Caramel Apple & Murder: An Oceanside Cozy Mystery - Book 6 Read online

  Heather knew as soon as they reached the greeting area, they would have their hands full selecting their bikes for the trip, so she used the opportunity to catch up with her bestie. Even though they now lived next door to each other in addition to baking donuts and investigating together, Heather felt like she had not seen her friend in a few days. Amy had been busy trying to help Jamie get his new business started.

  “How was searching for the van?” Heather asked.

  “Boring. The vans were useful for their purposes, but not flashy,” Amy admitted. “It also made me think that I’ve been a PI for too long. Every time we opened up the back of a van, I was half-expecting to see a dead body.”

  “I’m glad that wasn’t the case,” Heather said.

  “Me too,” said Amy. “I wouldn’t have gotten any sleep if that happened and I needed to rest up for this bike tour. Remind me again why we chose a tour that’s also an exercise regimen?”

  “It’s going to be fun,” Heather said.

  “I hope so. Even if I’m huffing and puffing like the Big Bad Wolf by the end of it, we should see some cool sights,” Amy said. “And it seems like Ryan needs a little fun.”

  “He’s been getting bored without a job to go to,” Heather said. “I tried to talk to Detective Smith about when he was retiring, but he just got annoyed. But what was odd was that it looked to me like he was working on a case on his own.”

  “Like he doesn’t trust his partner? Who admittedly still looks like he in high school. Or like it’s a secret?” Amy asked.

  “More like it’s a secret,” Heather said.

  Before they got a chance to talk any more about what Detective Smith was up to, Lilly danced up to them.

  “Are you excited for the ride?” Lilly asked.

  "I'm excited about the activity with my friends," Amy said. "And more excited for the eating donuts all together afterward."

  Lilly giggled.

  “You must be the Shepherd group,” a woman said, greeting them. Based on the red hair, Heather realized that it must be Janae.

  “We are,” Heather said. “Though I guess you’ll have to act as a shepherd to keep us all in sync.”

  “I’m happy to do so,” Janae said. “I love the island, and I love showing it off to everyone. What made you decide to join the tour today?”

  Heather explained how they were trying to do an activity together every week and concluded by telling her about Detective Peters’s recommendation.

  “He’s been sending a lot of business my way,” Janae mused. “I guess I made an impression when I helped with a biking seminar for the police.”

  Heather couldn’t help herself from saying, “You certainly made an impression.”

  “You must really like biking,” Amy said.

  “It’s one of my favorite activities,” Janae said. “The other thing I love is baking dessert. I tease that biking and baking are only one letter off from each other.”

  “I think we’re going to get along fine,” said Amy.

  Janae made the group even happier when she took them to select their bikes. The bikes were all decorated differently in bright colors and designs.

  "Now the cars will definitely see us," Eva said.

  “As if they couldn’t miss us,” Leila joked.

  Lilly happily selected a bike with dinosaur designs on it. Eva and Leila selected bikes that were twins of each other. Amy and Jamie decided not to go with the tandem bike, and instead got one covered with a shell design and one with racing stripes.

  “What bike do you like?” Heather asked her husband after selecting a red bike that reminded her of a donut jelly for herself.

  “I guess I’ll choose the star constellation design,” Ryan said.

  “Because you’re out of this world?” Heather said with a smile.

  “Maybe,” Ryan said. “I almost feel like I’ve been floating in space recently. I didn’t realize how important my job really was to me until I haven’t been able to do it.”

  "You did still help Amy and me with some cases," Heather reminded him.

  “I know. But it wasn’t the same. I didn’t have the same access to resources and always felt like I had to tread lightly when helping,” Ryan said. “But you and Lilly and our friends are what keep me grounded. You’re all so important to me. And now, I don’t want to waste any more time feeling sorry for myself. I want to enjoy the time with the people I love most.”

  “With each of us on two wheels,” Heather said.

  Janae made sure that everyone had a bike and was ready to set out.

  “Let’s hit the trail,” she said.

  Biking and the Body

  The route that the Pedal the Island Tours took was designed to show off key sights of Key West without tiring the riders too much. Heather felt like she was really becoming a local as she recognized some of the landmarks, but was still happy to learn more about her new home.

  They biked past some of the bigger attractions including the historic seaport and the Hemingway house. Then, they made their way down some of the more quiet streets. They were able to appreciate the architecture of the homes and found that the trees were laced with fruit.

  Heather enjoyed learning some fun facts about the locations from their guide, but also enjoyed regular chitchat with the personable Janae.

  “Is it the same route all the time?” Ryan asked her.

  “Yes,” Janae said. “We figured out what we thought riders would most like to see without making it an uphill ride.”

  "I appreciate it," Amy said. "But do you ever get tired of riding the same route every day?"

  "I could never get tired of it here. And there's always some small differences to see, and when I go out with tours there are new people to talk to," Janae said. "And I don't work here every day. This is more of a part-time gig that allows me to enjoy one of my hobbies."

  “Tell me more about your other hobby,” Heather said. “What do you like to bake?”

  “Almost everything,” Janae admitted. “As long as it looks like it’s going to be good to eat. I make a lot of cookies and muffins. I like crumb cakes too.”

  Heather must have gotten a contemplative look on her face because Amy said, “Keep an eye on where you’re going while you’re pedaling. But what are you thinking of?”

  “I’m just wondering if I could make a crumb cake donut,” Heather said.

  Her friends that were all biking with her encouraged her to try it, and she agreed that she would sometime.

  She was in very good spirits as they started biking down a more rural stretch of the trail. The trees were in bloom here, and a soft breeze was blowing. Eva, Leila, and Lilly had started singing “Daisy, Daisy” as they rode.

  Heather and Janae had come to the front of the group and were discussing more baking tips and ideas when Heather saw something. She braked her bike, hoping desperately she was wrong.

  “Eva,” she called. “Can you keep Lilly back there with you?”

  The song died away as Eva responded, “Of course, dear.”

  Satisfied that her daughter and grandmother figures wouldn’t be haunted by the potential sight, Heather dismounted her bike and walked closer to the large rock that she was passing.

  Janae had also gotten off and parked her bike.

  “What is it?” Janae asked.

  “You might want to stay back,” Ryan said, joining them.

  He and Heather moved closer. Heather shook her head, disappointed that her senses hadn’t somehow tricked her. What she had feared was there, was indeed there. It was a dead body behind the rock.

  “We’re going to have to call the police,” Heather said.

  “That nice detective did give me his number,” Janae said. “He told me that if I was ever in trouble and needed law enforcement help that I shouldn’t hesitate to call him.”

  “That would be fine,” Heather said. “You could also dial 911.”

  Janae nodded, feeling silly, and made the call.

  Amy
who had been feeling like biking a little slower and Jamie who had been keeping her company reached the group.

  “Don’t tell me we’ve ridden into a crime scene,” Amy said.

  “I’m afraid so,” Heather said.

  “Is there any chance it was an accident?” Jamie asked.

  “No,” Heather said. “It’s grisly. It looks like his throat was slashed.”

  “I knew bike riding was a bad idea,” Amy groaned.

  Crime Scene on the Trail

  Heather was happy that she was able to be on hand to help with a crime scene but hated the way that they had stumbled onto the scene. She couldn't help but be furious with the murderer. Not only did the killer take the life of a young man, but he had left the body where anyone might come across it. If they had been biking in a different order, it could have been Lilly who saw the corpse. Heather couldn't bear the thought.

  As soon as the authorities had been contacted, Heather made sure that Lilly was able to go home. Lilly was very brave about the ordeal, but Heather didn't want to expose her to that part of her investigations. She didn't mind if Lilly helped with looking at clues like they were pieces of the puzzle, but her motherly instincts refused to let her daughter near the dead bodies.

  Eva, Leila, and Jamie had agreed to take Lilly home. They had decided that the best way to comfort themselves after the strange happenings were to have some donuts and cuddle with their pets. If both donuts and cuddles were involved, both Dave the dog and Cupcake the kitten were sure to be happy.

  Detective Smith had barely acknowledged them when he arrived at the scene besides telling them to wait to give their account of what they discovered. Heather wasn’t sure if this was because he was still annoyed with her for her questions about retirement or if it was related to the new case.

  After Detective Peters checked on the victim, he came over to where Heather, Amy, and Ryan were standing. Detective Smith was still staying with the dead body, examining it intently even as the medical examiner did his job.

  “What’s going on?” Heather asked.

  “Unfortunately, as you can see, there’s been another murder in town,” Peters said. “And this one looks like a doozy.”

  “What’s going on with Detective Smith?” Heather asked.

  What she had seen of Detective Smith's work proved that he was a meticulous man who paid attention to every detail. However, this time he wasn't taking down any notes. He was staring at the body as if he saw a ghost.

  “I don’t know,” Peters said. “He was short with me today. But I thought it was because of yesterday with the donuts.”

  “I’m sorry I got you into trouble with your partner,” Heather said.

  “You see what happens when you don’t have me around,” Amy commented.

  “Does Detective Smith know that man?” Ryan asked, referring to the victim.

  “I don’t think he would have kept that from me,” Peters said. “And the one time he knew the victim on a case we investigated, he excused himself from the investigation to avoid any conflict of interest.”

  “That doesn’t explain why he’s acting strangely,” Heather said.

  "Maybe it's because of crime," Peters said. "It's gruesome. The throat was cut, and it looks like the victim's fingers were broken."

  “Don’t tell me that,” Amy said. “No gross or sad clues, please.”

  “Was it done postmortem?” Ryan asked.

  “Too early to tell,” Peters said. “The medical examiner is looking at the body now. But I sure hope it is.”

  Heather was about to ask if they had any more information about the victim when Peters's attention became distracted. Janae came over to join them after sitting for a bit to recover from the shock.

  “I can’t believe this happened,” Janae said. “I bike this way a few times every week. There’s never been anything like this before.”

  “Unfortunately, crime can strike in the best of places,” Peters said in a voice sounding deeper than usual. “And then it’s up to law enforcement officials such as myself to clean up the streets and return things to usual.”

  Heather and Amy exchanged a look. Peters was a good cop, but because of his youth was often hesitant about his plans. He often looked to his partner to make certain that he was taking the best course of action. When he had spoken about Janae earlier, it was clear that he had feelings for her, but he had been shy about it.

  Now, in front of her, he was acting like the most confident man in the world. He had suddenly become a super cop.

  “If he puffs his chest out any more, I think he’s going to pop,” Amy whispered to her friend. Heather bit her tongue.

  “Who would do such a thing?” Janae asked.

  “I suppose that’s what I’m going to have to find out,” said Peters. “But fear not, I will not rest until the bad guy is behind bars.”

  “I appreciate your efforts,” Janae said. “It’s hard to feel safe knowing that someone who could do this is still out there now."

  “I want you to feel safe more than anything,” Peters said. “And you will be able to soon. I will definitely solve this case.”

  “I was just telling the Shepherd group that I never get tired of the sights on my bike rides, but I’m going to have trouble getting this out of my head. I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep riding for a while,” Janae said.

  “Well, there is that phrase about getting back on your bike after you fall off,” Heather said. “But if you are determined to take a break from this job, I might have another option for you.”

  “Two birds with one donut,” Amy said, anticipating her idea and nodding.

  “I’ve been looking for another assistant at Donut Delights,” Heather said. “I loved our conversation about desserts before. If you’d like to try baking in a professional setting, I’d be happy to have you join my team.”

  “That would be wonderful,” Janae said. “I’d be delighted to start making donuts there.”

  "I love getting those donuts," Peters said. "Perhaps I would visit. Sometimes it's important to bring snacks to the station. It keeps morale up."

  “Great,” Janae said. “I’m sure I’ll learn quickly and can make donuts for the police force.”

  “Then it’s all settled,” Heather said.

  “Except for figuring out who the killer is,” Amy said.

  "Right," Peters said. "I think my partner will want to talk to you all. He appears to be coming over now. So, we’ll go through how you can across the body, and if there was anything you noticed that was unusual about the area.”

  Detective Smith did join them, but he didn’t come to question them.

  “I have to go,” Detective Smith informed his partner and promptly left.

  Peters felt nervous but did his best to cover. He overcompensated and was very authoritative when he asked for a detailed description of what their discovery.

  Heather couldn’t decide what she thought was stranger – finding the victim in the condition he was in on the bike trail or Detective Smith leaving the crime scene early.

  The Call

  After Heather had returned home, she had made sure that her family and friends were surviving the ordeal.

  Leila joked, “This sort of thing better not start happening at all of our weekly outings.”

  Heather nodded heartily in agreement.

  They hadn’t settled on what their new favorite restaurant in town was, but they found a Mexican restaurant to get take-out from. They enjoyed burritos and chimichangas together and reclaimed some of the enjoyment that they were supposed to have together that day. They watched one of Lilly’s favorite movies Jurassic Park, after deciding that they deserved a movie night together.

  After Heather had said goodnight to her friends and tucked Lilly into bed, Heather plopped onto her own bed. She was soon joined by her canine best friend. Dave must have sensed that Heather needed some affection and licked her nose. Heather reciprocated the love by scratching his belly.

 
; Cupcake had opted to stay next to Lilly on her other pillow to guard and comfort her, and Heather was grateful for such loyal furry friends.

  Ryan entered the bedroom in his pajamas.

  “What a day,” he said.

  “I’m so tired,” Heather said. “I can’t tell if it’s from all the pedaling or from the weight I feel like I’ve been carrying on my shoulders by leading my loved ones into a crime scene.”

  “There’s no way we could have known that,” Ryan assured her.

  “I just hate thinking that Lilly could have seen it,” Heather said.

  Ryan agreed, “And I wouldn’t particularly want Eva or Leila to see it either. Not that they’re delicate ladies. They’re certainly strong and brave. But I still wouldn’t want to expose them to that.”

  “It’s like the killer wanted someone to find him,” Heather said. “Usually killers leave a body where they committed the murder out of necessity, or they try and cover up the crime and hide the body. This doesn't seem like either."

  “I was thinking the same thing,” Ryan said.

  “It certainly wasn’t hidden because it was only barely behind the rock and it was out in the open on the trail,” Heather said. “But the angle of the body looked funny to me.”

  “I thought so too,” Ryan agreed. “I don’t think it would have fallen down naturally like that. It looked like it was moved to me.”

  “So, the killer moved the body to this location,” Heather said. “That makes sense too because there wasn’t a lot of blood at the scene.”

  “And a neck wound would have meant there should have been a good deal of blood there,” Ryan said, nodding.

  “But why move it there?” Heather said.

  “I think we’re going to have to find out more about the victim in order to answer that question,” Ryan said.

  “All Detective Peters was able to tell us was that he believed the victim’s name was Walker Collins,” said Heather.