Read A Dead End (A Saints & Strangers Cozy Mystery Book 1) for Free Online

feel perfectly at home then,” Jordan said.
    Kit laughed. “I do, actually. Is that weird that I find it comforting? The sound of sirens and crime scene tape are my white noise.”
    “Glad your present came in handy.”
    “I know, right. You should see these cops, though. The word ‘keystone’ doesn’t do them justice.”
    Kit passed the library and considered stopping in to register for a library card. She’d need to show residency, though. Maybe another time when she had paperwork available.
    “Is someone chasing you? What’s with the heavy breathing?” Jordan asked.
    “I’m walking to Butter Beans.”
    “You need to up your exercise regime if you’re panting from that. I was hoping it was because you’d seen a really hot guy.”
    Kit smiled into the phone. “As it happens, I did meet a super scorching guy today. Guess what his name is?”
    “Robert Downey, Jr.”
    “Try again.”
    “Tom Cruise.”
    “I said super scorching, not super crazy.” She turned right onto Standish Street. “Romeo. The hot detective on the case is called Romeo.”
    “He’s the detective?” Jordan queried. “Girl, it’s like Charlie Owen all over again.”
    “It is nothing like Charlie Owen,” Kit bristled. She had nothing more to say on the subject. “I’m getting a well-deserved latte now. I’ll call you later.”
    “But…” Jordan began. Kit turned off the phone and dropped it back into the deep chasm of her handbag. She needed a few minutes of peace and quiet.
    She stepped inside Butter Beans and was relieved to see that the place was close to empty. Butter Beans had been a place she liked to hang out after school with friends. Looking around at the cozy interior, Kit decided that the space was as warm and welcoming as she remembered.
    Stepping up to the counter to place her order, she was greeted by a dough-faced barista. His nametag read ‘Sam.’
    “Hi Sam,” she said. “I’d like a skinny vanilla latte, please.”
    “I got your latte right here,” Sam said, doing his best Ellie Gold impression.
    Kit smiled politely.
    “See what I did there?” Sam asked. “With latte?”
    Kit nodded. “I did see. Clever.”
    “I heard you found Ernie Ludwig,” Sam said, lowering his voice.
    News traveled at lightning speed in Westdale. “How is it possible that you know that?” Kit replied, glancing around the coffee shop for signs of a Westdale police officer.
    Sam shrugged. “We’re the official hub of Westdale information.”
    “My mother might disagree with that,” Kit murmured.
    “Since you’re here, would it be okay if I asked you to look at my script?” Sam asked, pulling a thick ream of paper from a nearby messenger bag.
    “Your script?” Kit echoed.
    “When I heard you were moving back to Westdale, I started bringing my script to work just in case I ran into you. I heard you used to hang out here.”
    Great, even baristas in Westdale, Pennsylvania were aspiring screenwriters. “What’s it about?” Kit asked.
    Sam’s pudgy face lit up. “This one’s totally different. It’ll blow your mind.” He paused for dramatic effect. “Three words. Cowboys. In. Space.”
    “Like Serenity ?” Kit asked.
    Sam blinked. “What’s Serenity ?”
    “What’s Serenity ?” Kit sucked in a breath. “Ever hear of a guy called Joss Whedon?”
    “Sure. The Avengers guy, right?”
    “Well, he didn’t start with The Avengers . Do yourself a favor and check out his backlist.”
    Sam nodded eagerly. “Definitely. Anything you say.”
    Kit sighed inwardly with relief when she saw the script drop back into his bag. He set to work on her latte and she gratefully accepted the steaming mug. She maneuvered her way around the tables and chairs until she reached a plush chair by the window. Peace and quiet at last.
    “Is this seat taken?” a voice asked.
    Kit glanced up into the dark, dreamy eyes of Detective Romeo Moretti. “Shouldn’t you be out there detecting?”
    He shrugged and settled into the