Chocolate Heart Murder (A Maple Hills Cozy Mystery Book 11) Read online

  Copyright © 2018 by Wendy Meadows

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Printed in the United States of America

  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

  Thanks for reading

  Be the First to Know

  About the Author

  Also by Wendy Meadows

  CHAPTER ONE

  T he small town of Maple Hills was being transformed into a winter wonderland of love. Valentine’s Day was approaching, and Nikki watched as the gazebo on the town green was decorated for this very special occasion, with garlands of glittering snowflakes and hearts all around. However, this would not be just an ordinary event, because the mayor’s daughter was getting married on Valentine’s Day, and in the small town of Maple Hills that counted as a special holiday. Nikki smiled as she watched the workers climb ladders to string lights around the park. The wedding was a week away, and it was the talk of the town. Everyone was excited and happy for the mayor’s daughter. Maple Hills was a small town with a strong community where everyone watched out for each other, which was exactly why Nikki liked the town so much. Coming from the big city of Atlanta, it was nice to live in a cozy town.

  Nikki looked around her chocolate shop with a smile. The shop was decorated for Valentine’s Day, much like the rest of Maple Hills. There were red hearts covering the walls and small dishes of sample chocolate hearts throughout the store. Nikki had even created a special drink, red velvet hot chocolate, just for the holiday. Her customers were enjoying a taste of the south in this cold, snowy winter. Valentine’s Day was always a busy time of year for chocolatiers, and this year was no exception. Nikki had a reliable base of local customers that had grown to include people from neighboring towns, and it was even busier this season, especially since Nikki had won a popular chocolate competition. Nikki had a reputation for making good chocolates that tasted so good you knew they came from the heart. She put her soul into her confections, and it showed.

  Nikki turned from the window to help the next customer. Mrs. Handle, an elderly and sweet woman, was taking her time deciding which chocolates would be best for her husband. She finally picked out a half pound of white chocolate truffles and bonbons, and Nikki arranged them in a box and wrapped it in red tissue paper with white hearts. Mrs. Handle thanked her and turned to leave. Just then the door opened, and the mayor’s daughter came walking in. She held the door for Mrs. Handle and walked up to the counter where Nikki was placing some more striped mint chocolates in the gleaming display case.

  “Hello, Susan,” Nikki said with a smile as the young woman approached the counter.

  “Hello, Ms. Bates,” Susan replied. “You look busy today.”

  “Yes, I’m getting ready for Valentine’s Day. It is one of the busiest times of the year for me,” she replied.

  “Could I take a moment of your time to talk with you?” asked Susan.

  Nikki readily agreed and motioned to a table nearby. Susan was in her early thirties, tall and dark-haired, and always walked confidently into a room. Her wedding was the event the town had been buzzing about for a month, but she never seemed to let the attention go to her head. Susan was not a regular customer, but she would occasionally get some hot chocolate to go. Nikki wiped her hands on her apron. On the spur of the moment, Nikki poured Susan some of the red velvet hot chocolate. “Try this, it will help soothe your nerves,” Nikki said with a sympathetic smile. She gave Susan the hot chocolate and sat across from her.

  “Oh, thank you, Nikki. This is perfect,” Susan said after sipping the chocolate. Her face lit up, and she smiled. Nikki could see the stress melting away, at least for now.

  “You’re welcome,” said Nikki. “You must be stressed with all the planning.”

  “Yes. You might have noticed that there have been just a few decorations going up in the park,” Susan said with a twinkle in her eye. “I am so excited about getting married, and I want every detail to be perfect. You have the best chocolates around, and I was hoping I could get you to have a table at my reception. If it’s not too late, that is,” she added hastily. She continued, seeing the encouraging smile on Nikki’s face. “I was hoping for some special chocolates and a chocolate fountain. This hot chocolate is wonderful, but I do not suppose a hot chocolate fountain would be practical.”

  “I would love to set up a table with some of my chocolates and a chocolate fountain for you. And no, I would not recommend hot chocolate; however, you are welcome to come in anytime this week and get some of the special Valentine’s Day hot chocolate on the house to try,” Nikki replied. She was excited, but her mind was racing as she started planning how to make this work on top of the extra batches of special chocolates she was already making for Valentine’s Day.

  “Thank you, Ms. Bates. I appreciate you being willing to do this so last-minute.”

  “I am happy to help you have the perfect day,” Nikki replied.

  “Also, please consider this an invitation to the wedding. I hope you and your staff will also be able to make it.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it,” Nikki replied.

  Susan thanked her again and stood up to leave. “Oh, those strawberries look scrumptious. I’ll take a dozen of them.” Nikki had crafted delectable chocolate-covered strawberries for Valentine’s Day. They were a hit with her customers.

  Nikki got up and boxed the strawberries for Susan. Susan paid for the chocolates, thanked Nikki, and left, the bell on the door tinkling behind her. As soon as she had gone, Lidia finished with another customer and then walked over to the table. Lidia was Nikki’s trusted partner and assistant who helped run the shop and make the chocolates. She was an older woman with a strong work ethic. Nikki appreciated having her around.

  “What did Susan want to talk about?” Lidia asked, intrigued. They walked back to the kitchen together.

  “Susan would like a table of chocolates and a chocolate fountain at her wedding. I told her I would make it happen, and now I need to figure out what kinds of chocolates I’m going to make for her.” Nikki sat down at the work table in the kitchen and Lidia joined her.

  “Well, we already have the strawberries – maybe you could do a special batch of those?” Lidia suggested.

  “That’s a good start,” replied Nikki. “We could also dip some other fruit in chocolate. That would make a pretty arrangement.”

  “Should I order some oranges and grapefruits so we can get started?” Lidia asked.

  “Not yet. Let’s figure out what else we are going to do and run it by Susan first,” said Nikki. They talked a bit and came up with a plan. Nikki called Susan. She explained the menu to her.

  “I thought we would create some chocolate-dipped fruit and other fruit candies and have a chocolate fountain with different items to dip,” Nikki told Susan.

  “That is a great idea,” Susan said excitedly. “I alr
eady tried the strawberries on my way home, I couldn’t resist! They were amazing. Thank you again for getting this together so quickly. When you make the chocolate-dipped fruits, can it include our wedding colors somehow?”

  Nikki was certain she could make it work, and they worked out the final details in no time at all. “I’ll get on this right away,” promised Nikki.

  When Nikki got off the phone, she made a list. “There’s no time for us to place an order through our usual produce supplier, Lidia. We’ll have to get everything from the grocery store, I suppose.” Lidia was excited by the challenge of helping to craft the elegant candies and chocolates for the display, and quickly left for the store.

  How am I going to get everything done? Nikki thought for a moment and picked up her cell phone again. I’ll give Hawk a call. He’ll be able to help me. Hawk was a local detective who occasionally helped Nikki at the store. She also helped him with his investigations. It worked out well. He was tall, dark, and handsome, and his heart belonged to Nikki.

  “Hey, Hawk, do you have a minute?”

  “Anything for you, Nikki,” Hawk replied sweetly into the phone.

  “Susan stopped by today and asked me to set up a table for her wedding. Lidia offered to do the shopping, and I have Seth and Tori here to help; however, I could use an extra set of hands this week. Is there any chance you could give me a hand?”

  “I would be happy to,” Hawk answered.

  “Okay, great! Could you stop by the shop after work tonight?” Nikki asked.

  “Absolutely. Do you want me to bring some dinner?”

  “That sounds good. I might be here all night,” Nikki said with a sigh.

  “I’ll stop by the diner first. Will everyone else be there?”

  “I think they will, since this is a last-minute order. I hate to have them stay late, especially if they have plans. I will run it by Seth and Tori, but they already knew this week would be busy.”

  “I’ll bring enough for everyone.”

  “You don’t have to do that, Hawk.”

  “I know, but I want to. Someone has to keep you and your crew fed.”

  “Thank you. I’ll see you later tonight.”

  Nikki hung up and headed to the front of the shop to talk to Seth and Tori. Nikki’s son Seth was home for February break from college, and she was grateful for his help in the shop since he knew many of her recipes by heart. Nikki’s marriage to Seth’s father had ended many years ago, and after her husband left, Nikki brought Seth to Maple Hills for a fresh start. Tori, Nikki’s employee, was the same age as Seth. They had fallen in love over the past couple months and Nikki could not be happier.

  Tori and Seth were just finishing up with some customers. When they were done, Nikki asked them if they would be willing to stay late that night. She told them about Susan’s wedding plans.

  “A chocolate fountain?” Tori asked. “That sounds delicious.”

  “What are we going to serve with it?” asked Seth.

  “Lidia and I thought we could provide marshmallows, rice crispy squares, angel food cake, caramels, and pretzel sticks.”

  “That sounds so good,” Tori said. “You’re making me hungry!”

  “Lidia is already at the grocery store picking up supplies, so we need to finish up the store orders for today and tomorrow so that we can start working on the wedding chocolates as soon as possible.”

  “What are you going to do with the fruit and chocolate?” Tori asked.

  “I think I will dip them in white chocolate and decorate them with a pink swirl,” Nikki decided, thinking back to her conversation with Susan about the wedding colors.

  “That sounds pretty,” Lidia said, coming in with the groceries.

  “Okay, so how many more trays do we need to make tonight to complete the store orders?” Nikki asked Tori. Tori went to the clipboard by the register and totaled up the orders.

  “It looks like we need at least thirty to cover the special orders.”

  “Plus regular customer traffic, plus Valentine’s Day traffic…I think fifty trays should cover it,” Nikki said.

  “I can always make more tomorrow if you need me to,” suggested Seth. Nikki flashed a grateful smile to her son, and then she delegated tasks to everyone. The front doorbell sounded, and Nikki poked her head out of the kitchen to greet a customer who had just walked in from the cold. Tori offered to take care of them while Nikki and the others got to work. Lidia began preparing oranges and grapefruits, some of which would be dried and candied, while Nikki began melting chocolate on the stove in a large copper kettle. The rich smells drifted out from the kitchen, making the shop smell even more amazing than usual.

  Other customers followed soon after that, and Tori cheerfully helped them pick out some Valentine’s Day chocolates, ducking back into the kitchen to help in between customers. Occasionally, Seth would join her at the register if there was a long line. They both worked together well, and all the customers left happy. Nikki knew when the local schools let out because the shop would become crowded with teenagers buying chocolates for their boyfriends and girlfriends. Others would sit together at a corner table and study while sipping hot chocolate. Nikki did not mind. Students were quiet, courteous, and very reliable customers. As the day went on, Tori and Seth were worn out by closing time.

  By the time the shop closed, Nikki was putting the finishing touches on the last of the twenty trays she and Lidia had completed. Just as she placed the last tray of pink chocolate roses on the drying rack, Hawk appeared with the food, and everyone stopped to eat. He had brought burgers and fries from the local diner for everyone. Nikki was famished, and she knew her crew would be too. She gave Hawk a hug and kiss and thanked him for bringing the food. Everyone sat around the table in the break room with their burgers and fries, happy for the food and for the brief rest after such a busy day.

  As Seth and Tori cleared up the dinner, Hawk looked back into the kitchen with interest. “How many trays do you have left?” Hawk asked Nikki.

  “About thirty,” Nikki said with a sigh, wiping her hands on her apron. “We should be able to work faster now that the shop is closed.”

  “And now that you have an extra set of hands,” Hawk offered with a smile.

  “Thank you…but are you sure I’m not taking you away from anything else?” Nikki asked.

  “Of course not,” Hawk replied. “There is nowhere else I would rather be.” He kissed Nikki, and they went to work. Since Lidia and Nikki had prepared trays of bonbons and truffles earlier that afternoon, it was time to make the chocolate-dipped strawberries. Hawk and Seth set up by the sink and prepped the strawberries. Tori prepared the different dipping chocolates and was in charge of dipping them, and then Lidia and Nikki decorated each berry with swirls and stripes of contrasting color. After a few hours, the last tray was finally done.

  “They look amazing,” Tori said, stepping back to admire their work. On the wide work counter sat trays and trays of white, dark, and milk chocolate-dipped strawberries.

  “Let’s get them in the refrigerator and call it a night,” suggested Nikki. While she and Lidia had been finishing the decorating, Tori and Seth had gone up front to take care of the closing tasks while Hawk pitched in to clean the last few pots and utensils. Everyone was tired but satisfied, and they put the chocolates away. Nikki turned off the light and locked the store. Everyone went home to get some rest before they tackled the wedding chocolates the next day. Nikki said goodnight to Hawk, and Seth walked Tori to her car. He lingered at Tori’s car door when Nikki called to him that it was time to go, talking to the young woman through her rolled-down window. After a moment more, he reluctantly turned to join his mother.

  Nikki and Seth rode home, chatting about how satisfied they were with what they had accomplished that day. Nikki asked Seth if he minded working over break.

  “Of course not,” he replied. “I want to help make sure this business is a success.”

  “Is that the only reason?” Nikk
i teased.

  “Okay,” he grinned, “I would be in the shop anyway, distracting Tori. This way you get an extra set of hands, and I get to spend the day with my girlfriend. This is winning all around.”

  Nikki laughed as she drove them home through the sleepy neighborhoods, happy that her stress was from too much work and not from too little.

  CHAPTER TWO

  T he next morning, Nikki and Seth were up early to drive back to the shop. They met Tori and Lidia in the back parking lot, Tori stifling a yawn as she greeted Seth with a smile. Nikki opened the door to the shop, excited to start the day. As she turned on the lights and started up the hot chocolate machine, she knew her customers would want to come in and get warm on such a cold day. Tori, Seth, and Lidia were busy fetching chocolates out of the refrigerator as they started boxing orders for customers that would be delivered or picked up that day. Nikki set up the display cases, putting out some of the freshly-made pink chocolate roses, and unlocked the front door. It was early, but plenty of people came in for a hot chocolate or a coffee in the morning, and it seemed today would be no exception.

  “Nikki, we’ve got plenty of hands up front to finish these customer orders and manage the shop. Don’t worry about us,” Lidia reassured her, shooing her back towards the kitchen. Nikki shot her trusted assistant a grateful smile and went back to the kitchen to work on the wedding chocolates.

  Nikki could hear the bell at the front door ringing almost constantly and was happy that people were already coming in and business was so brisk. She wanted to jump in to help, but she knew that the others could handle the work just fine on their own.