Read Rum Cake Murder: A Frosted Love Cozy Mystery - Book 8 (Frosted Love Cozy Mysteries) for Free Online Page B

closed entirely, and the other staffed by two assistants and herself. Determined to have a business for Ben to return to, she planned to rise to the occasion and bravely gut out her circumstances as best she could. The trickle of customers that had remained faithful to the LaChance store, despite Loretta Christianson’s gossip, had slowed to a degree that she wouldn’t be losing much business by closing the store for a few days until either Cheryl was ready to come back, or she had hired someone else. She was more than aware that if the young woman was arrested for murder, she’d have to hire someone else to fill the position, and that probability seemed more and more likely.
    When the blessed oblivion of sleep finally claimed her, she was tormented by dreams that left her feeling weary and unrefreshed when she peeled her eyes open in the morning. Her first order of business, after letting Toffee out briefly, was a phone call to Chas to check on Ben’s progress. The young manager had been moved out of the ICU and into his own room, but had not yet regained consciousness. She made plans to visit him after breakfast, and headed over to the Dellville store to see how Grayson and Chris were doing.
    Pleased that things were operating smoothly, even without the guidance and supervision of management, Missy felt comfortable leaving the guys at the Dellville store so that she could drop in and visit Ben. Arriving at his room with a teddy bear, an elaborate arrangement of flowers and a bouquet of helium mylar “Get Well” balloons, she was surprised to see Cheryl, bruised and bandaged, sitting miserably in a faux leather recliner in a corner of Ben’s room.
    “Hi Ms. G.,” she said tentatively, as Missy placed her colorful gifts on the window sill where Ben would see them when he woke up.
    “Hi Cheryl. How are you feeling?” she asked quietly, barely able to look at the young woman.
    “Everything hurts,” she admitted with a slight shrug. “But, all things considered, I was the lucky one,” her faced was pained as she gazed at her comatose former fiancé.
    “No progress?” Missy asked, also looking at Ben.
    Cheryl shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. “What am I going to do if he never…” her voice choked off as she struggled not to cry.
    “We can’t think in those terms,” Missy asserted, having had the same thought process the night before. “We’re not going to give up on him. He’s strong, he’ll get through this,” she said, with more conviction than she felt. “How long have you been here?”
    “Visitor hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., so I’ve been here since 7:30. I waited in the coffeeshop downstairs until it was time to come up,” she said, staring at the floor. She sighed and raised her eyes to meet Missy’s, looking as though she was drowning in despair. “Please don’t hate me, Ms. G.  I swear to you, I didn’t hurt anyone. I don’t know who killed my stepfather, or why, but it wasn’t me,” her eyes begged for understanding that Missy wasn’t quite prepared to give.
    “Let’s just concentrate on you and Ben getting better, okay?” she said, pitying the pale young woman before her, but not quite trusting her.
    Cheryl nodded sadly, returning her gaze to the floor, and tucked her feet up under her in the chair, her arms wrapped around her midsection. Missy walked to the side of Ben’s bed, taking in all the tubes and wires attached to the man whom she loved like a son. She swallowed a lump in her throat and patted his hand.
    “Take all the time you need, but come back to us, sugar. We’re waiting for you,” she whispered. Without another word to the girl huddled in the corner behind her, she turned to go.

Chapter 12
    Missy’s daily routine now consisted of a disturbing rhythm which included, checking on Grayson and Chris every morning, and delivering any orders that had been placed through the Dellville store, followed by a visit to Ben’s room, haunted by the shadow