Murder in the Rose Garden: A Scent with Love Cozy Mystery (Scent with Love Cozy Mysteries) (8 page)

Beth looked
up at the night sky and looked over at Chase who was also gazing skyward.

“It’s
beautiful.”

“It is,” he
replied, and leaned over and clutched her hand in his.

“Beth, you
really had me worried last night. I am not sure what your plans are, but I
would love to get to know you a little better.”

“I…I don’t
know what to say. I am not really looking for anything serious at the moment
and I will probably be leaving early next week. I mean…I do like you but
considering that I live in Boston and you live here, I just don’t see the point
really.”

Chase
squeezed her hand. “I was hoping you might reconsider you plans to return to
Boston now that Sheriff Hunter has ruled your mother’s death a murder. You
should be able to pay off all the shop’s debts and have enough to make a new
start here. The cottage would make a lovely home.”

“I am very
happy that the sheriff is going to be looking into her murder but I can’t help feel
disappointed that I didn’t manage to solve the case. I really wanted to find
her killer. I felt it would be a fitting tribute to her. I have thought about
the shop but I don’t really know anything about the flower business and while
the insurance money will cover the debts, it is hardly enough to allow me to quit
my job. The cottage is still in Bernard’s name—I have my suspicions about him
forging Mom’s will with Olivia’s help but I have no proof of that.” Beth sighed
heavily at the thought of all of this.

Chase looked
over at her. His eyes were soft and the expression on his face showed that he
cared about her.

“Then don’t
leave just yet. Stay and I will help you solve your mother’s case.”

Beth laughed
and smiled back at him. “Thank you for everything you have done but I really
have to get back to Boston. I thought I could solve my mother’s case but after
all this effort I have nothing. A dead end.”

“I still think
that you need to take another look at Jack Reynolds. I am convinced that he is
involved somehow,” Chase replied.

Beth shook
her head. “I also thought he was involved, but now I’m not so sure anymore. I
looked into the property development angle. Rebecca at the newspaper doesn’t
know anything about any new property developments and I did a thorough Internet
search that turned up nothing. If Jack is involved then he sure knows how to
cover his tracks.”

“Why did you
go to the warehouse, Beth? The message you left on my phone mentioned that you
had overheard a conversation between Jack and Mrs. Blackwood and that you
believed the sheriff and Piper were in danger. What made you think that?”

Beth had
also thought that Jack was involved but after the embarrassing scene that
played out at the harbor she wasn’t so sure anymore. Beth told Chase about the
conversation she had overheard between Jack and Mrs. Blackwood.

Chase looked
at her incredulously. “Is that it! You almost got yourself killed because you
overheard that. The woman could have been talking about cooking pots for all
you know!” His words stung, and she felt like a fool.

“I didn’t
mean to put anyone’s life in danger,” she said softly, trying not to let him
hear the hurt in her voice.

          He looked at
her and rubbed his hands through his hair. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so
hard on you. I shudder to think what might have happened if we didn’t get there
in time...” His voice trailed off as his eyes met hers. He cupped her face in
his hands, leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. Beth was caught by
surprise, but the warmth of his skin and the softness of his mouth were too
much to resist and she kissed him back.

         
Beth got
out of her car and looked at the front of the prettiest shop in Bartholomew Bay.
The Scent with Love flower shop was flanked by an antique shop on the left and
a second-hand bookshop on the right.  The pretty red brick building had two
large windows on either side of the black painted door. The wooden window frames
were painted in matching black and a pretty pot of pink and white petunias hung
on the aged brick wall either side of the door. A pink-and-white-striped awning
hung above the shop front and buckets of colorful fresh flowers were packed on
the sidewalk outside. The sweet flowery scent of sweet pea, peonies and roses
mixed with the exotic aroma of lily hung in the air, inviting passers-by to
stop and linger outside, attracted to the bright bursts of color and delightful
perfume like bees to honey.

Beth looked
at it all and though of what a pity it would be to see all her mother’s hard
work handed off to the new owners once the shop was sold. Beth would not be
able to manage the shop from Boston. She had been worried about Hannah but now
that her mother’s life insurance money was going to pay out she had enough
money to pay off the shop’s debts which would give her the bargaining power she
needed to negotiate a good price and she hoped to be able to secure Hannah’s
job as part of the sale contract.

Hannah was
in a good mood.

“Morning,
Beth, you’re in late this morning. Did you sleep in?”

“No, I had a
few errands to run,” Beth lied.

Beth had
woken up at sunrise with golden beams of light filtering in through the soft
sheer curtains of the main bedroom in the guest cottage. The ocean was calm and
the morning sun peered lazily out from the horizon, warming the sandy beach.
Chase was still asleep, with a smile spread across his handsome face. Lola was
asleep on the carpet at the foot of the bed, her eyes rolled back in her head,
dreaming. Beth had smiled at the two of them, pulled on Chase’s shirt and
hurried to the kitchen to make breakfast.

The smell of
crispy fried bacon coupled with the delicious aroma of freshly toasted bread
smothered in rich salty butter had woken Chase and Lola. Beth was busy
finishing the scrambled eggs and when she looked up from the stove, she saw
Chase smiling at the door.

“You look
good in my shirt, pretty lady.”

Beth blushed.
“Thank you, but you had better be careful—if you keep saying things like that I
might just keep it.”

          Chase joined
Beth at the table and enjoyed a hearty plate of delicious breakfast. Lola sat
at his feet making eyes at him in the hope of getting a treat. Chase seemed
immune to the look of longing in her eyes but Beth couldn’t ignore it so she
threw her a few crispy bites when Chase wasn’t looking.

          After
breakfast Chase had cleared the table and washed up while Beth took a warm
shower. Beth was in a great mood and she found herself singing to herself as
the warm water jets warmed her skin. She couldn’t remember the last time she
had felt so alive. After her shower she styled her hair, put on a light
sprinkling of makeup and put on a navy blue-and-white high-waisted polka-dot
dress paired with a pair of flat leather sandals.

          When she was
done she found Chase in the kitchen reading the paper with a cup of coffee. Two
dimples immediately sprang to life at the sight of her.

          “You look
beautiful, Beth. There is nothing sexier than a woman in a dress.”

           Beth walked
over to him and planted a kiss on his cheek. He whispered softly in her ear, “Last
night was amazing.”

           Beth felt
her cheeks flush and said, “I enjoyed it too.”

“Where are
you off to?” asked Chase.

“I have to
get to the shop, I need to finalize the inventory and assets list before the
realtor comes to see me tomorrow.”

Chase sighed
and a look of disappointment flashed across his face. “Are you really going to
sell the shop?”

“Yes,”
replied Beth without a moment’s hesitation.

“Well okay
then, if that’s what you want, but I was really hoping you would stay.”

Beth grabbed
her handbag and headed for the door. “I had better get going, Hannah will be at
the shop by now.”

The look of
disappointment on Chase’s face haunted Beth on her drive to the shop. She kept
going over things in her head. She liked Chase, she really did but it was just
too soon to pack up her life in Boston for a man she had only known a few weeks.
It had been a very long time since she had been with a man and last night had
been wonderful but it just seemed so sudden. Beth wondered if it would be
possible to maintain a long-distance relationship for a few months, see where
things were going and then try to decide on the best way forward once they knew
a little more about each other. Perhaps Chase could move to Boston.

Beth pushed
her thoughts about Chase to the back of her mind and got to work at the flower
shop. She needed to finalize the inventory list and make sure she had all her
ducks in a row for the meeting with the realtor. Beth grabbed her notebook from
the counter and looked down at the large brown envelope Jack had given her.
With all the excitement at the harbor, the arrest of Allison Landon and the
unexpected romantic developments with Chase, she had completely forgotten about
the envelope from her mother. Beth picked up the envelope and went to the
shop’s stock room. Once inside she opened the envelope and stared at the blank
white pages. She had no idea what to make of it but she knew someone who might
be able to help. She picked up her phone and sent Chase a text message.

Can you meet
me at the coffee shop next to the library in an hour?

She got a
response from Chase within minutes.

          Sure thing, see
you in an hour.

Hannah was
putting together a large floral arrangement at the work table in the front of
the shop, humming to herself as she worked. Beth got to work, making a list of
all the old second-hand vases her mother had collected. She completed the
inventory list and placed the envelope in her handbag.

“Hannah, I
have to run a few errands this afternoon. I probably won’t be back. Can you
lock up the shop today?”

Hannah
looked up from behind a large hydrangea and waved her hand. “No problem.”

Beth left
the shop and walked the three blocks to Melissa’s coffee shop. The main road in
town was full of townsfolk going about their daily routine, getting medication
from the drug store, doing grocery shopping and driving the kids to doctor’s
appointments and soccer practice. Everything looked normal except for the nervous
chatter as people huddled in groups talking excitedly about Allison Landon’s
arrest. Beth kept her head down and walked at a brisk pace, trying to avoid
making eye contact. She did not wish to get caught up in the gossip mill that
was buzzing all around her.

Chase was
sitting at the very back of the shop; two large cups of coffee sat on the small
round table in front of him. He looked up and smiled at the sight of her, a big
toothy schoolboy grin. Beth couldn’t help but smile back.

“I ordered
you a tall cappuccino, hope you don’t mind?”
said Chase as she sat down.

“No not at
all, that is exactly what I was planning to order myself.”

Annie Lewis,
the local pharmacist, was sitting at the table across from them, listening to
music on her phone as she updated her daily planner. The sight of Beth sitting
down with Chase immediately drew her attention. She turned down the music
volume, removed the earpiece from her left ear and focused her attention in
their direction, trying to listen in on as much of their conversation as
possible.

Chase took Beth’s
hand in his and scanned his eyes across her face.

“What’s
troubling you, Beth? Why did you ask me to meet you here?”

Beth dug
into her leather handbag and pulled out the brown envelope filled with her
mother’s blank pages.

“I need your
help, Chase. Jack Reynolds gave me this last week. He said my mother had given
it to him. She told him it was a list detailing investments she had made for
the shop, investments that according to her had grown considerably over the last
few years…”

Chase placed
his cup down on the table, interrupting her. “But that’s great news, you can
save the shop!”

Beth shook
her head. “It would be great news if I knew what to make of it, but the pages
in the envelope are all blank.”

Chase was intrigued. “Is
Jack sure he gave you the correct documents?”

“He seemed pretty sure
to me,” replied Beth.

“Did you check to see
if the note was written in invisible ink?” asked Chase.

“No, I hadn’t thought
of that. How would we be able to tell?”

Chase smiled smugly and
whipped a small black mini flashlight on a keychain from his pocket.

“My trusty,
three-in-one laser pointer, LED and UV light. Always comes in handy.”

Chase took
the papers from the envelope and flashed the UV light across the pages.
Nothing.

“If your
mother used invisible printer ink, it should show under the UV light, but I am
not seeing anything…perhaps she used the old-fashioned way—lemon juice,” he
mused.

Beth was
finding this a little amusing. “Invisible printer ink? UV light? That sounds a
little high-tech for Mom. If she wrote anything in invisible ink, I would put money
on it that she used the old-fashioned way.”

Chase
laughed too, almost choking on his coffee. “Okay, okay, I hear you and I agree
that is probably a little high-tech for your mother, but don’t underestimate
her, she was a prolific drug supplier in her spare time. Who knows what else
she might have got up to?”

Annie Lewis
almost choked on her coffee too. Another drug supplier in Bartholomew Bay,
whatever was the world coming to? Beth and Chase looked over at her and she
quickly looked away, pretending not to have noticed them, but their
conversation had caught her interest and she was curious to find out if a
secret message had been written on the blank pages in invisible ink.

“So how do
we check to see if she wrote a secret message in lemon juice?” Beth asked excitedly.

Chase called
the waitress over and whispered in her ear. She took the documents and hurried
off to the kitchen. “Messages written in lemon juice can be developed using
heat. I asked her to put them in the oven at low heat for five minutes.”

“Are you
serious? I hope she doesn’t set them on fire!”

The waitress
came after what seemed like an eternity, handed the papers back to Chase and
winked at him before sauntering off with what looked to Beth like a
deliberately suggestive sway of her hips. Beth watched her leave and gave Chase
a questioning glance. She had no idea what that had been about but it was
definitely not nothing.

Chase had
other things on his mind. He was huddled over the pages trying to make out any
visible writing.

“Beth, take
a look here,” he said animatedly and handed her a page. “It is not very clear
and I can’t make it out but I am almost certain that there is very faint
writing on this page. Can you make out what it says?”

Beth scanned
the pages eagerly but could only make out very faint writing.

“I think you
may be right, but it’s not clear enough to make out what it says.”

The sound of
Annie Lewis’ deep husky voice startled them both. Beth turned around to find
her standing next to her, craning over her shoulder to get a better look at the
documents.

“Can I help
you?”
she asked, trying very hard to keep her voice down.

          “Oh, I am so
sorry for sticking my nose into what clearly is not my business but I just
couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. I am not normally the type to
offer unsolicited advice but I really do feel that I may be of assistance.”

           Beth was skeptical.
“How exactly would you like to help?” she asked politely through clenched
teeth.

“Well I am a
pharmacist so I am quite familiar with chemical reactions and I was an avid
amateur detective as a child. I am almost certain that the invisible ink on
that paper is vinegar, which is known to develop poorly using heat. Vinegar is
best developed using chemical means. Red cabbage solution will turn any
invisible message written using vinegar dark red. It contains a pigment called flavin
that will react strongly with the vinegar.”

Chase was
impressed. “Red cabbage solution, never heard of that one but I think we should
give it a try. I think we need to make a trip to the grocery store. Thanks,
Annie.”

A brilliant
shade of red flashed across Annie’s cheeks, making it look as if she had just
been slapped. She tucked a strand of shoulder-length mousy brown hair behind
her ear and looked down at the floor. “Sure thing, Chase, anything to help.”

Beth wasn’t
sure if she was imagining things but it almost appeared to her as if Annie also
had a thing for Chase. He didn’t seem to notice at all, instead he grabbed her
by the hand and ushered her out of the shop with his other hand placed
protectively in the small of her back. She was the envy of every woman in Mellissa’s
coffee shop.