Choc Churro Murder: A Donut Hole Cozy Mystery - Book 25 Read online

  “You really hated it, didn’t ya?” Amy passed Dave’s leash from one hand to the other.

  “I did. Without the funding from Kenny or Georgia, the place had to close,” Geoff said. “Couldn’t be more relieved. If I see another donut again, it will be too soon.”

  “Guess you won’t be hanging around Donut Delights, then.” Amy winked at Heather.

  Geoff’s break-in’s and trash marauding had become the stuff of legends in the store.

  “I thought about leaving,” Geoff said. “But Kate said I can’t. She wants me to start another business with her.” His tone dropped from happy to melancholy in the span of two syllables.

  “You’re not seriously going to do that, are you?” Heather asked. “The woman made your life terrible, Geoff.”

  She’d expected a little more backbone from a man who’d hidden in a bush to get the scoop on one of her cases.

  “No. I told her no. She’s moved into some hotel in town. I won’t let her stay in my place.” Geoff sucked in a breath and then exhaled.

  Silence spread between the trio and the doggy dearest. Their gazes fixed onto the workers who heaved and tugged at the sign. A few muttered under their breaths.

  “Looks like your store doesn’t want to give up,” Amy said.

  Geoff snorted. “Never my store. Always been Kate’s.”

  Heather leaned her back against her car and folded her arms across her chest. “So, what now, Geoff? You’re done with donuts. You’re done with your sister. Are you going to stay in Hillside?”

  “Think so,” he said. “Haven’t made the final decision yet. I – don’t laugh at me, okay?” He growled the last part, and both women turned to stare at him.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” Amy replied, though mirth tickled at her words in anticipation of what Geoff had to say.

  “What I really wanna do is –” He cut off and narrowed his eyes at them. “Nah, it’s not right. It’s stupid.”

  “Tell us,” Heather said and gave him a thumbs up for encouragement.

  Geoff glanced down at Dave, and the dog stared up at him in what had to be consternation.

  He looked back at Heather and did the doggy Dave, ‘what’s with this guy’ expression.

  “I want to open my own pet boutique,” he replied.

  Amy laughed and barely managed to turn it into a cough at the last second. Geoff still narrowed his eyes at her.

  “That’s great, Geoff. That’s a wonderful idea,” Heather said and nudged Dave with the toe of her boot. “I’m sure Dave would like to be your very first customer.”

  Dave whimpered in response to that.

  Amy coughed again, then bent and swept the dog up into her arms. “Dave loves baths. Don’t you Dave?”

  He buried his nose in the crook of her arm and refused to look at any of them.

  Geoff sighed then waved at them. “See ya around,” he said, and with that, he turned and loped off in true Geoff Lawless style.

  “Look at him go,” Amy said and raised her hand to her brow to shield her eyes from the afternoon sun. “Disappearing like a lone, bald cowboy into the haze.”

  “A very badly dressed cowboy.” Heather patted Dave between the ears, then turned and unlocked her car. “Come on, gorgeous, we’ve got to get back to the house. I promised Lilly we’d do another Jurassic Park night. She’s worse than you with beaches.”

  “Yeah,” Amy said, then pecked Dave on the head. “Come on, gorgeous.” She cooed at him.

  They bundled into the car.

  Heather started the engine, and they rumbled off down the road, past galloping Geoff and toward the stop sign.

  Heather eyed the Delightful Donut sign in her mirror.

  The workers wrenched it off the side of the building. It crashed to the ground in a shower of sparks and broken metal. A few of the men clapped their hands, and others wiped their brows.

  “Well,” Heather said, and switched on her indicator. “That’s over.”

  “Is it really?” Amy asked and looked back. “I dunno, I always get the feeling that something else is going to happen.”

  “Why’s that?” Heather asked.

  Amy laughed, and Dave barked along with her. “Because there’s never a dull moment with you around, Heather Shepherd.”

  “I could say the same thing about you two,” she replied.

  Heather turned the corner and drove toward her home. Delightful Donuts disappeared around the corner behind her, never to be seen again.

  THE END

  A letter from the Author

  To each and every one of my Amazing readers: I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Let me know what you think by leaving a review!

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  Susan Gillard