“No. I just need some time to get my bearings back.”

  “Maybe you also need some dessert.”

  “You know, dessert doesn’t solve every problem in the world.”

  “I realize that. But it solves a lot of them.”

  “I can’t argue with that.”

  Lisa threw out her arms. “Who would argue about dessert?”

  “That’s a good point.”

  “So, do you want to get a treat?”

  “Maybe later.”

  “Wow, I thought you’d jump at the opportunity.”

  “Usually, I would. I guess this case just did a bigger number on me than I thought it would.”

  “You do have a habit of letting cases get to you.”

  “How could I not? Especially with an investigation like this.”

  “I hear you. This definitely wasn’t one of your easier cases.”

  “In the end, no. But when Jim came into my office, I thought this investigation would be a breeze. Boy, was I wrong?”

  “We both were.”

  “Talk about a case taking a sharp turn in the wrong direction.”

  “Hey, that happens sometimes.”

  “I realize that. It just wasn’t supposed to happen this time. It should have had a heartwarming ending.”

  “Says who?”

  “My broken heart.”

  “Apparently, life had other plans.”

  “It sure did. Which is why I feel like the universe really owes me with the next case. In my mind, I’m overdue for an easy investigation.”

  “Look at you, making big demands of the universe.”

  “I’ve tried just going with the flow. Where has that gotten me?”

  “Not very far.”

  “Exactly.”

  “It’s time to take a bolder approach. What’s the worst that can happen?”

  “Are you sure you want me to answer that question?”

  “On second thought, no.”

  “That’s what I figured,” Lisa said.

  I took a deep breath and stared out the window again.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to get some dessert?” Lisa asked.

  “You’re really pushing treats on me. Are you craving sweets like crazy or what?”

  “As much as I love donuts, I’m bringing up treats so much for your sake.”

  “Oh really?”

  She nodded. “Have you forgotten that I’ve been on this job nearly twice as long as you have? During that time, one thing has become crystal clear. In this business, happy endings are incredibly hard to come by. There’s going to be a lot more disappointments than there will be bright spots. In fact, there will be plenty of times when you question why you took this job in the first place.”

  I put my hand up. “I’m sorry. Is this little talk of yours supposed to be making me feel better? Because if so, you really need to work on your motivational speeches.”

  “The point I’m trying to make is that we’re living in a crazy world. Which is why I’m glad that chocolate exists. And donuts, for that matter.”

  “All right. I’m sold. Let’s get some donuts.”

  “Let’s not pretend like I had to twist your arm.”

  “True. Donuts aren’t the kind of items that you have to hard sell.”

  “No. They are the kinds of items that you like chocolate-glazed.”

  “Now you’re really getting my taste buds going.”

  “In that case, get up. We have some good eating ahead of us.”

  I put my hand up. “Before we go, there’s one thing I want to say first.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Thanks.”

  “For what?”

  “For cheering me up.”

  “Of course. That’s what friends are for.”

  “And you’re a great friend.”

  “If I’m such a great friend, why don’t you pay for the donuts today?”

  “Sure.”

  Lisa smiled. “Fantastic. This situation just got even more delicious.”

  The End.

  Tarts, Tears, and Tragedy

  Chapter One

  Peace had finally come to Majestic Cove. The question was, how long would it last? If the decision was up to me, the future would be filled with nothing but rest and relaxation.

  The universe never asked for my opinion, though. In fact, life seemed to have a new surprise for me around every corner lately.

  That was what made that morning particularly special. As a private investigator, I knew that things could change in an instant. That no matter how calm things were right then, it wouldn’t last forever. Some sort of shake-up was inevitable.

  I wasn’t trying to be negative. I was just a realist. And I had been in this same position many times before.

  I had learned a lot from my previous experiences. Mostly, that no amount of peace should ever be taken for granted.

  As I drove toward downtown, one thing was clear. My hometown sure was pretty. A little more than twenty-five thousand people called Majestic Cove home. Those residents were blessed with some incredible natural beauty. There were a number of redwood trees within the city limits. In addition, the town was home to a large collection of mid-century modern homes. And, of course, I couldn’t forget about the spectacular coastline that the town was built around. They didn’t call it Majestic Cove for nothing. During the best of times, it felt like a truly magical place.

  That’s why I still called it home after all these years. At the same time, it was much easier to appreciate all that my hometown had to offer when I wasn’t running around like crazy.

  As I leisurely made my way toward the revitalized downtown district, I admired what a good job the local city council had done in bringing this area back to life. About ten years ago, the area was looking pretty rundown. It was amazing what some time and effort could do to bring a spark back to a town.

  My good friend, Kristina Fowler, had taken part in the revitalization effort. She had opened up her business, Majestic Cove Bakery, a little less than ten years ago. The bakery was located on Daffodil Avenue. It served the best pastries in town.

  Most mornings, before I headed off to my detective agency, I could be found eating a pastry and chatting with my dear friend.

  Thankfully, my workplace happened to be close by, so even if I was running late, I always had enough time to grab a bite to eat before heading over to my office. Sometimes, I felt like it was dangerous just how close the bakery was to my office. Although, the only real peril was that I would give in to my taste buds.

  There were certainly worse things in the world than a few treats. I knew that from personal experience. In fact, all of the dangerous situations I had been in throughout my life had made me appreciate sweets even more.

  A few minutes later, I arrived at the bakery and was greeted by some amazing smells. The aroma of fresh-baked bread truly was something.

  As I approached the front counter, I was once again struck by the fact that Kristina managed to stay in relatively good physical shape. If I was around pastries all day, I wouldn’t have the willpower to restrain myself. Before long, I’d have some serious love handles. As it was, I had a difficult enough time keeping my scale from misbehaving.

  Rather than focusing on my waistline, I gazed at the display case. There were so many great snacks to choose from. Of course, I could start with a croissant. Or a donut. Or a muffin. Then again, it was hard to ignore the fruit tarts. The same could be said about the cake. And the cookies.

  While my mind drifted into the clouds thinking about treats, a familiar voice spoke up behind me.

  “What a morning,” Alicia Templeton said.

  The sound of Alicia’s voice was enough to bring me back down to earth. Alicia and I had known each other for decades. As a matter of fact, we had gone to grade school together. Wow, what a long time ago that was.

  After all, we were now both in our late thirties. The time really had flown by. Maybe a little too fast.

  For a brief moment, I wondered what Alicia was doing at the bakery so early. Unlike me, she wasn’t a regular there. She managed to keep her cravings for sweets far more in check.

  That said, it was good to see her. Alicia’s job had been keeping her busy lately. In that way, we had a lot in common. While I did private eye work, Alicia was an investigative reporter with the local newspaper.

  Investigation wasn’t the only thing that we had in common. We were both currently single. My lack of a relationship was nothing new. I had been without a boyfriend for a while. The same could not be said for Alicia. She had recently broken up with her boyfriend.

  With everything that had taken place in her life recently, it probably shouldn’t have surprised me that she didn’t look so great that morning.

  Poor Alicia. My heart went out to her. Maybe I could do something to make her feel better.

  “Morning, Alicia. How are you holding up?” I asked.

  She grimaced. “Not well.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “So am I,” she replied. “Let’s just say that on days like this, I’m glad that pastries exist.”

  “Are you saying that this is one of those mornings when you just can’t live without chocolate?”

  She nodded.

  “Yikes. I know what that’s like. I’ve been there far too many times in the past.”

  “It really stinks.”

  “If there’s anything I can do to make you feel better, please let me know.”

  “If you could change the entire last week of my life, that would be great.”

  I winced. “I’m afraid I can’t help you there.”

  “That’s what I figured.”

  “Maybe I can do something else.”

  “Honestly, I’m not trying to be negative, but I don’t think anything can be done.”

  “I’m going to have to disagree with you there.”

  “Oh yeah? What can be done then?”

  “It’s a small thing, but your breakfast is on me.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “Of course, I don’t. But I want to. So, go ahead and order all of the chocolate pastries that you want.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it. That’s what friends are for.”

  She smiled at me. “You’re such a great friend.”

  “Do you know what else friends are good at?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Listening. If there’s anything you want to talk about, just let me know. I’m all ears.”

  “I wish I had time to talk. Unfortunately, I just came in to grab some pastries to-go.”

  “What a shame.”

  “I agree. But that’s the kind of week it has been for me.”

  “In that case, you have all the more reason to be thankful that it’s Friday.”

  “That’s right. It is. I’ve completely lost track of time.”

  “Any big plans for the weekend?”

  “No. It has been such a stressful week that I didn’t even realize the weekend was nearly upon me.”

  I stared deep into her eyes. “Are you going to be okay?”

  “I don’t know. I hope so.”

  “That’s it. Your Saturday morning is now officially booked.”

  She put her hands on her hips. “Is that so?”

  I nodded. “I’m going to take you out to Tolliver’s Diner tomorrow. My treat. That is, if you’re up to it.”

  “Sure. That sounds great.”

  “Fantastic. I’ll see you tomorrow morning then.”

  “See you then. In the meantime, take care.”

  Alicia ordered her pastries, took them to-go, and then left the bakery.

  ***

  As I watched Alicia walk away, my other friend, Kristina, leaned across the counter.

  “She doesn’t look so good,” Kristina said.

  I shook my head. “No. Not at all.”

  “I wonder what’s bothering her. Work? The breakup?”

  “Maybe it’s a little bit of both.”

  “What if it’s something else?”

  I took a deep breath and then replied, “Hopefully, I’ll get answers tomorrow.”

  “Let me know what you find out.”

  “I will.”

  Chapter Two

  While Alicia was incredibly busy, I was just the opposite. I was actually in no hurry to get to work. Even so, I did have to check in at the office eventually. I could only drag my feet so much.

  Twenty minutes later, I got in my car and headed over to the detective agency. Thankfully, there weren’t any potential clients waiting outside the building when I arrived. It didn’t happen very often, but every once in a while, someone was practically banging the door down.

  I was extremely relieved that I was able to enter my office without anyone hassling me.

  In fact, I had the place completely to myself. That was an absolute rarity. Usually, my fellow investigator, Lisa Williamson, was the first person in the office. Between the two of us, she was definitely the early bird of the bunch.

  That particular morning, she was out working on a case. It was safe to say that I did not envy her. The early-morning cases were so rough. I needed some time to shake off my grogginess. Mental sharpness was not something that came naturally to me at nine in the morning.

  I took a seat at my desk and spent a little bit of time messing around at my computer. With no actual work to do, I soon became bored. It wasn’t long before I began staring out the window. From there, my head drifted into the clouds.

  By the middle of the morning, I was so lost in thought that someone could have walked right up to me and I probably wouldn’t have noticed them until they were a few feet away from my face.

  Normally, I took a lunch break around noon. That morning, when eleven-thirty rolled around, I got up from my desk and elected to head out a little early. I didn’t go straight to a restaurant, however. Instead, I headed toward the ocean.

  It was such a pleasant drive. The scenery was second to none. The air was fresh. All told, it was a joy to be out of the office.

  The fact that I was heading to the ocean just made things even better. In my experience, there was rarely a bad day at the beach. That morning was no different. The sky was clear and the waves were gently crashing against the shore.

  I took a stroll on the boardwalk before stopping and staring out at the horizon. I wanted to take in the view. To just stop and appreciate what a blessing it was to be in such a wonderful place.

  Typically, I was too busy to do any of this. What a shame that was. After all, I only lived ten minutes away from the ocean. Theoretically, I could come here any time that I wanted.

  In reality, I didn’t go to the beach nearly as much as I wanted to. Some days, it was work that kept me busy. Other times, it was family obligations. Of course, exhaustion wasn’t a stranger to my life either.

  With all of that in mind, I was determined not to take this moment for granted. I certainly didn’t know when I would get the chance to do it again. My only regret was that I couldn’t dip my toes in the sand.

  You might be wondering, why not? What would the harm be in that? To start, with my luck, the moment I took off my shoes, I would get a call from work. Even if that didn’t happen, it was still technically a work day. And while I was currently taking an early break, I was on call. If a potential new client wanted to speak with me, I had to be prepared to drop everything and get to work.

  Deep down, I knew that I had a limited amount of time to myself. Which was all the more reason to spend it looking at the water.

  Much to my surprise, as I looked at the beauty of my surroundings, I got a strange feeling in my gut. That wasn’t to be confused with the growling that usually came from my stomach during lunch time. When my instincts went on high alert, my hunger knew to behave itself. What I felt right then was a different sort of rumble.

  Just then, while I tried to decipher what my gut was trying to tell me, my thought process was interrupted by the sound of a familiar voice.

  “I hope you’re not up to no good,” Detective Scott Webster joked.

  I turned toward my friend, who approached me with a smile on his face.

  I decided to get playful with him. “You know me. I’m nothing but trouble.”

  “Speaking of which, what kind of danger have you gotten yourself into this time?”

  “Surprisingly enough, things have been dead quiet around here.”

  “Are you sure that you want to use the word dead around a police detective?”

  “Maybe not, but it’s too late to take it back. Besides, you’ve known me long enough to realize how often I put my foot in my mouth.”

  He nodded. “That is a Melody Clue specialty. Although, you don’t do it that often.”

  “Trust me. The fact that it ever happens is bad enough.”

  “Well, let’s see if you can keep your foot out of your mouth for the rest of this conversation.”

  “You’re really setting the bar high, aren’t you?” I joked.

  He chuckled. “I figure we should start out small.”

  I laughed. “All right. Enough with the teasing. What brings you here?”

  “You may not have used the best phrasing earlier, but you were right about one thing. It’s a really slow day.”

  “Wow, I never thought I’d hear you say that.”

  “Trust me. This is really unfamiliar territory for me.”

  “To be fair, you have spent most of your professional life working in the big city.”

  “Correct. But I came back to Majestic Cove specifically to catch a break. Up until now, I haven’t gotten one. Things have been pretty wild since I returned to town.”

  “You’re not kidding. Which makes me wonder, did you bring some bad luck with you from the big city?”

  He shrugged. “I have no clue. All I know is that I’m currently having a relaxing day, and I’m not going to take that for granted.”

  “I was just thinking the same thing. Why do you think I’m here right now?”

  “I was hoping it was because of the scenery. But I wanted to be sure that something else wasn’t going on.”