MURDER AT THE ALAMO
By
Dianne Harman
(A Cottonwood Springs Cozy Mystery - Book 5)
Copyright © 2019 Dianne Harman
www.dianneharman.com
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form without written permission except for the use of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Paperback ISBN: 9781090954176
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To new readers: Thanks for picking this book up, and I hope you enjoy the read as much as I enjoyed the write.
To the readers who have enjoyed my books before: Thanks for your continuing support.
To all the people who worked so hard to bring this book about: Thanks for all your help.
To my family: Thanks for being my biggest cheering section.
And to Tom: For the hours and hours you’ve spent to make me a bestselling author!
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Table of Contents
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
EPILOGUE
RECIPES
ABOUT DIANNE
COMING SOON!
PROLOGUE
Mark Muller decided he’d head into work just a little earlier than usual. He’d been seeing one of the girls from the gift shop, and she usually got there early. He was hoping they could have a bit of alone time before they had to start their job duties at the Alamo. She made him feel something that no woman had ever done before. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he definitely wanted to find out.
Working at the Alamo wasn’t exactly Mark’s dream job, but it did pay the bills and allow him to meet new people. All sorts of them came to San Antonio to visit the historic location, and while he’d been fascinated by the sense of history when he first started giving tours, now it was just like any other place to him.
Some said the Alamo was haunted by all the spirits of those who had died at that fateful battle, but Mark had never seen anything resembling a ghostly spirit. Did he sometimes get creeped out when he was alone there? Sure, but that could happen anywhere, and that didn’t mean it was haunted. It really was just another old building, simple as that.
He sipped his coffee as he finished getting ready for the day and then quietly closed the apartment door behind him. He was behind on his rent again, so he didn’t want his landlord, who lived a few doors down from him, to hear him leave. His landlord had threatened to evict him a few days ago. Mark knew he had a gambling problem. No, it was more than a problem, it was an addiction. It had become painfully obvious lately. Poker night with his friends had gone from a friendly game to him urgently trying to find a place where he could lay down a bet.
When he found the underground gambling ring online, he thought his luck would turn around. Instead, he’d lost his car, his savings, and his apartment would probably be the next thing to go. Most of his friends had stopped answering their phones when he called, afraid he was calling to ask them for a loan. A loan that never got paid back.
Mark didn’t blame them. He was the one who’d dug himself into a hole, and now he needed to find a way out. He promised himself that once he won enough to pay back the people he owed, he’d stop gambling. But so far that hadn’t happened. All he needed was for his luck to change just a little.
When he’d successfully made it outside without encountering his landlord, Mark slowly walked toward the bus stop. His hair had grown longer, because he couldn’t afford a haircut, and dark blonde strands hung down in front of his face. He looked down while he was walking, so he wouldn’t trip on the cracked and uneven sidewalk. He felt as though he should know the sidewalk by heart by now, but it never failed. If he didn’t pay attention, he’d end up tripping and spilling coffee on himself.
He made it to the bus stop a few minutes before the bus arrived. He was grateful, because in his mind, there was nothing worse than running to catch the bus, only to miss it by a few minutes. Once it arrived, he climbed on board and flopped down in his usual seat. He spent the entire ride thinking about the situation he’d gotten himself into. Mark realized he’d been walking a tightrope for quite a while and something had to give.
He was seeing Zoey, who worked in the gift shop, but he’d secretly begun having an affair with Celine, who worked in the main office. It wasn’t like he really wanted a relationship with Celine. It had started a little before his relationship with Zoey, and he figured it wouldn’t last long, but it had. Between the gambling and juggling his social life between two women, he’d spread himself too thin. Maybe it was time to break it off with one of them. That would be the smart thing to do. But how could he choose? Both women were completely different from each other.
Zoey was only nineteen, seven years younger than Mark. She was full of energy and fun to be around. That’s why he was heading into work early. Seeing her in the morning seemed to make his day go better. Like when the sun finally comes out after it’s been cold and rainy for far too long. She was like a warm blast of comforting air after a long winter, and his life had definitely been a long winter. He knew he had strong feelings for her, but he was sure eventually she’d find someone closer to her age and leave him in the dust. Anyway, as sweet and kind as she was, he didn’t deserve her.
And then there was Celine. Mark wasn’t sure exactly how old she was. She was graceful, beautiful, and elegant. She had this air about her that just screamed confidence and that confidence carried over into the bedroom. He’d never been with an older woman before, but if this was what they were like, he was sold. She also had this way of making him feel like a puppy. She seemed to hold the leash, and if he wanted anything, he’d have to come to heel.
She didn’t bend for him. Lying with her was almost like being chosen to bed a queen. You knew she was only allowing you to be with her on her terms. With the wave of her hand she could cast you out and not think twice about it. Which, of course, made Mark want to stick around. He knew he was in a dangerous dance, but he couldn’t seem to stop the music.
Mark made his way to the front of the bus as it slowed down at his stop. He was still deep in thought when he walked through the employee entrance and made his way to the locker room. When he opened his locker, he noticed an envelope with his name on it that had been slipped inside his locker. He tore it apart and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
I know about Zoey. I think it’s best if you find somewhere else to work, or you may find yourself in more trouble than it’s worth. C
Mark sighed. So Celine had found out about Zoey. He knew he’d been playing with fire seeing two women at his place of work. But if Celine thought he was going to just quit his job to help her save face, she had another thought coming. He knew she was married, although she thought she’d been discreet by slipping her wedding ring off every day.
Maybe if she tried to force him to quit, he’d have to find her husban
d and let him know what she was up to. After all, if she’d been so casual about her affair with Mark, this probably wasn’t the first time she’d stepped outside her marriage vows.
He tossed the note back in his locker before shoving his backpack inside it and slamming the door. It looked like it was going to be a very long and interesting Monday. Considering all the money he owed people, there was no way he could quit his job. He may not be making money hand over fist, but that didn’t mean he could just throw himself to the wind and hope he found another job. No way. Although she was his superior, in charge of managing the tour guides and others, Celine couldn’t fire him without a reason.
Mark left the locker room and went outside onto the Alamo grounds. The sun had just begun to rise higher in the sky and it looked like it was going to be a beautiful day. It was still fairly early, about 7:00 a.m., but the other employees who worked there would be arriving soon. The groundskeepers and a few others needed to make sure the place was in top condition before the visitors started arriving.
He pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a quick text to Zoey.
Meet me in our spot as soon as you get to work, he typed. He might as well come clean with her. If Celine had found out about Zoey and him, she’d probably jump at the chance to tell Zoey. Maybe if he just opened up about it, he could salvage his relationship with her. He realized when he’d seen the note that his feelings for Zoey outweighed anything he felt for Celine.
Long shadows played on the walkway he was headed down. The path was paved with stones and there was a rock wall on one side with arches that had what looked like metal gates attached to them. The wooden beams across the top of the walkway always made Mark feel as if someone was peering down at him. He shook off the feeling and continued walking towards where he’d asked Zoey to meet him.
That was when one of the shadows emerged from behind one of the arches and pointed something shiny and metallic at him. In the faint light, he couldn’t see what it was, but it didn’t matter. Instinctively he knew he needed to protect himself.
Whoever it was, they were dressed entirely in black. A black mask, shirt, pants, gloves. Even their shoes were black. He lunged at the person’s hand, trying to wrestle whatever it was they were holding away from them. He struggled against them but as they wrestled, he knew the other person had the upper hand. They didn’t seem to be stronger than he was, but Mark knew he wasn’t exactly in top shape or conditioning. All the drinking he’d done while he sat around watching television hadn’t helped him. The attacker had been prepared and was quickly gaining the advantage as they struggled and fought with each other.
Mark suddenly realized the metallic object he’d seen in the attacker’s hand was a gun. The attacker held their grip on the gun and slammed Mark up against the rock wall. It stunned him, but not enough to make him give up the fight. This wasn’t how the attacker had planned their meeting. They’d intended to step out, hold up the gun, and threaten Mark. Maybe then he’d come to his senses and do what needed to be done. They’d never pegged him for a fighter.
Mark pushed back, his hand now wrapped around the attacker’s forearm. He squeezed as tight as he could, hoping it would hurt enough they’d drop the gun, but it didn’t work. Suddenly a shot rang out. He didn’t feel anything at first and he wondered if maybe he’d managed to turn the gun on his attacker. That was when he felt pain surge through his chest. One moment he felt nothing and then in the blink of an eye, a pain, so intense he could barely think, consumed him.
He felt like there was a lump in his throat, blocking his airway. He coughed, hoping to free the blockage, so he could breathe. Instead, something wet came out of his mouth and he felt as if he were choking. It was so hard to draw a breath and then he simply slid down to the ground, sure if he could just sit and cough a few times, he’d be okay. Looking down he saw blood spreading across his chest and then everything grew dark.
The attacker was shocked. This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. They looked around, afraid someone might come running at the sound of the gunshot, but thankfully, it was still early enough that hardly anyone was there. Time was of the essence. They had to get rid of the gun. If only Mark hadn’t put up a fight.
It had been foolish to take a loaded weapon to confront him, but they thought they might have to fire a warning shot to prove they were serious. Instead, they hadn’t even been able to say a word before Mark had lunged at them. Now he was lying in a pool of his own blood.
For a moment they considered whether or not they should help Mark, but they quickly dismissed the idea. Anyway, it looked like he was too far gone. If they tried to help and got caught, their life would be on the line. Instead, it was time to get away from the scene as fast as they could. They turned on their heel and took off, trying to put as much distance between them and the man they apparently had just killed as possible.
CHAPTER 1
Brigid and Linc strolled through the airport, hand in hand. Brigid couldn’t believe she was on her honeymoon with Linc. Truth be told, she’d been a little unsure whether or not she’d ever get the wedding itself planned. After the florist went missing, it had almost seemed like the universe was conspiring against her. Of course, everything eventually worked out, and the wedding had gone off without a hitch.
It had been a tough decision for the couple to decide where they wanted to honeymoon, but eventually they’d settled on San Antonio, Texas. Neither of them had ever been there before, and the place was rich with history and culture, which was something both Brigid and Linc loved. They’d searched online for all the popular places to visit and had planned out a loose itinerary for their stay.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m really looking forward to this,” Linc said as he squeezed Brigid’s hand. “Just me and my beautiful wife. All alone together for a whole week and a half. It’s going to be magnificent. Don’t get me wrong, I love Holly to pieces, but…” he let his sentence dangle in the air between them.
“But it’s hard to have a romantic evening with a teenage girl around?” Brigid asked with a grin, knowing she felt the exact same way.
“Something like that,” Linc chuckled. “Like I said, don’t get me wrong, I love her as if she was my own daughter, and I’m really glad you offered your home to her after her mother was murdered. She fits in with the two of us as if she really was our own.”
“She definitely acts like you,” Brigid said bumping Linc affectionately.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked in mock surprise.
“Exactly,” Brigid said.
They stepped out of the San Antonio International Airport and took the sky bridge to the rental car center. Linc had reserved a car for them online and refused to tell Brigid what kind he’d gotten.
“When are you going to tell me what you rented?” Brigid asked. “You know I’m not a big fan of surprises.”
“You like surprises just fine,” Linc chastised as he gave the attendant his driver’s license information. The young man disappeared around the corner. “But you don’t like being left out of the loop. Trust me. You’ll be happy. Just have a little patience, you’ll see.”
Brigid gave him a look that said she wasn’t so sure, but she decided not to say anything. For the most part he was right. She knew she didn’t like not being involved. That was one of the reasons she was always in the middle of some sort of a criminal investigation.
Once a real-life mysterious whodunit situation came along, she couldn’t help but want to find the answer. Besides, how many times had she been the one who found the evidence that allowed the sheriff’s department to catch the perpetrator and close the case? She felt her penchant for being involved had to be a big check in the plus category.
Even in the shade, the heat was intense. They’d known Texas in the summertime would be hot, but having just left Colorado, which thanks to the elevation was much cooler, the overwhelming heat was much thicker than Brigid had anticipated.
“I wish there was a
breeze,” she said as she pulled her shirt collar out and began to fan herself with her hand.
“Yeah, it is pretty hot,” Linc admitted. “But I think you’ll adjust okay. Once we’re moving, it shouldn’t be so bad. Sitting still in this kind of heat is the worst.”
“I forget sometimes just how much you traveled before you settled down in Cottonwood Springs. Do you ever miss it?” Brigid asked, curious.
“Not really,” Linc said. “I had some good times, but I usually traveled to the same places. Skiing, snowboarding, things like that. But I’m happy to trade it all in so I can spend the rest of my life with you. Besides, I think you wouldn’t mind doing a little traveling now and then.”
“True, but I think I’d rather go to a warm weather location rather than where they have skiing and snowboarding,” she confessed.
Just then a red convertible pulled up next to them, and the young man from the car rental company hopped out and handed Linc the keys. Linc gave Brigid a huge boyish grin as he began to load their bags in the back. Brigid could tell he was trying to hide his excitement, but he was doing a poor job of it. He looked like a kid who’d been turned loose in a candy store.
“What is this?” Brigid asked, acting like she was shocked. She simply stood there gaping as she watched him. When she’d thought about what kind of vehicle Linc would reserve, this was totally not it. He never struck her as someone who’d want to drive something this flashy. Not that it wasn’t a nice car, it was just a surprise.
“Well, after all, it is our honeymoon, right? Now’s the time to pamper and spoil ourselves. We may as well ride around in style,” he said as he moved to the passenger door and opened it for her. “Your chariot awaits, Mrs. Olson.” He bowed down as though he were her chauffeur.
“Oh, Linc,” she chuckled as she climbed in the car. After he shut the door behind her, she ran her hand along the immaculate interior. She wasn’t sure exactly what kind of car it was, but it was beautiful. Thankfully, the interior wasn’t leather, which she figured would have been incredibly hot in this climate. It was a nice tan color that was spotless.
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