Fruit pie with a side of.., p.8
Fruit Pie with a Side of Danger,
p.8
Jerry gritted his teeth. “I can’t believe you’re doing this—”
“Believe it, Jerry. And face the facts. I’m the one in control here. Now, what’s it going to be? Are you going to give me the ten grand? Or should I go to the police and tell them that you begged me to falsely corroborate your story?”
Jerry took a moment to think about his response. He then pointed at his back door. “Let me get my checkbook.”
Luke smirked as Jerry went inside his house.
The expression on Luke’s face quickly changed, however, when Jerry returned to the back yard a few moments later holding a gun.
“What are you doing?” Luke asked.
Jerry stared daggers into Luke’s eyes. “You overplayed your hand. And in the process, you outlived your usefulness.”
Luke shook his head. “No. You don’t want to shoot me—”
“That’s where you’re dead wrong.”
“Jerry, you really need to think this through,” Luke said. “There’s no way you’re going to get away with this.”
Jerry nodded. “Sure, I will.”
“How do you figure?”
“To start, they’ll never find your body. Especially after I dump it into the ocean.”
Luke’s eyes bulged. “You’re insane.”
Jerry shook his head. “No. I’m just a man who has been pushed beyond his limits.”
“Is ten-thousand dollars really worth killing for?”
“In this case, yes.”
Luke’s eyebrows rose. “Wait a minute. In this case? Have there been other cases?”
“I think you already know the answer to that question.”
Luke put his hands up. “Wait a minute. That’s why you were so desperate to get me to confirm your story. Because you really did kill Roger.”
Jerry nodded. “And now I’m going to kill you.”
Just then, David stepped forward with his police pistol drawn. “That’s where you’re wrong. Put the gun down.”
A shocked look came to Jerry’s face as he turned to David. “Where did you come from?”
“I’ve been listening in on your entire conversation. And I have all of the evidence that I need to put you in jail for life. Now, put the gun down,” David demanded.
Jerry didn’t follow David’s orders.
Luke began to tremble. He tried reasoning with Jerry.
“You should listen to the detective,” Luke said.
“Shut up, Luke,” Jerry said.
“Jerry, face the facts. It’s over. There’s only two ways this for this to end. Either I drag you out of here in handcuffs, or the coroner carries you out of here in a body bag. It’s your call,” David said.
Jerry took a deep breath, but he didn’t respond.
“Come on, Jerry. Don’t make me shoot you. I’d rather not pull the trigger. But if you don’t follow my orders, I will,” David replied. “I’m only going to say it one more time. Put the gun down.”
After another tense moment, Jerry finally lowered his gun.
David then rushed over to Jerry and slapped a pair of handcuffs on him. That wasn’t all, though. David also cuffed Luke.
When my husband hauled Jerry back to the police station, David booked Jerry on a murder charge while Luke was arrested for interfering with a police investigation.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
A day later
It always took me a little bit of time to readjust to normal life after we closed a case. Even so, some investigations hit me harder than others. This one in particular really did a number on me. To the point where I found myself stuck in a fog.
That afternoon, my head was deep in the clouds. I just stared out the window with a concerned look on my face. I was actually so lost in thought that I didn’t notice David approaching me.
“If you want to talk things through, I’m here for you,” David said.
At first, I was startled to see my husband standing next to me. But once the initial shock faded, I gave him a reply.
“You know, I usually feel this big sense of relief when we finish a case,” I said.
“How about this time?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Not so much.”
He looked at me with sympathetic eyes. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Be honest with me, David,” I said. “Do you feel relieved right now?”
He grimaced before responding, “Ask me again in a few days. At the moment, I still need a little time to digest everything that happened.”
“That’s precisely how I feel. It has been a really sad week.”
“You can say that again.”
“In all honesty, I wish I never had to say it in the first place.”
He winced. “This has been an especially difficult time for you. Not only did you investigate Roger’s murder, but you also had a falling out with your dad—”
I held up my finger. “And don’t forget the threatening phone call that Joshua Richmond placed which started off this crazy week.”
“You’re right,” he said. “That almost slipped my mind.”
“Which just goes to show what an insane week it has been. Normally, a threatening phone call would be the most disturbing thing to happen around here.”
“What can I say? Some weeks are more hectic than others. And this one has been stressful enough to make me want to pull my hair out.”
“I’m glad you still have all your hair.”
“So am I. At my age, hair is a precious commodity.”
I chuckled. “Thanks for the laugh. I needed that.”
“What makes you think I was joking? I’m not getting any younger.”
“Neither of us are. And let me tell you, the older I get, the more I want things to calm down around here once and for all.”
“I’m right there with you.”
“The problem is, as more crazy things happen, I can’t help but worry if things will ever truly go back to normal.”
“I’m sure they will.”
I shrugged. “How can you be so sure?”
“Because they always do…eventually.”
My forehead wrinkled. “Normally, I’d agree with you. Something feels different this time, though. The universe seems to be going out of its way to send us a message. In fact, it has practically bashed us over the head with warning signs.”
“About money?”
I nodded. “And greed.”
“They do go hand in hand a lot of the time. Look how many lives have been destroyed in the pursuit of cold hard cash.”
“Why do you think I’m so sad right now?” I said. “Things didn’t have to work out this way. In fact, they should have turned out much differently.”
“Wouldn’t that have been nice?”
“It sure would have. If only we could go back and change the events of the last week—”
“I’m going to stop you right there. As tempting as it is to think about how things could have gone, the past is set in stone. You shouldn’t waste your time obsessing over things that can’t be changed.”
“What else am I supposed to do?”
“I know it’s hard, but you’re better off moving forward.”
“That’s easier said than done. Especially since we have no idea what surprises are waiting for us in the future.”
“How about we focus on the present then?”
“That’s a good idea, but it’s just so hard not to think about everything that happened.”
“Do you know what you need right now?”
“A vacation?”
“I was actually going to say a sweet treat, but a vacation would work also.”
“Since a vacation is only a pipe dream, we might have to settle for a treat,” I said. “Do you have anything in mind?”
“I don’t know about you, but I could really go for a slice of pie right now.”
My eyes lit up. “That’s definitely a good start.”
“I was hoping you’d say that. Then again, if one slice of pie fails to cheer us up, we could always order seconds.”
He chuckled. “I should have known you would say that.”
“Don’t pretend like you weren’t thinking the same thing,” I said. “Be honest. Would you really turn down a second slice of pie?”
He shook his head. “Of course not. Do I look crazy to you?”
“No. You look hungry.”
“I certainly am,” he said. “Which is why we shouldn’t waste any more time. Now, let’s get ourselves a treat.”
I smiled at him. “That sounds good to me.”
The End.
Check out more Meredith Potts Cozy Mysteries right here:
https://www.amazon.com/Meredith-Potts/e/B01GH44H6A/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_9?qid=1529325337&sr=8-9
Books in the Daley Buzz series
Book 1 – Chocolate with a Side of Murder
Book 2 – Caramels with a Side of Murder
Book 3 – Apple Pie with a Side of Murder
Book 4 – Lemon Bars with a Side of Murder
Book 5 – Cookies with a Side of Murder
Book 6 – Halloween Candy with a Side of Murder
Book 7 – Christmas Cookies with a Side of Murder
Book 8 – Gelato with a Side of Murder
Book 9 – Chocolate Cake with a Side of Murder
Book 10 – Cupcakes with a Side of Murder
Other books by Meredith Potts:
Hope Hadley Series
Fame is a Killer
Fishing For Murder
Murder of a Yoga Instructor
Drowning In Deceit
A Not So Merry Christmas Murder
Killer Injustice
Murder of a Restaurant Critic
Murder of a Movie Producer
The Killer Holiday Office Party
Murder Hits Close To Home
Meredith Potts Cozy Mystery Anthology (featuring Deadpan Murder, Killer Amnesia, College Can Be Murder, The Last Frontier of Murder, and Murder in Happy Creek)
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Meredith Potts, Fruit Pie with a Side of Danger
