Granted, murder wasn’t completely foreign to this town. A few homicides had taken place in the thirty-six years that I had lived here. They were pretty uncommon, however. Rare enough that it made me do a double-take when I heard about it.

  I probably would have sat in front of the TV with my mouth hanging open for a while longer, but my phone rang.

  When I looked over and checked the caller identification screen on my phone, I saw Lisa Williamson’s name listed. Lisa was a co-worker of mine at the investigation agency where I worked.

  “Hello,” I said.

  “Can you believe this?” Lisa asked.

  “No. It’s insane.”

  “It’s pretty crazy to think that you were staked out in front of that house a few nights ago, isn’t it?”

  Earlier in the week, I had been hired to investigate Connor. His fiancé, Amy Dearborn, had suspicions that he was cheating on her. Actually, make that his ex-fiancé. When I uncovered evidence that Connor had been unfaithful, Amy broke off their engagement.

  “A lot of things about this situation are completely nuts,” I said.

  “I agree, but it’s especially wild that a murder would take place at Connor’s house shortly after you just finished wrapping up a case involving him,” Lisa said.

  “It definitely cuts a little too close to the bone.”

  “At a time like this, I can’t help but think about Amy. You don’t think she had anything to do with this, do you?”

  “I have no answers for you. I’m still trying to process what I just saw on the news.”

  “I hate to say it, but I have a bad feeling about your former client.”

  “Your instincts are acting up on you, huh?”

  “They sure are.”

  “That’s not good.”

  “You know how spot-on my gut usually is.”

  “Oh yeah. You have great instincts.”

  “So do you. What’s your gut telling you right now?”

  “Not much of anything.”

  “Really?”

  “I don’t have a good read on things. I need more information first.”

  “That’s fair enough.”

  “I’m pretty sure that fair is the last way to describe this situation.”

  “You’re right. I will say this, though. I hope Amy has a rock-solid alibi, because the police are definitely going to suspect her.”

  “I can’t argue with that.”

  “I keep thinking about what she told you after you revealed that her fiancé was cheating on her.”

  “You mean, how she was going to give him a piece of her mind?”

  “Exactly. What if things got a lot more heated than she thought they would? What if they got out of hand? What if she took extreme measures?”

  “You’re really doing a lot of speculating now.”

  “Aren’t you doing the same?”

  “I’m trying not to.”

  “Don’t get me wrong. I hope Amy is innocent. She seemed like a sweet woman.”

  “She was.”

  “But as a private investigator, I can’t help but have suspicions about her. She definitely had a motive for wanting Connor dead. The question becomes, did she have the means and the opportunity?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “It should be interesting to see what the detective has to say about this.”

  “Knowing Scott, he probably isn’t going to say much. He generally doesn’t like to discuss details when it comes to an ongoing investigation.”

  “I don’t blame him. It’s hard enough solving a murder even when a bunch of details don’t get released to the public.”

  “I wonder if he knows about Betsy. Or Nancy. Or that woman from Connor’s work. Come to think of it, there’s a number of people that Scott is going to want to talk to during his investigation.”

  “There sure is.”

  “I’ll call him tomorrow. I’m pretty sure he has his hands full right now.”

  “I’ll bet. There’s no busier time than at the beginning of a case.”

  “Speaking of which, until Scott interviews Betsy or Nancy, I’m going to reserve any judgment about Amy.”

  “That’s your call. I’ll just say this. You know just as well as I do that when Amy left your office, she wanted to chew Connor out.”

  “True.”

  “You also know what people are capable of when they are pushed to the brink.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “So, even though neither one of us knows what really happened, you have to admit, things don’t look good for Amy right now.”

  I took a deep breath and replied, “They sure don’t.”

  Chapter Two

  The next day, discussions about the murder were unavoidable. Everyone had an opinion. Then again, in a place like Majestic Cove, the residents had an opinion about almost everything. That was just life in a small town. Still, I was used to the gossip being about the town alcoholic. Or who was having relationship problems. Not something crazy like a murder. Yet, one had taken place. And it was turning this town upside down.

  Considering how much conversation there was about the news report, it was surprising how few details were publicly available. There was plenty of speculation to go around, however. Gossip could often be really dangerous. Or misleading. I just wanted the facts. Unfortunately, I knew I wouldn’t get them at Majestic Cove Bakery. That said, one thing I would get at the bakery was a tasty breakfast.

  I sure needed one. It had the makings of a long day. When I saw my good friend, Kristina Fowler, standing behind the counter, it appeared that it had already been a very busy morning for her.

  Thankfully, it wasn’t terribly busy when I arrived at the bakery. I hated long lines. I also wanted to be able to chat with my dear friend.

  “What a crazy day, huh?” Kristina said.

  I nodded. “Yeah. Although, last night was a lot wilder.”

  “By the way, how are you holding up?”

  Confusion filled my face. “Me? I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “You know, because of the case.”

  “But that case has nothing to do with me.”

  “Not directly. It’s more that people in this town are scared. I figured that you would be too.”

  “I don’t think you and I have anything to be scared of.”

  “Really? Because I’m terrified.”

  “Of what?”

  “There’s a killer on the loose.”

  “True. But from the news report, there’s no indication that we’re dealing with a serial killer. Or that the general public has a reason to be panicked.”

  “You’re really not scared then?”

  “No.”

  “I wish I could say the same for myself, but I hate the idea that a murderer is on the loose in our town. There’s no telling what they might do next.”

  “If I had to guess, they’ll probably try to hide. To keep a low profile. To not draw attention to themselves.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “Generally speaking, that’s exactly what happens. It’s rare for a killer to strike twice.”

  Kristina put her hand up. “But not impossible.”

  “No.”

  “After all, we’re talking about a crazy person here. And maniacs are known for doing wildly unpredictable things.”

  “True.”

  “In the meantime, I’m going to do a lot of looking over my shoulder.”

  “I’d say you’re overreacting, but there’s a chance that you aren’t. Besides, it doesn’t hurt to be careful.”

  “Those are my feelings exactly.” Kristina grimaced. “I hope Scott solves this case in a hurry.”

  “Wouldn’t that be nice?”

  “You know what would really be great? If a murder didn’t take place in our town in the first place.”

  “I can’t disagree with that.”

  “I mean, this is an idyllic little small town. Murders aren't supposed to happen here. It’s supposed to be peaceful. And relaxing.”

  I looked off into the distance. “Wouldn't that be nice?”

  “It sure would.”

  I winced. “I wouldn’t count on it, though.”

  “Melody, why did you have to say that?”

  “As nice as it is to let my head drift into the clouds, I think it’s important to be realistic.”

  “I’d call that pessimistic.”

  “Kristina, I’m just being honest.”

  “Well, I’m going to try to remain optimistic. Ever since I saw the news story last night, I’ve been doing some serious praying that the police are going to find the killer sooner rather than later.”

  “I hope your prayer is answered.”

  “Haven’t you been praying too?”

  “Of course, I have.”

  “Good. Right now, this town can use all of the help that it can get.”

  I stared deep into Kristina’s eyes. “Wow. You’re even more rattled than I thought you’d be.”

  “Melody, I know you’re a private investigator, but I’m just a baker. I’m not built for situations like this. I hate danger.”

  “I don’t like danger either,” I said.

  “Maybe not, but it doesn’t scare you quite as much.”

  “I guess not.”

  She corrected me. “Definitely not. For example, you know that I try not to eat on the job, but things have been so stressful this morning that I’ve already eaten two chocolate chip muffins.”

  “You aren’t messing around.”

  “Nope. Now, I realize that two might have been a little excessive—”

  I clarified my statement. “I was just talking about the chocolate chip part. It’s not like you to eat chocolate so early in the morning.”

  “I realize that it’s a dangerous precedent.”

  “It sure is. What if you start getting a taste for chocolate every morning? Where do you go from there? Chocolate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?” I joked.

  Kristina chuckled. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “I thought that would make you laugh.”

  “Thanks for the zinger. I definitely needed a good laugh.”

  “In that case, I wish I had another joke handy.”

  “If you think of one, feel free to text me. I have a feeling that by the end of the day, humor will come in more handy than ever.”

  “Speaking of which, if I’m going to get through the day, I’m going to need something really tasty.”

  “Well, you’ve come to the right place. What can I get for you?”

  I stared at the display case. “That’s a tough decision.”

  “How about the usual?”

  “I don’t know what it says about me that I come here enough to have a usual order.”

  “It says that you’re a great friend. And that you have quite a sweet tooth.”

  “Correct on both accounts.”

  Kristina grabbed a croissant from the display case and bagged it up for me. “Here,” she said. “Enjoy.”

  “How could I not enjoy a croissant? Especially when you make them so tasty.”

  “You always know how to bring a smile to my face.”

  “I’m just being honest. No one makes croissants like you.”

  “Thanks for making me feel special.”

  I took a bite of the croissant. “Wow, this is really something. You’ve outdone yourself.”

  Chapter Three

  The work life of a private investigator was filled with a number of quirks and curiosities. I didn’t have a set schedule. It wasn’t some nine-to-five deal. I often ended up working nights.

  In addition, even though I would have liked to have a steady flow of cases, that wasn’t always how things played out. Sometimes, there would be a gap between clients.

  Given how erratic my schedule could potentially become if I let it, I always attempted to bring a sense of normalcy back to my line of work. I liked checking in at the office. Even if it was just for a few minutes.

  That particular morning, I didn’t happen to be working on a case. Since I was between clients, I assumed that it would be a slow day.

  I was dead wrong.

  When I arrived at my office, my co-worker, Lisa, was already there. And she was devoting all of her attention to a TV that was in front of her.

  She was watching a press conference that Detective Scott Webster was giving. As Scott stood at a podium, he still didn’t go into a great deal of detail. He provided mostly basic information. The detective did identify Connor as the victim, though. He also mentioned that there were a number of possible suspects.

  In addition, he made it clear that since this was an ongoing investigation, there were some aspects of the case that he could not discuss with the media or the public.

  At the end of the press conference, he made a plea to the public. Apparently, if anyone had information that might lead to the arrest of the killer, they should call the police department’s tip line.

  When the conference was over, Lisa turned off the TV.

  Normally, at that point, we would both get right back to work. However, neither of us had any cases to keep us busy. So, we just ended up sitting at our desks, thinking about this crazy turn of events that had turned our hometown upside down.

  ***

  About an hour later, I got a visitor in my office. Much to my surprise, it was Scott.

  “Look who it is,” I said. “We were just watching you on TV earlier.”

  “Is that so?” Scott replied.

  “Why do you look so surprised?”

  “I figured you’d be busy doing some work.”

  “It’s a slow day…for us. For you, I imagine it’s just the opposite.”

  “It was been quite a day already. And it’s still just the morning.”

  “I imagine you have your hands full.”

  “This case is definitely keeping me busy.”

  “Which makes me wonder why you had time to stop by here. Shouldn’t you be out interviewing suspects?”

  “Trust me. I will be doing a lot of that later.”

  “Why aren’t you doing that right now? I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to see you again, but I can’t help but think that there are better uses of your time than making small talk with me.”

  “I didn’t come here to make small talk.”

  “Why did you come here then?”

  “I have a sensitive topic to discuss with you.”

  “What is it?”

  “I’m actually here on official police business.”

  “Now I’m more confused than ever. Would you mind telling me what’s going on?”

  “It is my understanding that Amy Dearborn hired you the other day,” Scott said. “Is that right?”

  I nodded. “In that case, I need to ask you some questions about the work that you did for Ms. Dearborn.”

  “Scott, is she a suspect in Connor’s murder?”

  “Why don’t you let me get to my questions?”

  “I don’t understand why you didn’t just answer me. It was a pretty simple question.”

  “Please don’t make this any more difficult than it already is.”

  “All right. What do you want to know?”

  “Why did she hire you?”

  “She had suspicions that her fiancé was cheating on her.”

  “Were her suspicions correct?”

  “Oh yeah. Connor was fooling around on her.”

  “Do you know who her fiancé was cheating with?”

  “Her name is Betsy Lafferty.”

  Scott pulled out a notepad and scribbled Betsy’s name down.

  “Thank you for that. I will definitely be paying her a visit,” Scott said. “Now, back to Amy. When you revealed to her the truth about her fiancé, how did she react?”

  “Not well,” I said.

  “Did she get really angry?”

  “You do think she’s a suspect in this case, don’t you?”

  “Yes, I do,” he said.

  “Wow.”

  “Did you say that because you think it’s a mistake to suspect her?”

  “Hey, you’re the professional.”

  “If you have an opinion, feel free to share it.”

  “Honestly, Amy didn’t strike me as the murdering type.”

  “Why not?”

  “She was a sweet woman.”

  “A lot of woman are sweet until they find out that they’ve been cheated on.”

  “I know. And I get it. In a murder case, a scorned lover is always a suspect.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Have you forgotten? I’ve watched every single episode of Detective Chuck Mayhew.”

  Scott scoffed. “Right. The TV show.”

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Do you believe everything you see on TV?”

  “Hey, am I wrong about scorned lovers as suspects?”

  “No, you aren’t.”

  “There you go.”

  “So, the TV show got that part right. But they get a lot wrong.”

  “Like what?”

  “Melody, I’m in the middle of a murder investigation. Discussions about the inaccuracies of TV shows can wait.”

  “True.”

  “Back to Amy. You said she didn’t react well to the news about her fiancé being unfaithful. Was she angry? Sad?”

  “A little bit of both.”

  “Did she tell you what her plans were regarding Connor?”

  I became quiet. I knew exactly where he was going with his questioning.

  Scott waited a few seconds for me to speak up. When I didn’t, he broke the silence.

  “Melody?”

  “She said she was going to give him a piece of his mind.”

  “Interesting.”

  “From what I could tell, she just planned on breaking up with him, not murdering him.”

  “As you know, plans can change.”

  “If you’re going to suspect Amy, you should also suspect Betsy. That woman also has a motive.”

  “At this point, I suspect a lot of people. In fact, I haven’t ruled anyone out yet.”

  “There’s some other people you should talk to as well. For example, Connor was good friends with a woman named Nancy. And he seemed to be pretty chummy with a woman at his workplace.”

  “You’re just a treasure trove of information today, aren’t you?”