Chocolate Caramels and Conmen (A Chocolate Centered Cozy Mystery Series Book 12) Read online

  Chocolate Caramels and Conmen

  A Chocolate Centered Cozy Mystery

  Cindy Bell

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Also by Cindy Bell

  About the Author

  Caramel Chocolate Coconut Squares Recipe

  Copyright © 2018 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.

  Chapter 1

  Ally jerked her hand back from the double boiler and winced. She’d been distracted by the sound of the front door opening and had accidentally brushed the edge of the hot pot.

  “Are you okay, Ally?” Charlotte rushed over with a frown. “Did you get a burn?”

  “Just a bit, I’m fine.” She glanced at her red fingertip, then looked over her shoulder. “It looks like we have some early customers today. I’ll go see who it is.”

  “Three guesses.” Charlotte laughed as she took over stirring the chocolate in the pot. It was almost ready to pour. She watched as her granddaughter disappeared through the door between the kitchen and the shop where they sold an assortment of chocolate creations. She knew she didn’t have to come to the shop every day since Ally had taken it over, but she rarely missed the chance, mainly because she enjoyed spending time with her granddaughter. Despite their large difference in age they were very good friends. She grabbed a couple of pot holders then poured the chocolate out of the pot into waiting molds. It was always fun to try out new flavors and shapes. Today they were making chocolate caramels, using a recipe that they had introduced only recently. She was always nervous about changing an old favorite, but so far the response to the new recipe had been exceedingly positive. The slightly firmer filling with the milk chocolate covering had been given rave reviews from some of their regulars.

  Charlotte could hear familiar voices out front, and she knew that she had been right about who their first customers to the shop were. Mrs. Bing, Mrs. White, and Mrs. Cale had been coming to the shop for decades. They were quite a few years her senior, and very well known throughout the town. Though they were kind, and generous women, they were also the town gossips, and they absolutely loved to give the local news update as they raided the sample tray each morning. Despite their gossipy natures, she adored each one of them, and was grateful that they were such big supporters of the shop. As she headed back out into the store to greet them, she took a moment to savor the sight of her granddaughter behind the counter. Ally’s smile was so much brighter these days than it had been when she first moved back from the city, not long after divorcing her husband. It was amazing to see how she had blossomed.

  “Mee-Maw, Mrs. Bing and Mrs. White have some big news.” She grinned as she waved her grandmother over. “Love is in the air.”

  “Oh really?” Charlotte laughed as she joined them at the counter. “I think I want to hear every detail. Actually, I know I do.”

  “Mrs. Cale has a new love interest.” Mrs. White smiled. “And he’s quite handsome.”

  “Oh, I suppose if you like the tall and dapper type.” Mrs. Bing rolled her eyes as she struggled to hold back a smile. “Okay, maybe I do.”

  “I think we all do.” Charlotte grinned as she looked between the two women. “So, where is she? It’s not like her to miss a morning with us.”

  “She’ll be here soon. He picked her up in his fancy car.” Mrs. White waved her hand in front of her chest and laughed. “She got all gussied up this morning, too.”

  “Aw, I think that’s sweet.” Ally rested her elbows on the counter as she gazed at all three women. She loved the fact that she had a window into her future. She hoped that like the three women she would be just as lively, curious, and engaged in life as she was at the moment, if not even more so.

  “Oh, just wait until she gets here.” Mrs. Bing rolled her eyes. “This guy can do no wrong, you’d think he was the president, or some superstar.”

  “Be easy on her, we all get lonely sometimes.” Mrs. White patted her shoulder. “She is our friend, you know, and if this makes her happy, then we should be happy for her.”

  “Yes, of course I agree.” Mrs. Bing sighed and picked up a chocolate. For once she rolled it between her fingers instead of putting it right into her mouth. “I just don’t trust this Mr. Michaelson in the least.” She leaned close to Ally. “Do you know that he always wears a hat? I mean, even inside? That’s just strange, isn’t it?” She tossed the chocolate into her mouth before it could melt.

  “Maybe he’s bald and is self-conscious about it?” Ally raised an eyebrow as she smiled and pushed the sample tray filled with delicate chocolates towards her.

  “Maybe.” Mrs. Bing nodded and snatched up a few pieces. “I hadn’t thought about that, Ally. That could very well be it.”

  “I’m going to grab another tray from the back.” Charlotte stepped back into the kitchen as her mind spun with thoughts of Mrs. Cale and her new friend. On one hand she was quite happy that her friend had found a love interest, but on the other she was just as worried as Mrs. Bing. She’d seen too many of her friends preyed upon by smooth-talking men that knew a little bit of flattery would get them anything they wanted. As she picked up the tray of chocolates she hoped that wouldn’t be the case with Mrs. Cale, as she would hate to see her have her feelings hurt.

  “No matter the reason, she’s enjoying herself with this fine gentleman, and it’s our job to support her.” Mrs. White helped herself to a sample as well. “I’m sure she will be here any moment.”

  “I can’t wait to meet him.” Ally shifted her attention to the door behind the counter as her grandmother stepped through it with another tray of chocolates. “Let me get that, Mee-Maw.” She took the tray from her and slid it along one of the glass shelves in the display case.

  “Thanks, sweetheart.” Charlotte gave her a brief smile, then turned to the women in front of the counter. “Here she is now.” She smiled as she tipped her head towards the glass front door right before it opened.

  “Hi, everyone!” Mrs. Cale’s voice drifted through the front door as it was held open by a man in a fine suit and a bowler hat.

  Ally smiled to herself as she was sure this was Mr. Michaelson. He looked to be about the same age as Mrs. Cale, give or take a few years, and stood with a straight postu
re and a confident smile.

  “Good to see you.” Mrs. Bing cleared her throat. “Nice of you to come.”

  “Come and get some samples before they’re all gone.” Mrs. White nudged Mrs. Bing with the sharp point of her elbow, then turned to smile at the pair. “I don’t believe Mr. Michaelson has had the pleasure of trying one of these chocolates, has he?”

  “Not yet.” Mrs. Cale grinned as she glanced over at her friend, who stood a few steps away from her. “But I’ve been promising him the sweetest taste he’s ever known.”

  “No pressure there.” Charlotte laughed, then glanced at Ally with a light wink.

  “There are plenty of flavors to choose from.” Ally smiled as she extended her hand to the man. A brief glance from head to toe revealed that he wore rings, a watch, and even a bracelet, and was remarkably fit. Mrs. Cale had landed herself quite a handsome friend who gave the impression of being well-off. “I’m Ally, it’s nice to meet you.”

  “The pleasure is all mine.” He drew her hand to his lips for a light kiss, then released it, and extended his hand to Charlotte.

  “Oops sorry, gloves.” She held up her hands with a light smile. “I’m Charlotte.”

  “As in Charlotte’s Chocolate Heaven?” He gestured to his surroundings.

  “The one and only.” She grinned. “Please feel free to help yourself, I’ve got to get back to work.”

  As she disappeared into the back, Ally couldn’t overlook the rather reserved interaction. Her grandmother was usually the friendly sort, and there was no pressing need for more chocolates, but she’d made herself scarce anyway. She made a mental note to ask her about it later.

  Charlotte did her best to hold back her initial reaction to Mr. Michaelson. She knew it wasn’t fair of her to make a snap judgment about a man she had just met. However, she couldn’t shake the sensation that coursed through her the moment that he stretched out his hand towards her. She wasn’t sure if it was because he was a new person in town or because she was concerned about Mrs. Cale having a new romantic interest. She decided to just let it go and try to focus on Mrs. Cale having a nice experience. However, she intended to have a conversation with her about using caution. Charlotte had unexpectedly developed a romance recently. She knew how nice it was to have Jeff’s companionship. She wanted Mrs. Cale to have the same experience, but she didn’t want her to get hurt.

  When Charlotte heard the bell over the door, she peeked through the window between the kitchen and the shop. She saw that the three women and Mr. Michaelson had left. Only Ally remained. She stood behind the counter with a cloth in hand, and stared out through the front door. Charlotte stepped into the front of the shop.

  “Ally? Are you okay?” She joined her behind the counter.

  “Yes, I’m just surprised by Mrs. Cale. She seemed so flustered by Mr. Michaelson, but Mrs. White and Mrs. Bing don’t share her admiration. I noticed you disappeared pretty fast, what did you think, Mee-Maw?” She glanced over at her with a small smile.

  “I don’t know, Ally, I think I might just not be used to seeing Mrs. Cale with a suitor.” She frowned. “I know I should just be happy for her, but it’s hard for me not to think about what his intentions might be.”

  “He seems nice enough.” Ally shrugged, then lowered her voice. “To be honest with you, Mee-Maw, I’m wondering that myself. Not because Mrs. Cale doesn’t deserve to be happy, or shouldn’t be in a happy relationship, but did you see the amount of jewelry he was wearing? I’ve never seen a man wear so much.”

  “It might be the fashion.” Charlotte started some fresh coffee as Ally continued to wipe down the counter. “Maybe we’ve just become too suspicious over the years.”

  “You’re probably right. A well-dressed, charming man sets off our alarm bells.” She laughed as she tossed the rag to her grandmother. “We’re some warped individuals.”

  As Charlotte caught the cloth mid-air the bell rang above the door.

  “Behave, we have customers.” Charlotte laughed as two men stepped inside.

  “Welcome.” Ally smiled at them both. She noticed that they looked like bookends, same gray suits, same short haircuts, and about the same age. Their ties were different, and one was taller.

  “Well, just take a look at this. I think we’ve run into the two most beautiful ladies in this whole town.” The taller man swept his hand across his tie, smoothed it down, and revealed a toothy grin. “How did we get so lucky, Browler?”

  “Hm.” Charlotte narrowed her eyes as she studied the two men. “What are you selling?”

  “Mee-Maw.” Ally laughed nervously and brought out a sample tray of chocolates. “I’m sure they’d just like to try a few of our chocolates.”

  “Yes, I would.” The first man plucked a chocolate and popped it into his mouth. “Yum, caramel! Oh, wow you’re right, I’m in heaven.” He sighed and fluttered his eyelashes.

  “Sorry about my partner, he can come on a little strong.” The second man helped himself to a piece of chocolate. “I’m Carl Browler, and this is Marcus Carse. We’re in town to share our ground-breaking new tools with local businesses. Would you like to see a sample of what we have to offer?” He patted the small, black case at his side then popped the chocolate in his mouth.

  “Oh, what is it?” Ally leaned forward some, genuinely curious about what was hidden inside the small case. She noticed that the other man carried one as well.

  “The last vacuum cleaner that you’ll ever need.” He held up his hand. “Now wait, before you tell me that you don’t have any carpet in here, I can see that. This vacuum isn’t just for carpet. In fact, it is specially designed to cover all kinds of surfaces, and can even handle wet messes, as well as dirt and sand.” He popped open the case. “It can be handheld.” He produced a small vacuum about the size of a hair dryer. “Or it can be full size.” He popped out a retractable pole from the handle and demonstrated the length by pushing the vacuum across the floor. “Now, you may think that it’s just like any other multi-surface vacuum, but it isn’t.”

  “There’s more.” Marcus grinned, and nodded at Carl. “Show them the best part.”

  “Let’s say you have a sticky mess, I imagine that could happen in a place like this, where sugar and chocolate are used frequently, right?” His eyes sparkled as he looked into Ally’s. “It could take hours of scrubbing to clean that up, or you can just fill this compartment with some cleaning liquid, give it a good spray, and suck it right up.”

  “A good old-fashioned rag does just fine.” Charlotte pursed her lips. “And I’m sure it’s a lot cheaper.”

  “Ah, but can a good, old-fashioned rag steam clean every surface in here?” Marcus set his elbow on the counter and peered past them towards the kitchen. “Wouldn’t it be amazing to guarantee your customers a germ-free environment?”

  “Excuse me, we do provide a germ-free environment.” Charlotte shook her head as she crossed her arms. “I’m sure your little machine is quite interesting, but what happens when you need a replacement part? How do you clean it? And how much does it cost?”

  “Easy, beautiful, we’ll get to that.” Marcus winked at her.

  “No, we won’t.” Charlotte clenched her jaw as she stared into his eyes. “I’m not interested in a product sold by someone who thinks he can con me with a little charm.”

  “Con?” Carl winced and gave Marcus a light shove out of the way. “I would never do something like that. Honestly, the product is great. The only reason we came here first is because I did my research. I know your shop has been open for a long time. I know that you’ve passed it on to your granddaughter, and that the community adores both of you. I’m certain that if you like the product, everyone else in town will be more interested in purchasing one as well.” He held up the case. “That’s why I would like to leave this with you. Say, for a week? Try it out, use it, free of charge. If you like it, I’ll give you a great discount on it, if not I’ll take it back, no harm done. How can you say no to that?”

&
nbsp; “Like this.” She smiled, a smile so bright that Ally recognized it as fake. “No. Thank you. Would you like some chocolates to go?”

  “Mee-Maw.” Ally’s eyes widened. She’d never seen her grandmother be so sharp with someone before, at least not someone she didn’t know well. “It’s really not a bad offer.”

  “Until something on it breaks, and we’re on the hook for the whole bill. Right Carl?” She crossed her arms.

  “No, not at all.” He frowned as he set the case on the counter. “I honestly just want you to have the chance to experience what this little vacuum can do.”

  “He’s telling you the truth.” Marcus nodded towards his partner. “Trust me, this guy never lies.”

  “A salesman that never lies?” Charlotte laughed out loud then looked over at Ally. “Does he really think I’m going to buy this?”

  “Mee-Maw, there’s nothing to lose. It might cut down how long it takes to clean up at night.” Ally studied her in an attempt to figure out what she was thinking. “You’ll give us some kind of guarantee that this is just on a trial basis, right?” She looked back at the two men.

  “Sure, absolutely.” Carl smiled, then returned his attention to Charlotte. “I understand. Maybe you’ve dealt with some less than honest people in the past, but that’s not me. You can read over every bit of the paperwork if you would like.”

  “I see.” She took a deep breath, then looked over at Ally. “Honestly, it’s not up to me. Ally is in charge now, and if she wants to try it that is up to her.”

  “I think we should try it out.” Ally smiled, then shrugged. “Show me the paperwork.”