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  Peanut Butter Chocolate & Murder: Book 32

  An Oceanside Cozy Mystery

  Susan Gillard

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  Copyright 2018 by Guardian Publishing Group, LLC

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication or the information in it may be quoted from or reproduced in any form by means such as printing, scanning, photocopying or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Printed in the United States of America

  Contents

  1. A Donut and a Date

  2. Girls’ Night

  3. The Crime Scene

  4. Baking and Bernadette

  5. Henry Don

  6. The Job Search

  7. Secrets and Identity

  8. Don’s Tricks

  9. The Gun

  10. Books

  11. The Library

  12. Delilah Discusses

  13. Information

  14. Messages

  15. Another Date

  16. Stories

  17. The Arrest

  18. Writers’ Group

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  Also by Susan Gillard

  A Donut and a Date

  “I know the popular pairing is peanut butter and jelly,” Amy said. “But you just created my new favorite combination.”

  Heather smiled at her bestie. “Chocolate does combine well with many flavors.”

  “I wonder what it wouldn’t go well with,” Amy mused. “Chocolate and pasta? Burgers? Lollipops?”

  “I don’t know.” Heather shrugged. “But I’m not planning on cooking up any of these flavor combinations in my donut recipes.”

  They were in the kitchen of Heather’s Key West shop, Donut Delights, where Heather had just finished frosting a batch of donuts. She was very proud of how she had built up her first location in Texas and had made it so successful that she was able to open a second location and provide more tasty treats to customers. She was also proud of this week’s new recipe: The Peanut Butter Chocolate Donut.

  “Enough trying to figure out a disgusting chocolate dish,” Amy said. “What I really want to do is eat this donut.”

  “Me too,” Heather admitted. “But I was thinking that we could bring some of these donuts over to Bernadette. I wanted to invite her to our girls’ night tonight.”

  The two friends often hung out together and had impromptu movie nights. However, because they knew that they were going to be alone that evening, they had decided to make girls’ night official. They were preparing the special donuts and picking up some wine bottles. They had invited their two senior friends, Eva and Leila, to come over as well. They always had good stories and were huge fans of Heather’s donuts.

  Heather’s daughter, Lilly, was having a sleepover at her new best friend Chelsea’s house. Heather’s detective husband had already warned her that he would be late coming home because he and his partner needed to catch up on some paperwork. She couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty when she heard that. She and Amy had helped with multiple cases on the island after becoming private investigators. However, a major perk of their investigative job was that there was much less paperwork than the police needed to fill out.

  Amy’s boyfriend, Jamie, was also going to be away for the evening. He was visiting his friend Josh who had just gotten engaged. Amy had mixed feelings towards the engagement because it had happened too quickly. However, she did hope that the couple would ultimately be happy. She was also hoping that this might inspire Jamie to pop the question to her.

  Heather had been thinking about the events leading up to the girls’ night plans and about the recent engagement, but Amy had remained focused on the donuts.

  “If we bring them to Bernadette, does that mean that we can’t eat any until we see her?” she asked.

  “Afraid so,” said Heather. “But luckily, she’s just down the street.”

  Amy didn’t waste any time. She grabbed one of the boxes that Heather used to transport a dozen donuts and began filling it with the circular treats. Heather joined in. They had just finished packing the box when two of her assistants popped their heads into the kitchen.

  Digby and Janae sniffed the air.

  “It smells good in here,” Digby said.

  “Does that mean that the new flavor is ready?” asked Janae.

  “No time to talk,” Amy said, grabbing the full box of donuts and hurrying past them.

  Heather couldn’t help chuckling as she began to follow her friend.

  “Is everything all right?” Janae asked.

  “Did you get a new case to work on while in the kitchen?” asked Digby.

  “No,” Heather said. “We’re between cases at the moment. Amy is just excited to try the new flavor. And I can tell you both are too. There’s a few left on the counter that you can try, and we’ll go over the recipe tomorrow morning so you can start baking them yourselves.”

  Digby headed right over to the counter and picked up a donut to sample, but Janae wavered.

  “You’re not going to do your traditional description of all the components of the new flavor?” she asked.

  Heather heard Amy calling for her further inside the shop and shook her head.

  “Tell you what?’ said Heather. “You both try one and tomorrow report back to me on what makes up this new donut.”

  Digby looked guiltily at the crumby remains of the donut he devoured. “I might need to have another one if I’m examining it to describe as more than just delicious.”

  “Fine,” Heather said. “But make sure you save enough for the other assistants too.”

  Digby nodded and took a dainty bite from his second donut. Janae picked up hers, and Heather headed off after Amy.

  She hurried to catch up as she saw that Amy was already walking down the street towards Bernadette’s Beachy Books. Heather was happy that their cranky old shop neighbor, Mr. Rankle, wasn’t outside to yell at her not to run.

  “Sorry,” Amy said, as her friend caught up with her. “But I knew that I wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer against the allure of these donuts.”

  “I guess I’ll take it as a compliment,” Heather said as they made their way into the bookshop.

  Bernadette adjusted her glasses and smiled as the others entered.

  “It’s so good to see you both,” she said. “And not just because of the donuts!”

  “Speaking of donuts,” Amy said. “Heather, why don’t you introduce them so we can move on to trying them?”

  “We brought over some Peanut Butter Chocolate Donuts. For this donut, the base is peanut butter flavored. It is a little thicker than some other cakes bases, but it shouldn’t stick to the roof of your mouth. Then it’s covered in a layer of chocolate. It’s drizzled with a peanut butter inspired icing, and some crushed peanuts are added on top.”

  “And I can’t hold out anymore,” Amy said. “I need to try one.”

  Amy grabbed a donut and bit in while Heather and Bernadette both took one as well. They were all quiet for a few minutes as they savored the flavor.

  Then, Amy said, “It’s just as good as I imagined.”

  “Someday someone needs to write a book about all your wonderful donuts,” Bernadette said. “Then, everyon
e who can’t taste them can still read about them. And I’d be happy to host it on my shelves. Of course, I’m happier still that I’m one of the people who can have a bite.”

  Heather felt herself blushing. She always appreciated when people enjoyed her donuts, but sometimes the compliments were so nice that she felt embarrassed. She decided to change the subject, though still offered her friends another donut to eat.

  “We felt like we hadn’t gotten a chance to see you very much after a busy spring break,” Heather said. “So, we wanted to invite you to a girls’ night at my house tonight.”

  “There will be more of these donuts,” said Amy.

  “That makes it even more difficult to say no,” Bernadette said. “But I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline. That’s part of the news I wanted to tell you when I saw you come in.”

  “What is it?” asked Heather.

  “I have a date tonight,” Bernadette said, excitedly. “And I’m not quite sure what to wear. I’m tempted to wear something reminiscent of The Shop Around the Corner, but I’m not sure who would get the reference. I just want to look nice. It’s been awhile since I’ve been out on a date.”

  “That’s great news,” said Heather. “And of course, we’ll help. But I think the most important thing when wearing an outfit on a date is that you feel comfortable.”

  “You can never go wrong with a little black dress,” said Amy.

  “Like Holly Golightly,” Bernadette said, making another literary and cinematic reference as she was prone to doing. “I think that could work.”

  “And then you can jazz it up with your favorite jewelry,” Amy said.

  “I have some earrings that I think complement my glasses,” said Bernadette.

  “Before we figure out shoes too, I’d like to hear more about this date,” said Heather. “Where are you going? And how did you meet?”

  “We’re going to Bella’s on the Beach,” Bernadette said.

  “Great choice,” said Heather. “The food is great, and it’s romantic to be by the water.”

  “And it’s a public place,” said Bernadette, looking down. “Which I thought was good because I never met my date in person. We were matched on a dating site, and we’ve been messaging each other for a little while.”

  “A lot of people are meeting online now,” said Heather, encouragingly.

  “His name is Henry, and he seems really nice,” said Bernadette with a smile. “He’s an architect, and he likes to read.”

  “That’s perfect for you,” said Amy.

  “And he’s shared some personal details already,” said Bernadette. “He moved to the island a few years ago his wife passed away.”

  “Ryan was a widower before I met him,” said Heather.

  Bernadette smiled at her friends. “Thank you both for being so supportive. I was nervous about telling anyone I met someone online.”

  “Don’t be,” Heather said. “I hope it’s a perfect first date.”

  “Let’s talk shoes now,” said Amy.

  The friends started talking about the outfit again, and Heather couldn’t stop grinning. After a string of bad luck with dates and having her bookshop be the scene of a crime, Bernadette deserved a nice night out. Heather hoped that nothing would come along to ruin it.

  Girls’ Night

  “You’ve outdone yourself with your newest flavor, dear,” Eva said.

  “That’s right,” Leila agreed, taking another bite. “It combines tastes we love.”

  Heather and her three friends were lounging in her living room. They were joined by their animal companions too, but they were starting to get tuckered out from all the excitement. Cupcake, the kitten, was taking a catnap in the corner. Amy’s dog Miss Marshmallow was also snoozing on a pillow. Heather’s mixed breed dog, Dave, was keeping close by in case there were more donuts to eat. She obliged and gave him a portion of the peanut butter section.

  “And you’re always able to put a new spin on things,” said Eva, taking a bite of her donut. “I think that the donut cake base tastes like peanut butter.”

  “I like that we were able to have a girls’ night,” Heather said.

  “It’s been a while since I’ve been considered a girl,” Eva teased while pointing out her wrinkles.

  “I guess I could call it a women’s night next time,” said Heather with a laugh.

  “As long as there are good friends, wine, and, of course, donuts, I’ll still be there,” said Amy.

  Heather raised her glass to express her sentiments towards that statement. She was having a lot of fun. After making sure that Lilly was set for her sleepover (she gave her daughter some donuts to bring and assured her that her friend would love the newest story that she wrote), Heather set to making sure that her friends were ready for their little party too. They had already watched a chick flick that made them cry and then watched something silly to make them laugh. Now, they were enjoying the donut dessert and catching up with one another.

  Eva told them that things were going swimmingly with her new beau Vincent. However, his mischievous twin brother had been causing some trouble. Though an older man, he was behaving like a roguish teenager and had spiked the punch bowl at the latest senior center event. She also told them that she thought that he was developing a soft spot for Leila.

  “I certainly hope not,” Leila said. “I’m past my stage of liking bad boys.”

  They all laughed. Then, they started talking about Josh’s proposal. Heather and Amy had been a part of the plan and saw the fireworks. They showed Eva and Leila the video of it that Jamie had recorded.

  “They certainly do look happy,” said Eva.

  “They were,” Heather said.

  “Jamie is with Josh now. I think they’re figuring out some ideas for the wedding, so Josh will be able to tell his fiancé his preferences. They’re probably also talking about the bachelor party.”

  “Do you think the wedding will be as sudden as the proposal?” asked Heather.

  “Who knows?” Amy said, shrugging. “Maybe they’re so sure about each other, that they’ll try and be quick about this too. It would be nice if some of that certainty would pass on to Jamie.”

  “You really want a proposal?” asked Eva.

  Amy nodded. “I’m sure I want to spend the rest of my life with him. I don’t know why he isn’t so sure. We’ve been together a lot longer than Josh and Josie.”

  Heather turned to her other friends. “I keep telling her that Jamie doesn’t want to scare her off. That’s why he hasn’t said anything yet. It’s not because he doesn’t care.”

  “I’d believe that,” said Eva. “It’s obvious that he’s in love with you.”

  “And you have been hesitant about making big steps in a relationship,” said Leila. She gestured towards Miss Marshmallow, making a point about how long it had taken Amy to admit that she wanted them to get a dog together.

  “I guess so,” said Amy. “And I hate sounding like someone who’s only interested in a ring. But the truth is I really do want him to ask me.”

  “Here,” Heather said, handing her bestie a donut. “Enjoy this ring until he gives a diamond one.”

  Amy laughed and accepted the gift. Then, they heard a knock at the door, and they all looked towards it.

  Dave was the first of the animals to get to his feet. He ran to the front door and barked to let the caller know that their arrival was known. Heather hurried after him, and Amy was at her heels.

  “Is it Jamie?” Amy asked. “Do you think Josh inspired him to ask me to get married?”

  “It’s Bernadette,” Heather said.

  She opened the door and saw her friend on the porch. Bernadette looked lovely in her black dress and shoes with classy jewelry. However, she also looked very sad that night.

  Heather gestured for her to come inside and Dave stayed close by to cheer her up.

  Eva and Leila made space for her on the couch, and Amy handed her a glass of wine.

  “We didn’t
expect to see you,” Heather said, gently. “Is everything all right?”

  “Was your date rude to you?” Eva asked.

  “Heather, where’s your taser?” Leila asked. “We might have to use it on a young man. He better not have hurt her.”

  “Only my feelings,” Bernadette said before taking a sip of her drink. “He never showed up.”

  “What?” Heather said in surprise.

  “I waited and waited, and I finally got too sad,” Bernadette said. “So, I hoped I could crash your party.”

  “You’re not crashing. We’re happy to have you,” said Heather. “But I’m very sorry about the circumstances.”

  “Me too,” said Bernadette. She took another sip of wine and put the glass down. Then she started petting Dave, which made her feel a little better. “I was looking forward to seeing him in person. I hoped he looked like his picture on the website.”

  “Maybe he looked very different, and you just didn’t recognize him?” suggested Amy. “Sometimes people use pictures to make them look more attractive, and it doesn’t really look like him in real life.”

  Bernadette shook her head. “We were also going to each carry a red rose and a yellow one so we could find each other if it was crowded. But I didn’t see anyone with flowers that night. No. He never came to the restaurant. Or he didn’t come inside. Maybe he looked in the window and didn’t like what he saw, so he left.”

  “That’s impossible,” said Amy. “You look stunning tonight.”

  “And if you were talking to him online, then he knows how smart and charming you are,” added Heather.

  “Then, why didn’t he show up?” Bernadette asked sadly, before taking a deep breath. “I don’t want to focus on this all night. Could we enjoy some of your donuts and talk about fun things? Has anyone read any good books lately?”