Jennifer threw out her arms. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Are you really going to pretend like you didn’t know that a deputy has been keeping tabs on you?”
Jennifer replied with outrage in her voice, “You’ve been spying on me?”
“Don’t play dumb. It’s obvious that you knew about the deputy keeping track of your movements. Why else would you have slipped out the back exit at the Centennial Theater a few minutes ago?”
“Maybe I just didn’t like the movie.”
“In that case, you could have just come out the front of the theater,” David said.
Jennifer opened her mouth to respond.
David didn’t let her get any words out. “But what exit you used isn’t nearly as important as the bigger issue that is at play. Namely, where did you get that car?”
“I, uh, didn’t like my other car so I got this one instead,” Jennifer said.
I stared at the green sedan. Something was very familiar about it.
After a few seconds, I realized where I had seen it before.
“This looks a lot like Matt Gibson’s car,” I said.
“I don’t know who that is. And I assure you, any resemblance to his car is purely coincidental,” Jennifer said.
I folded my arms and gave her a wary look. “Is that so?”
Jennifer held her hand up. “You’re going to have to excuse me. I need to use the restroom.”
The look in her eyes changed as she broke eye contact with me. Suddenly, she began to stare at something behind me.
I instinctively whirled around. That was when I spotted Matt Gibson. He was coming out of the restroom that was located at the side of the mini-mart.
“Matt. Funny running into you here,” I yelled.
A look of complete panic came to Matt’s face. He tried to take off on foot.
David immediately drew his gun and yelled, “Stop right there. I don’t want to shoot you, but I will.”
Matt stopped dead in his tracks.
But the drama was far from over.
While David and I were focused on Matt, I heard a sound behind me. My instincts told me to turn around. They also told me to grab the can of pepper spray that I always kept in my purse.
That proved to be a smart decision. As I whirled around, I saw Jennifer reaching into the backseat of the sedan. She grabbed a knife from one of the bags.
Before she had a chance to stab me, I sprayed her in the eyes.
Jennifer then dropped the knife and began rubbing her eyes while yelling in pain.
Chapter Twenty-Six
David handcuffed Matt and Jennifer, and then waited for backup to arrive. When Deputy Wilson pulled into the gas station, David loaded the suspects into the back of the Wilson’s squad car. My husband then bagged up the knife that Jennifer had tried to attack us with.
“Let me guess. This was the weapon you used to kill Wally Tuttle,” David said.
Matt and Jennifer both remained silent.
David continued. “Are you really just going to sit back there and not say a word?”
“We don’t have to talk to you,” Jennifer snapped.
“No. You don’t,” David replied. “But your actions have already said plenty.”
“They sure have. We know what you did,” I said. “And we know why you did it.”
Matt and Jennifer continued to stay silent.
I focused on Jennifer. “Your motive is the oldest in the book—revenge. All those years ago, Wally cheated on you, and you never got over it. Not even after spending six years in jail. Instead, you probably spent your time behind bars plotting your ex-husband’s murder.”
David stared at Matt. “Speaking of not getting over something, you couldn’t stand the fact that Wally got promoted instead of you. It must have eaten you up inside. Until you couldn’t take it anymore. So you decided to murder Wally, knowing that with him out of the picture, that promotion would be yours.”
“The twist I didn’t see coming was you two working together,” I said. “But looking at you now, it makes perfect sense that you would team up. You both have warped minds.”
Jennifer shot me a glare. “Why don’t you shut up?”
“I’m afraid that isn’t going to happen. Just like you aren’t going to get away, as you planned on.” I squinted as I looked at Matt. “Or maybe this wasn’t part of the original plan. After all, why kill Wally to get a promotion at the hotel, only to skip town later?”
Matt looked down at the ground.
I switched my focus to Jennifer. “What prompted you to take off like this? Did you panic the other day after Diane showed up at your door, throwing around accusations? Did you feel the walls closing in on you? Did you realize it was only a matter of time before you got caught?”
Jennifer avoided eye contact.
“Face it. We know what you did. You two killed Wally Tuttle. Just admit it,” I yelled.
Matt couldn’t keep a lid on his emotions anymore. He broke down. “Fine. Yes. It was us.”
Jennifer turned to Matt and snarled. “You idiot. What are you doing?”
“Me? I’m the one who told you just to lay low. To stay in Treasure Cove, go about our lives, and not draw attention to ourselves,” Matt barked. “But no. You panicked and insisted that we skip town. Now look where it’s gotten us.”
I held my pointer finger up. “I’ll tell you where you’re headed. You’re both going to jail for a very long time.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
With Matt and Jennifer behind bars, I could finally breathe a sigh of relief. It felt good knowing that justice was served. But there was an additional benefit to this case being closed. With the guilty parties in prison, it meant that Diane Tuttle was cleared of any wrongdoing. With my friend’s innocence no longer in question, I felt that it was important to pay her a visit.
But I didn’t go over to her place alone. I brought a box of chocolates with me.
When Diane opened her front door, the chocolates were the first thing her eyes focused on. Her eyebrows rose as she stared at the box. “Are those—?”
I handed her the box of chocolates. “They’re all yours.”
“I was going to say, are those Brauner’s?” Diane asked.
I nodded. “They sure are.”
I knew better than to buy cheap truffles. Brauner’s Chocolate Company made the best truffles in town. They were so good that whenever I drove down Peach Boulevard, I couldn’t resist stopping into their shop.
Diane’s mouth practically watered as she stared at a chocolate. “What a treat.”
I smiled. “I figured you’d like that.”
Diane shrugged. “Who doesn’t love chocolate?”
“True.”
Diane reached into the box, grabbed a truffle, and took a bite. “You didn’t have to do this for me.”
“No. But I felt like you could use a treat after everything you’ve been through.”
She nodded. “In all honesty, I could use a lot more than a box of chocolates right now.”
“How about an apology?” I asked.
Her nose crinkled. “For what?”
“You’re not mad at me then?”
She squinted. “Why would I be?”
“Because of the way that David and I interviewed you,” I said.
“You don’t have to apologize for that.”
“Are you sure? Because I felt bad doing it,” I said. “It’s just that, given the circumstances—”
“Sabrina, stop right there. I know you were just doing your job.”
“You don’t have any hard feelings then?”
She shook her head. “Not anymore.”
“Wait. Anymore?” I asked. “Does that mean you were upset with me?”
She nodded. “In the heat of the moment, I was beside myself.”
“That’s what I was worried about.”
“But then you and David solved the case. Now that justice has been served, it’s impo
ssible to be mad at you. After all, I owe you.”
I shook my head. “You don’t owe me anything.”
“Yes I do. Because of you, I have peace of mind. That’s a huge deal. When you were in the middle of investigating this case, I couldn’t properly grieve. But now, I can mourn my husband’s death.”
“By the way, how are you holding up?”
She grimaced. “I still can’t believe he’s dead.”
I nodded. “It’s so heartbreaking, knowing that he’s gone forever.”
“Especially the way he left this world.”
“I know what you mean. Granted, we’re all going to die one day. But the way he was murdered—”
Diane held her hand up. “Let me stop you right there.”
“Of course. You don’t need to be reminded of the details.”
“No. But I actually wasn’t talking about his cause of death.”
“You weren’t?” I asked.
She shook her head. “I meant that, at the time of his death, there were so many aspects of Wally’s life that were unresolved.”
“Oh.”
“Take his relationship with me. Understandably, when I found out that he was cheating on me, I lost my mind. Part of me wanted to leave him and never look back. Then he apologized profusely. And he got on his knees, begging me to take him back,” Diane said.
“The night he was murdered, though, you stormed out on him,” I said.
“True. But when I got to the photo studio, I did some thinking,” Diane said.
“Did you consider getting back together with him?” I asked.
“I didn’t rule it out.” Diane then took a deep breath. “It doesn’t matter now, though. Wally’s gone.”
“I’m so sorry—”
“So am I.” She wrung her hands together. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. He broke my heart. But he didn’t deserve to die.”
“I know what you’re thinking. That life isn’t fair—”
“It sure isn’t. That’s the saddest part about all this. With Wally gone, it means that he’ll never get the chance to make amends. Instead, the book has been closed on his life even though there seemed to be so much story left to be written.”
“I know what you mean. Everyone thinks they will live long enough to be able to fix the mistakes of the past. To get a say in how their story ends. But there are times when you don’t get that opportunity.”
“What a shame,” Diane said. “And not just for him. For me too. I mean, with Wally gone, I’m stuck here all alone trying to pick up the pieces of my life.”
“Diane, I can’t change what happened, but I can say this—you’re not alone.”
“My heart begs to differ.”
“Look. I know that things are terrible for you right now, but I’m here for you.”
Diane stared off into the distance. “What am I supposed to do now? How am I going to carry on?”
“You have to start off slowly and take things one day at a time.”
“That’s easier said than done.”
“I understand. But you need to remember. I’m not just saying it. I’ve done it.”
Having lost a sister to a murderer, I had plenty of life experience in this department. I knew exactly what Diane was going through. I also knew the steps that Diane needed to take to get back on her feet.
Diane looked deep into my eyes. “You sure have.” She winced. “Life really isn’t fair, is it?”
I shook my head. “No. But you have to try to make the best out of every situation.”
“You’re much stronger than me.”
“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit.”
“Maybe not. But we’ll find out.”
“Just remember. I’m there for you,” I said.
“I’m glad I have someone like you in my life,” Diane said.
I gave her a hug.
“You really think I’m going to get through this?” Diane asked.
“It’s going to be difficult, but yes.”
She became pensive for a few moments. When she spoke up, she had a question for me. “What am I supposed to do again?”
“You know what? We can talk about the deeper stuff later,” I said. “Right now, just enjoy the chocolate.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Diane and I had a long heart-to-heart conversation. By the time we finished our discussion, she didn’t feel quite so bleak about the future. So even though she had a long grieving process ahead of her, I was able to buoy her spirit somewhat.
That said, her emotions were still very raw. As were mine. After all, I had known Wally for over thirty years. And now he was gone forever.
A few days after wrapping up the investigation, David and I got some citrus cream cake from Mitchell’s Bakery. While David dug into his dessert, I stared out the window of the shop and thought about my old friend. It wasn’t until my husband was halfway done with his cake that he looked over at me and pulled my head out of the clouds.
“Do you not like your dessert?” he asked.
My nose scrunched. “Why would you think that?”
“Because we’ve been here five minutes and there’s still cake on your plate,” David said. “That isn’t like you.”
“Very funny,” I deadpanned.
“I’m serious. It’s rare that we get a sweet treat, but when we do, almost nothing can keep you from savoring every bite.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to let this cake go to waste.”
“It’s not the cake I’m worried about. Were you just thinking about Wally?”
I nodded. “And how fragile life is.”
“It certainly isn’t the most secure thing in the world.”
“There you go, understating things again.”
“There is one thing that is impossible to overstate,” he said. “Life will never be the same.”
“It sure won’t.” I exhaled. “What a sobering reminder that tomorrow is promised to no one.”
He nodded. “Life is certainly more fragile than I’d like to admit.”
I took a bite of my cake. “Which makes it all the more important to appreciate today. Especially since you never know what life has in store for you.”
“Let’s be honest. Usually when life throws a surprise our way, it is bad news for us.”
“Honey, I know it’s easy to be pessimistic at a time like this. But there’s still plenty of good in the world.”
He gazed at me. “True.”
I took another bite of my dessert. “Take this cake, for example. It’s delicious.”
David laughed.
My eyebrows knitted. “What’s so funny?”
“What can I say? You have an uncanny knack for thinking with your stomach.”
“Like I mentioned before, it’s important to appreciate the good things in life. And this bakery makes the best cake in town.”
“I can’t deny that. But while you were talking about dessert, I was trying to make a romantic point about how you’re the best thing in my life.”
“Honey, you’re so sweet. As a matter of fact, you’re even sweeter than this piece of citrus cream. And that’s saying a lot.”
He chuckled. “Just can’t get away from the food references, can you?”
“How about this? You mean the world to me. After all these years, I’m still absolutely crazy about you.”
“It’s fitting that you would use the term crazy. Especially after everything we just went through.”
“You’re right. Although, I was talking about a different kind of crazy. The madly-in-love kind.”
He reached across the table and held my hand. “You know, a case like this reminds me of how special our marriage is. Lately, we have seen some extreme examples of what can happen when relationships go sour. So it’s nice to be reminded that sometimes love wins out.”
I smiled. “You’re right.”
David gave me a kiss.
“Delicious,” I said.
“More de
licious than the cake?” he asked.
I replied with a playful tone in my voice, “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“There you go, putting dessert first again,” he joked.
“You have to admit. This is pretty fantastic cake.”
“It’s a good thing we don’t keep food like this at home. Otherwise, I’d eat an entire cake all by myself.”
“You aren’t kidding. Dinner pales in comparison when dessert tastes this good.”
“That said, I have to appreciate this piece now. Back to my diet tomorrow.”
“Don’t even say that word.”
“Hey, this case has been punishing for my waistline,” David said.
“Not as punishing as it has been for my emotions.” I stared out into the distance. “I just pray that criminals will take it easy on this town from now on.”
David broke into a big belly laugh.
“Hey, a woman can dream, can’t she?” I said.
“Of course you can. Just don’t count on that coming true.”
“Is it really too much to ask for some peace and quiet around here?”
“I don’t think so. But life never asks me what I want,” David said.
“Me neither,” I said.
“I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon.”
I took another bite of the cake. “Probably not. Which is all the more reason to savor the present.”
He gazed at me. “I couldn’t agree more.”
The End.
Murder and Cherry Cake
Chapter One
“Mommy,” Jessica Carlson yelled.
When I heard the distressed tone of my eleven-year-old daughter’s voice, my maternal instincts kicked. I immediately stopped washing dishes and darted from the kitchen to the living room.
Even though it only took me a few seconds to move from one room to the other, a number of thoughts raced through my mind.
I had no idea what prompted my daughter to call out to me, but I couldn’t help but fear the worst. Of course, it didn’t help matters that a queasy feeling came to my stomach right then.
Mysteries of Treasure Cove Cozy Mystery Boxed Set Page 36
