Proposals and Poison Read online

  “Mystery, suspense, murder and romance all intriguingly tied together in one very fun walk-down-the-aisle cozy mystery!”—Shauna Wheelwright, reviewer

  “As a longtime fan of Rachelle Christensen, I always love her stories and characters, and this novel is another thrilling mystery to add to my collection. Adri faces bridezillas, wedding dress disasters, and murder. Find out what mashed potatoes and crafts have to do with suspense in Diamond Rings are Deadly Things—and don’t be surprised if you have to stay up all night to finish the book!”—Rachel Ann Nunes, author of Before I Say Goodbye

  “This is a terrific story with quirky characters, fun crafty ideas, and a mystery that will keep you wondering through all the twists and turns.”—Heather Justesen, author of Brownies and Betrayal

  “Diamond Rings are Deadly Things pulled me right in from the first page and held me captive until the very end. Great characters, a compelling plot, a surprising twist at the end ... Rachelle Christensen knows how to craft a great mystery.”—Tristi Pinkston, author of the Secret Sisters Mysteries

  “A cunningly crafty mystery with just the right mix of romance and do-it-yourself inspiration. Readers won't be able to get enough of Adrielle Pyper, stunning party-planner turned heroine who could lose all her expensive supplies one day, and still pull off the perfect wedding the next.”

  —Nichole Giles, author of Descendant

  “Author Rachelle J. Christensen has created likable and realistic characters. She blends the drama of a mystery with the allure of weddings mixing in a good dose of humor, suspense, and of course, a touch of romance.”—Mason Canyon, reviewer

  “I love a great mystery that keeps my interest and keeps the pages turning. I loved the Hawaiian setting, that was a character on its own. As the story progressed, I enjoyed where the author went with the mystery, doing a perfect job of planting the right amount of seeds to try to throw me off the trail of who the killer was.”—Mindy Holt, reviewer

  “Packed with danger and romance, enchantment and entertainment, Rachelle Christensen's Veils and Vengeance takes you on a suspenseful Hawaiian vacation without ever leaving your chair!”

  --Maria Hoagland, Author of The ReModel Marriage (Romance Renovations series)

  “. . . the perfect blend of romance and mystery so that you were kept interested through the whole book. . . I also loved that everything involving the murder and the romance was kept real and believable. Rachelle Christensen does an excellent job of pulling you into her story and making you want to keep reading to find out what happens next! I can’t wait to read the next one . . .”—Melissa, reviewer

  “Do you crave a good, clean romantic read full of mystery and intrigue that's smart and fun to read? Then grab Rachelle's books! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. She mixes a murder mystery with romance in the beautiful setting of Hawaii very well and enjoyably.”—Stephanie, reviewer

  A Wedding Planner Mystery #3

  RACHELLE J. CHRISTENSEN

  Proposals and Poison

  © 2016 Peachwood Press LLC, Rachelle J. Christensen

  All rights reserved.

  Original Cover Design: Kelli Ann Morgan

  Cover Art Illustration: Kimberly Anderson

  Cover Design © Peachwood Press

  Interior book design: Heather Justesen

  Editing: Jenna Roundy

  Publisher’s Note

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

  ISBN-13:

  978-0-9968976-0-0

  Published by Peachwood Press, April 2016

  Table of Contents

  Praise for Diamond Rings are Deadly Things

  Praise for Veils and Vengeance

  A Wedding Planner Mystery #3

  Copyright

  Free Book

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  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

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Book Club Discussion Questions

  Note to the Reader

  Sneak Peek of Silver Cascade Secrets

  Chapter Two

  Sneak Peek of The Soldier's Bride

  Chapter 2 The Soldier's Bride

  Other Works by Rachelle

  About the Author

  http://www.rachellechristensen.com

  To

  My writing family at LDStorymakers and Indie Author Hub. My writing career exists because of these fabulous organizations. I’m so grateful to have such wonderful friends!

  And to Idaho, my home state once again. I’m singing of you, ah, proudly too. Singing of Idaho.

  I’d like to thank you for picking up my book. I’m grateful to each of my readers who spread the word about my books and offer me encouragement. Writing is a difficult and often solitary job, but connecting with readers like you makes it worthwhile!

  A huge thank you to my family. My husband, Steve, is rock solid and I’m so grateful for his belief in me and my abilities. Thank you to each of my five children for understanding how hard Mom has to work to “make” books. I’m grateful to my parents, Tim and Andrea, for their unwavering support and for letting me come visit for write-ins at their house! I’m grateful for the sacrifices my family makes to help me achieve my dreams.

  Thank you again to my amazing beta readers and critique group. This book wouldn’t have developed without the help of Patrick and Necia Jolley, Cami Checketts, Mindy Holt, and my speed-reading dad, Tim Jolley.

  Kristie Maynard is a wonderful friend and genius crafter who has helped me since the beginning with MashedPotatoesandcrafts.com. Thank you Kristie!

  Every book requires research and first-hand knowledge of specific situations. My thanks to my good friend, Dominique Etcheverry, and her family for help with Basque phrases and information. Thank you to Matt Schramm who helped with details about Croatia, the language and dialect. Veterinarian Jeff Heins, DMV, provided crucial information on euthanizing procedures and answered questions about the murder plot. Thank you to Corporal Leonard for answering questions about police procedure, and the Blaine County Sherriff’s office for help and a tour of the courtrooms.

  I appreciate the expertise of many talented individuals in this book’s production. Kimberly Anderson illustrated the perfect cover for Proposals and Poison and Kelli Ann Morgan designed the cover layout. Jenna Roundy is a superb editor and thank you to Heather Justesen for a beautiful typesetting job.

  I am thankful for the gift of life and the blessings that my Heavenly Father gives me daily. I’m grateful for talents that require hard work and determination to develop, and for the opportunity I have to practice something that enriches my life each
day.

  DATE IDEA JAR

  Set a jar with popsicle sticks next to a sign that says:

  DATE JAR

  Share your BEST date idea for the new Mr. & Mrs.

  Instruct guests to share their ideas and put each popsicle stick in a decorative jar to give to the bride and groom.

  Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com

  The afternoon sun had the asphalt steaming when I closed the door of my wedding shop on my way to run errands. Summer was notoriously busy for weddings, and July promised no respite from the work ahead. I couldn’t complain about my workload, though, because it made me happy to finally be in a place where my life was falling into a somewhat predictable routine. It also kept me from obsessing over my relationship status with Luke Stetson.

  At the moment, Luke was in court, working a messy divorce case that was ballooning into so much drama he’d had to cancel on me three times in the past two weeks. The case involved the sister of Lily Rowan, one of my new clients. Lily was the happy part of the story, because she just got engaged to Tim Esplin—the vet I would take my cat to this afternoon. Lily wanted a November wedding, and since it was already July ninth, I was pushing to get the most important decisions made so we could progress with the rest of her plans.

  My phone beeped, and I looked at the reminder on my calendar. In one hour I would be meeting with Lily to talk about the theme she and Tim wanted for their celebrations.

  Sliding my finger across the screen, I dismissed the reminder, only to once again see the text from Luke. He’d canceled our lunch date by text this morning and still hadn’t called. I wondered when the case would be over, and if he’d have more free time or get bogged down in another case.

  Well, my work almost kept me from obsessing about Luke for, like, two minutes, I thought, frowning. As I slid into my car, I considered the question that had entered my mind right after Luke canceled our lunch date. Would Luke Stetson, divorce attorney, ever be able to love again? And should I, Adri Pyper, wedding planner, be spending time (a.k.a. pursuing a relationship) with him?

  The elusive answer shimmered like the heat from the pavement, just out of reach. I shook off thoughts of Luke and cranked the air conditioner up on my way to the consignment store located just a mile from my shop. Everybody’s Closet had a summer fling sale going on with new merchandise, and Necia kept me in the loop since I was always on the lookout for vintage and unique decor to use in my weddings and parties. It was the height of yard-sale season, and Necia usually got in all the leftovers from people’s garage sales. I loved going to yard sales and finding great bargains, but too many weekend weddings had me missing the early morning sales. Everybody’s Closet was the next best thing.

  The parking lot only had one other vehicle, a single-cab white pickup that didn’t belong to Necia. She usually walked to work in the summer months. I pulled in next to the pickup, right in front of the store, and put my car in park. When I looked up, my eyes locked with those of a man standing in front of the doors, holding a rifle.

  The silver metal of the stock gleamed in the hot afternoon sun, and I blinked, waiting for my brain to catch up to the strange sight before me. The man was short and stocky with dark brown hair, and as I studied him, he smiled and moved his rifle, pointing it toward the sky. I sucked in a breath when the man stepped forward. My windows were down, and the sound of robins trilling cheerfully carried across the parking lot. He said something in a different language. It wasn’t Spanish—I spoke a little, and his words had a Slavic sound to them. Regardless of the language, I was pretty sure he was swearing.

  I fumbled for the window and door lock controls. My throat went dry as the man looked at me again and fired a shot into the air. I covered my ears and screamed, reaching for the gearshift to back out of the parking lot. My hand slipped and my car went into neutral. When I moved to put it in gear, the car died.

  By then I was in a full-on panic. I turned the key, and thankfully my car started back up. I pumped the gas and put the car in reverse, but the gunman was faster than my frightened wits: by the time I backed out of my parking space, he was already peeling out of the parking lot, heading for the main road.

  What had just happened? I wasn’t sure whether I should call the police department or dial my friend Tony Ford, the local detective. Then, with a start, I thought of Necia. What if something had happened to her? I jumped out of my car and ran through the front doors of Everybody’s Closet, the bronze bell clanking as I charged in. “Necia!” I called out.

  “I’m right here, and I’m okay.” She came around the corner, wearing a red-white-and-blue-striped apron. “Did you see that man with the gun?”

  “Yes, and my brain froze. I didn’t know what to do. It all happened so fast. Was he in here?” I pummeled her with questions, breathing hard.

  “No, I just came from the back and saw him standing there holding a gun,” she said, her breaths coming in short gasps. “Then he walked off and I heard a gunshot. I already called the police and they’re sending someone over.” Her light-brown hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and a few strands framed her heart-shaped face. She was in her late thirties and practically lived at her store.

  “That was so weird. What do you think he was shooting at?” I turned to look at the parking lot. My hands shook, and my heart thumped hard in my chest. I took a deep breath, proud of myself for not freaking out after witnessing the man discharge his gun.

  Necia raised her eyebrows. “I have no idea, but I don’t suppose it would hurt to go outside and look around.”

  We stepped outside and I shielded my eyes against the sun, tucking one of my blonde curls behind my ear. The parking lot was empty, and a few trees lined the edge of the property. The birds were quiet, and besides the occasional passing car, there was hardly any noise. Necia and I looked at each other, and my fear was mirrored in her eyes.

  “I can’t imagine what he was doing with a rifle in town like this,” I said. The Sawtooth Mountain Range that loomed around Sun Valley attracted its fair share of hunters, but that guy was completely out of season. I didn’t know of many hunts held in the sweltering heat of July.

  “Let’s go back inside while we wait for the police.” Necia held the door open for me and followed me inside.

  “I came here to look at your new items, but now I don’t feel like I can concentrate.” I glanced at my watch—already past two—and grumbled. “I’m going to have to reschedule an appointment, because I’m sure Tony or whoever comes from the police will make us fill out a statement.”

  “That’s true.” Necia took out a ballpoint pen and clicked it a few times. “Wasn’t it last year around this time that a policeman came to my store to see you?”

  “Uh, yeah, and now Tony is dating Lorea, so I’ve been seeing even more of him lately.”

  Necia chuckled. “That’s good to hear. She’s a great match for him.”

  “I think so too.” Lorea Zubiondo was my assistant and partner in crime when it came to planning weddings and creating stunning wedding gowns. Over the past year and a half, we’d helped plan over twenty weddings, solved a few mysteries, and created fantastic crafts and recipes for my website, Mashed Potatoes and Crafts. Her first date with Detective Tony Ford had been sort of a pity date to her sister’s wedding, but they’d hit it off, and I’d never seen Lorea quite so twitterpated before.

  The clanging of the bell interrupted my thoughts, and I looked up to see Tony standing in the doorway. He was well over six feet tall, with a full head of light-brown hair. In his dark suit and tie, he was an imposing figure, but his boyish smile was what made Detective Ford so good at what he did. He disarmed people with that smile and the smattering of freckles across his nose, but I knew better than to underestimate him. Tony was smart, and an excellent detective. “Good afternoon,” he said. “I’d say it’s a pleasant surprise to see you here, Adri, but it’s not a surprise at all. You are always in some kind of trouble.”

  “I am not.” I held up my h
ands. “I didn’t do anything. Didn’t even get out of my car and some crazy guy started shooting.”

  “Hmm. Why don’t we start with a few questions?” Tony gave us his signature smile. “Necia, were you inside the store when the incident occurred?”

  “Yes.” Necia told him what she had seen.

  “What about a description?” He looked at both of us. “The most important detail I need right now is his vehicle. Did either of you see what he was driving?”

  “Yes, I pulled right up next to his pickup.” I pointed out to the parking lot. “It was white.”

  “I thought it was gray,” Necia said.

  “No, I’m sure it was white.” I looked at Tony and then at Necia. She furrowed her brow and looked at the ground, as if trying to conjure up an image of the vehicle.

  “Extended cab?” Tony asked.

  “No,” both of us answered in unison. I smiled at Necia as I added, “I’m pretty sure it was just a two-door, regular bed.” I paused, trying to recall any other detail about the pickup. By that time, my blood pressure had skyrocketed and my memory was saturated with fear, not leaving much room for other details.

  “Ford, Chevy?” Tony prompted.

  I shook my head. “I don’t know. Maybe a Ford?”

  Necia rubbed her forehead. “I didn’t get that good of a look, and I’m not really great with truck models, anyway.”

  “Anything else in particular you remember about the vehicle?” Tony pushed the button on the radio attached to his shoulder and gave a quick description of the pickup, citing that it was possibly white or gray. That sort of bugged me since I knew it was white, but maybe he had to report what both witnesses thought they had seen.

  Thinking about the pickup cleared away some of the fuzziness in my head. I willed the memory to come into sharper focus. “I think there was something in the back of his pickup. Maybe something red?”