved.

  “Fine, I’ll go with you, but I’m waiting in the truck. I am not getting tangled up in this mess. It could cost me my job. I’ll go for moral support.” He shook his head. No way was he letting Poppy do this alone. He knew he’d go inside too. He just told himself he wouldn’t to make him feel better.

  Chapter 3

  Pulling up to the Rock and Slots Casino, Reggie parked his truck. It was old and run-down, but she ran smoothly. He drove an old Ford pick-up truck. It wasn’t great on gas, but was super for hauling things around. The worn brown paint could do with another coat after all these years, but it wasn’t his priority. His wife’s car, a maroon Buick sat in the driveway of his house. He thought about selling it, but letting go wasn’t his strong point.

  “I won’t be long,” Poppy promised as she hopped out of the truck.

  “Wait, I’m coming with you,” he said with a sigh.

  Poppy smiled, knowing he would. “Sure thing; but let me do the talking. You always come off gruff.”

  “Gruff? I am not gruff.” He thought he was mostly pleasant, well, some of the time.

  “You are at times, but it’s adorable on you.” She laughed and led the way.

  The casino was a large white building with sparking letters written out in red and gold. It stood out as soon as you got near it, pushing out of the ground like a tower, and glittering in an area that was barren and quiet otherwise.

  As soon as they entered the casino, the bells and chimes of the slots filled the air. Ching, ching, ding, ding. Bells went off, and people were clapping, excited by their winnings. But it wasn’t the slots Poppy was interested in. She wanted to go check out the gaming tables. Getting there, she was disappointed to see most of them had red felt, not green. She thought green was traditional. It must have been when they did the renovations last year that they changed them.

  Ready to call it a loss, she walked by the Baccarat room. Green felt. High rollers played there, and to the side there were tables for bigger betting, the VIP room. The VIP’s poker table’s minimum bet kept the small betters out. That’s where the green felt was. She didn’t picture Bernie Godshaw as a high roller, but it was green felt was under his fingernails, not red felt. Could he have been a patron of the high rollers room?

  “Do you see what I see?” She nudged Reggie.

  He nodded, feeling skittish. “Okay, so we see green felt. Let’s call it a wrap.”

  “Not so fast! I want to talk to some dealers, poke around and see if anybody recognized Bernie Godshaw.” Poppy was electric, excited to find out more information. She kept swearing she’d go to school for this stuff one day, but with her father aging quickly somebody had to run the resort.

  “This is where I need to pull you back. Snooping around is fine, but questioning dealers? You need to leave that to the proper channels. I’m sure they’ll be here soon enough if they got the news about the green felt too.” He wanted to talk sense into her, though he knew her well enough to recognize her stubborn streak.

  “Fine, go wait in the truck. I’m going to use the ladies room and then I’ll be out,” she answered.

  Reggie gave a guffaw. “Ha, like I’d fall for that.”

  “Come on Reg, just let me ask a few questions. I’ll be careful.” She looked at him with puppy dog eyes, hoping to crack his tough exterior.

  “I’ll be in the truck. This is where I draw my line in the sand. I’m a sheriff, Poppy, I can’t do this,” he cautioned.

  “Ten minutes, tops.” When she showed up at the truck thirty minutes later with a sheepish grin, she apologized for running later than she expected.

  Reggie shook his head. “Well? What did you find out?”

  “You’ll be pleased to know that I got to talk to the pit crew manager. He said an older guy had been coming in and was getting really stressed the last few times he’d come in. Once they cut him off this last time, and he was begging for more credit, he got into a scuffle with the bouncer who then proceeded to throw him out. I asked if his last name happened to be Godshaw. Turns out, Bernie sucker punched the bouncer after he was tossed on his ear. That was the last time they saw him, and he was banned from the casino.” She looked pleased with herself. “Yep, all of that in just a little bit of time. It’s the innocent old lady look, gets them every time. People put their guard down.”

  “You’re hardly old, lady.” Reggie started his truck. “But I am impressed you came out with so much information.”

  “Just another lead, but it doesn’t tell us what happened.” Poppy got lost in thought.

  He could practically see her mind ticking, trying to fit the pieces together.

  Chapter 4

  Poppy had a full, round face that always showcased a smile. She was a woman that seemed to be able to do it all, even if it meant things getting half-done, her way. She was rarely a perfectionist, and more about efficiency. The faster she could do something, the better. The problem was that her somewhat hyper ways left a trail of crumbs that needed fixing or cleaning up time to time. She was a woman that seemed to have it all together, but half the time was falling apart. But when she flashed her pearly whites, people warmed to her mother-like appeal and accepted it’s just who Poppy Pepper was. The one place she succeeded was in her career. She loved the adrenaline rush of being a paramedic, but giving that up to run the resort, she wasn’t sure what to do with that drive anymore.

  Spending days cleaning up or painting and fixing the mini golf course that used to get more love; while it was fine, it wasn’t ultimately fulfilling. It was a slow pace a lot of the time. Chopper kept her company, the old stray following her around, and Reggie when he was home from work. Her father liked to putter around and did some of the repairs and mechanical things that needed done.

  What had started as a touristy type resort years ago had turn into a favorite among thrifty snowbirds looking for a getaway without a water view price tag. Paradise Cove was situated out of the snow up north, but not quite at the beach. The mild Florida winters drew tons of snowbirds down, people that spent part of the year in one location, and then they flocked to Florida for the warmer winters. They had regulars that would return year after year. The Godshaw’s were new clients this year…along with Cherry Jones. Poppy made a mental note to check back in on her later.

  When Panda stopped by after work, he dropped off a bushel of crabs. “For Pops, I told him I’d pick them up. Is anything interesting going on?”

  “Dad is over in the shed, tinkering with the mower. That thing is on the fritz again. I want to buy a new one, but he swears he can fix it
for the eighteenth time. Are you sticking around for crabs or heading home?” Poppy inquired.

  “Are you cooking?” He grinned and opened the fridge behind the office wall, grabbing a cold drink.

  “Are you spilling more details?” It was a bargain at its best.

  “Come on, you know I can’t tell you everything.” He cracked the lid off and took a long swig.

  “One more detail? Just one,” she pleaded.

  “I’ve already said enough,” he groaned.

  “Who am I going to tell? It’s not like anyone would know,” she pried.

  “I’m going to see Pops,” he said, walking out the door.

  Poppy sighed. If she could learn something new about the case, maybe she’d be able to run with a lead.

  She turned around to look at the bushel of crabs. They smelled awful. They’d taste good when they were cooked, but right now, they weren’t any great prize.

  Reggie stopped in. “Crabs? Man, all I have is peanut butter and jelly for my lunch break. I hate working nights.”

  “Stop by on your break, we’ll feed you. You know that.”

  “I wish I could, but they have me working a different area this week, for the guy I’m filling in for.”

  “Next time,” she said with a smile.

  “By the way, I’m getting used to your hair this way. It’s not bad. I kind of like it. Okay, I’m out of here. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He gave a wave and headed out the door.

  Poppy smiled. It was nice that he noticed her hair. She noticed him on one too many occasions, but reminded herself that he was probably still getting over his wife. Their friendship was nice. It was enough. She still liked that he noticed the subtle change in her hair. He was a few years older than her, but not so many that it was awkward.

  Chapter 5

  When Vera showed up to check-out the following morning, she looked refreshed, like she’d finally gotten a good night’s sleep.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Godshaw,” Poppy greeted. “I have a message for you here. I was going to run it over once I finished check-outs, but now that you’re here, let me go grab it for you.”

  “You have a message for me? Why wouldn’t they just call my cell number? Or come to my camper?” She seemed confused.

  “We don’t allow delivery trucks or tractor trailers on the smaller roads through the resort. There’s a gate there for a reason. It was an envelope I had to sign for. Oh, here it is.” She reached under the counter and found it, handing it to the woman in front of her.

  Vera crinkled her nose. It was a plain envelope with no markings. Curiosity had her tearing it open. She pulled out the piece of paper and read it. She flipped it over, and was left confused. “Weird.”

  “What is it?” Poppy asked.

  “Oh, just something I forgot about. I just thought they’d send it to my house. That’s just odd that it was shipped here. I’m glad I got it before I left.” She tucked the paper and envelope into her purse and dropped the topic completely. She didn’t need Poppy asking about her filing with her insurance company over her husband’s missing Rolex. That nosy broad would start asking questions. She was tired of questions. She just wanted to go back home.

  Wrapping up in the office, she turned to leave when Cherry Jones walked in, Bernie’s ex-wife. The two almost walked right into each other.

  “Excuse me,” Vera snapped. “You should watch where you’re going.”

  “Me? You need to check your manners and watch where you’re going.” Cherry sniped back.

  Poppy cleared her throat and intercepted the party of insults that was starting. “Ms. Jones, can I help you? Good day, Mrs. Godshaw.”

  “Somebody has been prying through my things. I want to report a break-in. I won’t get the police involved if you handle this.” Cherry was angry.

  Vera’s ears perked up on hearing the news. She smiled.

  “I don’t know who your cleaning crew is, but my suitcase was moved and opened. Somebody was looking for something, and I don’t appreciate my privacy being invaded upon.” She threw her hands on her hips for emphasis.

  “I can guarantee you that nobody from Paradise Cove and Mini Golf entered your camper without you being there or your permission. I think you should call the police, quite frankly. If something valuable is missing, it’s best to file a report,” Poppy offered.

  Vera had only gotten as far as out the door when she heard Cherry whining. She couldn’t help herself. Turning around, she went back. “While you’re at it, you might want to report that your brain is missing, as well as your lack of couth, and your manners are missing too.” She amused herself with the quip.

  “You’re a viper just like Bernie said you were.” She shook her head. “Now I know why he was hanging around with me again.”

  Vera’s eyes went dark. “What? What do you mean ‘he was hanging around’ with you?”

  “Do you seriously think it’s a coincidence that I’m at the same resort as you? Who do you think he’s been going to the casino with? Surprise.” Cherry laughed and then snapped sarcastically. With that she started to walk away, leaving Vera’s mouth agape and staring.

  Opening the door, Chopper was attempting to sneak in when Cherry tripped over the cat. Her purse went flying, contents scattering all about.

  Poppy ran after her. “Are you okay?” She bent to gather the woman’s belongings. Vera was right behind her.

  “Is that…that’s Bernie’s watch!” Vera was horrified. What was Cherry doing with it?

  Cherry scrambled to get the watch. “He gave that to me!”

  “There’s no way, he loved that watch,” Vera objected.

  “He wanted me to pawn it for him. I just didn’t get around to doing it yet. I lent him some money, so he gave it to me to hold.” She shoved it in her purse and pulled it close.

  “You horrible witch,” Vera shouted. “Give me back that watch.”

  “It was a gift, to me.” Cherry flaunted that it was in her possession now. “Besides, once I sell it at the pawn shop, you can go rebuy it if you want it bad enough.”

  “You’re a piece of trash,” Vera ranted. She seethed with anger through clenched teeth. “How dare you.”

  “Ladies, let’s take a deep breath.” Poppy turned around on hearing the car pull up.

  The women shifted and looked at the officer getting out of the vehicle.

  “Officer, I want to report a crime,” Vera shouted. “This woman stole my watch.”

  “I did not, it was a gift.” Cherry defended herself.

  “Are any of you girls here Vera Godshaw? Or do you know where I can locate her? She’s staying here at the resort.” The officer stood at attention.

  “I’m Vera Godshaw,” the woman chimed in.

  “Right, I need to speak with you for a moment. Why don’t we step over to my vehicle?” They walked over to the car, the other women watching.

  “What do you mean I can’t leave?” Vera’s voice went up an octave. “I have a funeral to take care of. You can’t just make me stay here.”

  After some back and forth, the officer left the scene and Vera went back to Poppy with her tail between her legs. “I guess I’ll be staying a little longer after all. They said I can’t leave the area until they release me. They’re treating me like a criminal! I’m offended. I’m as much of a victim as Bernie was. I lost my husband.”

  Poppy led her back inside, shooing Cherry away, knowing that the longer those two were near each other, the uglier things would get. Poppy checked Mrs. Godshaw back into her unit and sent her on her way.

  Chapter 6

  Poppy knocked on Reggie’s door. When he answered, she could barely contain herself. “Have I got an interesting twist to tell you about,” she teased.

  “Come in, what’s up?” He opened the door wider, inviting her in.

  “There’s a couple of things you might be interested to learn. First, Mrs. Godshaw was told she couldn’t leave town. They must have been a reason to keep her here. And seco
ndly, his ex-wife Cherry Jones, she happened to spill the contents of her purse in front of us, and lo and behold, there was the missing gold Rolex. She claims he gave it to her to pawn, and that she’s been going to the casino with him. Things just got a little prickly. That ought to knock the kernels off your corn cob, eh?” Poppy was grinning ear to ear. “We have a few more details.”

  “Interesting. There are quite a few juicy nuggets there,” he agreed.

  “Do you think we could find video of the two of them together, Bernie and his ex-wife Cherry? The police might want to know that they’d been keeping company. Do you think they were fooling around?” She laughed, excited to have more clues to check out.

  “I’d check the casino, but you didn’t hear it from me. And they’re not going to just give you video footage. If you think…” He paused and watched Poppy’s expression change. “Just hold it right there, missy. Don’t even think about it. Oh no, I’m not being your official law enforcement person.”

  Poppy pouted. “Come on Reggie, just this once. I promise I won’t ask again. Well, at least for a while.”

  “You’re going to have to do this one alone, I’m afraid. I can’t get involved any more than I already am. You’re a dangerous woman. It would be so easy to go along with you, but I can’t. Not this time.” He set his boundaries.

  “Fine. I’ll figure out a plan.” She tilted her head. “Could I maybe just borrow your badge?”