Sweetheart Killer: Book 14 in The INNcredibly Sweet Series Page 2

  Echo owned a funky, vintage building downtown where she sold handcrafted candles. She also inherited the bookstore next door, when the lovely elderly woman who owned it passed away. Removing the wall between the two spaces, she’d been savvy enough to hire a spunky bookworm named Joyce Rutledge as her manager, tasked with overseeing the operation of the two little shops. Kel’s son, Scott, helped out on weekends and after school.

  “How’s Joyce holding up?” Missy asked in a low voice, not wanting to disturb the sleeping bundle.

  “She’s a trooper. I told her to hire temps when she needed to, and our sales have never been so good.”

  “That’s great. So, your business does better without you there? Sounds like you just got promoted to stay-at-home mom,” she grinned.

  “It is nice to know that I’ll have plenty of time to take care of Jazzy and craft my candles and not have to worry about the stores,” she admitted. “Finding Joyce was the best thing that could’ve happened to us. How’s life with you? I miss you, and our cupcake and coffee mornings, so much,” she lamented.

  “Me too,” Missy nodded and Jasmine snuggled in even tighter, making a little cooing noise that melted her heart. “But I’m glad that you’re healing up so well. You look great.”

  “I feel great,” Echo grinned. “And I wasn’t expecting to. I was so scared that I just wouldn’t get the hang of this whole mommy thing, but it wasn’t nearly as hard as I thought. I saw that tiny face and fell in love,” she smiled fondly at the infant in her friend’s arms. “I mean, yes, I don’t have uninterrupted sleep, and I probably haven’t had a warm meal since she’s been home, but she’s totally worth it.”

  “Of course she is,” Missy stroked the sleeping baby’s tiny back.

  “How are you?” her ever perceptive friend had picked up on the fact that Missy had sidestepped that question the first time she’d asked it.

  Missy looked troubled.

  “Chas is acting strangely,” she admitted. “I’ve asked him probably a dozen times what’s wrong, but he always says nothing. He’s just so…preoccupied. It’s like he’s lost in thought all the time.”

  “Well, you two do have quite a bit on your plate right now, with selling the Inn, having to find a new house, recovering from the holidays…becoming godparents,” she grinned.

  “True. Those are all good things, but I can see how he might be trying to plan everything out,” Missy nodded. “I’d love to be able to take him away for a while…get his undivided attention, you know?”

  “So do it! You two deserve a vacation. Let Spencer run the cupcake shop, and just go somewhere,” Echo suggested.

  “It seems kind of strange that I’d leave a beautiful bed and breakfast on the beach to go on vacation,” Missy chuckled, causing the sweet bundle in her arms to rustle a bit.

  “Not so strange when that bed and breakfast is your workplace,” her friend pointed out.

  Jasmine rubbed her little face back and forth on Missy’s neck and let out a soft mewling sound.

  “Oh no, I woke her up, I’m sorry,” Missy exclaimed, patting the baby’s back to soothe her.

  “No worries, she would’ve woken up anyway, it’s mealtime,” Echo grinned and held out her arms.

  Missy gently transferred the burbling infant to her mother for a feeding, and reached for her purse.

  “Motherhood looks good on you,” she kissed her friend’s cheek.

  “Feels good, too. Now go home and plan a vacation,” Echo counseled.

  “You think I should?”

  “I think that if you don’t, I’ll tell Chas to do it for you. This weekend is Valentine’s Day, find something romantic and just go.”

  “You know what? I think I will,” Missy’s eyes sparkled at the thought of getting away from it all and relaxing with her husband. “Will you be okay with me gone?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Destiny is still in town and it turns out she’s an amazing babysitter.”

  Destiny Crandall was a lovely and mature thirteen year old whom Missy and Echo had met on a trip back home to LaChance. She and her family traveled the country in a decked out RV and had landed in Calgon over the holidays, just in time to help solve a murder involving a local Santa Claus.

  “Oh, that’s wonderful! That makes me feel better, knowing that I’m not leaving you in the lurch as far as babysitters go. I’ll go home and get online and let you know what I come up with,” Missy promised, finally getting into the spirit of things.

  “Perfect.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  * * *

  Missy and Chas stood in line at the Cruise Port in Fort Lauderdale, shuffling forward a few steps at a time.

  “You surprised me,” Chas kissed the tip of Missy’s nose. “What a fantastic idea. I can’t wait to have some quality time with you.”

  “I’m glad you approve. You’ve been so…busy…lately, that I’ve missed you,” she confessed.

  “Me too,” he said, wrapping his arms around her.

  “Hey lovebirds, the line’s moving up,” a man’s voice came from behind them.

  They turned to see a fellow traveler in khakis and a golf shirt grinning broadly at them.

  “Oops, sorry,” Missy giggled and blushed.

  “No problem, honey,” the older man assured her. “The wife and I were like that once upon a time, too,” he joked, nudging the woman beside him with his elbow.

  “Oh Stewart,” she waved a hand at him, smiling and shaking her head. “I can’t take him anywhere. We’re the Fontaines…Blanche and Stewart,” the woman held out her hand.

  Missy and Chas shook hands with them both and introduced themselves.

  “Are you folks on your honeymoon?” Blanche asked.

  “No, we’re just glad to have each other’s undivided attention for a week,” Missy explained as Chas wrapped his arm around her waist.

  “We just come to get away from the rest of the world. The middle of the ocean is a great place for peace and quiet,” Stewart chimed in. “And the food is top notch.”

  “Well, that’s something to look forward to,” Chas smiled.

  After roughly fifteen minutes more of shuffling forward, the happy couple reached the check-in desk, received their boarding cards and headed to the gangway to board the ship. The sheer size of it was enormous. Their stateroom was a balcony suite on Deck 4, and, much to their surprise, as they were speaking with their delightful Cabin attendant, a young man named Putu, Blanche and Stewart appeared, coincidentally having booked the room right next door.

  “You two keep it down over there, a man’s gotta get his rest,” Stewart joked, smirking at Chas in a knowing manner. Missy blushed and looked at her feet as Blanche grabbed her husband by the elbow, dragging him inside their stateroom.

  Putu excused himself so that he could go greet the couple, and knocked softly on their door. Stewart flung the door open, and before the attendant could utter a word, he started speaking loudly, causing Missy to wince as Chas opened the door to their room. Perhaps the man needed a hearing aid.

  “Now, listen here. If I want something, I’ll call you, and if I don’t call you, I don’t want you or anyone else knocking on the door. Do you speak enough English to understand that?”

  “Yes, sir,” Putu’s eyes widened and he nodded vehemently.

  “If I call for you, and you’re not here within ten minutes, I’m going to your boss and you’ll get booted off this ship at the next port of call, got it?”

  Putu nodded mutely, pressing his lips together.

  “I want fresh ice every two hours, I want the minibar restocked twice a day, and I want fresh fruit available at all times. Turn-down service needs to be completed while I’m in the dining room, and don’t even think of leaving any animals made out of towels on my bed. You’ll pick up my laundry on Wednesday, and I want everything cleaned, pressed, and put away in the drawers and closet by the time that I get back from lunch on Thursday. Understand?”

  “Yes, sir,” Putu replied tonelessly.
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  “Oh, that poor man,” Missy murmured, as she and Chas listened at their partially opened door.

  “Indeed,” Chas nodded, frowning. “I believe that I’ll go to Putu’s boss before Stewart gets a chance to, and warn him what they’re dealing with.”

  “I think that’s a good idea,” Missy agreed, and closed the door.

  The room was beautifully decorated in the nautical colors of blue, green and crisp white, the furnishings were of the highest quality, and every surface sparkled with cleanliness.

  “Oh Chas, look,” Missy exhaled, a dreamy smile on her face.

  The entire wall that faced them was comprised of floor to ceiling windows which would give them a stunning view of the ocean, once they were underway. In the middle of the wall of glass was a set of wide sliding glass doors which opened up to their private balcony, where there was plenty of room to sunbathe or drink coffee, while enjoying the view. A soft knock on the door drew their attention, and Missy went out the sliding doors to get a view of the port, while Chas answered it.

  “Excuse me, Madame,” Putu came through the sliding glass doors. “Mr. Chas said that I should put this out here for you,” he held up a tray laden with two tropical cocktails, two bottles of sparkling water, and an assortment of snacks.

  “Oh, Putu, I didn’t order anything,” Missy smiled kindly.

  “No, Madame. Compliments of the ship,” he bowed slightly.

  “Oh, how thoughtful. Thank you so much. You can just set it over there on the table.”

  “Yes, Madame.”

  He set the tray down, formally laying out cutlery, napkins and snack plates.

  “If you need anything at all, please call me at this number,” he said, handing her a card. “I have placed another one by the telephone in the room.”

  “Perfect.”

  Missy picked up a cocktail, which was a fruity, frothy delight, and leaned on the railing, gazing out at the sun sparkling on the water. Chas joined her, his own drink in hand.

  “I could get used to this,” he commented, slipping an arm around his wife.

  “Me too,” Missy nodded, savoring a sip of her drink. “I feel bad for Putu,” she murmured.

  Chas put his finger to his lips as a symbol to speak quietly, and pointed to the wall that separated their balcony from their neighbor’s. Missy took the hint.

  “I mean…uh…he works so hard. I hope that the staff gets a chance to relax a bit when we’re in ports.”

  “I’m sure they do,” Chas smiled. “How about we grab a snack and our drinks and go topside for the Bon Voyage party on the pool deck?” he suggested.

  “I would love that!”

  “I love you,” he kissed his wife soundly, melting her heart.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  * * *

  Missy and Chas stepped out onto the pier in St. Thomas, and looked for the sign that said “Eco Tours.” They had booked a full-day adventure that included kayaking, hiking and snorkeling in the crystal clear waters of the beautiful island.

  “There they are,” Missy pointed out a brightly colored van, which looked like it seated maybe a dozen passengers.

  The couple made their way to the van, and handed their tickets to the driver. Climbing inside, they scooted to the far left on their bench seat, to leave room for anyone else who might be joining the tour.

  “Well, hey neighbor!” they heard Stewart’s voice trumpet as he and Blanche popped into view outside the van. “I thought you two might be the adventure type,” he chuckled, stepping up into the van and plopping down next to Chas, followed closely by Blanche.

  “I’m not really the outdoorsy type, but this tour had a really good reputation and they provide lunch, too, so I thought we’d give it a try,” Blanche smiled at Missy, leaning forward to speak past the two men in the middle.

  “She’d be just as happy sipping pina coladas on the ship,” Stewart said to Chas, rolling his eyes. “Almost slipped out without her, but she woke up,” he joked.

  “We took line dance lessons last night out by the pool,” Missy changed the subject. “I don’t know how good we were, but it was so much fun.”

  “I lost my shirt at the casino,” Stewart butted in. “Blanche stayed in the room with a headache. Funny how she gets headaches when she doesn’t want to do something,” he teased, patting her knee.

  “Have you tried the spa services yet?” Blanche asked, ignoring her husband’s ribbing.

  “We had massages on the first day. It was so relaxing. They used a coconut sugar scrub that made me hungry,” Missy grinned.

  “I just love getting pampered and gazing out at the ocean.”

  “Me too,” Missy agreed.

  “Because she doesn’t get pampered at all at home,” Stewart’s voice dripped with good-natured sarcasm.

  “I’m sure she deserves it,” Chas chimed in.

  “After putting up with me all these years…I’d say she deserves a medal,” Stewart laughed and Blanche patted his arm.

  **

  Since they had paid for a smaller tour, Missy and Chas were delighted to hear that their only companions for the day would be their guide, Sean, and their neighbors, Stewart and Blanche.

  “It’s so nice to have such a small group, don’t you think?” Missy asked Blanche as they stood on the dock, holding their life vests while they waited to climb into their kayaks.

  The older woman looked uncertainly at the bobbing craft that she would soon be settling into and nodded.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m just…a tiny bit afraid of the water. Or, more accurately, what might be in the water,” Blanche confided in a low voice.

  “Oh, you mean like sharks?”

  “Heavens to Betsy! I hadn’t even thought about that,” her eyes grew wide. “I don’t even like the fish swimming around me, or those little plants that wrap around your ankles,” she shuddered.

  “Well, you could probably skip the snorkeling part,” Missy shrugged.

  “I’d never hear the end of it,” she sighed. “But maybe.”

  “Well, at least on the kayaks, you’ll be able to see what’s going on in the water without having to be in it.”

  “Yes, but if anything weird is beneath my boat, it may cause a panic attack,” Blanche worried.

  “You poor dear,” Missy murmured. “Maybe just keep your eyes on the trees and boats.”

  “Hey, let’s get this show on the road!” Stewart called out to Sean, who was stocking his kayak, and had prepared the others for guests.

  With a quick smile, the affable, mocha-skinned man approached the first kayak to hold it in place while Stewart rushed to board first.

  “Hold on a moment, sir. The passenger in front boards first, so the lady needs to get in,” Sean explained to the impatient man.

  “Well, I don’t see the point of that, but come on honey, get in. We’re all waiting on you,” Stewart stood, hands on hips as a dock attendant helped a very pale Blanche into the kayak.

  Stewart climbed in after that, with Blanche clinging to the side of the kayak and her paddle like they were lifelines. Missy and Chas were helped into their kayak, and Sean hopped into his with graceful ease, leading the pack out of the kayak port.

  Missy and Chas paddled as a team, slipping gracefully in behind their guide. Chas was an experienced kayaker and natural athlete, so he simply matched his pace to Missy’s slow, even strokes and it worked out well.

  “Paddle port!” they heard Stewart bark from behind them.

  “I don’t know what that means,” Blanche called out nervously.

  “It’s your left, just like on the ship. Go left, now right, now left. You need to dip your oar in deeper than that,” Stewart commanded.

  Sean performed a graceful turn and aimed his kayak so that he could fall in beside Blanche and Stewart.

  “Don’t worry about the pace, we’re going to take our time and see lots of beautiful things today. The easiest way to paddle together is for the person in the back to take
their cues from the person in the front,” he coached.

  “Young man, I’ve been on this earth and paddling boats for longer than you’ve been alive. I know how to steer and how to paddle, and I’ll give my wife whatever advice that she needs.”

  “That’s good to know, sir. Experienced people are valuable on an excursion like this,” Sean handled the situation deftly and returned to lead them out of the cove, while Missy and Chas exchanged a look.

  As they glided through the warm, wonderfully clear water, the guide pointed out plants on the shoreline that their little party was hugging, as well as different life forms in the water, turning over large pink conch shells to show the animal living inside, and naming various species of fish and sea creatures.

  “Oh look!” Missy exclaimed in pure joy, pointing at a graceful triangle gliding by. “It’s a ray!”

  Chas took a picture, while Blanche gasped and dropped her paddle in the water.

  Sean sidled his kayak up to theirs and picked up the paddle, returning it to her.

  “It’s okay,” his voice was kind. “They are more scared of us than you are of them.”

  “That’s hogwash,” Stewart bellowed. “Those are dangerous creatures, they can kill you. I’d be able to defend myself, but the ladies? Who knows?”

  “There have never been any deaths from stingrays in St. Thomas,” Sean assured him.

  “Well then it sounds like you’re overdue, and my wife isn’t going to be the first one!”

  “Not on my watch, sir,” Sean promised with a grin.

  The man had the patience of a saint.

  After roughly half an hour of listening to Stewart bark instructions at his wife, the group beached

  the kayaks on a small island that was a wildlife preserve. Chas climbed out of their rig first, holding

  the kayak steady so that Missy could get out easily, stepping into the refreshing knee-deep water