Pink Velvet Murder: A Frosted Love Cozy Mystery - Book 9 (Frosted Love Cozy Mysteries) (4 page)

Detective
Chas Beckett had just finished checking all of Missy’s security measures,
finding that every door and window was secure, and had added a security light
in the back yard and on the garage. He found Missy in the kitchen, waiting for
him with a glass of wine, the tantalizing scents of dinner making his stomach
growl in anticipation.

“Well,
that should do it,” he said, putting an assortment of hand tools back in the
drawer beside the sink, then washing his hands.

“Thanks
so much, Chas, you’re the best,” Missy smiled at him, despite the worry that
she felt. “Do you really think that I have anything to worry about?”

The
detective shrugged, drying his hands on a towel. “Hard to say. It would be
highly unusual if a teenage girl first killed her teacher and then chose to
stalk another judge of a high school baking contest, but stranger things have
been known to happen. Who are we to say what’ll set people off?”

“Speaking
of setting people off, I’m so glad that I won’t have to work with Priscilla
Chadwick on her wedding. I’m still trying to figure out what to do with this
precious girl,” she scratched the ears of the tiny Malti-Poo on her lap.

“Do
you really think that the mayor is going to let you off the hook that easily?”
Chas asked.

Missy
made a face. “The way I see it, he doesn’t have much of a choice. She doesn’t
want to work with me, I don’t want to work with her, there’s really nothing to
debate.”

“We’ll
see about that. Do you want me to stir something?” he asked, peering into one
of the pots simmering on the stove.

“Nope,
I’d like you to make yourself comfortable while I finish making dinner. Cuddle
up with this pretty lady,” she instructed, handing him the petite fluffball.

The
couple had a lovely dinner, and snuggled up on the sofa to watch a movie, with
Toffee curled up at their feet, and the tiny new addition nestled securely
between the retriever’s protective paws. Chas left after the movie, exhausted
after a long day that started early, and Missy took the dogs out one last time
before bed. She came back into the house, put on her cotton nightshirt, brushed
her teeth and turned out the lights, snuggling under the covers. She had just
closed her eyes when she heard a sound in the back yard that sounded like glass
shattering. Sitting bolt upright and looking in the direction of the sound to
try to determine its source, she noticed that the light that Chas had just
installed had gone out. Heart pounding in her chest, she slipped over to the
window, peering into the darkness. Seeing nothing, she padded softly down the
stairs, listening for any unfamiliar sounds. Under the cover of darkness, she
sidled up to the back door of the kitchen, looking outside. Thinking she saw a
dark figure moving across the yard, she charged back upstairs and dove for her
phone to call Chas, who couldn’t be far away, he’d only left a few minutes
prior.

The
detective was at her door in a matter of minutes, and seeing nothing but a
broken security light, invited her to stay the night at his house. Missy
refused his kind offer, assuring him that she’d be fine as long as she stayed
inside and kept her doors and windows locked. Beckett then offered to sleep on
the couch downstairs if it would make her feel better, but she refused to
impose on him that way, and eventually he took his leave, making her promise to
call him if anything out of the ordinary happened.

Missy
sat across the table from her friend Echo in the seating area of Sweet Love,
Echo’s vegan ice cream shop, spooning her favorite Vanilla Bean “rice cream”
into her mouth, savoring the silky sweetness.

“I
just can’t believe that Donna would do something like this,” Echo worried. She
was concerned not just because the girl worked for her, but because she seemed
like such a “normal” teenager. “You know, it’s crazy, you think that you know
who you can trust in this world, and yet you find out all the time that people
aren’t at all what they seem to be.”

Missy
swallowed a bite of her frozen treat. “Well, the possibility still remains that
she didn’t do it,” she suggested.

“Yeah,
but apparently the police interviewed some people who overheard her argument
with Mrs. Dowler, and they said that threats were exchanged. It’s just so sad
all the way around,” the free-spirited shop owner shook her head, discouraged.

“Why
was Mrs. Dowler teaching anyway? Her husband came from a wealthy New Orleans
family and owns a highly successful brokerage firm,” Missy mused, puzzled.

“Donna
said that teaching was basically a means of paying for her hobbies,” Echo
explained. “Apparently her tastes were pretty expensive.”

“Really?
She didn’t seem like the high rolling type at all,” she frowned.

“She
collected antiques from all over the world. Their house on the north side is
supposed to be a treasure trove that collectors and museums would envy.”

“Hmm…I
wouldn’t have guessed,” Missy raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“On
a lighter note…I met a fabulously attractive guy yesterday,” Echo confessed
with a grin.

“Do
tell!” Missy leaned forward.

“He’s
new in town and said he’d never heard of vegan ice cream before, so he came in
to see what it was all about. Said he noticed the shop when he was across the
street, buying the most delicious cupcake he’d ever had,” she waggled her
eyebrows comically.

“Oh,
I love to hear that!” Missy exclaimed.

“He
said that the two of you had met, and I got the impression that he was rather
taken with you,” she said slyly. “But then of course, I flirted with him like
mad to make him forget you and turn his attention my way,” she teased.

Missy
blushed slightly, remembering that she had wondered whether or not Carlton
Dobbs was flirting with her or merely being kind. “I remember who you’re
talking about. Carlton, right?”

“Carlton
indeed,” Echo said putting her chin in her hands dreamily.

“He
did seem quite nice.”

“Quite
nice?” her friend scoffed. “The man was kind, well-mannered, well-spoken, and
smokin hot! Not all of us are lucky enough to have a catch like Chas Beckett on
our arm. Carlton is the best thing that’s graced my doorstep in a very long
time.”

Missy
kept her doggy play date in the park with Carlton to herself, not wanting to
make her friend feel bad. Besides, it was merely a coincidence that they had
happened to run into each other. “So, did he ask you out?”

Echo
frowned. “No, he didn’t, but I think he might. I dropped some hints about being
happy to show him around, and he seemed to be open to the idea, so we’ll see.”

“Well
good for you,” Missy encourage her friend. “He seems like a really nice guy.”

“Who’s
incredibly gorgeous,” her zany mahogany-haired friend reminded her.

“If
you say so,” Missy giggled, shaking her head.

Missy
finished her dessert while Echo tended to a customer who had come in, then
hugged her friend goodbye and went back across the street where Ben was just
finishing up. Making sure that all was well, she left the shop and headed for
home.

Pulling
into her driveway, Missy was alarmed to see someone sitting on the sidewalk out
in front of her house, apparently in a great deal of pain. She didn’t recognize
the man at first, but when she saw the majestic Doberman at his side, she knew.

Getting
quickly out of her car, she ran to him to see if he was okay. “Carlton, are you
okay?” she called out, approaching the writhing man who was holding his ankle
in both hands. “Should I call an ambulance?” she worried, stopping short when
Chauncey growled a warning.

“Hi
Missy,” he replied, through gritted teeth. “No, there’s no need for an
ambulance, I have a weak ankle and I rolled it. Happens about once a year. I
just have to baby it for a while and I’ll be fine,” he grimaced.

“Can
you walk? How can I help?” she asked, hating seeing him in pain.

“If
I could impose upon you to help me sit on the porch so that I can elevate it,
that would probably help,” he suggested.

“Oh,
it’s no imposition at all, really,” she assured him. “Let me go put my purse
inside and I’ll be right back out to help you to the porch.”

Missy
hurried inside, put down her purse and her keys, leaving the car in the
driveway, and returned to Carlton’s side in minutes. She helped him to a standing
position, ever mindful of the overly protective Doberman at her heels, and
supported him while he hobbled over to the porch. The stairs were a bit tricky,
with the tall, athletic man placing a good deal of weight on his petite helper,
but they made it to the top slowly, and eased him onto the porch swing, lifting
his foot carefully up onto the seat beside him.

“Well,
it doesn’t look swollen, so that’s good,” Missy observed. “Would you like an
ice pack?”

“I’m
really sorry to put you to all this trouble,” Carlton apologized. “An ice pack
would be great, thank you,” he winced as he shifted his weight to get more
comfortable.

Missy
disappeared into the house, returning shortly thereafter with an ice pack and a
pillow, which she arranged carefully under the injured ankle. “I’ll be right
back,” she promised, disappearing again. This time she came back carrying a
small tray that held a plate of homemade sugar cookies and a glass of minted
iced tea. Scooting a small table over beside the porch swing, she set the tray
on it. “I have to run in and let the dogs out in the back yard, but I’ll be
back in just a few minutes,” she promised.

“Thanks
so much, Missy. I really appreciate this,” Carlton responded pitifully,
reaching for the tea. Chauncey the Doberman had settled under the swing, baring
his teeth occasionally.

Missy
went back into the house, put leashes on Toffee and the Malti-Poo, whom she was
calling Bitsy, taking them to the back yard for relief. When they were done
taking care of business, she let them frolic freely in the in the back yard
since they wouldn’t be going to the park anytime soon. She was confident that,
although tiny, Bitsy wouldn’t shimmy between the white pickets of the fence to
escape. The diminutive sweetie seemed quite content to stay close to her new
best friend, Toffee. Pouring herself a glass of tea and returning to the front
porch to check on her impromptu patient, Missy was delighted to see Chas
Beckett standing in front of Carlton, arms crossed. Chauncey had stood and
assumed a pre-attack position, growling loudly at the detective, who kept a
wary eye on the animal, while assessing his owner.

“An
old injury?” she heard Beckett ask as she opened the screen door.

“Yeah,”
Carlton shrugged embarrassed. “I played lacrosse in college and sprained it
really badly. It hasn’t been the same since.”

“Hey
Chas,” she greeted him happily, not moving in for a kiss in consideration of
her guest.

“Missy,”
he nodded, returning his focus to Dobbs.

“Would
you like some tea?” she offered, thinking that the detective looked
exceptionally hot and cranky.

“No,
I’m not going to be staying long. Can I drive you home, Dobbs?” he asked
curtly, apparently having been properly introduced while Missy had been in the
back yard.

“Actually,
I think if I wrap it, I can make it back to my car and drive myself home.
Thanks for offering, but Chauncey doesn’t really do well in strange vehicles,
so I’ll just need to suck it up and make it happen,” he smiled ruefully.

“I
have a First Aid kit in my car. I’ll get you an Ace bandage and you can be on
your way,” Chas said coolly, jogging down the steps before Carlton could reply.

“He
must have a lot on his mind,” Missy mused awkwardly, wondering what on earth
was wrong with the taciturn detective.

“Completely
understandable,” Dobbs remarked politely. “Does he have a stressful job?”

“You
could say that,” Missy nodded. “He’s a detective with the LaChance PD.”

A
look that was difficult to discern passed over the handsome blond man’s
features, but Missy was more focused on the grim-faced man who mounted the
porch steps, First Aid kit in hand. He tossed an Ace bandage to Carlton, who
caught it without a word and immediately started wrapping his ankle, flexing it
back and forth, his jaw clenched against the pain.

“Better?”
Missy asked.

“Better,”
Dobbs nodded, slowly rising to a standing position.

“Need
help?” Chas asked as Carlton moved toward the steps.

“Nahhh…I’ll
just brace myself on the railing. Thanks though,” he said, wincing with every
step.

Missy
unconsciously held her hands to her throat, hoping that he didn’t take a spill
as he made his way down the stairs. She and Chas watched him head down the
sidewalk, and he raised a hand before disappearing around the corner, Chauncey
at his side.

“How
do you know this guy?” Beckett asked, as soon as the injured man was out of
sight.

“He
came into the shop in Dellville and bought a cupcake. He’s new in town,” Missy
said, once again leaving out the fact that she had also gone to the park with
him and the dogs.

“What’s
he doing in this part of town? Does he live around here?” Chas frowned.

“No,
he just likes taking Chauncey to Nelson Park to play,” she explained, wondering
at her boyfriend’s strange manner.

“I
bet he does,” the detective said under his breath. “Hey, I’ve changed my mind,
do you think I could get a glass of tea after all?” he asked.

“Of
course, anything for you, handsome,” she flirted, hoping to lift his mood.

“Perfect,”
he kissed her on her way to the door. He waited until she was inside, then carefully
snagged Carlton’s glass from the tray, flung the contents into the azaleas
below, and tucked the empty glass into his First Aid kit, returning it to the
trunk of his car.