Chefs, Ceremonies and Crimes Read online

  Chefs, Ceremonies and Crimes

  A Wendy the Wedding Planner Cozy Mystery

  Cindy Bell

  Copyright © 2014 Cindy Bell

  All rights reserved.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and locations portrayed in this book and the names herein are fictitious. Any similarity to or identification with the locations, names, characters or history of any person, product or entity is entirely coincidental and unintentional.

  All trademarks and brands referred to in this book are for illustrative purposes only, are the property of their respective owners and not affiliated with this publication in any way. Any trademarks are being used without permission, and the publication of the trademark is not authorized by, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owner.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter One

  The cry of the seagull would have woken Wendy up, if she wasn't already poring over papers spread out on her kitchen table. Currently the seagull’s cries were just an annoyance in the back of her mind. With her strawberry blonde curls pinned back behind her ears, and a pen cap hanging from the corner of her lips, she was hard at work. Wendy’s name had become much more popular in Oceanside as the go-to for creative, intimate weddings after the last high profile wedding she planned had gone off without a hitch. She had quite a few new clients that she was working with. Wendy was very excited about the increase in her business, but it was causing her to work some crazy and late hours.

  This wedding wasn't just any wedding however, this wedding was special. It was for a good friend of hers. Laura Algonquin worked in a bakery that made specialty cakes. Wendy had used her a few times while she was still working with Camilla Blue, one of the most famous wedding planners in Oceanside, and the only one to be murdered. Their professional meetings had turned into shared drinks, and soon into outings together. They got along well and so if Wendy had any free time she would usually call Laura up to go out on the town.

  Now, it was Laura's turn to have the wedding she had always dreamed about. It was always special to Wendy when she was working with someone she knew personally. She and Laura had confessed little details about their ideal ceremonies to each other, and Wendy was paying close attention to every element to make sure all of those special details were included in Laura's ceremony.

  One of the most important aspects of Laura's requests was the restaurant where the wedding would be hosted. El Cielo was a local place that not too many tourists knew about, but was considered five star by anyone who had eaten there. It was the place where Laura's future husband had proposed so she thought it would be the best place for them to have their wedding. The owner, Javier Perez was hardly ever actually at the restaurant. He left his head chef in charge of the restaurant the majority of the time.

  Vic Kail was one of the most sought after chefs in Oceanside. He could have worked at any of the more popular tourist restaurants for much higher pay, but he chose to remain with Javier. They had a long history together and acted more like brothers than friends or colleagues. Wendy was excited to be hosting a wedding at the restaurant again. It was one of her favorite places to conduct a wedding because it had the ambience of an old-style restaurant combined with a beautiful isolated path that led down to the beach. It gave many options for an indoor or outdoor ceremony. Vic was also very willing to customize his menu to suit the wedding.

  As Wendy added a note to the order of events she had been working on her cell phone began to ring. She held her breath for just a moment. It was a habit she had fallen into. It was a little embarrassing, but she couldn't help it. Every time her phone rang she hoped that it might be Brian. Brian Alexander was a private investigator that she had stumbled across after being accused of Camilla's murder. He had accidently become part of her life, but the impact he had on her was lasting. She couldn't remember a time when she felt so flustered over a man. She had boyfriends before, but Brian only had to touch her to stir within her a strange sense of connection. It baffled her, but at the same time, she didn't want to figure it out she just wanted to enjoy it.

  Being a true romantic Wendy of course took this connection to mean there should be something more between them. But after the case had ended she rarely heard from him. When she did it was usually just a check-in to see how she was doing. She appreciated the calls but they were primarily friendly and he never alluded to desiring anything more from her. When she picked up her phone to see that it was Brian calling her heart skipped a beat. She loved hearing his voice even though every time the call ended it left her feeling a little disappointed.

  “Hello?” she said, attempting to keep her voice smooth and detached.

  “How's my favorite wedding planner?” he asked with warmth in his voice.

  Wishing I was planning my own, Wendy thought to herself but luckily she didn't say that. She did have a tendency to say things before she thought them through.

  “Just working,” she replied as she glanced back down over the papers spread out before her. “I've had a lot of clients lately.”

  “Plenty of people taking the plunge, huh?” he asked. She heard the amusement in his voice. Brian hadn't been shy about admitting that he wasn't a fan of marriage, and didn't consider himself husband material.

  “There must be romance in the air,” Wendy replied in a light-hearted tone. “Little cupids flying everywhere!” she laughed.

  “Then I'll be staying inside,” Brian laughed. Something about the way he laughed was odd to Wendy. She narrowed her dark green eyes and sat back in her chair. Was Brian nervous?

  “What have you been up to, detective?” she asked in a playful tone. She wanted to be flirtatious, but she tended to sound more like she was just making a joke.

  “It's been pretty dry lately,” he admitted. “I've had more time on my hands than I like.”

  “Oh?” Wendy closed her eyes briefly as she visualized his features. Brian reminded her of a cowboy without the hat, and his large, hazel eyes had been in her dreams more than once since the last time they had seen each other.

  “Not enough thieves and adulterers in Oceanside these days?” she asked teasingly.

  “Seems that way,” he replied, his voice a little more clipped. It took her a moment to realize that her words might have sounded insulting. As her heart began to pound she wondered how long this banter would continue. Would he grow bored of checking on her? Would he find another damsel to cast his protective net around? Feeling a little panicked, Wendy decided she had to be bold. Sometimes romance demanded it.

  “Well, you could always pay me a visit,” Wendy said slowly. She wanted her words to sound casual, but instead they sounded awkward and drawn out as if she had forgotten their meaning.

  “Oh, but I thought you were busy,” Brian pointed out. “I wouldn't want to interfere with love,” she could hear him smirk. Wendy rolled her eyes and drew a breath. She cringed as she prepared what she thought sounded just like a pick-up line. She was willing to take the risk.

  “I always have time for you, Brian.”

  Silence filled the earpiece she had pressed against her ear. Wendy's stomach twisted. S
he was blushing so furiously that her pale skin felt hot to the touch. She had never been so embarrassed by something she had said. At least it wasn't in person, where Brian could witness her mortification.

  “When?” Brian suddenly asked. His voice was a little rougher than she expected. Her heart pounded harder.

  “Tomorrow,” she suggested. She felt as if she was grasping at straws to come up with a good idea. “I'll buy you breakfast at El Cielo,” she held her breath.

  “No,” he said grimly. Wendy's heart sank, she closed her eyes and tried not to be mortified. “I'll buy you breakfast,” Brian corrected her firmly.

  Wendy couldn't help but laugh. “Okay, I'll see you around nine?”

  “I'll be there,” he promised. “Until then, Wendy, have a good day.”

  “You too,” Wendy replied quickly but Brian had already hung up. Wendy sat very still in her chair for a few moments. She let the reality that she was going to see Brian and share a meal with him sink in. Then she began to squeal. It was okay, because she was alone in her beachside condo. She jumped up from her chair and did a little dance.

  “It's totally a date,” she told herself. “I mean, I think it is,” she frowned. Wendy sighed and sank back down into her chair. Maybe she was yet again reading too much into Brian's behavior, but she hoped that things would be made clear at breakfast the next day. She had to meet with Vic Kail anyway to finalize the details of Laura's menu. Maybe she could coax him into making her and Brian two of his famous omelets. She tried to concentrate on the details of the wedding, but her mind kept wandering back to those beautiful, hazel eyes.

  ***

  The next morning Wendy decided to skip her morning walk on the beach. She had a lot of last minute arrangements to make and if she was honest with herself she also wanted to look fresh and happy for Brian, not sweaty and sandy. She gathered up all of the information she had on the menu for the wedding and headed to her car. She was certain that the wedding would go well because she and Laura had mapped out every tiny detail. As she drove towards El Cielo she caught glimpses of the water, clear blue and shimmering in the morning sunlight. There were many people already on the beach enjoying the sun and spray that Oceanside offered.

  The parking lot of El Cielo was empty aside from one car which she recognized as Vic's. She knew that he would be there, but she was still relieved when she saw it. As expected he had left the front door unlocked for her. Walking through El Cielo when it was almost empty and quiet gave it the feel of a sacred place. All of the artwork on the walls had sepia tones and were reminiscent of simpler times when neighbors looked out for neighbors and the grass was always green.

  “Morning, Vic,” she called out as she dropped her soft-sided briefcase on the table nearest the kitchen. She wasn't surprised when she didn't hear any response. Vic was known for wearing his headphones while cleaning the kitchen in the mornings. He had staff that could do the cleaning, but he never felt it was clean unless he had done it himself. She glanced towards the entrance of the restaurant to see if Brian was arriving yet. She really hoped that he would show but a small, irritating voice in the back of her mind was insisting that he most likely would not. As she walked towards the kitchen she could hear the sound of running water. She pushed open the double doors that led to the kitchen and was met with a smack of steam in the face. It was moist against her skin but didn't burn. It felt the way a bathroom did after taking a very hot shower with the door closed.

  “Vic?” she called out as she stepped further into the kitchen. That was when she noticed the steam rising from the multiple sinks in the kitchen. Water was even spilling over the edges of them and puddling on the floor below. The white tile floor, that for some reason had streaks of red across it. Was that beet juice? Tomato sauce? Wendy blinked a few times as she swept her gaze across the floor following the trail of crimson liquid. When her eyes settled on the body sprawled out on the water-soaked floor, her stomach lurched. It took her a moment to process what she was seeing, but once she did a scream began brewing in the deepest part of her.

  “Vic!” she cried out and rushed forward. She nearly slipped in the water that was still spreading across the floor. She caught herself on the counter beside the body and managed to prevent herself from collapsing right on top of Vic. “Vic?” she reached down to brush his long, blonde hair away from his face. She saw his light brown eyes staring emptily at the ceiling above him. “Oh no, Vic, oh no,” she said softly as tears rolled down her cheeks. No matter how she wished it wasn't true, Vic was dead.

  Chapter Two

  Wendy was still crying when the double doors leading into the kitchen burst open. Brian rushed in without thought to the water on the floor. He skidded a few steps and managed to gain his balance.

  “Wendy, are you okay?” he asked swiftly as he looked at her crouching down beside Vic's body. Wendy was wiping tears from her eyes as she looked down at Vic. She hadn't known him very well personally, but knowing him was enough. Now he was dead. Beside his body there was a knife with blood on it just out of reach of the streaming water. Beside the knife was a cookbook stuffed with recipes. Wendy thought that maybe Vic had been working on a new dish when he was killed. Alone in the kitchen listening to his headphones with the front door unlocked because he was expecting Wendy, he never would have heard his killer approaching.

  “Who would do this?” Wendy asked as she shook her head in disbelief.

  “Wendy, come here,” Brian said softly as he placed one hand on her shoulder. “Come away from there,” he instructed. Wendy reluctantly stood up and turned into Brian's chest. He drew his muscular arms around her and Wendy instantly felt comforted. She heard sirens in the distance and knew that Brian had called the police. Wendy sighed against his beige button-up shirt. She wanted to stay nestled in his warmth as long as she could.

  “I should turn off the taps,” Wendy said in a numb voice.

  “No,” Brian said firmly. “Don't touch anything. The police will need to dust for prints and examine everything.”

  Wendy nodded and Brian steered her towards the double doors that led back into the main dining area. She took a sharp breath as she heard the doors swish shut behind her. It made her uneasy to think of Vic being alone inside. Another thought struck her that hadn't occurred to her at the time. The killer could still be in the restaurant. She looked around fearfully. There were so many places for someone to hide. Just as she was about to panic, the restaurant door burst open and several officers flooded in. As they rushed past her she pointed wordlessly in the direction of the kitchen.

  “It's going to be okay, Wendy,” Brian said soothingly as he pulled out a chair for her from one of the tables. Wendy sank down into it. Only then did she realize that she was shaking. “Let me get you some water,” he said and headed for the bar. Wendy took a few deep breaths to try to calm down. Brian returned with a bottle of water for her. She accepted it and then she shook her head.

  “I can't believe this happened,” she sighed and took a sip of the water.

  “I'm sorry you had to see that,” Brian said, his voice labored with regret. “Maybe if I had gotten here a few minutes earlier,” he sighed.

  “I still would have been the one to go into the kitchen,” Wendy pointed out. “Maybe if I hadn't made the appointment with Vic this morning, if he hadn't left the door unlocked for me…”

  “You can't do that to yourself, Wendy,” Brian said sternly. “The only one responsible for Vic's death is the person who killed him.”

  “Wendy Reed,” a familiar voice said as a police detective stepped through the door. Wendy had an instant jolt of fear. It was Detective Polson, the same police detective that had questioned her about Camilla's death. She looked up at him with dread.

  “She's in a state of shock,” Brian said and moved closer to Wendy.

  “I imagine so,” Polson nodded and looked into Wendy's eyes. “Are you holding up okay?”

  “I think so,” she replied nervously.

  “
Well, I'm going to need to ask you a few questions about what you saw,” he said and pulled out his notepad.

  “Of course,” Wendy nodded. While she was answering Polson's questions, Wendy felt numb. She couldn't believe she was back in a situation where she would be questioned by him. By the time he finished the questioning, some of the staff had arrived at the restaurant, including the sous-chef, Mark Meyer.

  “Thank you for your help, Wendy. If anything else comes to mind, please let me know. Until then, if you'll excuse me,” Polson said as he walked over to Mark.

  “That's Mark Meyer,” Wendy whispered to Brian who was still standing very close to her. “He's the sous-chef. He's been working here about a year I think,” she explained. “Poor guy is going to be beside himself, he and Vic worked very closely together.”

  “He doesn't look too broken up,” Brian said skeptically as Mark began waving his arms with frustration. Wendy stood up from the chair to throw her bottle of water away and to get a little closer so that she could hear what was being said. Like a shadow, Brian followed after her.

  “This is ridiculous, I had nothing to do with this,” Mark insisted as he glared at Polson.

  “Well, the murder weapon literally has your name on it,” Polson pointed out with narrowed eyes. “As does the cookbook we found on the floor beside the body.”

  “Okay, yes, of course they do,” Mark growled and wiped his hands across his face. “People never respect my things. I pay a lot of money to have some of the finest knives at my disposal, and when I find them tossed in the sink like they're common silverware, yes I get upset. So, I started labeling things that belonged to me. Not to mention that Vic was always trying to take credit for my recipes.”