by Amber Crewes
Jack picked up the small yellow bag and gently threw it to Meghan, who failed to catch it. “It’s a good thing you never played baseball,” Jack joked as Meghan stuck her tongue out at him.
Meghan bent down to pick up the bag, but as she pulled on the thin yellow strap, the contents of Angela’s purse spilled onto the wooden floor. “Oh no,” Meghan fretted as trinkets fell out. “Poor Angela; first her father goes to jail, and now I’m practically digging through her purse.”
“Let me help you,” Jack said as he bent down beside Meghan. “Here, put her wallet back inside. Here is a little makeup bag.”
“Look at this tiny brush,” Meghan said as she lifted a little green brush from the floor. “This has so much hair in it. Those Italians have such good genes.”
Jack picked up a small red box. “What is this?” he asked Meghan. “Look how nice this box is.”
The lid was ajar, and Meghan pried it open. “It’s candy,” Meghan told Jack. “Look! The label is in Italian. Let’s try one, Jack. I’ve never had Italian candy before.”
Jack looked around. “Meghan, that doesn’t seem like a good idea,” he said. “Just put the box back into her purse and go after her. She’s probably home by now.”
Meghan defiantly unwrapped one of the candies and slipped it into her mouth, savoring the rich, thick taste of chocolate. “Yummm,” she cooed. “Ooooh, there’s something fruity in here. Oh, Jack, these are chocolate covered cherries!”
Jack’s blue eyes widened. “What did you say?”
Meghan smiled. “Try one. They’re chocolate covered cherries. They are so good, Jack. Except don’t swallow it; I just bit into the pit!”
Before Meghan could register the look of panic on Jack’s face, he grabbed her arm and forced her to stand. “Meghan,” he exclaimed. “We have to go after Angela right now.”
15
“You think Angela is the killer?” Meghan screeched as Jack drove them toward Luciano’s. “She is the most gorgeous, sweet woman in this town. Jack, she doesn’t have it in her.”
Jack frowned. “I think it’s a little too convenient that I found a box of chocolate covered cherries in her bag after someone dies outside of her family business from consuming a cherry. Meghan, it doesn’t seem like a coincidence.”
Jack parked the car and leapt out of the driver’s seat. “You can stay here, but I need to go talk with Angela,” Jack told Meghan.
“I’m coming with you,” Meghan replied. “Angela needs someone on her side. Seriously, I cannot believe you think that she would kill Roger.”
Jack strode into Luciano’s carrying Angela’s yellow bag. The hostess smiled at him when he approached her stand. “What can I do for you? Lunch for two?”
Jack shook his head. “Is Angela here?”
The hostess shouted into the kitchen in Italian, and Angela appeared. “Oh, thank you,” she said, a look of relief on her face as she saw her purse in Jack’s hands. “I couldn’t find it anywhere. I cannot believe I left it in your office. Thank you for bringing it to me.”
Jack nodded, not handing over the purse to Angela’s outstretched hands. “Of course, Angela,” he replied. “Hey, do you have a minute? I would love to chat with you about your bag…”
Meghan registered the concerned look on Angela’s face. “What do you want?” Angela asked.
Jack narrowed his eyes. “I think we need to talk, Angela,” he murmured. “Privately.”
Angela’s jaw dropped. She looked down at her purse in Jack’s hands, and then up at Jack’s serious face. Before Jack could speak, she turned on her heel and dashed out of the entryway and into the dining room.
“Angela!” Jack called out as he followed her. “Come back here. We need to talk.”
Meghan and Jack chased Angela. She jumped over chairs and pushed over trays of food. Jack leapt over a table, but before he could apprehend Angela, she picked up a plate of spaghetti in front of one of the customers. Angela reared her arm back and tossed the plate at Jack’s face. Jack shouted. “It’s hot,” he cried as he wiped the marinara sauce from his eyes.
Meghan ducked under a table, hiding from Angela. Customers were screaming, and chaos ensued. Angela threw another plate of food at Jack, and the dish of chicken carbonara covered his clothes. Meghan watched as Angela eyed the room; the doorways were blocked by patrons hurrying out, and Meghan dialed 911 on her cell phone. She quietly tucked the phone beneath a chair, and as Angela walked by her, she lunged, grabbing Angela by the ankles and bringing her down to the ground.
“What are you doing?” Angela cried. “Why are you and Jack chasing me?”
Meghan mounted Angela and used her body weight to pin her down. “I think you know why,” Meghan shouted. “You gave Roger Williams the chocolate covered cherry that killed him, and you running away from us only proves your guilt.”
Angela laughed. “That is ridiculous,” she said. “What are you talking about?”
Meghan shook her head. “You know what I am talking about,” she said. “Just say it, Angela. Just tell me you did it. If you don’t, your father will spend the rest of his life in jail. Do you want that?”
Angela’s eyes filled with tears. “I was just trying to help him,” she whispered as Meghan leaned closer. “I just wanted those homeless people to go away so that my father wouldn’t lose any more business. My family needs this restaurant, and those bad people outside keep people away.”
Meghan raised an eyebrow. “But you volunteer at the food bank,” she said in horror. “You serve them meals. How could you do that, and then kill someone?”
Angela bit her lip. “I thought that no one would notice if just one of them died,” she sputtered. “I heard them outside one night teasing Roger about his cherry allergy. It was too easy to get him to eat the chocolates I left out. I figured slowly, I could get rid of all of them over time.”
Meghan gasped. “You wanted to kill the entire group of homeless people? Angela, how could you be so cruel?”
Angela’s face crumpled. “You do not understand,” she protested. “My family moved to America with nothing. My father built that restaurant and made it was it is now. We’ve been losing business for a year now because of those homeless people, and I can’t watch my father lose sleep over it for one more day. My father commends me for being a problem solver-that’s why he lets me manage this place. Well, I found a way to solve the problem, Meghan. It may not have been pretty, but it was the best way to save my family’s business.”
Meghan shook her head in disgust. “Solving problems is commendable,” she told Angela. “But hurting others to solve your problems is just wicked. This persecution of the homeless population is going to stop right here with you, Angela. The reason for this season is love, and that is all we are going to do for everyone in Sandy Bay from now on. We are going to love our neighbors, prosperous or homeless, and that is something I will fight for with every breath in my lungs!”
Chapter 16
One week later, on Christmas Eve, Meghan and Jack were hosting the Trumans for a farewell brunch at Truly Sweet. Meghan had gone above and beyond to cook a feast her parents would love; she had made gourmet omelettes, chicken sausage, fresh caramel strudel, and a hot plate of turkey bacon. Jack had helped set the table with Meghan’s nicest dishes, and as they ate, Meghan’s parents clucked over the meal she had prepared.
“It’s perfect, Meghan,” Henry told his daughter as he stuffed a third piece of bacon in his mouth.
“Truly sweet, Sugar,” Rebecca agreed. “You are quite the hostess. I am so impressed by the little soiree you have thrown together for us.”
Meghan leaned back in her chair, pleased by her parents’ compliments. “Thank you both,” she told them. “And thank you for visiting. I am so sad that you are leaving today, and I am so disappointed that you won’t be buying a second home here.”
Rebecca shrugged. “It was going to be an impulse buy,” she admitted. “Now that I know that you are safe here with Jack, I don’t
think we need to buy another home. I do, however, think that we need to invest in a better airline credit card, don’t you, Henry? We will be missing our girl terribly, and I want to visit Sandy Bay more than once a year!”
Henry nodded. “Yes, we will certainly do that,” he told his wife. “I’m just glad to know that the homeless population here is not dangerous. It was a shock to hear that Angela killed that man, but the entire situation has just touched my heart. Meghan, your mother and I have agreed to donate ten thousand dollars to the food bank this Christmas, and we want you to deliver the check to the organization.”
Meghan’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, Daddy,” she murmured as she rose from her chair and moved to hug her father. “Thank you, Mama.”
Jack also rose to his feet and gently tapped Henry on the shoulder. “Henry? Can we talk privately for a moment?”
Henry nodded and followed Jack into the kitchen. “Henry,” Jack began. “I love your daughter. I would do anything for her. She is an amazing woman, and I have something I need to ask you.”
Henry smiled. “I think I know where this is going.”
Jack grinned. “I want you to know that I am saving for a ring for Meghan. With your blessing, I want to ask her to marry me in the year to come. I will have enough money put away to buy a ring in a few months, and by next Christmas, I would like for Meghan to be my wife.”
Henry beamed. He pulled Jack into a tight hug. “You have my blessing, sport,” he told Jack. “Now, just make sure you run that ring by Rebecca before you buy it; Meghan’s mother has an affinity for nice things, and surely she’ll want you to have her opinion.”
Jack laughed. “I’m sure that will be an interesting conversation when the time comes. Anyway, thank you for your support, Henry. It truly means the world.”
Henry shook Jack’s hand. “My pleasure, son. Now! Let’s get back to brunch. I am going to pour some champagne into our orange juices...I believe we have something to celebrate, even if my little girl doesn’t know it yet.”
Jack followed Henry back into the dining room and grinned as Henry poured the bubbly into everyone’s glass. “A toast,” Henry announced. “To our little girl and her big heart, her big business, her big dreams, and her big, bright future. I believe Meghan will have a lot of joy in the year ahead. Merry Christmas to you, my girl, and happy holidays to all of you. Cheers!”
As everyone lifted their glasses, Meghan felt a happy tear trail from her eyes. She looked at her father, who was merrily raising a glass in her honor, and to her mother, whose time in Sandy Bay had been precious to her. Meghan lastly looked at Jack, her handsome boyfriend. She loved Jack with all of her heart, and as she sat next to him on Christmas Eve, she hoped that she would spend every Christmas with Jack.
“Cheers,” Meghan exclaimed as she lifted her own glass. “Cheers to the sweetest days ahead.”
The End
Thank You!
Thank you for reading Jingle Bells and Deadly Smells! I really hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I had writing it!
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MUST READS IN THE SERIES
Have you read the first book in the series – Apple Pie and Trouble?
Someone’s alleging that Gingerbread can bring a curse to Sandy Bay. Get this book to discover if they were right.
ALSO BY AMBER CREWES
The Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery Series
Apple Pie and Trouble (Book 1) – OUT NOW
Brownies and Dark Shadows (Book 2) – OUT NOW
Cookies and Buried Secrets (Book 3) – OUT NOW
Donuts and Disaster (Book 4) – OUT NOW
Éclairs and Lethal Layers (Book 5) – OUT NOW
Finger Foods and Missing Legs (Book 6) – OUT NOW
Gingerbread and Scary Endings (Book 7) – OUT NOW
Hot Chocolate and Cold Bodies (Book 8) – OUT NOW
Ice Cream and Guilty Pleasures (Book 9) – OUT NOW
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