Gingerbread Murder: A Frosted Love Cozy Mystery - Book 21 (Frosted Love Cozy Mysteries) Read online

  She scooped the frosting into a container temporarily, and cleaned out the mixing bowl. Setting up the kitchen so that she could frost and drizzle when she returned, Missy took off her apron and hung it on a peg by the back door.

  “If you turn over the “Gone to Lunch” sign, and lock up the front, we can just go out the back and take my car to lunch,” she suggested, moving to the stainless steel sink to wash her hands.

  “Will do,” Echo disappeared, returning in a few seconds.

  When she locked the back door, they both heard what sounded like a soft cry. Turning toward the sound, they saw a small patch of black and white behind a clump of ornamental grass.

  “What’s that?” Echo frowned, concerned.

  “One way to find out,” Missy replied, striding toward the grass. “Oh my…look. It’s a cat.” She reached toward the mewling animal, and it darted past her, fast as lightning, streaking across the parking lot.

  “Poor thing,” Echo said, staring after the cat. “I wonder if it was abandoned or something.”

  “I don’t think so. It looked clean and healthy, like it was well taken care of.”

  “Well, hopefully he finds his way home,” was the worried reply. Missy nodded, watching the cat as he disappeared into a side street at least two full blocks away from the Inn.

  Chapter 4

  “Wow, dude…are your lunches always like that?” Beau asked Spencer, rubbing his fully distended belly, after Maggie had insisted that he consume soup, a sandwich, apple slices, cheese cubes, dessert, and two glasses of milk.

  The Marine chuckled. “Maggie likes feeding people,” he shrugged, neglecting to mention that he usually only grabbed a sandwich and a piece of fruit on the run during the day.

  “Well, she’s pretty good at it,” the grateful young man grinned. “So, what’s our first task of the day?” he asked, looking around the tool shed, where Spencer had led him after the feast.

  “Are you sure you’re capable of working after a meal like that?”

  “I’ll manage, but I might need a snack later,” Beau joked.

  “Roger that. I finished scraping the fence this morning, so we can start painting now. We’ll start at opposite ends on the outside, and meet in the middle, then do the same thing on the inside,” he instructed, feeling a bit like he was back in the military, grooming a new recruit. “Think your foot will hold up to that?”

  “Of course,” Beau replied. “I don’t have to put any weight on it if it starts hurting.”

  The two young men finished the job in a few hours, then started on pruning back some trees that needed it, and ultimately ended up calling it a day right around dinner time. Maggie sought them out and told them to sit down on the patio for dinner. She brought out yet another feast that had both of them groaning with satiation afterwards.

  “Good thing you have a physical job, Spence,” Beau teased. “A guy could get fat working here.”

  “I actually do have to work out, even with all the manual labor,” the Marine replied, with a grin.

  “I envy you, man. These are nice people that you’re working for.”

  “Yep, the best,” Spencer agreed. “If it wasn’t for them, I’d probably be in your situation,” he said honestly.

  “I hear ya. I’ve met a lot of vets who are living like me. Most of ‘em are great guys – they just can’t catch a break since they’ve been back.”

  “Yeah, it’s tough,” the Marine nodded, a faraway look in his eyes. “Life just isn’t the same when you get back. Everything looks different, feels different…it’s hard to adjust – hard to act normal.”

  “I can’t even imagine, dude,” Beau shook his head. “Well, I don’t want to overstay my welcome, so I’d better head out, but thanks for letting me hang out and eat,” he extended his hand. Spencer shook it.

  “Why don’t you crash at my place tonight? I live here in the basement. You could get rested up, and maybe talk to Chas and see if he knows anybody who might hire you,” he offered. “All I have is a couch to lend you, but you’re welcome to it.”

  “You have no idea how good that couch is gonna feel, after sleeping on the beach for a few weeks,” Beau smiled gratefully, taking him up on his offer. “I really appreciate this.”

  “No prob,” was the easy reply.

  “Spencer?” Maggie’s voice came from the back door.

  “On my way, ma’am,” he called out. “Here,” he handed Beau a key chain with a single key on it. “Go around the side of the main building, you’ll see a door that says “Staff Only” on it. Open it up, take the stairs down and use the key to let you in to the door on the right. Make yourself at home, and I’ll be down there in a bit,” he directed his new friend.

  “Thanks again,” Beau said, and headed for the apartment.

  **

  “We have one guest for tonight,” Maggie informed Spencer when he came in the back door. “I’ve checked him in, but I’d like you to show him around, while I fix him a snack. His flight didn’t have food available, so if you take him to his room after the tour, I’ll be done with his tray and you can bring it up to him,” she explained, leading him to the foyer, where the new guest stood waiting.

  “Mr. Perkins, this is Spencer. He’ll be taking you on a tour of the Inn and, after you get settled into your room, he’ll bring you a snack tray,” Maggie introduced their guest.

  “Hello, sir,” Spencer shook the fit, pleasant-looking man’s hand. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you the dining room where we serve breakfast, the parlor where we host afternoon tea, the library, and of course the pool area, which also has a hot tub,” he explained, leading the way.

  “That sounds fantastic,” Mr. Perkins nodded enthusiastically. “I haven’t been on vacation for a very long time, so I’m really looking forward to relaxing and unwinding.”

  “Well, you’re in the right place, sir. Please let me know if there’s anything that I can do to make your stay more comfortable,” Spencer replied.

  “You can start by calling me Allen. Mr. Perkins was my dad,” he said with a smile.

  “Sounds good, sir…uh, Allen.”

  Once the new guest was settled in, Spencer returned to his room, finding Beau sound asleep in front of the TV. Covering his new friend with a blanket, the Marine made his way to his room, and fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

  Chapter 5

  “Does Chas know anyone who might be able to give Beau a job?” Echo asked Missy, as she and Kel sat down for their daily morning “gossip” session.

  “He said he’s going to ask around today. Hopefully he’ll be able to find something,” Missy replied, setting down a plate full of luscious-looking cupcakes.

  “I could probably use some help with art installations,” Kel mused, his eyes fixated on the cupcakes. “What sort of delights are these?” he asked, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

  “They’re my new Gingerbread Delight cupcakes,” Missy replied proudly. “Echo, the vegan ones have the red sugar sprinkles on top.”

  “Thanks,” her friend replied, grabbing one of the sprinkled cupcakes. “I think having Beau help out with art installations is a great idea, and if we can’t find something more regular for a few days, I can have him do yard work and repairs around my place,” Echo suggested.

  “I’m sure that when we put our heads together, we can come up with enough to keep him busy until he finds something,” Missy nodded. “Spencer is taking him under his wing. He texted me yesterday to ask if it was okay for Beau to sleep on his couch.”

  “I’m so glad I found him on the beach,” Echo shook her head. “I don’t even want to think about what he’s had to go through since his mother died.”

  “How long ago did that happen?” Kel asked.

  “No idea. I didn’t want to pry.”

  The bell jangled over the door, and Allen Perkins walked in, dressed impeccably in khaki trousers and a light blue oxford shirt with a navy blue and yellow dotted bow tie.
His shoes were shiny and looked new, and the smile on his face spoke volumes about how his stay had been thus far.

  “Good morning,” he greeted the group. “That Maggie fixes a fine breakfast…my goodness.”

  Missy had met him when he came in the day before, so she introduced him to Kel and Echo. “Yes, she does. I’ve started attending yoga classes to try and compensate,” she joked. “What can I do for you, Mr. Perkins?”

  “Oh, please, call me Allen,” he smiled. “I was told that I could meet the owner of a fantastic art gallery, having coffee over here this morning.”

  “That would be me,” Kel said. “Are you looking for something in particular?”

  “I’m going to be moving into a new house pretty soon, so I’ll need all sorts of pieces. Would it be possible to visit your gallery today?” Allen asked.

  “I’m heading over there as soon as I finish this wondrous treat,” he bit deeply into his cupcake. “I’d be happy to give you a lift, if you’d like,” he said, chewing with relish and following the bite with a coffee chaser.

  “That would be perfect,” he agreed. “I’ll just run and get my sportcoat, and I’ll be right back.”

  Allen headed for the door, and when he opened it, the cat that Missy and Echo had seen the day before, darted into the shop. The guest made a startled exclamation and turned around to face the cat, whose tail had puffed up to five times its normal size, and whose hackles had risen, making him look a great deal fluffier than he actually was.

  He took a step toward the agitated feline, saying, “Hey Kitty,” in a voice that made Missy think that he probably hadn’t been around very many animals in his life. The spooked cat flattened his ears against his head, growled low in his chest, hissed and spat out a warning. Raising his hands in surrender, Allen backed away.

  “Looks like you might have to get a broom to shoo this one out. He’s not very happy,” the guest said, edging his way back toward the door and opening it. “Should I just leave this open?” he asked Missy.

  “Yes, that’s fine. I think the poor guy is just scared. I’ll see what I can do with him,” she said, focusing on the upset kitty.

  “Good enough. Kel, perhaps I’ll just meet you out front,” he suggested, eyeing the growling animal.

  “I think that would be best,” the artist agreed, looking at the man curiously.

  He left the door open, glancing behind himself as though he expected the cat to sink his claws into his retreating back at any moment. The fluffy black and white cat seemed to relax once the stranger was gone, and Missy slowly got up out of her chair and moved toward him.

  “Poor sweet kitty,” she cooed softly, hoping that the cat wouldn’t bolt back toward the kitchen. She didn’t want to have to explain his presence to the health department, should they happen to choose that moment to drop by.

  The feline watched her closely with big green eyes, his fluffy tail slowly growing smaller as it swished back and forth. Missy stopped about five feet away from him and knelt down, moving very carefully, so as not to startle the nervous animal. They stayed in their respective positions, with Echo and Kel looking on, for a few minutes, then the cat blinked a few times, looked suspiciously at the two occupants of the bistro table, and took some tentative steps toward Missy.

  “I certainly hope he doesn’t catch the scent of Golden Retriever and Malti-Poo on you,” Echo whispered, referring to Missy’s beloved pets, Toffee the golden, and Bitsy the spunky little Malti-Poo.

  “If that bothered him, he wouldn’t have let me get this close to him,” Missy whispered back, never taking her gaze from the now-curious cat.

  He sidled over, his big green eyes gazing into her soft grey ones with a mix of trust and fear. Missy had a strong affinity for creatures of all kinds, and they somehow seemed to sense it. He crept closer, and she let him approach, not reaching toward him at all.

  “Good kitty. Sweet boy,” she said softly, encouraging the beautiful feline.

  He bumped his forehead against her knee, and wound around in front of her, his purring audible. After he’d effectively furred the front of her jeans, she slowly reached her hand down and held it out in front of her. He pushed his head into it, clearly wanting to be petted. She stroked him gently, and sat down on the floor. As soon as she reached ground level, the cat promptly jumped into her lap and began kneading her knee with his front paws.

  “Oh my goodness, he’s so sweet,” she murmured, looking at Echo and Kel.

  “Well, now that you have this under control, I’m off to pick up Mr. Perkins, the non-cat person,” Kel waved on his way out.

  “Does he have a collar?” Echo asked, coming closer and letting the purring cat sniff her hand before petting him.

  Missy felt under the cat’s thick fur. “Yes, he does,” she said, reaching under his neck. “And he has tags too…let me turn this around and see what they say.” She carefully spun the collar so that the heart shaped tag faced her.

  “Well, it looks like this little guy lives just down the street,” she observed.

  “Are we walking or riding to take him home?” Echo asked.

  “Let’s walk. He seems calm enough now to let me carry him,” Missy said, lifting the cat up to snuggle into her neck and kissing the top of his silky head.

  Chapter 6

  Missy and Echo stood outside the gracious beach home, which was literally just down the road from the Inn, and Echo rang the bell while Missy spoke low, soothing words to the cat, who, according to his tag, was named Moose. There was no answer at first, so Echo rang again, then knocked, just in case the bell wasn’t working. There was still no answer, and Moose seemed to be getting restless. He leaped from Missy’s arms and headed around the side of the house, looking over his shoulder as though he wanted them to follow him.

  “Maybe there’s a kitty door around back,” Echo suggested, and they followed the cat around the corner of the large house.

  He trotted ahead of them, stopping every few feet to look over his shoulder, then disappearing around the back of the home. Missy and Echo rounded the corner and saw him sitting and staring intently at the back door, which, unfortunately, didn’t seem to have a kitty entrance. They climbed the steps with the intention of knocking, and staggered back, nauseated by the smell emanating from the home.

  Missy called Chas, who hadn’t left for work yet, and asked him to come over. When the detective arrived and was hit full force with the smell, he told Missy to take the cat and go home.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, alarmed at his reaction.

  He sighed, not wanting to scare her, but needing her to leave the scene. “Sweetie, only one thing makes that smell…there’s a body in there.”

  Echo blanched and Missy backed away, horrified. “Okay…be careful,” she replied, in a daze, then the two turned and hurried back to the Inn, after Missy scooped Moose up into her arms.

  Drawing near to Cupcakes in Paradise, Missy spotted Spencer and Beau around the side of the Inn, and headed for the two young men.

  “Hey, Mrs. Beckett, Miss Willis,” Spencer greeted them with his usual warm smile, then took a closer look. “Everything okay? You both look really pale,” he commented.

  Moose’s tail had started twitching when they approached, and he allowed Spencer to scratch him between the ears, but when Beau reached toward the nervous cat to do the same, Moose reared back, growled and slashed his paw over the top of his hand, breaking the skin.

  “Oh, goodness,” Missy exclaimed. “Are you okay? This poor little guy has been through a lot.”

  Beau backed up a step. “I’m fine. I should’ve known better. I don’t particularly like cats, and it seems like they can always tell,” he shrugged, wiping the blood from his hand onto the side of his board shorts.

  “How can you not like cats?” Spencer asked, stroking Moose under the chin to try to calm him down, while the cat eyeballed Beau with suspicion. “They’re sweet and clean and easy to hang out with.”

  “Yeah, that dude seems
really sweet,” the young man muttered in reply.

  “Spence, can you run to the store for me? I need kitty litter and a pan for it, food, and some toys for this little guy,” she hugged Moose close.

  “Sure,” the Marine agreed. “Is he a stray or something? He looks like he’s been pretty well taken care of,” he observed.

  “Another long story,” Missy hedged. “But if you could go sooner rather than later, I’d really appreciate it.”

  “I’ll head out right now. If that big guy needs a home, I’d be happy to take him in,” he nodded.

  “That’s wonderful, Spence, I’ll keep him busy until you get back and get things set up in the apartment.”

  “Hey, Beau, would you mind if Spencer dropped you off at my house with a chore list on his way?” Echo asked, wanting to make the young homeless man feel useful.

  “Not a problem at all,” he agreed easily. “Do I need to bring any tools with me?”

  “Let me find the list,” she said, digging in her enormous hand-crocheted purse. “Ah, here it is. You and Spence can take a look at this and see what you’ll need to bring,” she said, handing him a somewhat crumpled piece of paper. “Spencer has a copy of my house key on his key ring, so he’ll be able to let you in.”

  Beau looked from Spence to Echo and back again. “That’ll work,” he said cheerfully.

  “Great! There’s water in the fridge, so be sure to stay hydrated, and there’s a bowl of fruit on the table if you need a snack.”

  The young men headed to the shed to collect the tools and materials that they’d need for the work to be done at Echo’s little cottage, and Missy stroked Moose’s head absently.

  “Poor little guy. His owner obviously died in the house. I wonder how he got out?” Missy mused.

  “Ugh. I hate the thought that what we smelled was…death,” Echo shuddered.

  “Me too,” Missy kissed the top of Moose’s head. “We’re going to take good care of you, sweetie,” she promised the cat.

  “Maybe the owner will have a relative who wants him,” Echo pointed out.