Skydiving, Soufflés and Sabotage Read online

  Skydiving, Soufflés and Sabotage

  A Chocolate Centered Cozy Mystery

  Cindy Bell

  Copyright © 2017 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.

  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

  Chocolate Soufflé Recipe

  Also by Cindy Bell

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  Ally’s hands trembled as she turned off the ignition.

  “Maybe this isn’t such a great idea.” She dropped the keys into her purse, and tried to hide the trembling.

  “Ally, it’s going to be wonderful. I did this once, when I was young, and it changed my entire life. I think it’s exactly what we need to liven things up a little bit.” Charlotte shot her a smile across the car. “Look, today we’re just going to go up and see how it’s done. That’s it. Harris said we could tag along on the flight, and I’m sure that once you see it done in person you’ll realize just how safe it is.”

  “Mee-Maw, jumping out of a plane could never be safe.” She bit into her bottom lip. Her grandmother was right, she’d been stuck in a rut for a little while. She went to the chocolate shop, made chocolates, came home and tended to a cat and a pig. Her boyfriend, Luke, had been so busy on a case that she’d barely seen him in weeks, and there wasn’t much else to distract herself with. Without much to do, she’d settled into a routine that her grandmother insisted she needed to wake up from.

  “That’s true, there is always some risk, just like with life. And if we are constantly afraid of that risk then we will lose our freedom. All good things come from having a daring mind, and a brave soul.” She patted her granddaughter’s knee. “You don’t have to skydive to please me. I just want to see you happy, full of life, and ready to take on the world. Whatever brings that out in you. It could be skydiving, or it could be dancing.”

  “Well, for dancing you need a partner.” She frowned as she looked through the windshield at the farm that stretched out before her.

  “I know what it’s like to miss someone.” Charlotte smiled as she leaned across the car and gave her a light hug. “It can’t be easy with Luke so busy.”

  “It should be though, shouldn’t it? It’s not as if he’s just off doing something for fun, he’s solving crimes and making Blue River a safer place. I should be happy about that, shouldn’t I?” She shook her head as she stepped out of the car.

  Charlotte stepped out of the passenger side and walked around to meet her.

  “You can be happy for someone else, and sad for yourself at the same time, sweetie.” She gave her shoulder a nudge. “Let’s go get our hearts and minds blown wide open, hmm?” She winked at Ally.

  “Yes, that sounds good.” Ally slid her hands into her pockets to hide the tremble in them. She wanted to be brave in her grandmother’s eyes, but the truth was the thought of going up in that little plane and the door opening up was enough to make her stomach do somersaults.

  “Hey there!” A man who stood beside a flatbed truck waved his hand through the air. Ally didn’t recognize him, despite the fact that she knew so many people in Blue River.

  “Who is that, Mee-Maw?” She leaned close to her grandmother.

  “Oh, Shep I think his name is. He’s new to town. He came in when that new collectible car business in Geraltin opened up, but it didn’t go so hot I guess, and Harris hired him on as help at the farm.” Charlotte raised an eyebrow. “This must be quite a change for him from suits and ties.”

  “Quite.” Ally smiled as the man thrust his hand towards her.

  “Shep Reynolds.” He shook her hand. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

  “No, we haven’t. I’m Ally Sweet.” She tilted her head towards her grandmother. “And this is Charlotte.”

  “Oh, I know her, I do.” He grinned and adjusted the cowboy hat he wore. “She brought me some of those delicious chocolates when I first moved into town. So good.” He patted his stomach. “I can still taste them.”

  “Well, then you’ll have to come into the shop to get more.” Charlotte winked at him. “There are plenty of varieties.”

  “I’ll do just that.” He nodded with a broad smile. “All right, ladies, do you want to ride in the front or the back?” He gestured with his thumb to the back of the truck.

  Ally was a little surprised that there were options.

  “I think we’d better ride in the front.” She climbed in so that her grandmother could sit on the outside. But much to her surprise, Charlotte hopped right up into the back of the truck.

  “I can see the sky better this way.” She smiled as she gazed up at the clear blue sky. But for a few specks of fluffy clouds there was nothing to interrupt the deep cerulean shade. Ally peered through the window that looked into the bed of the truck and smiled as well. Her grandmother still had a lot to teach her, that was for sure.

  As they drove along the bumpy dirt road that led to the field where the plane would take off, Ally noticed that there were several men on foot headed in the same direction. Their well-worn clothing and weathered faces made her assume they were farm workers.

  “Are they going to work in the fields?” She studied the men as the truck rolled past. None of them looked familiar to her. It was likely the last harvest of the season as the cold weather would be approaching soon.

  “Yes, there’s a large crop to bring in, so Harris hired some workers from outside the county. All of the farms are so busy this time of year it’s hard to find anyone local.”

  “I bet.” As she looked through the window she saw a red car coming in the opposite direction. It was going quite fast as it passed them. Ally noticed Shep’s shoulders tense as he watched the car, she presumed it was because it was speeding.

  As they continued along the road, Ally smiled some as she looked over the fields. As she took a deep breath of the fresh air, she began to relax. Maybe her grandmother was right about her needing a little change of pace.

  “Here we are.” He pulled to a stop a few feet away from a make-shift runway. She stared at the small plane parked quite close.

  “Is that the plane?” Ally gazed at it as a sense of dread built up within her.

  “Yes.” He flashed a smile at her. “Not exactly a private jet, is it?”

  “No.” She sighed and wondered if there was a way she could get out of this journey. As she approached the plane she noticed a man and Harris standing close together several feet away. From the tension in their stances she
guessed that it wasn’t a friendly discussion.

  Curious, and hoping to distract herself from the tiny plane she edged a little closer so that she could listen in.

  “I never promised you anything.” Harris crossed his arms. “I have nothing to do with your business.”

  “Nothing?” He gestured towards the truck. “Then why do you have Shep?”

  “He came to me for a job, he said you didn’t need him anymore, what was I supposed to think?” He shrugged. “I gave him the job, and he’s doing just fine. Maybe if you wanted to keep him, you shouldn’t have fired him.”

  “Listen to me, I don’t care about Shep, but I can’t have him running his mouth about our plans. If he does then our business plan is going to be vulnerable. So, either you fire him, or you’re going to have a problem with me.”

  “Kevin, there’s no reason for any of this. He’s a farmhand, you’re being ridiculous.”

  “Ridiculous?” Kevin glared at him. “My whole life is invested in this business. If you didn’t give him a job he would have been forced to leave town, but instead you made sure he is cozy and even gave him a place to stay.”

  Ally peered back at Shep who helped her grandmother out of the truck. When he looked in her direction and saw the two men arguing, his demeanor changed. He jumped back into the truck and threw it into reverse. As the truck took off, she couldn’t help but wonder what Shep knew that Kevin didn’t want anyone else to find out. When she turned back Kevin had stalked away, towards a silver convertible. The expensive car seemed so out of place with the farm as its backdrop. Harris shook his head as he walked towards the plane.

  Only then did Ally notice two men near the plane. One was crouched down looking at the plane, the other paced back and forth.

  “Charlotte, Ally, I’m so glad you were able to make it.” Harris smiled as if the conversation he’d just had didn’t bother him in the least.

  “I’m glad to be here.” Charlotte flashed a smile in return. “Though I’m not so sure about Ally.”

  “Ally, if you give me a chance, I’ll change your mind.” Harris gave her a pat on the shoulder.

  “I’m sure.” She managed a polite smile in return, then tried to catch her grandmother’s eye. There was still time to change her mind, right?

  While Harris began to look over the plane, Ally glanced up at the sky. Maybe it would rain. A plane like that couldn’t fly in the rain, could it? And even if it could, it would be a good excuse for her to refuse to get on. But, there wasn’t a rain cloud in sight. In fact, it was a beautiful morning. Even the wind was still. She rubbed her hands together and tried to calm her nerves as she began to pace. Charlotte trailed after Harris as he circled the plane. She seemed to be fascinated with everything he said and did.

  When they walked around to the front of the plane again, Ally headed over to them.

  “Isn’t it great, Ally?” Charlotte smiled. “I just love all the tiny details of how things work.”

  “It’s very interesting.” She nodded, though she could barely hear her own voice over the sound of her heartbeat. “Mee-Maw, can I talk to you for a moment?” She tugged her grandmother a few steps away from Harris.

  “What’s wrong, Ally?” Charlotte met her eyes.

  “I’m not so sure I want to get on that plane.” She shook her head. “You’re much braver than I could ever be, and I’m sorry if that disappoints you, but I just don’t think I can do it.”

  “Sweetheart, you could never disappoint me. If you don’t want to fly, I understand, but I hope you don’t mind if I go. I’ve been looking forward to this.” She searched her granddaughter’s eyes. “Is that okay with you?”

  “I’m sorry.” Ally frowned. “Look at you, you’re all excited, and I’m ruining the moment. I really thought I would be brave enough, but I just think about all of the things that could go wrong. I wish I wasn’t like that.”

  “You’re very intelligent, Ally, and there’s nothing wrong with thinking things through. You’re not ruining anything. I only want you to do this, if you want to do it. Otherwise, you’ll get nothing from it. You’ll find your own way to spread your wings, I am certain of that.” She patted her cheek. “Don’t worry so much about how to be, and just be who you are, hmm?”

  She smiled at her grandmother’s words. She always had a bit of wisdom that made everything make sense. But was a scaredy cat really who she was?

  “Thanks, Mee-Maw. I’ll go. I’m going to enjoy it, I’m sure of it.” She slipped her arm through her grandmother’s and they walked back towards the plane.

  “Harris, this is a great plane.” One of the workers walked over to him with a wide grin. “Wow, you know I used to be a pilot.” He patted the wing of the plane. “Nothing better than soaring through the sky, huh?”

  “Ethan, I don’t have time to talk right now. Aren’t you supposed to be with that group?” He pointed to a group of men climbing onto another truck. “We need the far fields harvested today.”

  “I know, I know, I’m going.” He smiled and patted the plane again. “I just want to take a quick look, can I?”

  “Fine.” Harris tilted his head towards the plane, then turned his attention to the two men near the door. “Gentlemen, are we ready to head out?”

  “Just about.” The taller of the two stepped onto the plane, then back out with his parachute pack in his hand. He was wearing a red jumpsuit. He stretched his arms and crouched down low. He stood up again and began strapping the pack onto his back. He buckled it around his thighs as well. “Now I am.” He grinned.

  “Great Austin.” Harris clapped the man on the back.

  “I’m not so sure.” The shorter of the pair who was also wearing a jumpsuit looked nervously at Harris. “I think I’ve changed my mind. I don’t know what’s wrong with me today. I’m not ready to do my first completely solo jump.”

  “Why don’t you just go for the ride then?” Harris shrugged. “You can get a bird’s eye view, Pete.”

  “Okay, all right.” He shivered. “But just for the ride, I’m not jumping. I don’t want anyone pushing me out either.”

  “No one is going to push you out.” Harris laughed. “Let’s go, we don’t want to miss out on this beautiful morning.”

  Chapter 2

  As they filed on board, Ally did her best to put on a sunny expression for her grandmother. She wanted her to have a good time. And maybe, just maybe if she kept an open mind, she would find some beauty and enjoyment in the journey.

  The engine sputtered to life, and Ally grabbed her grandmother’s hand. The man beside her, Pete, gasped for air.

  “No wait, please!” He shuddered. “I have to get off the plane, I have to. I can’t do this today. I feel so nervous. Please let me off!”

  “All right, All right.” Harris turned around and rolled his eyes impatiently. “We do have a flight plan to keep. If you want off that’s it, you have to stay off.”

  “Fine.” Pete nodded as he stood up from the bench seat. “I’m sorry, I just can’t.” He wiped the back of his hand across his brow and held on to the roof of the plane to keep himself steady.

  Harris opened the door for him, and he stepped out.

  Ally was tempted to join him. Now that he was off the plane, there was only her grandmother, herself, and Austin.

  “Poor guy.” Austin shook his head with a half-smile. “I guess he got cold feet. But I can’t wait.”

  “How can you be so calm about it?” Ally shook her head as she noticed how relaxed he seemed.

  “I’m not.” He laughed, then leaned forward to look at them both. “I’m excited. Really, really, excited.” He clapped his hands together. “I can’t wait to make that jump! No matter how many times I do it, it’s still amazing. The rush never wears off.”

  “How many times have you done it?” Charlotte eyed him with some skepticism. “I would think everyone should be a little nervous about jumping out of a plane.”

  “Oh, I don’t know, at least one hundred times, pr
obably more. I’ve jumped all over the world. Africa, Australia, Europe. Just to name a few. I did a stint in the military, and that’s where I first discovered my love of skydiving. You two are interested, aren’t you?” He smiled.

  “We’re just watching this time.” Charlotte glanced over at Ally. “She’s a little nervous.”

  “Hey, there’s nothing wrong with that.” He looked into Ally’s eyes and offered a warm smile. “It’s a big decision to make, when you take that first jump. But it gets easier with every one.”

  “So, I’ve heard.” She glanced over at her grandmother. “But, it still seems like a bad idea to jump out of a perfectly good plane. We are not birds, we can’t fly.”

  “True.” He grinned. “You’re quite a wise woman, aren’t you? Maybe we could jump together sometime.”

  All at once Ally realized that this man might be flirting with her. Her cheeks flushed in response.

  “I don’t know about that. I think I’m going to keep my feet out of the sky.” She shifted some on the bench seat and glanced towards the window. The higher they got the more nervous she felt. To soothe her anxiety, she reached into her purse and pulled out one of the caramel and chocolate candies that they made in the shop the day before.

  “Oh, that looks good.” He grinned. “Where’d you get that?”

  “We make them, actually, in our chocolate shop.” She offered him the candy. “I have more.”

  “Your chocolate shop.” Charlotte corrected her with a warm smile. “My granddaughter runs it now, but I opened it up when her mother was just a child. Do you enjoy chocolates?”

  “Yes, very much.” He chuckled as he took off the clear wrapper and popped the chocolate into his mouth. Ally pulled one out for her grandmother, and one for herself as well. “You must look forward to going to work each day, Ally.” He sighed as he sucked on the chocolate. “Wow, this is delicious. I’m going to have to get more of these from you after the jump.”