“I understand. I’d be doing the same thing.”

  Veronica stared out into the distance. “I miss Alicia so much.”

  “So do I.”

  “Are things ever going to be the same?”

  “I wish I had an answer for you,” I said. “I really hope so.”

  “I guess I’ll find out soon enough,” Veronica replied.

  Chapter Eleven

  What a heartbreaking conversation. It was absolutely wrenching. That meeting completely took the wind out of me.

  When Veronica left my office, I was emotionally spent. Since it was relatively early in the morning, from a professional standpoint, I probably should have gone right back to work.

  On a personal level, I knew that was impossible. As a matter of fact, I had no interest in remaining at my desk. I felt like the walls were closing in around me.

  I needed to get some fresh air. Normally when that happened, if I ran outside and stared at the horizon, it calmed me down. This time, that trick didn’t work. I had to go one step further.

  Or, more appropriately, I needed to take a five-minute drive to Majestic Cove Bakery. It was a rare occasion when a sweet treat didn’t make me feel a little better. Granted, pastries had limits, but they were never completely ineffective.

  As I entered the bakery, my good friend, Kristina Fowler, was standing behind the counter.

  “You look like you could really use some honey cake,” she said.

  “Honey cake? I thought you were going to say something more conventional. Like a muffin. Or a croissant,”

  “Typically, I would. But something tells me that isn’t going to be enough for you. I have a hunch that you need a serious treat.”

  “Since when do you get hunches? I’m the private investigator here.”

  “Are you saying that my hunch is wrong?”

  “No. You’re actually spot-on.”

  “In that case, I’ll have one slice of honey cake coming right up.”

  I put my hand up. “Hold on a second. Don’t get me wrong. Cake sounds great. But it’s not even noon yet.”

  “You want a muffin instead? Say the word. I’m just trying to help you out.”

  “You’re doing a great job of it. On second thought, I’ll take the cake.”

  “I figured you would.”

  “So, do you want to talk about what’s bothering you?”

  “I’m not sure that talking about it is going to help.”

  “Why don’t you give it a try?”

  “I suppose I could do that.”

  “Is it about Alicia?” Kristina asked.

  I nodded. “I just can’t get her off of my mind.”

  “I don’t blame you. I have been thinking about her a lot too.”

  “She left a lasting impression on so many of us.”

  “Which makes it all the more tragic what happened to her.”

  “It also doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Not to you, at least. But maybe to her, it made perfect sense.”

  “Perhaps.”

  Kristina stared deep into my eyes. “You don’t sound entirely convinced.”

  “She definitely had her reasons for killing herself. I just can’t make sense of it.” I stared out into the distance. “I was so convinced that Alicia was murdered.”

  “I know.”

  “I realize how strange it’s going to sound, but that actually pieces together better in my head.”

  “How so?”

  “In my mind, Alicia had so much to live for. I’ll never be able to comprehend why she would take her own life. But if someone else was responsible for her demise, I could discover their motive.”

  “I get it now.”

  “That’s not all. This case also makes me question my gut. As you know, my instincts are normally right.”

  Kristina nodded. “They are razor sharp.”

  I shook my head. “Not this time. With this case, my gut was dead wrong. I’ve never had that happen before.”

  Kristina opened her mouth to answer me.

  Before she got a chance to say anything, I heard Scott Webster’s voice behind me.

  “That’s an awful feeling,” Scott said. “I’ve been there before.”

  I turned around and glanced at the detective. “You have?”

  “Unfortunately.”

  “I wish it made me feel better to hear that I’m not alone.”

  “It doesn’t?” he asked.

  I shook my head. “Not at all.”

  “Maybe this will make you feel a little better. If you want to talk anything over, just know that I’m here for you.”

  “Thanks.”

  “So, do you want to talk?”

  “Honestly, I just want Alicia to still be alive. Instead, she’s gone forever.”

  Scott opened his arms and gave me a hug.

  “This is hard for all of us. But we’ll find a way to get through this together,” he said.

  “Will we?” I asked.

  “Yes.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because we have to.”

  “Do you have something a little more encouraging to say than that?”

  “It’s going to take some time, but it will get easier.”

  “I sure hope you’re right.”

  “I know that I am. Just hang in there.”

  Epilogue

  I had seen a lot of crazy things during my time as a private investigator. To the point where I thought I was prepared for anything. This case proved just how wrong I was. I had never seen an investigation go this sideways on me. Nothing about it played out like I thought it would.

  In addition, my instincts, which were usually spot-on, had failed me.

  That was a lot of disappointment to grapple with. After all, in the mystery novels that I read, I always expected a twist at the end of the story. It turned out that real life didn't always work that way. Sometimes, there wasn’t a twist. Things were exactly as they appeared to be. During those times, there wasn’t an alternate explanation available for what happened.

  In this case, the truth was that Alicia had killed herself. As much as I hated to admit it, I couldn’t deny that fact any longer.

  As I became lost in thought, I started to generate a new theory. Perhaps cases like this were exactly why people liked mystery novels so much. People inherently wanted things to work out. For loose ends to be tied up. When that didn’t happen, they panicked.

  That certainly explained my reaction. At the same time, I could only live in denial for so long. It was time for me to cobble my life back together. To look forward. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I would somehow find a way.

  The End.

  Cupcakes, Conundrums, and Calamity

  Chapter One

  When will things go back to normal? That was a question I asked myself every day. Unfortunately, I didn’t have an answer. Nor did I even have a solid guess.

  That last part was rather surprising, given the fact that I was a private investigator. As someone who solved mysteries for a living, it was natural to assume that I would have an explanation for why my hometown had transformed so much lately.

  I was at a loss, though. That was saying a lot. After all, words didn’t tend to escape me. Also, even though I didn’t make a habit of talking about myself, I was good at my job. My clients certainly liked the results I had given them.

  So, why was this such a difficult mystery to solve? I wasn’t quite sure. At that point, one thing was clear, however. Majestic Cove wasn’t the same coastal town that I had grown up in. Change was afoot. And it had turned this once-sleepy town into ground zero for some positively odd occurrences.

  These bizarre activities had kept me busy. And investigating those cases had put a good amount of money in my pocket. While my savings account was thankful for that, my heart did not like what was becoming of my beloved town.

  I would have been perfectly happy with fewer cases if it meant that sanity would be restored. Not that the universe cared what I thought. Life had never asked my opinion…about anything. Why would it start right then?

  Normally, I wasn’t quite this reflective in the morning. Honestly, there were plenty of times when I felt like I was sleepwalking through the morning, even after I had a coffee.

  Why was that morning different then? Simple. I had slept like a rock the night before. My last case had sapped me of all of my energy. When I returned home yesterday evening, I completely crashed out from total exhaustion.

  The next thing I knew, it was morning. For a brief moment, I felt completely refreshed after getting eight uninterrupted hours of sleep. Then my mind began going nuts on me. And it hadn’t stopped. No matter what I did, I just couldn’t seem to quiet my thoughts.

  I just couldn’t help myself. I was worried about my hometown. I wanted a sense of normalcy to return. In my mind, that was completely natural.

  Whether that would actually happen was unknown. A slow morning would certainly help. I could definitely use a break.

  As I made my way over to my office, I hoped for the best. Little did I know that a surprise would be waiting for me.

  ***

  The moment I swung open the door to the detective agency where I worked, I realized that life had a different plan for me.

  As I looked to the right, my co-worker, Lisa Williamson, was already speaking with a client in her office. In addition, I saw a brunette sitting in my office as well. Wow. So much for easing into the day. It looked like I already had a new client. And an unexpected one, at that.

  When Lisa spotted me entering the office, she got up from her desk and came out to speak with me.

  “I’m so glad you’re here,” Lisa said.

  “Busy morning, huh?” I asked.

  Lisa nodded. “A lot busier than I expected. We’ve already had two walk-ins.”

  “I can see that. Did they both just come out of nowhere?”

  “Yup. Anyway, I have my hands full with the client in my office. Can you handle the other walk-in?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Good. It looks like things in Majestic Cove aren’t going to slow down anytime soon.”

  “Apparently not.”

  “Oh well. Peace and relaxation is overrated anyway,” Lisa joked.

  “I couldn’t disagree more,” I said.

  “You can take your complaints up with the universe. Although, I’m pretty sure that your grievances will be ignored.”

  Lisa took a step back to her office.

  I put up my hand. “Wait a minute. Don’t go yet.”

  “I need to get back to my client.”

  “I understand. There’s just one thing I want to ask you first.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Have you already spoken with the brunette who is sitting in my office?”

  “A little bit.”

  “And? What does she want?”

  “The usual.”

  I stared deep into Lisa’s eyes. “By that, do you mean suspected infidelity?”

  Lisa nodded. “Your instincts are as sharp as ever.”

  “It’s funny you should mention that because I’m not feeling sharp at all.”

  “Is the Alicia Templeton case still getting you down?”

  I wasn’t the only one in town who was known for having good instincts. It was amazing how often Lisa was spot-on. That explained why she had gone into investigating as a career.

  That said, I wasn’t planning on talking about Alicia Templeton right then. Honestly, I had spent the better part of the last week attempting to forget about her. You see, Alicia had recently taken her own life. Or, at least, that’s what the coroner ruled the cause of death was.

  I had a hard time believing that. I even conducted my own separate investigation. Despite all of my efforts, I wasn’t able to find any evidence that disproved the coroner’s findings. Still, I was having trouble coming to grips with the reality that Alicia had taken her own life.

  Not just because she was a friend. I had talked to her the morning before she died. She didn’t seem depressed. Not enough to killer herself. Also, she didn’t leave a note. As far as I was concerned, her death came completely out of the blue.

  That was why I was having such a hard time letting go. Things just didn’t add up in my mind.

  Even so, despite how morose I was, I couldn’t linger on that point. At least, not during work hours. I had a job to do. For example, there was a potential client sitting in my office. Now was not the time for me to have a nervous breakdown about a previous case.

  That being said, I couldn’t just shelve my emotions. I wasn’t a robot. I also couldn’t hide my feelings from Lisa. I had tried in the past. She always saw right through it. I knew this time would be no different. So, rather than trying to fool her, I just came out with the truth.

  “It has been a tough morning,” I said.

  “Keep your chin up,” Lisa said.

  “I’m trying.”

  “Look. You poured your heart and soul into that case. Even though it didn’t end the way you wanted it to, there’s nothing more that you can do.”

  “Tell that to Alicia’s mom.”

  “You can’t beat yourself up.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because it isn’t healthy.”

  I took a deep breath. “You’re probably right.”

  “I’m definitely correct. Now, pull yourself together. There’s a new client in your office who wants to talk to you. She’s depending on you.”

  I stared at my office, but I didn’t move a muscle.

  “Well, what are you waiting for?” Lisa said.

  “Just give me a minute,” I said.

  “You know, I think this new case will be really good for you.”

  My nose scrunched. “What makes you say that?”

  “It’ll take your mind off of Alicia. Honestly, this new investigation might keep you so busy that you won’t even have time to think about your friend.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  “Either way, you’d better get in there. That brunette is probably getting antsy.”

  Chapter Two

  I entered my office and outstretched my hand. The brunette then turned and looked at me. From there, I introduced myself. The brunette’s name was Stacey McDaniel. She looked to be right around my age. There was a shiny engagement ring on one of her fingers. Normally, I tried not to stare at people—or what they were wearing, but her ring really caught my eye.

  It wasn’t because the diamond was particularly big. I had seen flashier ones before. It was more that looking at Stacey made me a little reflective about my own life. Why wouldn’t it? After all, she was engaged. Meanwhile, I didn’t even have a boyfriend. In fact, I hadn’t even gone on a date in a while. Would that change sometime soon?

  Talk about a loaded question. If I wasn’t careful, I could go down a serious rabbit hole.

  Rather than getting too caught up thinking about my recent romantic misfortune, I decided to focus on Stacey.

  “How can I help you?” I asked.

  Stacey didn’t hesitate to get right to the point. “I think my fiancé is cheating on me.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  She grimaced. “It’s a pretty terrible time for me.”

  “I can imagine. You have my sympathies.”

  “Don’t get me wrong. Sympathy is nice and all, but what I really want is answers.”

  “I understand,” I replied.

  “The question is, am I right about my fiancé?”

  “I can certainly do my best to find out.”

  “Good. I hope you’re able to discover the truth.”

  “Before we get to that, there’s something I need to ask you.”

  “Fire away.”

  “What makes you suspect that your fiancé has been unfaithful?”

  “A couple of things. To start, he’s constantly working late. Or, at least, he tells me that he’s working late.”

  “You don’t believe him?”

  “Maybe he is…sometimes. But there’s zero chance that he’s working late nearly as much as he claims he is.”

  “I see,” I said. “Well, perhaps you’re right. Where does he work?”

  “He works for a digital marketing company on Olive Street.”

  “Have you ever gone to his office to check up on him when he’s supposedly working late?”

  “A few times.”

  “And?”

  “Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get access to the building.”

  “Why not?”

  “The complex where he works is a little interesting. After five o’clock, the front door of the building is locked. From then on, you need to have a key card to get into the complex.”

  “That’s a shame.”

  “I’ll say.”

  “Have you ever called him after hours when he is supposedly working?”

  “Yes. One night I even drove over to his complex and called him from outside. I told him that I was downstairs standing right in front of the building.”

  “And?”

  “He told me that he was too busy to come down and see me.”

  “Even for a minute?”

  Stacey nodded.

  “Wow. That’s pretty crazy.”

  “That’s what I thought. It sounded really fishy to me.”

  “That night, did you look around the parking lot to see if his car was still there?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “It wouldn’t have mattered. All of the employees park in the garage that is under the building which is only accessible if you have a keycard.”

  “That’s unfortunate.”

  “It’s also one of the reasons that I’ve come to you. I’m hoping that you can figure out what’s really going on.”

  “I can definitely try.”

  “Good.”

  “Before we continue, are there any other indications that your fiancé might be cheating on you? Or are you only suspicious of him because you don’t believe that he’s been working late?”

  “Ever since I started planning the wedding, he seems to have gotten more distant with me. For example, when I talk to him sometimes, he gets this faraway look in his eyes. His mind constantly appears to be elsewhere.”