Cupcakes and Murder: A Frosted Love Cozy Mystery (Book 5) (Frosted Love Mysteries) Read online

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  Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Copyright 2015 by Maven Publishing - All rights reserved.

  All rights Reserved. No part of this publication or the information in it may be quoted from or reproduced in any form by means such as printing, scanning, photocopying or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  A light, late summer breeze made Melissa Gladstone’s golden curls flutter back from her brow as she held on to the giant pair of shears, along with the Mayor of LaChance, Louisiana, preparing to cut the ribbon that was draped across the front door of Missy’s Muffins and More. Her previous shop had been burned down months before, by some very unpleasant dry goods vendors with whom she refused to do business, and today was her grand reopening, now that the sweet little shop had been rebuilt. Her contractor had been a bit puzzled when Missy insisted that the new shop would be rebuilt as an exact replica of the old one, but when he learned that she had inherited the business as a result of her parent’s tragic death when she was only seventeen, he understood completely and followed her instructions to the letter.

  Piece by piece, bit by bit, the shop that had been her second home ever since she could remember, was rebuilt. She kept the same lime green and pink color scheme that had been her choice upon taking over the operation of the store, and had purchased second-hand wooden tables and chairs that she painted white with pink and green accents. The commercial kitchen had been outfitted with brand new stainless steel appliances, and the glass display cases at the front counter were full and sparkling. Missy’s first day back in her first store promised to be a busy one, with crowds of people representing the Mayor’s office, the Police Department, various charities that Missy supported, and townsfolk who were being supportive of the diminutive but determined “Cupcake Lady” present and ready to sample her latest creations.

  Missy and her loyal assistant Ben, who was currently the manager of her second shop, Crème de la Cupcake in Dellville, a neighboring small town, had come up with a spectacular Cupcake of the Day for this very special occasion. She had chosen the Grand Opening of the rebuilt store to introduce a new concoction that was sure to be a crowd-pleasing hit. It was called the Campfire Cupcake and tasted like a glorious and decadent ‘s’more.’ The cupcake itself was a dense, moist, chocolate cake, with an ooey-gooey creamy chocolate center, capped off with a generous dollop of marshmallow fluff that was lightly toasted and sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs. When Missy and Ben had experimented and created the first batch, she literally had to stop Ben from eating the entire tray of them. The sumptuous cakes melted in their mouths and stirred childhood memories for both of them – they were certain to be a hit with the Grand Opening crowd.

  The Mayor finished speaking, saying very complimentary things about how Missy and her business were tremendous assets to the community, and the bright pink ribbon was cut, officially reopening the shop. Nearly everyone who had been standing on the sidewalk for the ceremony, lined up to be among the first patrons, keeping Missy and Ben’s girlfriend Cheryl, who had been working in the other store for the past few months, busy smiling and ringing up sales. Rave reviews flooded in from happy customers who couldn’t even wait until they were out of the store to try the Cupcake of the Day, and Missy couldn’t have been more pleased.

  Missy and Cheryl collapsed into a couple of chairs at a table in the seating area after the mad rush was over and the ‘Closed’ sign had been flipped over in the front window. The bell above the front door jangled again, announcing a new arrival, and the weary shop owner beamed when she saw the striking figure of Detective Chas Beckett enter. Cheryl suddenly remembered something that she had to do in the kitchen, and hugged Missy goodbye, letting her know that she was leaving after she took care of her imaginary task. Missy was too tired to move, and remained draped over her chair as the handsome detective kissed her on the cheek in greeting.

  “I heard good things about the opening,” he said, taking the chair that Cheryl had just vacated.

  “Oh my goodness, Chas, it was crazy! Cheryl and I were busy from open to close – it was such a great reopening,” she smiled, tired, but delighted nonetheless.

  “You didn’t happen to save me a Cupcake of the Day, did you?” Beckett asked hopefully.

  “Of course I did, but you’re going to have to get it yourself, I’m taking a breather,” she teased, indicating a cake keeper on the counter that had exactly one Campfire Cupcake left in it. Knowing that Chas would want one, Missy had kept it hidden behind the counter until closing time.

  “I think I’ve put on a couple of pounds since we started dating,” the incredibly fit detective grumbled, good-naturedly.

  “It suits you,” she observed, admiring Chas Beckett’s impressive form and blushing when he turned around and caught her. He discreetly chose to let her off the hook and not reply, when he saw the suffusion of color in her cheeks, and took a massive bite of his treat instead.

  He closed his eyes at the flavor, and shook his head slowly from side to side. “I don’t know how you do it, but I have the strangest feeling I’m going to be gaining a few more pounds if you keep this up,” he remarked, savoring the bite.

  “Thanks,” Missy replied, pleased with his reaction. “But I’m feeling a little…I don’t know, stagnant I suppose.”

  “Stagnant? What do you mean?” Chas was surprised. “You have two thriving businesses, if that’s not growth, I don’t know what would be.”

  “No, I don’t mean in that regard. I love the success of both shops, but I want some fresh ideas – some new and exotic flavor combinations to try out. I’ve been experimenting, but I feel like I’m running out of innovative ideas,” she explained.

  “Hmm…so you want some fresh, exotic and innovative ideas? I have an idea that might just help you out.”

  “Really? What?” Missy asked eagerly. She loved being creative in the kitchen and testing out all sorts of flavor combinations for her specialty cupcakes, but she had felt frustrated lately.

  “When’s the last time you took a vacation?”

  Missy was puzzled, not understanding how his question could possibly relate to the topic at hand. “I’ve never been on vacation. What does that have to do with anything?”

  “You mean to tell me that you’ve owned this business since you were seventeen years old and you’ve never had a vacation?” Chas was astounded.

  “Well, I mean, I’ve been to cupcake competitions on occasion, but other than that, no. There was never time for me to do that – I have a business to run.”

  Chas shoo
k his head, looking at her with admiration and disbelief. “Well, fortunately, you now have staff members who can take care of things in your absence.” He leaned forward, gazing at her intently. “Look Missy, I know how much your businesses mean to you, and I know how hard you’ve worked to make them as successful as they are, but even the hardest workers need a break every now and then. You need to recharge, have a change of scenery, and get your creative juices flowing again. A vacation sounds just like what the doctor ordered to stimulate your creativity,” he urged, taking her hand and rubbing his thumb over the back of it unconsciously while he talked.

  “Oh Chas, I wouldn’t even know where to begin,” she protested, a bit overwhelmed at the thought, but intrigued at the same time.

  “I have an idea,” he smiled, reassuring her. “There is a forensics conference that I’ll be attending in Cozumel in a couple of weeks, and because I’ve signed up for the entire week, I can get rooms at a very high-end resort for next to nothing. Why don’t you come with me? We can get a couple of rooms, and you’ll have exotic, tropical inspiration every day while I’m in a grand lecture hall, then we can meet up in the evenings to explore new cuisines and relax. I’ll take a couple of extra days at the beginning and the end of the conference and we can do some exploring. You can check out local markets for spices and fruits – it could be a perfect way to break through your baker’s block. What do you think?”

  “That sounds so tempting,” Missy nodded thoughtfully. “But what about my shops? I can’t just abandon them now that they’re up and running.”

  “Ben is more than capable of handling one of the shops, and Cheryl could handle the other. You said you were going to hire another crew member for the LaChance shop anyway – you’d have two weeks to bring them up to speed and you’d be fully staffed while you were away.”

  “But what if Cheryl isn’t ready to take charge of a shop yet?” she worried.

  “Didn’t you say that she’s much more capable than she realizes?” Chas reminded her. “This could be your chance to boost her confidence and show her that she’s completely able to take charge. Besides, Ben is just a phone call away if she panics.”

  “That’s true. So I’d be restarting my creativity, and helping Cheryl overcome her fears at the same time,” she mused, nodding.

  “Exactly!” Chas agreed. “It’s a win/win, what could go wrong?”

  Missy’s eyes sparkled as she impulsively reached over to hug his neck. “Yes, let’s do this! Make the reservations,” she grinned.

  Chapter 2

  Missy’s heart went out to Grayson Myers the moment that she met him. He had an appearance that might seem scary to many of the folks who frequented Missy’s Muffins and More, but all that the perceptive owner saw in this quiet young man was the haunted sadness of his eyes, and the shy, sweet smile that lit up the room. The fact that one of his ears and his lip were pierced, he dressed in black and wore his thick, glossy, dark hair long, didn’t distract her from seeing the sensitive, intelligent person underneath. Their conversation went well beyond that of discussing the information contained on his application for employment, and Missy found out that his father had died when he was young, his mother had worked several jobs to keep her and her baby boy afloat, and that he was studying biology in college with the goal of saving the planet. His manner was respectful, his heart was kind and Missy hired him on the spot, knowing that Cheryl would take him under her wing. Telling him to report to the LaChance shop bright and early on Monday morning, Missy felt confident that she had made the right choice.

  Missy took a deep breath, leaned her head back against the headrest, and checked her phone for emergency texts from Cheryl one last time before shutting her phone off for takeoff. She and Chas were flying out of New Orleans, and would be arriving in Cozumel just after lunch. They planned to settle in at the resort, then find somewhere authentic and wonderful for lunch before heading out to explore a bit.

  The brilliant blue skies, smell of the ocean, and plethora of brightly colored exotic flowers nearly took Missy’s breath away when they arrived in Cozumel. The sun shone brightly, as though welcoming the couple to the tropical paradise. They checked in at the front desk, cooled by ocean breezes wafting through the lobby, and received keys to their rooms that were conveniently located across the hall from each other. Missy surveyed the opulent interior of her room, taking in the dark rattan furnishings, snowy white linens and spectacular view of the ocean. She unpacked, placing her things in drawers and on hangers in the spacious closet and tossing a clean outfit to change into onto the bed, along with a swimsuit for later. She’d never been outside of the US before, and planned to make the most of every second in another country. She turned her phone on to check for texts and saw that Cheryl had texted.

  “I’m so sorry to bother you while you’re on vacay, Ms. G., but I had a customer who wanted a box for her cupcakes rather than a bag, even though she wasn’t buying a full dozen, so I gave her a box anyway to keep the peace. I hope that’s okay???” the message read.

  Missy sighed and shook her head, wishing that Cheryl would trust her instincts more. “You did exactly the right thing. The customer gets what the customer wants (within reason). Good job! Don’t feel like you have to ask me about every decision – if it seems right, do it – I trust you J Thanks!” she replied. Ben had texted to say that all was well in the Dellville shop, and that his new crew member, Chris Smith, a fellow Criminal Justice grad student, was the perfect addition to Crème de la Cupcake.

  Taking a quick shower and changing into a white, gauzy sundress that would be perfect for a day in the sun, Missy freshened up and made arrangements to meet Chas in the lobby.

  A relaxed smile lit the detective’s face when she appeared, looking casually beautiful, from her hastily constructed ponytail, to her sandal-clad feet. Missy was quite taken by his appearance as well – he cut an impressive figure in his khaki shorts and white linen button-down.

  “Ready for a lunchtime adventure?” he asked, kissing her cheek.

  “Definitely!” she nodded.

  Chas hailed a cab and spoke to the driver in fluent Spanish, impressing Missy with his accent and skill. When she mentioned it to him, he surprised her even further by explaining that he also was fairly fluent in French, and spoke ‘just enough German to be dangerous.’ They arrived at a small open-air restaurant right on the beach, and were seated at a table with a beautiful view of the ocean. Missy was thankful that the menu was in both Spanish and English, and had Chas order her a margarita while she tried to narrow down the lunch selections. Absolutely everything on the menu sounded amazing, but she finally settled on Conch Ceviche for an appetizer, and grilled fish tacos for her entrée. Chas nodded appreciatively and ordered the same for himself.

  When her lovely, light green margarita, topped with salt and a juicy lime arrived, Missy sipped it slowly, astonished at the smooth, mellow, yet tangy, flavor of the drink. “Oh my goodness!” she exclaimed, staring wide eyed at the delightful libation. “The margaritas back home don’t taste like this.”

  Chas chuckled at her enthusiasm. “No, they certainly don’t, and there’s a good reason for that. The tequila that is made right here in Cozumel is from the Blue Agave plant – it looks rather like a giant blue aloe, and it makes very smooth and tasty tequila when processed the old fashioned way. There’s a family-owned place here where they produce and sell tequila that you can’t get anywhere else in the world. We can tour it while we’re here if you’d like.”

  Missy nodded. “Yes, I think that would be fascinating.” Her phone buzzed, indicating that a text was coming in. “Sorry, I have to check it to make sure that Cheryl is okay,” she explained, chagrined.

  “What could possibly go wrong?”

  Missy held up a finger while she read the message, then responded and put her phone back in her purse. “It was nothing, really. She had a question about placing a dry goods order.”

  “Couldn’t she have just asked Ben?” Chas aske
d pointedly.

  “Yes, I’m encouraging her to do that. She just hasn’t quite gotten the hang of things yet. She’s uncertain.”

  “Maybe the “sink or swim on your own” approach would be more effective in showing her that she’s more than capable of handling the basic stuff,” he suggested diplomatically.

  Missy sighed. “I know, I know. I just want to ease her past these first few days.”

  She was spared from Chas’s response by the arrival of their appetizers. She looked carefully at her Conch Ceviche and tried to figure out what exactly it was. “This looks sort of like a very fresh version of a seafood cocktail,” she remarked, trying a bite. “Oh, yum, it’s delicious!”

  Chas Beckett grinned, knowing something about the food that Missy most likely did not. “Do you know what Conchs are? Or Ceviche?” he asked.

  “Not really,” she admitted. “The menu wasn’t exactly clear on that. What is it?” she asked, bringing forkful after forkful of the specialty dish to her mouth.

  The much more worldly detective debated inwardly about just how honest he should be in this particular instance, but ultimately decided that Missy came here to experience new foods, so she should know what it was that tasted so wonderful. She was nearly to the bottom of the crystal goblet of ceviche when he explained. “Well, a conch is a sea creature, sort of a snail…” he began, watching her for a reaction.

  She chewed more slowly, swallowed and chased her bite with a swig of margarita. “Well, that explains the texture,” she said thoughtfully. “I love escargots, and this is somewhere between there and scallops. So, what is ceviche?”

  Pleased and relieved, Chas told her that instead of cooking the conch, the combination of juices and ingredients marinated the raw conch, causing a reaction that, in effect, cooked the dish without heat. Missy was fascinated and planned to look up more info on making the tasty dish when she went back to the states. She had an equally profound appreciation for the melt-in-your-mouth grilled fish tacos, and after eating her fill, gladly took Chas’s hand for a short walk on the beach. Slipping off her sandals, she ran down to where tiny waves lapped at the sand and lifted her skirt to her knees, the warm waters of the Caribbean caressing her feet. Closing her eyes, she tilted her face to the sun, basking in its glow.