Racing and Robberies Read online

  Racing and Robberies

  Dune House Cozy Mystery

  Cindy Bell

  Copyright © 2018 Cindy Bell

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Design by Annie Moril

  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

  Mary tossed the car keys from one hand to the other as she attempted to remember exactly what she needed from the store. Just a moment before she knew what it was, and now, she hadn’t the faintest idea. As she looked around the kitchen she hoped that something might jog her memory. What she could remember, was that it was important, and needed before the guests arrived in the afternoon.

  “Mary?” Suzie’s voice drifted into the kitchen from the living room. “Have you seen the car keys?”

  “I have them.” Mary stepped out of the kitchen and met Suzie in the living room. “I need to go to the store for something, but I can’t remember what. I’m telling you, Suzie, I think I’m really starting to lose it.”

  “Oh stop, you’ll never lose it, Mary. But I do need the car keys.” She held her hand out. “I need to pick something up in town, before Paul gets in tonight.”

  “Well, maybe we can go together? I know I needed something.” Mary’s voice trailed off as she searched her memory for what it might have been.

  “Honestly, I had planned to do quite a few errands.” Suzie pursed her lips. “You know, I think maybe we need to revisit the idea of getting a second car. It really doesn’t work for us to have to share all of the time.”

  “You’re right.” Mary dropped the keys into Suzie’s outstretched palm. “It seemed like a money-saver at the time, but now that we’re so busy with guests and other activities it gets to be a bit of a scheduling strain. I actually know of someone who is selling a nice SUV. I think it might work well to drive our guests around on the odd occasion as well, because it will have plenty of room. Plus, there would be room to haul things when we want to redecorate the rooms, or do some extra landscaping.”

  “That’s a great idea.” Suzie’s eyes lit up with the thought. “I’ve always wanted to have something to haul my antique finds in. Sometimes I turn down an item just because I don’t want to have to pay the added fee for delivery.”

  “Then it’s decided. Why don’t I ride into town with you to look at it? I can always find another way home.”

  “I’ll give you a lift back if we don’t buy it. Don’t worry, I can postpone a few things. Let’s go take a look at this SUV.” Suzie looped her arm through Mary’s. “Now, we have to decide who gets the car and who gets the SUV.”

  “Uh, I think that depends on who gets the keys first.” Mary grinned as she eyed her friend.

  “Hmm, good plan.”

  “Have you seen Pilot?” Mary had last seen their yellow Labrador when they returned from their morning walk.

  “He’s in the yard.” Suzie peered through the kitchen window to make sure he was there. “He’s having a nap.” She laughed.

  “Great.”

  “Let’s go.” Suzie pushed open the door of Dune House and led Mary out onto the porch. The sight of the beautiful beach outstretched beyond the hill that the large bed and breakfast sat on, took Suzie’s breath away as always. It had been some time since she’d inherited the property from an uncle she barely knew, and decided to enlist her best friend to help her turn it into its former glory as a bed and breakfast, but she still felt a subtle shock of joy when she realized that view belonged to her. “What time are the guests arriving today?”

  “Around two. They all said that they weren’t going to be around for dinner, so I am going to make a lunch spread for them, instead. Oh, that’s it!” Mary snapped her fingers. “I need to get some tomatoes for the sandwiches, the ones we had in the fridge have gone bad.”

  “See, I knew you would figure it out.” Suzie winked at her as she opened the car door.

  “I’m glad I did.” Mary sighed as she eased her way into the passenger side. In her fifties, she felt very old next to her best friend, who was nearly the same age. Suzie looked so young with her tanned skin, and brassy blond hair. Yes, she dyed it, but that wasn’t the point, she didn’t look her age. People often told Mary that she didn’t either, but her long, auburn hair had many more gray streaks, than it used to. It was her body that made Mary feel so much older, with its aches and pains. Perhaps it was due to raising two children, while Suzie had jetted around as an investigative journalist. However, she wouldn’t have traded her role as a mother for anything, she adored her two children, even though the marriage to their father fell apart.

  “You know, just because we have two cars, doesn’t mean we can’t still travel together as often as we like.” Suzie looked over at her with a warm smile. “I like our chats on the road.”

  “Me, too.” Mary returned her smile. She considered herself incredibly lucky for sharing a business with her best friend, and living in a town as quaint and beautiful as Garber. As they drove through town she noticed several familiar faces who waved at them. She waved back and smiled. In Garber, everyone got to know everyone. At first that was a little unsettling for Mary, but soon it became quite a comfort.

  “The SUV is parked over near the library. It’s Kenny from the grocery store selling it. I don’t know too much about it, but I’m sure he would give us a good deal.” Mary glanced at the digital clock on the dash. Whenever there were new guests coming in she always felt a little anxious. “Maybe we can get all of this settled this morning.”

  “We’ll see, we have to make sure he’s not selling us a lemon.” Suzie quirked a brow as she turned into the parking lot. She’d had a bit more exposure to dishonest people than Mary had. “That does look pretty nice.” She parked beside the silver SUV which had a sign posted in the passenger window. “Let’s take a look.”

  The pair got out of the car and walked around the SUV, peering in windows, and checking the body for dents and rust. They read over the sign in the window that had the details of the SUV and the sale price.

  “It looks like it’s in good shape.” Mary squinted as some early sunlight reflected off one of the mirrors. “Shall I give him a call?”

  “Yes, please do. The mileage is great, and the price seems too good to be true.” Suzie crossed her arms and met Mary’s eyes. “I’d like to find out why that is.”

  “Let’s see what he has to say.” Mary dialed the number, and after the first ring, was greeted by an enthusiastic voice.

  “Good morning, this is Kenny.”

  “Hi Kenny, it’s Mary, from Dune House.” She glanced at Suzie. Suzie gave her a thumbs up and smiled.

  “Oh Mary, it’s nice to hear from you. What can I do for you?”

  “Suzie and I are here looking at the SUV you have for sale, and we wondered if you could tell us a bit more about it.”

  “Sure, I can do you one better, I’ll be right over so you can take a test drive.” He hung up before she could say anot
her word.

  “He’s going to meet us here, so we can test drive it.” Mary grinned as she hung up the phone, then looked back at the SUV. “I guess he’s pretty eager to sell.”

  “But why is he so eager to sell?” Suzie wagged her finger through the air, then paced around the SUV again. “I wonder if it needs some major work?”

  “Well, at the price he’s offering we could afford to do a few repairs on it.” Mary bit into her bottom lip. She didn’t want to admit to Suzie that she was in love with the SUV. It had all the bells and whistles that she appreciated, from electric seats, to adjustable mirrors, and keyless entry. Plus, if she was honest with herself, she loved the color.

  “Hi ladies.” Kenny jogged up to them, his face flushed and his short, blonde hair spiked in awkward directions.

  “Kenny, did you run all the way here?” Suzie looked at him with wide eyes.

  “Well, I was out on my run anyway.” He shrugged as he paused beside them. “It was perfect timing. So, you two are interested?” He held out the keys. “You can take her for a spin if you’d like. But before you do, I’ll be honest with you, she does need some repairs.”

  “Ah, I see.” Suzie crossed her arms and sent a brief look in Mary’s direction.

  “Nothing major. Just a few hundred dollars worth of work.” He dropped the keys in Mary’s outstretched hand. “That’s why I lowered the price. It’s still a steal, I promise you that.”

  “Well, let’s take it for a spin and find out.” Suzie opened the passenger side door and peeked inside. “You’ve done a great job on the interior.”

  “Thanks, I didn’t use it very often. Mostly, just if I needed to pick up a load of supplies somewhere. It’s not great on gas mileage, but if you’re just using it around town it’s a great vehicle.” He held open the driver’s side door for Mary. “Go on, once you drive it, you’ll see.”

  “Thanks.” Mary stepped up into the SUV. Right away she noticed that it was easier to get into than the car. Being higher up also gave her a better view of the road in front of her. She started up the engine.

  “No hesitations, no sputtering, that’s good.” Suzie nodded as she played with all of the buttons on the radio, then flipped on the AC unit. “Nice, cold air.” She nodded and switched it to heat.

  Mary drove out of the parking lot. She felt a little tug to the right as she drove.

  “It needs an alignment, but that’s not too bad.” Mary used the wipers, and the turn signals. “Everything seems pretty good.”

  “Honestly, I think it’s great. I think we should take it.” Suzie leaned towards her. “Gun the engine, let’s see how this baby acts when you open her up.”

  “Gun it?” Mary shook her head. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

  “Oh, just step on it! Go for it! There’s no traffic.” Suzie laughed as she rolled down the window and gestured to the empty street. “It’s not like you’re going to get a ticket.”

  “All right.” Mary shot her a worried look, then she stepped on the gas. She wasn’t a very confident driver, but as the engine roared to life she felt invigorated by the sound and the speed. That sense of freedom crashed right down when she caught sight of flashing lights in the rearview mirror. “Oh no.” She groaned as the siren wailed.

  “Oops.” Suzie grimaced, then pointed to a nearby parking lot. “Pull in there.” She looked over her shoulder towards the patrol car. “Don’t worry, I can talk us out of this.”

  “You’re not the one driving!” Mary gulped as she saw the door of the police car swing open. Then she witnessed a familiar man climb out.

  “Oh good, it’s Jason!” Suzie clapped her hands and laughed. “See, I told you we had nothing to worry about.” She waved to her younger cousin through the passenger side window. “Hey, Jason!”

  “Suzie?” Jason walked up to the passenger side of the SUV and peered through the window at both women. “I have to say when I saw an SUV charging down the road I didn’t expect it to be driven by the two of you!”

  “Actually, only Mary was driving.” Suzie grinned as she met her cousin’s eyes. “We’re going to buy this from Kenny. We just wanted to see what it could do.”

  “In a thirty-five miles per hour zone?” He looked past Suzie, at Mary, with one eyebrow raised. “She talked you into it, didn’t she?”

  “I’m so sorry, Jason!” Suzie frowned as she shifted in her seat. “There wasn’t any traffic, we didn’t think it would be too much of an issue. We weren’t going that fast.”

  “It is.” He crossed his arms as he looked at both of them. “You can’t be driving through here like this. I know it’s a quiet road, but you have to be careful.”

  “We know, we never drive like this, Jason. But I was only going slightly over the limit. Listen, we’re going to buy the SUV. Do you know of any good mechanics that can do some repairs for us?” Mary eyed him for a moment. “Someone that won’t cheat us?”

  “Graham’s in Parish is a good one. I also like Allen’s over on Grove Street, but he’s closed for a month.” Jason knocked lightly on the door. “So, about this ticket.”

  “Ticket?” Suzie narrowed her eyes. “You can’t be serious.”

  “Great, just great.” Mary frowned as she thought of her insurance rate going up. “He’s right, Suzie, I do deserve a ticket.”

  “Oh no, it’s not for you, Mary.” He winked at her then pulled out his pad. “Suzie here was creating an unsafe environment with her poor advice given to her innocent friend.”

  “Ha, ha!” Suzie rolled her eyes, then grinned. “I suppose you’re going to expect me to see you in court?”

  “No, for dinner, tomorrow night. Both of you if possible. Summer wants us all to have a nice meal together. You can bring Paul and Wes if they’re available.” He tapped his pen against his pad. “If you agree to it, I suppose I could let you slide on the ticket, just this once.”

  “How kind.” Mary laughed, then shook her head. “You really had me going there, Jason.”

  “Sorry, Mary, I had to give Suzie a hard time.” He flashed her a smile.

  “Unfortunately, we have to make dinner for the guests tomorrow.” Mary frowned.

  “Why don’t you join us instead?” Suzie asked.

  “Okay, thank you. I have to check with Summer, but it shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “Perfect.” Suzie nodded, then waved him off. “Now, we have important business to handle, and you have actual criminals to chase.”

  “Criminals? What criminals?” He laughed as he stepped back from the SUV. “It’s Garber, nothing bad ever happens here.”

  As Mary drove back out of the parking lot, she was still a little shaken. “It’s nice having your cousin on the police force.”

  “It is, isn’t it?” Suzie laughed. “I can’t believe he tried to give me a ticket. What a stinker.” She shook her head, but couldn’t resist a smile.

  As they pulled back into the parking lot where Kenny waited for them, they both waved to him.

  “So, what do you think?” He looked between them as they stepped out of the car.

  “We’ll take it.” Mary thrust out her hand towards him. “We have a deal.”

  “Great.” Kenny shook her hand and grinned. “I’ll give you a list of the repairs that need to be done. Graham’s in Parish is a pretty decent place to get the work done.”

  “Sounds great.” Mary glanced at her watch. “I should have enough time to get to the bank, can you have the paperwork ready in about twenty minutes?”

  “Sure, no problem. You can pick it up at the grocery store, my shift is about to start.”

  “Perfect.” Mary looked over at Suzie. “The SUV is definitely mine.”

  “Yours?” Suzie laughed. “What? No fair.”

  “I might share once in a while.” Mary winked at her. “Now, let’s get to the bank.”

  Suzie climbed back into the driver’s seat of the car and they headed over to the bank. As they went through the process of setting everythi
ng up for the purchase, Mary continued to glance at her watch.

  “We’re cutting it close.” She frowned. “I need to do a once-over of the rooms before the guests arrive.”

  “Try not to worry. We’ll get the paperwork from Kenny, then drop the SUV off at Graham’s, and we’ll be back in plenty of time for the guests.” Suzie snapped her fingers. “Simple as pie.”

  “But don’t you need to run some errands?” Mary thanked the teller as she received the bank check for the payment.

  “Nothing too urgent. I can handle that after all of the guests are set up. We’re in this together, remember?” Suzie wrapped her arm around Mary’s shoulders.

  “Always.” Mary smiled.

  Chapter 2

  Mary slid the key into the ignition of the SUV and smiled as the engine purred to life. Sure, it needed a little work, but in general it was in good shape.

  “You do like driving this, don’t you?” Suzie shifted towards her in the passenger seat.

  “I do. I don’t know why, but I just do.” Mary turned on the radio and rolled down the window. “Good tunes, and good friends, what could be better?”

  “Not much.” Suzie stretched out in her seat and smiled. “All right, I’ll meet you at the garage.” She climbed out of the SUV and back into the car.

  Mary led the way out of the parking lot and towards the neighboring town of Parish. The GPS on her phone announced the directions to Graham’s Garage.

  “Here it is,” Mary said to herself as she turned into a small parking lot off to the side of a white garage. Other than the large garage doors there was only one other door, with a sign that declared it the office. She stepped out of the SUV just as Suzie pulled into the parking lot behind her. She stepped out of the car and joined Mary.

  “It looks like a decent place, hopefully he has time to fix it up today. The sooner the better.” Suzie approached the office door. Mary followed after her, but before she could reach the door, a voice called out from inside the garage.