Murder on the Rocks Read online

  Praise for the Red Carpet Catering Mystery Series

  “The Red Carpet Catering series delivers a buffet of appealing characters, irresistible movie-industry details, and tantalizing plot twists. As delicious as a gourmet meal—and leaves you hungry for more!”

  – Susan O’Brien,

  Agatha Award-Nominated Author of Finding Sky

  “Movie lovers, this is your book! Engaging and high-spirited, Penelope Sutherland never expected that catering for the cast and crew of a top-flight movie would lead to…murder. Great fun.”

  – Terrie Farley Moran,

  Agatha Award-Winning Author of Caught Read-Handed

  “With a nice island flavor, a nice puzzling mystery and a great cast of characters, this was a very enjoyable read.”

  – Dru’s Book Musings

  “A fast-paced cozy easily read and enjoyed in an afternoon...with Simmons’ picturesque writing style you can almost taste the salt in the air. Take a vacation and join Penelope.”

  – The Reading Room

  “Such a fun book. The characters are very likable and the writing is very well-done. Think of it as a cozy behind the scenes.”

  – Booklikes

  “Delicious! A great read written by someone who knows the behind the scenes world of filmmaking...A winner!”

  – Kathryn Leigh Scott,

  Author of the Jinx Fogarty Mysteries

  “This series is so well done that you will feel as though you have just gone to a friend’s house to visit for a few hours.”

  – The Reading Room

  “Loved this book! The characters are well-drawn and it’s cleverly plotted. Totally engrossing…I felt as though I was actually on a movie set. The author is well-versed in her setting and she is able to keep the reader in suspense. I can’t wait for the second book in the series.”

  – Marianna Heusler,

  Edgar-Nominated Author of No End to Trouble

  “Much of what makes this such an enjoyable new mystery is the background information on both catering and movie-making. Equally compelling is just how seamlessly author Simmons works Penelope into the investigation...this is a fun new series for readers who enjoy their theatrical showbiz mysteries with a culinary twist.”

  – Kings River Life Magazine

  “A fun mystery on a movie set and delightful chef with delicious sounding food….Shawn Reilly Simmons has a flair!”

  – Penn State Librarian

  “With a likeable cast of characters and an inside look at the movie industry, this was equally entertaining and engaging.”

  – Dru’s Book Musings

  “Simmons has given us quite a good beginning to a new series; she manages to create characters that are both believable and likable while weaving in small tidbits of movie-making and what is involved in catering food to a movie crew…Highly recommended.”

  – Any Good Book

  The Red Carpet Catering Mystery Series

  by Shawn Reilly Simmons

  MURDER ON A SILVER PLATTER (#1)

  MURDER ON THE HALF SHELL (#2)

  MURDER ON A DESIGNER DIET (#3)

  MURDER IS THE MAIN COURSE (#4)

  MURDER ON THE ROCKS (#5)

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  Copyright

  MURDER ON THE ROCKS

  A Red Carpet Catering Mystery

  Part of the Henery Press Mystery Collection

  First Edition | February 2018

  Henery Press, LLC

  www.henerypress.com

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including internet usage, without written permission from Henery Press, LLC, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Copyright © 2018 by Shawn Reilly Simmons

  This is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Trade Paperback ISBN-13: 978-1-63511-296-2

  Digital epub ISBN-13: 978-1-63511-297-9

  Kindle ISBN-13: 978-1-63511-298-6

  Hardcover ISBN-13: 978-1-63511-299-3

  Printed in the United States of America

  For Matt & Russell, My Rocks

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thanks to my family and friends and all of the readers who have embraced the Red Carpet Catering books and have championed me every step of the way.

  A big warm hug goes out to the entire mystery writing community for the daily love and encouragement. I’m honored to be a member of this tribe.

  Thanks to Ildy Shannon for being my first reader, for the constant support and encouragement, and for the late night WOF messages that always make me smile.

  Thanks to my girls near and far for being there for me whenever I need a boost or a laugh or a comforting chat. You know who you are.

  Heartfelt thanks go out to Kendel Lynn and Art Molinares at Henery Press. I’m thrilled to be a member of Club Hen House! And as always, much love goes out to my editor Rachel Jackson for being a constant source of encouragement and thoughtful, patient guidance.

  And last but never least, the love and support from Matt and Russell allows me to live this dream, for which I’m forever grateful.

  Cheers,

  Shawn

  Chapter 1

  “Time to go.” Sam Cavanaugh twisted the motorcycle’s throttle as his girlfriend, Arlena Madison, swung her leather-clad leg over the seat behind him. “Hold on tight, bumpy roads ahead,” he murmured smoothly as they pulled away from the curb.

  Arlena looped her arms tightly around Sam’s waist, her fitted jacket adorned with shiny silver zippers stretching across her back. She perched her chin on his shoulder after taking a quick look behind them.

  They sped across the pitted asphalt, dodging an open-air sightseeing bus that trundled out from a side street. Several tourists wearing colorful ball caps swiveled their heads in Sam and Arlena’s direction, then went back to studying the Gothic architecture around them. Sam raised a hand in greeting, then flicked his eyes back and forth from the windscreen to the side mirror.

  “Whoever is following us is getting closer, Jack,” Arlena said after another quick glance to the rear.

  “Not if I can help it,” Sam said as he jostled the bike onto a stretch of cobblestones. The traffic light turned yellow and he gunned it, blowing through the intersection.

  “Hurry, Jack! They’re getting closer,” Arlena shouted, gripping Sam even tighter, strands of her long black hair whipping against her cheeks.

  Sam steered the motorcycle hard to the right and cut down a narrow alley. Their follower did the same, turning at the last minute and skidding through a puddle and bouncing over the cobblestones. A blind man sitting in the alley raised a metal cup containing a few coins in the air as they passed.

  Their pursuer was dressed head to toe in black leather with red slashes across the legs. A shiny helmet gleamed, a dark shield obscuring the face. Suddenly a gun appeared from the motorcyclist’s tall leather boot. Swinging it up in a tightly gloved hand, a shot was fired at Sam and Arlena.

  Arlena reached ins
ide her jacket and pulled out a small silver pistol. She swiveled to return fire, her aim steady, her expression calm. The bike behind them swerved when Arlena pulled the trigger, her scarlet-painted lips pulling into a grimace. Arlena watched their hunter’s gun bounce onto the cobblestones and the bike decelerate and wobble as the driver struggled to regain control.

  “Hang on!” Sam yelled. He took a quick left and nearly collided with a delivery truck parked in the adjoining alley. Arlena spun back around at the last minute, the gun jerking from her grip as they hit a pothole. It fell and bounced away from her, landing next to a stack of wooden crates filled with vegetables near the back door of a restaurant.

  Arlena and Sam skittered onto a wider street, dodging through the narrow space between two slower moving cars. Car horns blared loudly behind them.

  “I think we’re alone again,” Arlena said. She twisted her head side to side, looking over each shoulder. Sam made the next turn, then slowed his speed, relaxing a moment before his back tensed once again against Arlena’s chest.

  “No such luck,” Sam said, nodding his head toward the whine of a motorcycle engine.

  “Pull into the garage,” Arlena suggested, pointing at a repair shop with an open bay door.

  “We’ll be trapped,” Sam said grimly.

  “Trust me, Jack,” Arlena insisted. “You may be a master spy, but I know how to get out of a tight situation.”

  Sam eased the motorcycle into the garage. Arlena’s high heeled boots stepped onto the oily concrete floor as he cut the engine. He dismounted and they stood shoulder to shoulder, their backs straight and their stance wide as they faced the open bay door.

  The red and black motorcycle rolled into the garage and stopped a few feet away, the headlight cutting across the lapels of Sam’s dinner jacket before shutting off abruptly. The same gloved fist that had pointed a gun at them moments before punched the button on the side of the bay door, causing it to rattle down to the floor. The garage grew dim as their pursuer reached up and removed the helmet. A wave of amber curls fanned across the woman’s shoulders.

  “Look what the cat dragged in,” Arlena said with a sneering smile. She shifted her weight but kept her gaze steady. The woman shot Arlena an ugly glance, then held Sam’s gaze.

  “Cecily, imagine running into you here,” Sam said, eyeing the dingy garage around them. “What are you doing in Prague?”

  “I came to say goodbye,” Cecily said icily. “We never got the chance in Paris. Imagine my surprise when I returned to our suite at Le Meurice and you were gone.”

  “Ah, yes,” Sam said jovially. “I’m afraid something urgent came up that I had to attend to right away.”

  Cecily eyed Arlena coldly then slid her gaze back to Sam. “I see. Still, you could have told me, darling. I had to scramble to find someone to join me at the opera that evening. I was so looking forward to you being there.”

  Sam casually put his hands in his pants pockets. “I’m sure you were, my dear. Hopefully the hit man you hired to kill me afterwards was able to make other plans as well.”

  “I don’t know what you mean,” Cecily said with a knowing smile. Arlena stayed silent as she eyed Cecily.

  “Either way, the Paris job was done,” Sam purred. “You gave me the codes. Your mistake was leaving your phone in the bedroom while you were in the shower.” Sam shot an apologetic glance in Arlena’s direction, which she ignored. “I saw the response come through, in code, of course, but I knew you’d hired someone to kill me. Another one of your mistakes. You should change your ciphers more often. You’re a very chatty pillow talker. Word gets around.”

  Cecily’s jaw hardened and she bit her bottom lip. “I find it amusing you think you can simply use me and walk away. You’ve no idea who you’re dealing with.” Cecily pointed her chin at Sam. “I’m here to show you how wrong you are.”

  “Come on, Cecily,” Sam said with a sly smile. “Some relationships aren’t meant to last more than a few days. You would know that better than most. It was simply time to move on.”

  “Oh, I agree.” Cecily removed a glove and unzipped her jacket, revealing a sleek tank top and ample cleavage. “I’m moving on as of this moment. I can’t say the same for you two, though. Especially not when you’re the only other person who knows the codes in and out of Plaza K. My superiors will know that information came from me.” Cecily shot Arlena a condescending glance. “And I definitely can’t let you get away with someone like her. Your time has finally come, Jack Sloan.” She slipped her hand to the small of her back, as if reaching for a weapon.

  Arlena laughed sharply, the sound cutting through the stifling air of the garage. “What kind of woman chases after a man?” She darted her eyes at the windows behind Cecily, calculating how long it would take to reach the bay door. She took a few sideways steps away from Sam, who followed her lead and widened the gap between them.

  “Stay where you are,” Cecily said, revealing a small gun.

  Arlena took another step, mirroring Sam’s. “You can’t shoot both of us,” Arlena taunted.

  “I can try. I’ll start with you.” Cecily took a menacing step forward but Arlena held her ground. Sam eyed the closed garage door, listening to the traffic passing by on the other side. He swiveled his head slightly and took in the dingy paned glass windows on either wall, none of which were big enough for them to escape through. A small office was behind them on the left, but there appeared to be no other exits.

  “Come on, Cecily. There’s more than one fish in the sea,” Arlena said, stalling. “Don’t give up hope just because Jack isn’t interested in you anymore.”

  Cecily tucked the gun back into her waistband and took a few steps closer, balling her hand into a fist and aiming it at Arlena’s jaw. Arlena raised her forearm to block the blow, then grabbed Cecily’s wrist and pushed it against her torso, shoving her away. Cecily stumbled backwards, then regained her footing.

  “Don’t worry,” Cecily said, her eyes flashing. “He’ll be through with you soon enough, too. Just like all the others before us.” She picked up a length of chain from the floor and pulled it between her fists. “Get on your knees.”

  “No.” Arlena reached down and slipped a folding knife from her boot, flipping it open to reveal a shiny silver blade.

  “Careful, darling,” Sam said evenly.

  “Yes, careful darling,” Cecily said sarcastically. She stepped closer to Arlena, the chain clinking in her hands.

  Arlena set her jaw and raised her knife. “We’ll be leaving now. Let’s go, Jack.”

  Cecily scoffed and continued toward Arlena. “And watch Jack Sloan walk away from me twice in one week? I don’t think so.” She swung the chain suddenly at Arlena’s head, who ducked out of the way at the last minute. Arlena reached out and grabbed the chain, pulling Cecily close. She yanked the chain over Cecily’s shoulders and spun her around, grabbing the gun from the small of her back and tossing it away. Sam darted toward the garage door, punching the button on the wall, causing it to roll upward.

  Arlena wrapped the chain twice more around a struggling Cecily, who kept her eyes on the growing patch of light beneath the garage door, and Jack Sloan, smiling at her from the doorway.

  Arlena spun Cecily back around, then leaned in, their noses almost touching. “Next time you’ll know when it’s time to say goodbye.” She pulled Cecily by her arm and shuffled her to the tiny office, shoving her inside and slamming the door. She picked up a nearby piece of plywood and wedged it under the knob.

  Arlena strode across the floor to Sam and took his hand. He pulled her close and they kissed in the open bay doorway, the radiant sunlight sparkling around them.

  “We make a great team,” Sam said, then kissed her again.

  The image of the glamorous spies in love froze on the screen, and green script scrolled across: Screen Test: Arlena Madison. Jack Sloan Film #5.

&
nbsp; Max Madison let out a low whistle and clapped three times. “Nice job, sis.” He looped an arm behind her across the back of the white leather couch in Arlena’s study. She smiled and elbowed her half-brother playfully in the ribs.

  “That was so exciting,” Penelope said. She sat in one of the soft leather club chairs in front of the fireplace. “The thought of you starring alongside Sam in the next Sloan movie! When will you know if you got the part?”

  Arlena picked up a remote from the marble coffee table and turned off the television. “My agent says they’re close to a decision. They’re testing a few other leading ladies first,” she said, a note of nervous apprehension in her voice.

  “They’re going to want you and Sam together in a movie again. Fans love that, an onscreen and off-screen romance,” Max said confidently. “Hollywood gold. Think of the free publicity. People will be critiquing your chemistry, imagining your home life together.”

  “I know,” Arlena said with less enthusiasm than Max. “We’ve been wanting to work together again ever since we met on Remember the Fall. And how cool would a follow-up like this be, going from an indie relationship film to a blockbuster action movie?”

  “Why don’t you sound more excited about it then?” Penelope asked. She got up from her chair and picked up their empty wine glasses from the marble coffee table, tucking them in the crook of her arm. Penelope was never completely out of her role as Arlena’s personal chef, even though it was the weekend and Arlena insisted she take the day off.

  “I don’t know, Pen,” Arlena said, chewing her lip. “Things are really good between me and Sam right now. What if the movie flops and everyone blames me? Or even worse, what if working together in what’s always been his domain messes things up for us?”