A Tough Case to Crack (A Nuts About Nuts Cozy Mystery Book 1) Read online

  A TOUGH CASE TO CRACK

  A NUTS ABOUT NUTS 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

  Chapter 19

  Toasted Pecan Cookie Recipe

  Maple Nut Pie Recipe

  Also by Cindy Bell

  About the Author

  Copyright © 2016 Cindy Bell

  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.

  Created with Vellum

  CHAPTER 1

  It was a beautiful dream. The kind that she never wanted to wake up from. She stood under a waterfall, the water cool against her skin. Sunlight shimmered through the streams that cascaded down from the rocks above. For the first time in a long time she was completely at peace. She turned her face up into the water as it rushed down her cheeks. It was oddly warm, and even a little slobbery.

  “Oh, Cashew.” She opened her eyes and gave the dog a playful shove away from her face. “Did I sleep through your breakfast?” After a wide yawn she sat up in bed. The Yorkshire Terrier pranced across her lap. She ran her hand through the dog’s long, silky smooth hair. “Yes, yes, I know. Breakfast.” She wiped a hand across her face and considered what awaited her throughout the day. Getting a shop off the ground was a bit harder than she had expected. The great deal she found turned out to be a bit of a construction nightmare. She fed Cashew, then took a shower to wake herself up.

  “Remember, Kerri, this was a risk you wanted to take,” she said to herself as she rinsed the shampoo out of her shoulder length, dark brown hair and tried to concentrate on the to-do list that carried over from the day before. Get the locks changed, get the shelves up, check the floorboards to see if they needed to be replaced. In her mid-twenties it was a big leap to take, but one visit to the town made her fall in love with it. Between the expansive woods, and the waterfalls nestled in secret places, she just couldn’t resist. Since she had a small amount of inheritance from her grandmother, she thought it was worth a try.

  Kerri grabbed a muffin for herself, said goodbye to Cashew and then headed out the door. On her drive to the shop she noticed the way the reasonably small town of Cascade Grove woke up. Many people watered their gardens, others walked their dogs. The traffic was light, as it was a bedroom town, but it got quite a few tourists through in the summer months especially on the weekends. Those who worked, left much earlier to get to the city. The few locals who worked in town took their time to open up their shops and restaurants. There was no rush. No one shouted at each other for not driving fast enough, or turning at the wrong time. It was calm compared to the life she was used to. Instead of just a move, or a shift in profession, to her it felt like stepping into an entirely new world.

  Kerri parked in front of the shop and stared up at the sign above it. ‘L & D Pawnbrokers’. Soon it would read ‘Nuts about Nuts’. She’d yet to replace the sign as the new sign was not ready to go up. When she opened the door, she nearly walked right into a man. She gasped and took a step back. It took her a moment to recognize that he wore a uniform from the locksmith company that she had hired to change the locks on the shop.

  “How did you get in?” Her cheeks reddened as she realized that was likely a silly question to ask a locksmith.

  “I’m sorry if I startled you, ma’am, Natalie let me in.”

  “Oh, Natalie.” Kerri sighed. “I’m sorry, I’m a little scatter-brained this morning.” As she walked towards the office she smiled at the handyman who drilled brackets into the wall for shelves. “Morning, Harry. Do you have everything you need?”

  “Yes, thanks Kerri. I’ll let you know if I have to do another shop for supplies.”

  Kerri nodded and walked past him towards the office. When she stepped inside her mood was brightened even more by the presence of her employee, and friend, Natalie.

  “Morning, Kerri!” She jumped up out of the office chair and grinned at her. Everything about Natalie was perky, from the perky pink bow in her red, curly hair, to the perky red lipstick she wore, to the brightly colored outfits she chose. Maybe that was why Kerri noticed her right away at a community get-together. Kerri saw it as an opportunity to feel out the town, but in the process gained from it a best friend. Although Kerri had friends growing up, she had drifted apart from many of them, and in her twenties she had very few people she could count as close friends. Natalie filled that void as fast as she filled the cup of coffee that she offered Kerri.

  “Morning Nat, thank you.” She took the coffee and smiled.

  “I hope you don’t mind that I let the locksmith and Harry in. I just figured the earlier they started the better.”

  “I don’t mind at all. I appreciate it. I am running a little late this morning and it’s a relief to know that everything is already started.”

  “Great, then you’re going to be even happier because I made an appointment for you with a reporter from the local newspaper.”

  “A reporter?” Kerri blew the steam from her coffee. “Why?”

  “For advertising of course. He will interview you about the new shop, when it will be opening, and what customers can expect. It’ll be a great way to generate interest and just in time for opening.”

  “I can’t even think about opening yet, when the sign isn’t even up.” Kerri sat down behind her computer and wiped a hand across her forehead. “I have to admit starting a business is a bit more complicated than I realized.”

  “Just don’t take it too seriously. What’s the worst that could happen?” Natalie laughed. Her laughter was punctuated by the sound of shattered glass.

  “Oh no!” Kerri jumped up and raced back into the main area of the shop. Natalie followed on her heels. Harry and the locksmith stood over a pile of glass near the door. “What happened?” She looked between the two.

  “I’m sorry, a slip of the hand and I broke the window with the hammer. Don’t worry, I’ll replace it at my cost.” Harry wrung his ball cap in his hand. “Sorry for the trouble.”

  “Harry, don’t worry about it. Let me get a broom and dust pan and I’ll clean up.” She patted his shoulder. “Accidents happen.”

  “No, don’t, I’ll take care of it.” He walked over to the supply closet. Natalie, quite obviously, watched him go.

  “Nat!” Kerri swatted her arm.

  “What?” Natalie’s eyes widened. “A girl can’t appreciate?”
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  “Back in the office with you.” Kerri shooed her away as she laughed. Harry was an attractive man, especially in snug coveralls, but from what Natalie confided in her about past relationships she was the type to fall in love a little too quick. Harry returned with the broom and dust pan to clean up the glass.

  “This feels like déjà vu.” The locksmith chuckled.

  “What do you mean, Graham?” Harry swept the glass into the dustpan.

  Kerri walked over to the front counter to check the supplies she’d accumulated so far. Natalie headed back into the office as the phone rang. As Kerri counted, she overheard their conversation.

  “Oh, a few weeks ago when I had to change the locks over at Len’s place.” He sighed. “Poor man. Anyway, while I was there Delores was cleaning up the glass from the broken window.”

  “Is that so?” Harry dumped the broken glass into a paper bag.

  “Yes, she was quick to clean it up after the police left. She was worried about her little pups getting their paws in the glass when they went outside to do their business.”

  “The glass was from the window in the broken door?” Harry looked at him. “The one that was broken during the break-in?”

  “Yup.” Graham tightened the screw on the deadbolt. “All right, Kerri, why don’t you try out your new lock?”

  “Great.” Kerri walked over and took the key from him. She slid it into the lock and wiggled it a little. Her ears burned, but she hoped the men didn’t notice. It was a bit embarrassing for her, but ever since she was a child, if anything sparked her interest, her ears would light up like a flare. It was why she often wore her hair down, but even that was not always enough to hide it. It wasn’t the lock that interested her. It was their conversation. The reason why she was able to buy the store for so cheap was because the previous owner was killed. It was a bit morbid, but he was killed at home not in the shop, and she only found out about it after she bought the shop. She probably would have bought it even if she knew about the murder as she couldn’t pass up the deal.

  “What do you think?” Graham leaned close. “Smooth?”

  “Yes, it’s perfect.” She smiled at him. “I’ll need three copies of the key, please. One for me, a spare, and one for Natalie.”

  “Okay, no problem, I will deliver two more to you this afternoon. Just remember to lock up, this is a small town, but even small towns have their criminals.”

  “I’ll be careful.” She was touched by the paternal way he nodded at her. Even though she only just met him, he was interested in looking out for her. It felt so welcoming. Her own youth was spent without much family, as her parents were world travelers, business investors. Her father claimed that was where she got her business bug. She liked to think he was right, as she hoped it would bond them. But he was just as distant as always. She didn’t even know in which country her parents were currently.

  “Nice to see you, Harry.”

  “You too, Graham.” Harry stared at him for a moment, then returned to the shelves.

  Kerri excused herself to go back into the office and found Natalie on the phone.

  “Sure, you can come anytime, Steve. Kerri is here.”

  Kerri cringed. “He’s not going to take a picture is he?” she asked softly and patted at her air-dried hair, and tried to smooth the wrinkles out of her flannel shirt. She’d come to work, to work, not to be photographed.

  “Don’t worry, Kerri, you look great.”

  “Natalie!” Kerri gasped as the woman spoke right into the phone.

  “Oh oops. Anyway, yes anytime, Steve.” She hung up the phone fast and gave Kerri a guilty smile. “I’m sorry, I always get flustered when I talk to him.”

  “Flustered? Why?” Natalie’s cheeks burned bright red. “Natalie?”

  “You’ll see.” She stifled a giggle then jumped up from her office chair. “Off to do some cleaning!”

  CHAPTER 2

  Kerri made a few, quick calls to some vendors then consulted her to-do list. One of the major hurdles was a large section of the floor. It hadn’t been properly cared for and could lead to a trip and fall. The insurance company insisted it had to be fixed before the store could be opened. She also needed it fixed before the rest of the shelves and the aisles could be set up out front. She was about to go check out the floorboards when her cell phone rang. She pulled it out and checked the number. It wasn’t one she recognized. For a moment she hesitated. Did she want to answer and get caught up in some sales spiel, or just let it go to voicemail? On the last ring she decided to answer.

  “Hi, this is Kerri.”

  “Kerri, it’s so good to hear your voice.”

  Her eyes widened. “Grandpa?”

  “I hoped you would remember me.”

  “Of course I do.”

  “Wonderful. I’m in town.”

  “What do you mean you’re in town?”

  “I’m going to stay at the Cascade Grove Hotel. I thought you and I might be able to spend some time together.”

  “How did you even know I was here?”

  “Oh, I have my ways. You don’t mind do you?”

  Kerri gripped the phone and sat back down in her chair. “No, I don’t mind. But this is a busy time right now. I’m trying to open a store, and I’m not sure how much free time I’ll have to spend with you.”

  “Don’t worry about that. Just call me when you’re free. Maybe for dinner tonight?”

  “Uh, sure. Yes, of course. That should be fine. I’ll call you later when I know what time. Is everything okay, Grandpa?”

  “Yes, fine, I just thought it was time we got to know each other a little better.”

  Kerri smiled at the thought. All of her memories of her grandfather were adventurous ones. He would sweep in out of the blue and take her skiing, or scuba diving, or to some exotic location. She never knew when he would arrive, and she never knew when he would leave. But he was always a lot of fun.

  “That sounds great. I’m looking forward to it.”

  “Me too, Kerri.”

  As she hung up the phone she couldn’t help but wonder how he had hunted her down, and why. No matter the reason she had to focus on getting the floors done. As she stepped out of the office Natalie walked past her towards the office.

  “I’m going to confirm the deliveries for tomorrow.”

  “Great. Make sure they know that all deliveries are to go to the back door. I’m not sure what state the floors out here will be in tomorrow.”

  “Will do.”

  Kerri spent the next few hours going over the floorboards with the hope that she would be able to forego replacing the planks. However, it didn’t take long for her to realize that the scuffed, worn, and sometimes burnt surface of the wood wasn’t going to refinish well. She sighed and stood up. That would be another unexpected expense. After a brief freak out in her mind, she took a deep breath and walked over to the supply closet. She rummaged around for a moment, then found what she hoped to.

  “Kerri, what are you doing with that crowbar?” Harry crossed his arms as she walked past him towards one of the floorboards behind the front counter.

  “I just want to see how much of this I can do myself.” She shoved the edge of the bar under the floorboard.

  “You don’t need to, I can do it.” Harry reached for the crowbar.

  “No, really, I can do it. In fact, you should probably get going. The shelves look great, but I’m going to need you here bright and early tomorrow to finish setting up the shelves in the back, and then once the floors are done you can set up the aisles and some more shelving out the front.”

  “Okay, but be careful with that. It can easily slip.”

  “Thanks, I will.”

  She pried up a few more floorboards, then rested for a moment.

  “Kerri, I’m going to step out to see if I can arrange a grand opening banner for cheap with a friend of mine at the photo shop. Is that okay?” Natalie eyed the floor. “What in the world are you doing?”

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bsp; “Trying to cut corners just like you.” Kerri winked at her. “That banner sounds great. Thanks, Nat.”

  “Do you want some help?” Natalie smoothed down her pink, frilled skirt. “I can see if there’s another crowbar.”

  “No, it’s okay really. I’m not going to do much today. I just wanted to get a feel for how much needs to be done.”

  “All right, take it easy, Boss, I’ll be back.”

  Kerri rolled her eyes at the title and laughed as she picked up the crowbar again. She pulled up a few more boards then slid the crowbar under another.

  “Hello?”

  The voice from the doorway coincided with the dig of the crowbar, which flipped the already loose floorboard high into the air.

  “Watch out!” She jumped back as the floorboard soared over the counter. The man in the entrance of the shop jumped back as well. The floorboard clattered right in front of his feet.

  “That was close.” He winced.

  “I’m so sorry!” She rushed around the counter towards him, but the moment she laid eyes on him she froze. His black wavy hair, sharp blue eyes, and broad shoulders caused her heart to skip a beat. He might have been the most handsome man she’d ever set eyes on, and there she was covered in sweat, and wrinkled clothes.

  “It’s all right, I’m sure that you didn’t mean to fling that board at me. Did you?” He looked into her eyes.

  “No, of course I didn’t. I didn’t expect anyone to be here, and the board was much looser than I expected.”

  “I see, well, I don’t quite see, but Natalie told me I could come by anytime. So I’m here.” He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry I haven’t even introduced myself. I’m Steve Newis.” He offered her his hand. She started to raise hers, until she realized that she still had the crowbar clutched in it. She laughed and dropped it to the floor. It clattered louder than she expected.

  “Kerri Gale.” She took his hand, only to cringe at the thought of just how sweaty hers was. She pulled it back and wiped it on her jeans. “I’m sorry, I got caught up in work and forgot that you were even coming.”