Mimosa Cream & Murder: An Oceanside Cozy Mystery - Book 16 Read online

  “Like Talia?” Heather asked.

  Instead of responding with words, Phil Greyander decided to respond with action. He threw the vase as hard as he could against the wall. Then he began to jump on it, hoping to damage the vase as much as possible. It finally broke, but he didn't stop.

  "Mr. Greyander, please stop this," Ryan said.

  “It’s my property,” Phil said. “I can do what I want. I don’t need to have a special reason.”

  "You’re destroying it because it’s what you used to kill Talia Pinster,” Heather said.

  “You can’t prove that,” Phil said, continuing to jump on the vase. “You won’t be able to prove anything.”

  “Mr. Greyander, you didn’t really think that we would use the actual murder weapon as bait in this trap, did you?” Heather asked.

  Phil Greyander stopped jumping. “This isn’t the same vase?”

  “It’s another centerpiece,” Amy said, smugly.

  “But why did you do it?” Heather asked. “Because she wanted more people to see Hillside Hovel?”

  “She wanted everyone to see everything about it,” Phil said. “She wouldn’t see reason. She wanted to sell out all our secrets by putting us on parade. I hated that Susan convinced me to allow tours here to raise money. I just wanted my privacy.”

  “And so Talia had to die?” asked Heather.

  “She wouldn’t see reason!” Phil said. "I asked her to meet me away from the wedding so we could talk about it. In the wine cellar. She didn't see how making replicas of my family's treasures was wrong. I tried to show her, but she didn't understand. I had to kill her."

  Detective Pearson arrived on the scene to arrest Phil Greyander. Hoskins joined her to help, eating a donut just like he said he was going to go during his acting moment.

  Heather smiled at Amy. “At least some of the hard work is over.”

  The Bouquet

  “Heather, what’s going on?” Mona asked.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that you and Amy have been running around all night. I haven’t been a demanding bride that’s caused you to do that. Something is going on. What is it?”

  Heather and Amy were at Mona’s side as he co-Maids of Honor. Amy gulped.

  “Mona, would you say that your wedding has been perfect right now?” Heather asked.

  “I think so,” Mona said. “Everyone I care about is here. It’s a beautiful house. There has been great food and dancing. And most importantly, I got to marry the man I love. But-“

  "No buts," Heather said. "We're the co-Maids of Honor, and our job is to make sure that the bride is happy and nothing ruins her special day.”

  “You are happy, aren’t you?” Amy asked again.

  “Yes,” Mona said. “But I can’t help but feel like something else is going on.”

  “I’ll tell you all about it,” Heather promised. “When you get back from your honeymoon.”

  “Are you sure?” Mona asked.

  “Please,” Heather said. “Let me wait to tell you about it.”

  “Okay,” Mona said, relenting. “But only because you provided such wonderful donuts for my wedding.”

  “Did you like all of them?” Heather asked.

  “I’m tempted to have another wedding just to have more donuts,” Mona joked.

  “Please, don’t,” Amy said. “I’m not sure I could handle another one.”

  “I loved the Mimosa Cream Donuts like we had at the bachelorette party,” said Mona. “But the Col and Mona donuts that you made to accompany the wedding cake almost made me cry.”

  “They were that good?” Amy asked.

  "They were that thoughtful," Mona said. "At first they looked like plain donuts. Just black and white to match the groom's suit and my wedding dress. But then I tasted them. They were made to taste like the teas we serve at my and Col's shop. Our shop and our flavor. The donuts were so sweet. In both ways."

  “I’m glad you liked them,” Heather said.

  Mona gave them a hug. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  Heather hugged her friend back, thinking about how the world could be full of such wonderful things at the same time as terrible ones: friendship, weddings, and murder.

  "Come on," Mona said, releasing them. "It's time for me to throw the bouquet.”

  “Great,” Amy said. “Monica and Meredith can fight over it with just the right amount of intensity in front of us.”

  However, when it came time to catch the bouquet, Monica and Meredith ended up tripping over one another and the flowers sailed right into Amy’s arms.

  Heather smiled. She had been hoping that her bestie would be walking down the aisle soon and if the tradition held, then Amy catching the bouquet meant that she would be the next bride.

  Amy didn’t like to be pushed into anything and wrinkled her nose at the thought. Heather had to let out a laugh too. After such an eventful wedding as this one, she was willing to wait a while until becoming a Maid of Honor again. The honor was quite a responsibility.

  The End.

  Want a FREE short story?

  Click here to grab the free cozy short story

  “Eva's Delicious Mystery: A Donut Hole Spin-Off”

  About the Author

  Susan Gillard is a lover of all things mysterious. She grew up in Kansas City, Missouri where her love of murder mystery novels grew.

  Now she travels the country in search of the best baked goods and engaging with the locals who often become the inspiration for her wacky characters.

  Get in Touch with Susan

  SusanGillard.com

  [email protected]

  Also by Susan Gillard

  Click to buy on Amazon now!

  Click to buy on Amazon now!

  Click to buy on Amazon now!

  Click to buy on Amazon now!

  Click to buy on Amazon now!

  Click to buy on Amazon now!

  Click to buy on Amazon now!

  Click to buy on Amazon now!

  Click to buy on Amazon now!

  Click to buy on Amazon now!

  Click to buy on Amazon now!

  Click to buy on Amazon now!

  Click to buy on Amazon now!

  Click to buy on Amazon now!