Murder in Treasure Cove Read online

  Murder in Treasure Cove 3-Book Set

  Meredith Potts

  Table of Contents

  Murder and Delicious Shortcake

  Growing Up in Treasure Cove

  Live from the scene of the crime

  Murder and Delicious Shortcake

  Chapter One

  “Are you thinking about cake?” Detective David Carlson asked.

  My husband was dead wrong. In fact, cake was the last thing on my mind right then.

  Normally, David knew exactly what I was thinking about at any given moment. He had great instincts. So, imagine my surprise to see him so off base.

  In all fairness, I could understand why he’d assume that I would be craving dessert. My chocolate urges were well known around town. Over the years, I had gone on some serious chocolate binges.

  That afternoon was different.

  I shook my head as I looked at my husband.

  “No. I’m thinking about something else,” I said.

  David’s eyes widened. “Really?”

  “You don’t have to look too surprised.”

  “But I am. I mean, I’m sitting here thinking about cake. And usually when I have dessert on my mind, so do you.”

  “I know. What can I say, though? I’d an odd day.”

  “I’m with you on that. So, if you’re not thinking about cake, then what is on your mind?”

  “This murder investigation.”

  He grimaced. “Are you thinking about how poorly it’s going?”

  “I was actually trying not to focus on that.”

  “Were you succeeding?”

  “Unfortunately, I was failing miserably.”

  “That’s a shame.”

  I took a deep breath and then replied, “I’m just so frustrated.”

  “So am I,” he replied. “Why do you think I’m so hungry for cake? I need a pick-me-up.”

  “Can you forget about cake for a moment?”

  He broke into laughter.

  Meanwhile, I was as confused as ever. “What’s so funny?”

  “The irony of this situation. After all, how often has the shoe been on the other foot?”

  I nodded. “I have obsessed about cake a lot in the past.”

  “Yet here we are, with our roles completely reversed.”

  “That is pretty strange. But that’s just the kind of case this has been.”

  “Yeah. This one has been a beast.”

  “It certainly has,” I said. “You know, the longer I think about this investigation, the more I can’t escape the feeling that we’re missing something.”

  “Of course, we’re missing something. Somewhere out there is a lead that will break this investigation wide open.”

  “The question is, where?”

  “That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”

  “You know, just praying for a lead to fall into your lap isn’t going to make it happen.”

  “I know. But it doesn’t hurt.”

  “Do you know what would really help right now?”

  “What?”

  “Some food.”

  “Uh-oh. Here comes another cake reference.”

  “Actually, I was going to suggest that we get some dinner.”

  “Oh.”

  “Followed by some cake.”

  “I suppose we can do that.”

  “It definitely won’t hurt.”

  “All right,” I said. “Let’s grab some food.”

  Chapter Two

  When David and I were done eating, we left Zelda’s Diner and hit the streets again. Even though we had more energy, we had very little luck to speak of. By the time we decided to call it quits for the evening, we were no closer to finding the killer. Of all the ways to end an evening, that was probably the most discouraging outcome possible.

  Just like with previous nights, David assigned a deputy to keep watch over each of the suspects. If any of them made any odd moves, David would immediately be notified.

  With those bases covered, my husband and I returned home. When we arrived back at our green Victorian-style home on Avocado Drive, we were immediately greeted by our faithful corgi. The little guy was so happy to see us. In his eyes, we were heroes. His opinion of us soared even more when we fed him.

  From there, I headed into the living room and opened up my laptop. Meanwhile, David turned on the TV. Unfortunately, the channel was set to a local news station. Brooke McDillon, a reporter with the station, was doing a story on the investigation. The entire story could be summed up in one sentence. The killer was still at-large.

  David couldn’t change the channel fast enough. He put on some sports highlights. Or, more appropriately, lowlights. His favorite baseball team had lost. In the grand scheme of things, one loss didn’t usually have a huge effect on his life. That evening, it felt like salt had been poured into an open wound. He furiously changed the channel again in a desperate search for something lighthearted.

  I knew exactly how he felt. I was in a similar boat. I didn’t want to go to bed with a bad taste in my mouth. I just went about things a little differently. For me, inspiration came from another source. I was anxious to speak with my eleven-year-old daughter, Jessica.

  When this case began a few days ago, I had my parents drive Jess to our cabin on Lake Ashford. By having them leave Treasure Cove, I knew they’d all be safe. During an investigation, there was already enough to worry about. If I also had to deal with anxiety about whether my family was in danger, it would exponentially increase my stress levels.

  Since my family was away at the lake cabin, it gave me peace of mind. Every evening, I tried to check in with them. A lot of the time, I just did that over the phone. That night, I wanted to talk to them on a video chat. When I fired up the chat on my laptop, a live feed image of my mother, my stepfather, and my daughter popped up on my screen. They all looked happy to see me.

  “I was wondering when you were going to call,” my mother said.

  “Your mother has been worried about you,” my stepfather said. “Honestly, we all have.”

  “It was a long day,” I said.

  “And a late night too, apparently,” my mother said.

  Just then, my daughter couldn’t resist speaking up.

  “I can’t wait to see you,” Jessica said.

  “Dear, you are seeing me,” I replied. “You’re looking right at me.”

  “I meant, in person. I can’t wait to come home,” Jessica said.

  “Are you not having fun at the lake? Aren’t your grandparents taking good care of you?” I asked.

  “Of course, they are,” Jessica replied. “I just miss being at home.”

  “I understand. It’s nice to be able to sleep in your own bed. And see your friends. And go about life as normal.”

  “When will I be able to do that again?”

  “That’s a good question.”

  “Soon?”

  “I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for you,” I said.

  Jessica took a deep breath.

  “I’m sorry. I know that wasn’t what you wanted to hear,” I said.

  “It really wasn’t.”

  “It’s the truth, though.”

  “This case is taking a long time.”

  “Trust me. I know.”

  “Are you getting close, at least?”

  “We’re doing everything we can.”

  “So, is that a yes or a no?”

  “Just hang in there for a little while longer. All right?”

  My mother turned to my daughter. “Don’t worry, sweetie. I have a really fun day planned for us tomorrow.”

  Jessica’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

  My mother nodded. “Absolutely. You’re go
ing to have a blast.”

  “See. It sounds like you’ll be just fine,” I said.

  My mother turned to me. “We’ll be just fine.”

  “That’s good to hear. Anyway, it’s going to be an early night for me. Take care. Sleep tight,” I said.

  “I’ll try,” my mother said.

  “I love you all,” I said.

  “Love you too,” Jessica said.

  ***

  It turned out that I had spoken too soon. After getting off of the video call, I did head off to bed. Unfortunately, despite my early bedtime, a sleepless night followed me.

  Ugh.

  There was nothing quite like tossing and turning in bed for a few hours to dampen my spirit.

  Finally, shortly before midnight, I rolled over once more and whispered to my husband, “Honey, are you still awake?”

  David immediately replied, “No.”

  When I heard his response, I almost did a double-take. What an odd reply. After all, if he was truly asleep, I figured that he wouldn’t say a word. Unless he was talking in his sleep. Then again, I had never known him to do that.

  “Are you sure you’re not awake? Because it sure sounds like you are,” I said.

  “Sorry. I misspoke. I wish that I wasn’t awake,” he replied.

  “That makes two of us.”

  “You know, starting a conversation isn’t going to help either of us fall asleep.”

  “Maybe not, but I can’t help myself. What can I say? I’m just in a bad place right now.”

  “I understand. I’m right there with you.”

  “If we could just wrap up this investigation, I could sleep like a baby.”

  “In order to do that, we’d need to have a lead to chase down.”

  “Unfortunately, we spent the better part of the day slamming up against a brick wall of failure.”

  “There’s always tomorrow.”

  “Who is to say that tomorrow will be any different?”

  “It will.”

  “How can you be so sure of that?”

  “Because eventually, the universe needs to give us a break.”

  “And here I thought maybe you had a strong feeling in your gut or something.”

  “Wouldn’t that be nice?” he replied. “I’m afraid, that’s not the case.”

  “And you wonder why I’ve been tossing and turning for a few hours.”

  “We’ll figure something out. We always do. In order to pull that off, we’re going to need to be well-rested. The sharper we are, the better our chances are of catching this killer.”

  “I agree.”

  “All right. Now, try to get some sleep.”

  “If only it was that simple. I just can’t figure out how to quiet my mind.”

  “I know it’s going to be hard, but you have to find a way.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “How about we snuggle?”

  “That’s a good start. You can’t go wrong with snuggling.”

  Chapter Three

  Eventually, I did end up crashing out. Mostly due to complete exhaustion. Thankfully, I slept straight through until morning. In fact, the morning sun was streaking through my window before I knew it.

  As I woke up and looked at the time on my phone, I couldn’t believe that five hours had gone by so quickly. I definitely didn’t feel like I had gotten five hours of sleep. Under normal circumstances, I would have rolled over and tried to grab a few more minutes of shuteye. Since a killer was on the loose, I knew that sleeping in wasn’t an option. The murderer wasn’t going to turn themselves in. My husband and I had some work to do.

  Once I climbed out of bed, I got changed into my work clothes, ran a brush through my hair, and headed out to the car with David. As expected, a quiet car ride followed. Unlike some married couples, David and I were comfortable with silence. We certainly weren’t going to start a conversation just to avoid silence.

  There was something very refreshing about slowly easing into the day. Just letting our thoughts drift into the clouds. There was no telling how far our imagination would take us. Sometimes, not very far. Other times, my best ideas came to me in the silence.

  That morning, I drew a blank. It was a pretty lousy way to start my morning off, but it was also in line with my expectations.

  A few minutes later, we arrived at our destination. Where did we go exactly? Daley Buzz. My family’s coffee shop.

  Perhaps that’s a surprise to you. Maybe you thought our first stop would be the police station. Nope. It was a good guess, though.

  There was a chance that other sleuths operated that way. They were able to just dive into a case without the help of caffeine. My system didn’t work that way. To me, the day didn’t truly start until I took a sip of a latte. Everything that took place before that moment was just a prelude. In retrospect, maybe that’s why I loved silence so much in the morning.

  On that Wednesday morning, espresso was a hotter commodity than normal. I was desperate for caffeine. And I wasn’t alone. David was itching for a double espresso. To the point where he went inside the shop with me.

  Normally, he just waited in the car and radioed police headquarters while I ordered the drinks. This time, he came in with me, made quick work of a double espresso, and then took a third shot for the road.

  Meanwhile, I preferred to slowly savor my drink. Not just because it made the latte last longer, but also because I wanted to do some socializing. In my mind, it never hurt to catch up with old friends. That was especially true during a case.

  Kelly Hogan and Shannon Marlowe were a great calming influence on me. They kept me grounded. And on occasion, they also provided me with some interesting gossip.

  At that particular moment, they just wanted to pull my head out of the clouds.

  “Sabrina, what are you thinking?” Shannon asked.

  “That Jake Wellington used to come in here every morning around this time,” I said.

  A look of realization came to Shannon’s face. “That’s right. He did.”

  “And now he’s gone…forever,” I said.

  Shannon lowered her head.

  “It’s just so hard to believe,” I continued.

  Shannon put her hand on my shoulder. “I’m really sorry about what happened to him.”

  “So am I,” Kelly added.

  I winced. “It’s an absolute tragedy.”

  “I wish there was something we could do to bring him back,” Kelly said.

  “He will definitely be missed,” Shannon said.

  I remained quiet.

  Shannon became more concerned. “If there’s anything we can do to help you out, just tell us.”

  “You know, during a case, I try to stay focused on the investigation. I attempt to distance myself from the victim. Emotions just have a way of complicating matters. But this time, I can’t just push my grief aside. No matter how much I’ve tried to outrun it, it’s found a way to catch up with me,” I revealed.

  “That doesn’t surprise me,” Kelly said.

  I shrugged. “Why not?”

  “Throughout the rest of the case, you’ve been running from place to place. Your activity has been fueled by adrenaline. Now you’re standing here during a rare quiet moment. That’s when thoughts and emotions tend to catch up with people,” Kelly said.

  “I suppose you’re right,” I replied. “The problem is that I don’t need this right now. It’s just too much to take at once. I have to focus on the investigation.”

  Kelly looked at me with concern in her eyes. “Normally, I’d agree with you. But your body is trying to tell you something.”

  I threw out my arms. “What’s that?”

  “That you need to take a step back,” Kelly said.

  I shook my head. “You know I can’t do that.”

  Kelly put her hand up. “Just because you don’t want to do it doesn’t mean that you’re unable.”

  “David needs me. This case needs me. My sleuthing skills are more essential
than ever,” I said.

  “All right. I’m not going to argue with you. I was just looking out for you,” Kelly said.

  “I know. And I appreciate that,” I said.

  “If you do insist on going back out there, try to take care of yourself. If you have a nervous breakdown, you’ll be no good to anyone.”

  “I understand. Thanks for your concern.”

  Kelly smiled at me. “That’s what friends are for.”

  I gazed at Kelly, then at Shannon. “You’re both such good friends.”

  “Like I said before, if there’s anything else we can do to help you out, let us know,” Shannon replied.

  “You haven’t heard any hot gossip about the case, have you?” I asked.

  “Are you turning to us for some leads?” Kelly asked.

  “I’m just curious is all,” I said.

  “I’m afraid I don’t have any hot gossip to share with you,” Shannon said.

  “Same here,” Kelly added.

  I became deflated.

  “Did you really expect otherwise?” Shannon asked.

  I shook my head. “No. I was just hoping to get lucky.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you,” Shannon said.

  “Hey, that’s just the way this case is going,” I said.

  “What a shame,” Shannon said.

  “It is. Speaking of which, I need to get back to work,” I said.

  “Good luck,” Shannon said.

  “Thanks,” I replied. “I’m going to need it.”

  ***

  I finished my coffee and joined David back at his car. By that point, I had calmed down a little. That was a relief. While I could have told him about the wave of grief that had washed over me, I elected to keep that to myself. If he knew the truth about what had just happened, it would only upset him.

  If he was worried about me, it could turn into a distraction. He needed to stay focused on the case.

  After taking a seat in the passenger-side of his vehicle, I fired a question his way.

  “Any updates from the station?” I said.

  “None that you’ll like,” he replied.

  “Are there any that I’ll dislike?”