Read Pink Velvet Murder: A Frosted Love Cozy Mystery - Book 9 (Frosted Love Cozy Mysteries) for Free Online Page A

tea?” she offered, thinking that the detective looked
exceptionally hot and cranky.
    “No,
I’m not going to be staying long. Can I drive you home, Dobbs?” he asked
curtly, apparently having been properly introduced while Missy had been in the
back yard.
    “Actually,
I think if I wrap it, I can make it back to my car and drive myself home.
Thanks for offering, but Chauncey doesn’t really do well in strange vehicles,
so I’ll just need to suck it up and make it happen,” he smiled ruefully.
    “I
have a First Aid kit in my car. I’ll get you an Ace bandage and you can be on
your way,” Chas said coolly, jogging down the steps before Carlton could reply.
    “He
must have a lot on his mind,” Missy mused awkwardly, wondering what on earth
was wrong with the taciturn detective.
    “Completely
understandable,” Dobbs remarked politely. “Does he have a stressful job?”
    “You
could say that,” Missy nodded. “He’s a detective with the LaChance PD.”
    A
look that was difficult to discern passed over the handsome blond man’s
features, but Missy was more focused on the grim-faced man who mounted the
porch steps, First Aid kit in hand. He tossed an Ace bandage to Carlton, who
caught it without a word and immediately started wrapping his ankle, flexing it
back and forth, his jaw clenched against the pain.
    “Better?”
Missy asked.
    “Better,”
Dobbs nodded, slowly rising to a standing position.
    “Need
help?” Chas asked as Carlton moved toward the steps.
    “Nahhh…I’ll
just brace myself on the railing. Thanks though,” he said, wincing with every
step.
    Missy
unconsciously held her hands to her throat, hoping that he didn’t take a spill
as he made his way down the stairs. She and Chas watched him head down the
sidewalk, and he raised a hand before disappearing around the corner, Chauncey
at his side.
    “How
do you know this guy?” Beckett asked, as soon as the injured man was out of
sight.
    “He
came into the shop in Dellville and bought a cupcake. He’s new in town,” Missy
said, once again leaving out the fact that she had also gone to the park with
him and the dogs.
    “What’s
he doing in this part of town? Does he live around here?” Chas frowned.
    “No,
he just likes taking Chauncey to Nelson Park to play,” she explained, wondering
at her boyfriend’s strange manner.
    “I
bet he does,” the detective said under his breath. “Hey, I’ve changed my mind,
do you think I could get a glass of tea after all?” he asked.
    “Of
course, anything for you, handsome,” she flirted, hoping to lift his mood.
    “Perfect,”
he kissed her on her way to the door. He waited until she was inside, then carefully
snagged Carlton’s glass from the tray, flung the contents into the azaleas
below, and tucked the empty glass into his First Aid kit, returning it to the
trunk of his car.

Chapter 11
    Detective
Richard Keller, of the Dellville PD was waiting for Missy when she arrived at
Crème de la Cupcake the next day. Missy sighed inwardly, the last thing she
wanted to do was talk about the nasty mess that Donna Chesman was in. She felt
bad for the girl, but after the emotions that she’d seen her express in reference
to the victim, Mrs. Dowler, she didn’t think that it was entirely out of the
question that the girl was indeed the murderer.
    “Good
morning, Detective,” she greeted him as pleasantly as she could, trying not to
let her reluctance show. “What can I do for you?”
    “Have
you heard from Donna Chesman lately?” he asked.
    “Not
since the day after the bake-off, when I went over to take her a cupcake,”
Missy replied, wondering why he had asked.
    “Has
anything suspicious happened to you in the past few days?
    She
told him about the incident with her new security light, but was quick to add
that there had been no other occurrences since. “Why do you ask?”
    “I
don’t want to alarm you, but Miss Chesman seems to have disappeared, and just
last night, Mrs. Dowler’s