Sweet Secrets (A Sweet Cove Mystery Book 3) Read online

  SWEET SECRETS

  A Sweet Cove, Massachusetts Cozy Mystery

  Book 3

  J.A. Whiting

  Copyright 2015 J.A. Whiting

  Cover copyright 2015 Susan Coils at: http://www.coverkicks.com

  Formatting by Signifer Book Design

  Proofreading by Donna Rich

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, or incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to locales, actual events, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from J. A. Whiting.

  To hear about new books and book sales, please sign up for my mailing list at: http://www.jawhitingbooks.com/subscribe-to-my-mailing-list.html

  For my family, with love

  Chapter 1

  Angie Roseland and her black cat Circe walked through the foyer of her eighteen-room Victorian mansion and down the hall towards the den. The doorway to the den had a large plastic sheet hanging over it to keep the dust, sheetrock particles, and debris from traveling into the other rooms of the house.

  The family’s huge orange cat, Euclid, sat at attention in front of the plastic, his face pressed against it, watching Tom’s activity.

  Angie was moving her Sweet Dreams Bake Shop into a small section of the Victorian, and her friend, Tom, had just started renovations to enlarge the kitchen and change one of the rooms on the first floor into the customer café portion of the bake shop. The room would have a new door that led out onto the wraparound porch where Angie planned to put a few tables and chairs for her customers.

  Tom’s sledgehammer pounded the wall between the small den and the kitchen. The pounding sent vibrations traveling through the floor and into the soles of Angie’s sandals. She peeked through the plastic curtain. “How’s it going in there?”

  Tom removed the dust mask from his face and rested the sledgehammer against the wall. “Just took the first swings.”

  Angie pulled the plastic sheet back a few inches to peer in. “I’m glad this den was added later in the Victorian’s life. I want to keep the home as close to its original layout as possible.”

  Tom wiped sweat from his forehead. “I agree with that.”

  Circe tried to push her way past Angie to get into the den. The cat meowed as Angie scooped her up. “No, little one. This room is off limits for a while. Kitties don’t want to get hurt.”

  Tom reached over to pet the cat’s neck. “You and Euclid can help me later in the process.”

  “I see Euclid is supervising from out here in the hall.” Angie placed Circe on the floor next to the orange cat.

  “He doesn’t miss a trick.” Tom looked through the plastic at Euclid. “He’s making sure I do a good job.”

  Euclid and Circe stared at the room’s far wall. Angie glanced at the cats, and the intensity of their attention caused a tiny shiver of apprehension to flash over her skin. She dismissed the feeling as being caused by all the changes she and her sisters had recently been through.

  Angie took a quick look at the wall that the cats were so focused on, and then she started down the hallway. “I’ll let you get back to work.”

  As Angie made her way to the kitchen, she took another glance back at the cats. They sat at attention, still staring into the den. A prickle of tension caused Angie’s heartbeat to speed up.

  Courtney and Mr. Finch stood at the kitchen counter working together. They both wore pink aprons. Angie couldn’t suppress a grin and her anxiety faded away.

  “Hey, Sis,” Courtney called. “What’s cookin’?” She was using a wooden spoon to stir something in a big glass bowl.

  “I think I should be asking you what’s cooking. It smells delicious in here.”

  “Hello, Miss Angie.” Mr. Finch beamed with happiness. “I’m showing Courtney one of my grandmother’s secret recipes for nut cookies with jam and marzipan.” Mr. Finch had been living at the bed and breakfast for several weeks while the murder of his brother had been investigated and solved. Finch had decided to stay in Sweet Cove permanently and he had just put a deposit down on a small house in the seaside town. He would be closing on it as soon as the paperwork was ready.

  Courtney winked at Angie. “The recipe’s a secret, so don’t watch what we put in the bowl.”

  Angie leaned against the counter and smiled at her twenty-one year old sister. “I’ll close my eyes when I get too close to you.”

  Ellie, the tall, blonde middle sister, bustled about the kitchen. About a month ago, she’d opened the bed and breakfast inn at the Victorian renting out just a few rooms for the summer in order to start the business slowly. Because of the renovations taking place, the sisters decided to run a month-long special for guests who wouldn’t mind some construction noise at the B and B in exchange for drastically reduced rates. Ellie worked hard to keep her guests comfortable, well-fed, and happy.

  “Can I help you put out the afternoon snacks?” Angie asked.

  “Yes. They’ll be ready in a few minutes.” Ellie arranged some cookies, fresh-baked rolls, and mini-muffins on a glass platter. A basket of fruit was standing ready on the kitchen table. “I’m sort of dreading when we can’t cook in here. It will be a pain to have to use the carriage house kitchen.”

  To punctuate Ellie’s words, the sledgehammer broke through the far wall. Tom stuck his face up to the hole and peeked into the kitchen. “Is this where I place my order?” he teased.

  Angie laughed. “We’re closed for the day.”

  Seeing Tom’s face in the hole in the wall, Ellie groaned. “I guess this means it’s time to move out of here and into the carriage house.”

  A large two-story carriage house stood behind the Victorian. The first floor consisted of a two-car garage and a storage section, but the second floor had two apartments, each with a kitchen-living room area, bathroom, and two bedrooms. During the Victorian’s kitchen renovations, the food items for the B and B and the girls’ meals would have to be prepared in one of the carriage house kitchens and carried over to the Victorian.

  “It’ll be okay.” Courtney used a cookie cutter to create small rounds from the cookie dough. “We’ll all help transport the food back and forth. We can still use the two refrigerators in here. It’s only for a month. We can handle it.”

  Mr. Finch opened a roll of marzipan and wiped his fingers on a dishtowel. “I’m convinced that the four of you can accomplish anything that you set your minds to.”

  Jenna, Angie’s fraternal twin sister, walked into the kitchen. She saw the hole in the wall. “Oh. That was fast.”

  Hearing Jenna’s voice, Tom stuck his face back in the hole and winked at her.

  She smiled and shook her head at his antics.

  Angie told her sisters about the book that Attorney Ford gave her. The Sweet Cove historical society had written the short book for the three-hundred-and-seventy-fifth anniversary of the town. “Attorney Ford told me that there’s some history about Robin’s Point in the book.” The sisters’ grandmother had owned a small cottage on the point until it was sold to the town and knocked down.

  Angie made eye contact with Jenna. “Ford said the book has a little bit of information in it about Professor Linden’s father.” Professor Marion Linden, a former regular customer at The Sweet Dreams Bake Shop, had been murdered in the spring and she’d left her Victorian home to Angie. Shortly before her death, Professor Linden went to see Attorney Ford and asked him something about her long-dead father.

  T
he Roseland sisters thought that was an odd thing to do, wondering what the thirty-year-old lawyer could possibly know about someone who had passed away decades prior. Angie and her sisters wanted to do some research on the professor’s father. Angie was nagged by the question of why Professor Linden left the Victorian to her and she wondered if it had anything to do with the professor’s inquiry to the lawyer about her father.

  Jenna poured herself a cup of coffee. “Did you look at the book yet?”

  Angie shook her head. “It’s in the foyer. Do you have time to take a peek at it with me?”

  Courtney, still working on the cookies with Mr. Finch, called to Angie and Jenna as the girls headed for the foyer. “Tell us right away if there’s anything good in that book.”

  Ellie muttered to herself. “There better not be anything unusual in that book.”

  The Roseland sisters had recently discovered that they were descended from women with supernatural powers, but so far, only Angie and Courtney had the beginnings of special “gifts” starting to surface. The whole idea of paranormal powers frightened Ellie and she tried not to have anything to do with it. Even Mr. Finch had the ability to sometimes “feel” things from people.

  Jenna and Angie walked down the hallway towards the foyer.

  Jenna asked, “Why are these two cats always staring into the den?”

  Angie stepped around the cats. She could feel her chest tighten. “I don’t know. I hope they don’t sense something. Circe has been staring at that wall since she moved in with us. It kind of unnerves me.”

  At the sound of Jenna’s voice, Tom popped his head around the side of the plastic sheet. “This is a work zone. Please keep the area clear.”

  Jenna grinned. “Don’t worry. We’re safe.” She nodded towards Euclid and Circe. “The cats are directing traffic here in the hall.”

  Tom eyed the cats. “You’d think I was making cat food in here, the way they don’t take their eyes off me.”

  “They’re our spies.” Jenna sipped from her mug. “They’ll tell us if you goof off, then we’ll dock your pay.”

  “Well, tell them that I’ll be in need of a break pretty soon.” Tom held Jenna’s blue eyes for several seconds. “Would you care to join me on the porch in thirty minutes?”

  Jenna smiled. “Angie and I will be in the living room. Come get me when you’re ready for your break.”

  The girls entered the foyer. The book that Attorney Ford had given Angie was on the round table in the center of the room. A large cut-glass vase holding red gladioli stood in the middle of the table. Angie picked up the book and handed it to Jenna.

  Jenna flipped through some of the pages. “This is cool. Look. There are pictures of some of the historic homes in town with descriptions and a little bit about their histories.” She turned to the Table of Contents. She read aloud the titles of some of the chapters. “A Short History of Sweet Cove, Historic Homes, Robin’s Point, Prominent People. Oooh, there’s a chapter on ghosts, fun facts, and tales.” Jenna looked at Angie. “This is going to be fun to read.”

  The girls sat down together on the living room sofa. Angie peered over Jenna’s shoulder as her sister paged through the small book. “Let’s flip to the chapter on Robin’s Point. Let’s see what it says.”

  Before Jenna could turn to the section about the point, Courtney, still wearing her pink apron, called to them from the foyer. Angie and Jenna lifted their eyes from the book.

  Courtney gestured for them to come with her. “Come here. You need to see this.”

  Even though Courtney’s voice carried a tone of excitement, a flash of worry pulsed through Angie’s veins. Now what?

  Chapter 2

  Courtney’s eyes were wide. “Come take a look at what Tom found.”

  Jenna stood. “What is it?”

  Angie’s heartbeat sped up and thrumming started in her blood, but it only lasted for a few seconds. She hesitated for several moments before rising from the sofa. A worried look formed on her face. She reluctantly followed Jenna and Courtney to the small den where Tom had been working. The plastic sheet covering the doorway was flung back. Euclid and Circe stood on the dusty floor of the den staring up at Tom. He held an old strong-box covered in dust and wallboard particles. A tiny padlock held the lid in place.

  Circe meowed insistently and every couple of seconds she balanced on her back legs reaching up with her front paws to try to touch the box. Angie took a quick look at the box in Tom’s hands and then stared at the black cat, puzzling at her response to what Tom had found.

  “I was breaking through the wall and found this.” Tom held it out to Angie. She didn’t take it, so Courtney reached for it.

  “Someone hid this in the wall? How weird.” Courtney brushed her hand over the top of the box. She paused for a few seconds with her hand suspended above the metal container. She turned slowly towards her sisters. “Angie. I think this is important.” Courtney extended her arms so Angie would take the box. “Feel it.”

  Jenna gave Courtney a warning look to remind her not to say too much about any kind of powers or “feelings” in front of Tom.

  Angie kept her arms by her sides. Deep in her heart, she knew as soon as the box was opened that things would change, and she feared what that change might be.

  Jenna took the box. “Let’s bring it to the kitchen.”

  The four humans and the two cats filed into the kitchen where Ellie was unloading the dishwasher and Mr. Finch sat at the table sipping from a cup of tea.

  Ellie took one look at the procession and her face paled. Her blue eyes were like saucers. “What’s this about? What’s wrong now?” she whispered.

  Mr. Finch lowered his tea cup and looked over the top of his eyeglasses. “A box? How interesting.”

  Ellie flashed him a look.

  Mr. Finch noticed the worry lines etched into the tall blonde’s forehead. “Not everything is bad news, Miss Ellie,” Finch said soothingly.

  Angie hoped that Finch was right.

  Jenna placed the box in the middle of the kitchen table. “Tom found this hidden in the wall of the den.”

  “Oh, no.” Ellie clutched her hands together.

  Euclid and Circe jumped on the table and sniffed the box. The cats weren’t usually allowed on the tables, but no one bothered to shoo them down. Circe batted the lock with her paw as everyone stared at the artifact. The black cat looked up at Tom.

  Tom moved forward. “Should we open it?”

  “Of course.” Courtney sat down next to Mr. Finch, eager to see the contents of the box.

  “Angie?” Tom checked to be sure she was okay with opening the container.

  Angie glanced at Courtney. She wished she could be as excited as her youngest sister. She swallowed hard and nodded. “Go ahead.”

  “Right now?” Ellie squealed. “Do you have to open it?”

  Jenna tried to comfort her sister. “It’s okay. It’s just a box.”

  “Pandora’s box?” Ellie’s voice quavered. She feared terrible things might be unleashed by opening the container like in the myth of Pandora where the opening of a box released miseries upon the world.

  Tom bent to check the padlock. He moved it around with his finger. “I’ll go get a tool.” He walked to the den to get a metal cutter from his toolbox. When he returned to the kitchen, no one had moved. Tom adjusted the metal cutter, placed it on the padlock, and gave it a squeeze. The metal crunched and fell away.

  Tom stepped back. “You want to do the honors, Angie?”

  “Why don’t you open it,” Angie suggested. She clutched her arms around herself.

  Tom put his big hands on the cover and slowly pushed it up. A collective sigh slipped from everyone’s lips.

  “Pieces of photographs.” Jenna reached inside the box for some of the torn up snapshots. “Old pictures that have been torn into pieces.”

  Ellie sidled up to the table to peek over her sisters’ shoulders. The color was returning to her face. “Well, that’s a rel
ief that’s its only photos, but why are they ripped up?”

  Courtney lifted up some of the pieces. “Let’s spread them out. See if we can put them back together.”

  “Why would anyone hide these in the wall?” Angie still looked unsure.

  Mr. Finch’s eyebrows scrunched together. “That’s a very good question.”

  “Let’s take the photos to the family room and spread them out on the coffee table.” Courtney lifted the box from the table.

  Tom rubbed his chin. “I’m ready for a break.” He turned to Jenna. “Join me on the porch?” The two headed for the front porch.

  “When you go back to work, please don’t find anything else in the wall,” Angie told Tom as he left the room.

  Courtney called over her shoulder as she walked to the family room. “Unless it’s a big box filled with money.”

  Circe stared at Angie for a few seconds, and then let out a loud meow. She jumped off the table and raced after Courtney.

  Angie made eye contact with Mr. Finch. “That cat knows something.”

  Finch lifted his cup. “Indeed.”

  ***

  Angie and Courtney lifted the torn sections and spread them across the coffee table. Circe and Euclid sat at the end of the table watching the girls. The two sisters sat on the sofa next to the table and slid the photo pieces around to try to match up the parts to create complete snapshots. There weren’t many pieces in the box so the puzzling over them didn’t take too long.

  Courtney went to the desk and returned with a roll of tape. “Once a photo is ready, I’ll put a few small pieces of tape on the back to hold the parts together.”

  Angie slid a completed picture to her sister and she carefully turned over the pieces and taped it. “Look this one shows two men in suits standing together in front of a building. It has names written on the back. John T. and William S.”

  Angie pushed another one towards her sister. “This one shows three men on a sailboat. Will you tape it for me?”

  Courtney turned the pieces and placed small sections of tape on the ripped edges. “This one has names too. John T., William S., and Richard W.”