Cinnamon and a Corpse Read online

  Cinnamon and a Corpse

  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

  Chapter 19

  Also by Cindy Bell

  About the Author

  Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

  Copyright © 2019 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

  The ring of the bell over the front door drew Ally Sweet out of the daydream she’d wandered into. Filling chocolates with fudge centers always allowed her mind to drift off. She pulled off her gloves, headed out of the kitchen and into the front of the shop.

  “Morning ladies.” She smiled at her three favorite customers. Mrs. Bing, Mrs. Cale, and Mrs. White, all mounted barstools along the counter, but none smiled. In fact, none of them even acknowledged Ally’s presence.

  “And I say it is never right to leave your family. There is no excuse,” Mrs. White snapped as she set her purse down on the counter.

  “And to come back here with that teenage hussy,” Mrs. Cale squeaked, her face red and her knuckles white as she clutched her own purse.

  “She’s not a teenager, she’s thirty-two.” Mrs. Bing popped one of the sample chocolates into her mouth and rolled her eyes. “Times have changed, ladies, get with it, or get left behind.”

  Ally’s eyes widened as she held back a laugh at Mrs. Bing’s comment. Whatever had the three of them worked up was likely quite scandalous, and about a local. They always had the latest gossip.

  “Hi?” Ally smiled at them again as she turned around to grab a pot of coffee.

  “Sorry Ally.” Mrs. White sighed. “It’s hard to offer cheerful greetings when morality is being gnawed away by the unforgiving teeth of greed.”

  “Wow.” Mrs. Cale raised her eyebrows. “Was that what the sermon was about on Sunday?”

  “Weren’t you there?” Mrs. Bing laughed.

  “In body, only.” Mrs. White jabbed a thumb towards Mrs. Cale. “I heard her snoring.”

  “I was resting my eyes,” Mrs. Cale gasped.

  “This has nothing to do with church.” Mrs. Bing popped another chocolate into her mouth, then spoke around it. “It has everything to do with the times. Families don’t stay together as much as they used to. Age is just a number these days. There’s no point in getting all hot and bothered over it.”

  “I am not hot and bothered.” Mrs. White grabbed a napkin and dabbed at her forehead. “I just think it’s terrible. How can you be so casual about it?”

  “It’s not my husband.” Mrs. Bing shrugged. “Plus, I can’t wait for the casino to be built.”

  Ally set mugs of coffee down in front of each woman, then narrowed her eyes. “What casino?”

  “Mrs. Bing is convinced that a casino is going to be built here in Blue River. I’ve told her, that’s impossible. Blue River is too small of a community to sustain a casino.” Mrs. Cale picked up a piece of chocolate and turned it over in her fingers. “It would squash the local community. The number of people that it would draw in would ruin Blue River.” She squeezed the chocolate, then popped it into her mouth.

  “I don’t care what you say, I know what I was told, and my source is very reliable.” Mrs. Bing picked up her cup of coffee.

  “Then why haven’t the rest of us heard about it? And who is this source you’re talking about?” Mrs. White turned on her barstool to face Mrs. Bing.

  “Where’s the proof?” Mrs. Cale turned on her barstool to face Mrs. Bing from the other side.

  “This isn’t a trial.” Mrs. Bing rolled her eyes. “I don’t need to provide proof.”

  “Ladies, ladies.” Ally pushed the sample tray closer to the three of them. “It’s all right. There are lots of rumors flying around. There’s nothing to get upset about, until we know something for sure.”

  “She’s right.” Mrs. Bing picked up a chocolate, then waved it through the air as she spoke to her two friends. “But I’m telling you right now, he’s opening that casino, and I’m going to be the first one through the doors. I can’t wait to play the slots!”

  “Ugh.” Mrs. Cale shook her head. “Can you imagine what kind of element that would bring to Blue River? We are a quaint town, we’re small for a reason. A casino would ruin everything.”

  “Maybe not everything.” Mrs. White narrowed her eyes as she selected a chocolate. “But we certainly would have a lot of changes.”

  The bell over the door rang again, and a man stepped in. Though short, and nearly bald, he carried a presence of confidence that drew everyone’s attention to him.

  “Good morning.” He smiled as he looked between the four women. “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”

  “It certainly is, Gary.” Ally returned his smile as he approached the counter.

  “I suppose.” Mrs. White shrugged and cut her gaze in his direction.

  “It’s a bit chilly.” Mrs. Cale scrunched up her nose.

  “But the sky is clear and blue.” Mrs. Bing picked up the sample tray and held it out to Gary. “Have some candy, I’m sure you could use the fuel.”

  “Why thank you, Mrs. Bing.” He met her eyes as he leaned forward and picked up a chocolate. “I simply adore Charlotte’s candies.” He glanced back at Ally. “Where is Charlotte?”

  “Ally runs the place now.” Mrs. Bing picked up another chocolate as she set the sample tray back down on the counter. “Charlotte gets to sleep in now and then.”

  “Not that she ever does.” Ally laughed. “I’m sure she’s up and hunting down treasures with Jeff.”

  “Jeff?” Gary met Ally’s eyes. “That wouldn’t be my old buddy Jeffrey, would it?”

  “He’s a friend of my grandmother’s. He is from Mainbry.” Ally returned his gaze, this time with a bit more hesitation. He seemed to have a lot of questions about her grandmother. “It probably is. You can ask my grandmother when you see her next.”

  “Okay.” Gary adjusted the collar of his button-up shirt. “I’ll take a box of the dark chocolate assortment.”

  “Coming right up. Would you like a cup of coffee while you wait?” Ally gestured to the coffee pots.

  “No thanks. I try to stay away from caffeine.” Gary smiled. “Otherwise I’m awake all night.”

  “I understand.” Ally flashed him a smile then began to collect the chocolates from the glass display shelves. She always enjoyed
packing the boxes right in front of customers so that they knew the chocolates were fresh. Once she had the box filled, she rang up the sale on the register. “Anything else for you today, Gary?”

  “Actually, yes. Can I get a white chocolate assortment delivered to someone today?”

  “Sure. Just fill in this form.” Ally gave him the form and he quickly filled it in and slid it across the table to her. She checked it over and then finalized the sale. “You don’t want a card delivered with the chocolates?”

  “No, thanks. I like to be a bit mysterious sometimes.” He winked then glanced at the other three women. “You three are awful quiet today.”

  “We have nothing to say.” Mrs. Cale sniffed and turned away from him.

  “Ah.” Gary stared straight at her. “I see that you are still good at holding a grudge.”

  “No grudges here.” Mrs. Bing slid off her barstool and walked over to him. “Now, Gary, once and for all will you please set the record straight?”

  “What is the question?” Gary looked into her eyes. His shoulders drew up a little higher and his back straightened. “If it’s about Linda—”

  “It’s not. It’s about a casino.” Mrs. Bing’s eyes widened. “Tell me it’s true?”

  “What do you know about that?” Gary’s tone grew sharp as he took a step closer to Mrs. Bing.

  “Uh, well, just that you’re planning on building one.” She glanced at her two friends, then looked back at Gary. “It’s just a rumor.”

  “A rumor, huh? It’s supposed to be under wraps as it’s still in the planning stage.” Gary frowned. “But I suppose the cat is out of the bag, now.” He forced a smile, then glanced at her two friends. “Yes, I am planning to build a casino here in Blue River, along with a small hotel to accommodate some of the visitors. There are a few hurdles I still need to overcome, but I am getting there.”

  “And just how are you going to get enough property?” Mrs. White abruptly stood up and turned to face him. “Do you plan on buying up every green space in Blue River?”

  “No, that’s not the plan. Although, I have purchased quite a bit of land, the casino will be closer to the center of town.” Gary narrowed his eyes. “I’m sure that you will see the benefit of such a profitable business.”

  “Closer to town?” Ally raised an eyebrow. “Where? There’s hardly any open property here.”

  “I own several of the shops at the edge of town. I inherited them from my father. There is some land that borders them that has recently been rezoned for commercial use, that I now own as well. Between the shops and the land, there will be enough room.” Gary cleared his throat, then picked up his box of chocolates. “I wish you all a wonderful day.”

  As Gary left the shop, Ally stared after him. It was true that he owned several of the shops in the area. But did that mean he planned to close and demolish them to make room for the casino?

  “Well?” Mrs. Bing looked between her two friends. “What do you have to say now?”

  “Scandalous.” Mrs. White shook her head, then clicked her tongue. “His father never would have stood for a casino being built here, let alone the shops he owned being demolished to serve that purpose.”

  “Completely inappropriate for our beloved Blue River.” Mrs. Cale clutched her purse. “I think I’ve lost my appetite.” She stood up from her barstool, then turned back and plucked one more chocolate. “For the road.”

  “Oh, don’t be so uptight.” Mrs. Bing waved her hands through the air. “A casino would breathe new life into this community. The problem with you two is that you just don’t want to see progress.” She grabbed a chocolate for herself as she headed for the door.

  “That man doesn’t deserve an ounce of success.” Mrs. White narrowed her eyes as she held the door open to let Mrs. Bing walk through. “Perhaps I would be more open to the idea of a casino, if he wasn’t ruining businesses.”

  “Yes, of course, what he’s done is despicable, but that doesn’t make playing the slots any less fun. Don’t worry, ladies, I’ll teach you all about it.” Mrs. Bing waved to Ally before she stepped through the door. Mrs. White stepped through and pulled the door closed behind her.

  Ally stared after them for a moment, then took a breath. The tension of the conversation had dispelled, but her curiosity about the casino had not. Just what did Gary have in store for Blue River?

  About an hour later, the bell over the door rang again. Ally finished drizzling chocolate on a candy and headed out to the front of the shop in time to see her grandmother step up to the counter.

  “Good morning, Ally.” Charlotte smiled as she met her eyes. “Isn’t it beautiful out?”

  “It is.” Ally walked around the counter to hug her grandmother. “How was your morning?”

  “I had a nice time looking for treasures with Jeff. He’s such an interesting man. He has a story about everything.” Charlotte walked behind the counter and poured herself a mug of coffee.

  “I’ve got a story for you, too.” Ally leaned back against the rear counter and recounted the information about the casino, and the war between Mrs. White, Mrs. Cale, and Mrs. Bing.

  “Wow, that is a very eventful morning.” Charlotte took a sip of her coffee. “And Gary confirmed this?”

  “Yes, he did.” Ally crossed her arms as she gazed out through the front window of the shop. “I’m a little concerned about what his intentions might be for the shops that he owns.”

  “Yes, it sounds like we have good reason to be.” Charlotte frowned. “To think he grew up here, and he’s willing to cause such havoc here. Although, it could be good for the shop, it will bring a lot more customers.”

  “It won’t be good for the shop if the town gets destroyed, though.” Ally replenished the sample tray as she spoke. “The casino might attract more businesses, maybe a candy shop will open.”

  “That’s a good point.” Charlotte narrowed her eyes, then she glanced at the clock. “Don’t you have some deliveries to make?”

  “Yes, I do, thank you for reminding me.” Ally pulled off her apron and stepped into the back to pack up the deliveries. “I think I’ll stop by and check on Peaches and Arnold, too, if you don’t mind.”

  “Feel free.” Charlotte called out to her. “Give Arnold a kiss for me.”

  “Will do!” Ally headed out through the side door.

  As Ally walked into the parking lot, a beautiful white cat with light brown patches walked towards her.

  “Cinnamon.” Ally bent down as the cat approached her. She stroked his soft fur as he wound around her feet. Cinnamon used to be a stray, and it had taken many treats and many pats for the cat to trust Ally, and some of the other locals. The cat would often roam the streets for treats, but one of the residents, Carlisle, a loner, had taken him under his wing recently, and he would eat and spend quite of bit of time at his house. The relationship had surprised Ally and other locals as Carlisle was a private person, but it seemed as if it was meant to be.

  Arnold, her grandmother’s pot-bellied pig enjoyed saying hello to Cinnamon on their walks, but Peaches, her orange cat, had gone from being antagonistic towards the cat, to ignoring him. Ally hoped that soon it would progress to friendship. Cinnamon wound through Ally’s legs one last time then pranced down the street. Ally smiled at the thought of how the cat had become a part of the community in such a short time.

  As Ally walked towards the van, her thoughts changed to the possibility of a casino being built in Blue River. She could see how it would benefit the town in some ways, but in others it seemed as if it had the potential to completely obliterate the many small businesses that made up Blue River. The thought of several of the shops in town closing down made her stomach churn. Many of the people that operated them had done so for decades. She couldn’t imagine them having to give up their space. Charlotte’s Chocolate Heaven was safe, they owned the property and the building, but many others did not.

  Chapter 2

  Charlotte lined the shelves with freshly made
chocolates. It had been busy with lots of sales since Ally had left. Charlotte enjoyed seeing many of the shop’s regular customers. Even though she had passed the shop on to Ally she still considered it to be the highlight of her day to come into the shop and hang around without having to shoulder all of the responsibility for it. It freed her up to spend more time in pursuit of her favorite hobbies, but the shop would always be her home.

  When the bell over the door rang, Charlotte turned with a touch of surprise. Would the rest of the day be as busy as the first half had been? She caught sight of two men in business suits who stepped inside. She straightened her shoulders. She immediately recognized one of them, Phil. He was tall and broad with curly, black hair and a charming smile. He lived in the neighboring town of Mainbry with his wife, Sharon, and ran a real estate investment firm in Geraltin, a larger town that was a couple of towns away.

  “Hello gentlemen.” Charlotte smiled at them as they stepped farther into the shop.

  “Charlotte.” Phil nodded. “How are you today?”

  “Good, thank you. It’s nice to see you. I haven’t seen you in a while.” She smiled. “Would you like to try a sample of our chocolates? They include some new flavors.” She gestured to the sample tray set up near the register. The large, circular, silver pedestal was hard to miss, but she wanted to draw their attention to it right away. An offer of something free, always helped customers relax when they stepped into the shop.

  “Sure. And some of that coffee, it smells great.” Phil stepped forward with a smile on his lips. “It’s what drew us in here.”