A Heap of Truffles

  A Heap of Truffles

  Candy Shop Mysteries #3

  Wendy Meadows

  Like Cozy Mysteries?

  Join Wendy’s newsletter to stay up-to-date with new releases. As a subscriber, you’ll get BLACKVINE MANOR, the complete series, for FREE!

  Join Wendy’s newsletter here.

  wendymeadows.com/cozy

  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

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Thanks for Reading

  About the Author

  Read more by Wendy

  1

  It was summertime. The town was filled with tourists enjoying the beach. Margaret looked out her shop window and smiled as she watched parents and children hauling umbrellas, floats, and beach towels back to their cars after a long day of playing in the sand and water. One couple walked along the sidewalk, laughing and enjoying the early evening as their baby slept in the stroller.

  Margaret turned back to her store. She was getting ready to close her candy shop for the day. She had a couple of customers left, and then it would be time to lock up, turn out the lights, and go for a walk on the beach. Although it was closing time, Margaret let her customers browse in peace. She wasn’t one to turn away business.

  Margaret was happy to be working in this small, quiet town after leaving her abusive husband. She had made some new friends and solved some local crimes on the side. Not long ago, Margaret had helped the police find out who had killed the new coffee shop owner, after his wife had hired her to look into the murder. Margaret hadn’t been a licensed investigator or anything at the time, but she liked solving crimes and helping people.

  David Graham, a local detective, was hesitant at first to let her help, but Margaret had won him over both professionally and personally. He grudgingly agreed that she had helped him solve his last two murder cases. Margaret’s son, Zach, supported everything his mother did. He worked at the shop and hung around the town with his new friends.

  David was starting to be a more regular part of her new life, and Margaret could not be happier. She enjoyed talking to David and spending time with him. They frequently met for lunch at the café next door and occasionally enjoyed picnics on the beach. She wasn’t looking for a relationship when she moved to this town, but she was glad to have found someone who respected and admired her. David was the perfect gentleman, so Margaret was quite happy and content.

  Except—she wasn’t sure how he would react to the news she had been putting off telling him. After helping David and the police close two cases, Margaret had looked around online until she found a private investigator’s course she could afford. She had completed the classes online in record time and passed all the tests with flying colors. She quickly applied for her license and was now a bona fide licensed private investigator who could now legitimately charge for her services. The only other person who knew was Zach, and that was only because he’d accidentally found her studying late one evening when he came downstairs for a snack. She’d sworn him to secrecy so she could tell David when the time was right.

  David will be thrilled when I tell him, Margaret thought. Won’t he? She really wasn’t sure. On the one hand, now that she knew more of the ins and outs of investigating, she would be better able to stay out of danger. On the other hand, getting her license meant Margaret was intent on helping David with future cases, and she wasn’t sure how he would take that.

  Margaret sighed. She’d have to tell him soon, but just hoped it wouldn’t affect their budding romantic relationship.

  Zach had left around lunch time after working all morning in the store, and Margaret figured he would be home by now. He usually hung out at the beach with his friends after work, which was why he liked working in the morning. He said the waves were better in the afternoon. He and a close-knit group of friends spent their free time surfing, swimming, and, more recently, fishing. Zach was really feeling at home in this town and she was so relieved.

  Zach recently discovered he enjoyed cooking and Margaret was happy she didn’t have to cook after working all day. She wondered what he was making for dinner that night. Ever since his new friends had gotten him into fishing, Zach enjoyed making good meals out of the fish he caught. Maybe we’ll have crab legs, thought Margaret. Sometimes Zach went crabbing. He would boil the crabs in Old Bay seasoning, and they cooked up wonderfully. Margaret didn’t mind being in the store alone in the afternoon if it meant coming home to a delicious homemade meal afterward.

  Margaret was glad to have a steady flow of customers. She had been trying new ideas and recipes, and the townspeople and tourists loved them. Instead of buying all her candy from her distributor, Margaret had recently branched out with some homemade candy. Recently she had gotten some seashell molds and made some pretty shell candy. She filled them with chocolate, caramel, and vanilla cream. Those were especially popular with tourists. One woman had bought five pounds to take home to her friends. Margaret had contemplated shipping her chocolates, but for now was happy just selling them out of the store. Everyone she knew loved her candy, and Margaret enjoyed thinking about what she would make next. As she rang up her next customer, she wondered about getting some cute little crab molds. She could make some white chocolate and dye it red and add some strawberry or cherry filling.

  Mr. Smith, her last customer of the night, asked for a pound of her homemade candy, and Margaret bagged it up for him.

  “Thank you, Margaret,” said Mr. Smith. “Your candy is just delicious.”

  “You’re welcome. Come back soon,” said Margaret, handing him his bag of candy.

  “I sure will,” he replied. Mr. Smith had a son and daughter who attended the elementary school. When they came home with their goody bags of candy he was surprised. He lived just outside of town and had not known Margaret’s store was open. Making the goody bags for the elementary school had upped her business tremendously. Now Mr. Smith and other locals would stop by weekly or even daily for their candy purchases. Margaret followed Mr. Smith to the door and swung the open sign to Closed. She held the door open for Mr. Smith.

  “Tell your family I said hello,” Margaret said.

  “I will,” said Mr. Smith, and with a friendly wave, he left the store.

  Margaret shut and locked the door. She looked down the street at the tourists getting in their cars or walking back to their rental houses. They looked tired but happy. The beach had that effect on people. Margaret went back to her counter, humming to herself as she put away the chocolates. Business had been steady for a while now. In addition to developing some regular customers, she hoped to make new friends as the months went along. Some customers would walk in, and Margaret already knew their orders. Of course, it helped to have Patty working with her. Patty was an older local woman who worked part time at the candy store with Margaret and Zach. Patty had introduced Margaret to the surrounding business owners and had even helped Margaret with her cases. Margaret didn’t know what she would do without her. She was convinced Patty was the secret to her success.

  After Margaret put away the candies, she went back to the front of the store and cleaned off the counter and put all the lids back on the jars. After she swept the floor she cashed out her register. Margaret looked out the window and saw a woman with bright pink hair glancing into the shop. Margaret waved. The woman was Stacy, who owned the café next door. Stacy waved back and kept walking. Margaret noticed she was carrying
a bank bag, on her way to deposit that day’s earnings before going back to work. The café stayed open later than the candy store, and Margaret would sometimes pick up a picnic dinner and sit on the beach to watch the sunset. Tonight, though, Zach was waiting for her at home.

  Margaret went to the back of the store to turn out the lights. As she texted Zach to let him know she would be getting home within the hour, she heard a loud knock on the front door. Margaret hurried out from the back of the store to let the customer know the store was closed. There was no one there. Margaret walked to the front door and saw something taped to the window. She looked out the window and up and down the street. There was no one there. All the tourists were in their cars, and not a single person was on the street. I wonder who did this, she thought, opening the door and pulling the note down. She shut and relocked the door and read the note.

  Exotic flowers fill my veins,

  Demons grasp and pull the reins.

  Hear the silence as my last breath escapes,

  See the pentagram take shape.

  Margaret frowned. She looked up and down the street again to see if she could see who had put the note there. Finally she stuck it in her pocket, deciding not to walk on the beach that night. She didn’t want to make a big deal out of the note, but it made her feel like someone was watching her.

  Margaret made sure the front and back doors were locked. She decided to drop off the deposit in the outside receptacle by the bank on the way home. Walking to her car, she saw Mr. Stewart, the dog groomer from across the street. Margaret debated telling Mr. Stewart about the note, but then she kept walking. No use getting him upset over nothing, she thought as she got to her car.

  Mr. Stewart had become her good friend. He had helped her solve some crimes and had also recommended her to the elementary school for their annual gift bag giveaway. Margaret had gained many new customers after that. Mr. Stewart came across as gruff to some people but Margaret knew he was soft on the inside.

  She opened the door of her candy-yellow Mazda hatchback and got in. She swung by the bank and dropped off the deposit. David’s office was near the bank. Margaret thought about stopping by, but decided she would give him a call later. She drove her car out of town, winding her way through traffic and toward her house in the suburbs. As she was pulling into her street she saw a cat cross the street into her yard. She pulled the car into her driveway and got out. The cat walked toward the car hesitantly, and Margaret bent down. The cat was orange and fluffy. She had beautiful eyes and a full tail. Margaret held out her hand and the cat meandered over. Margaret reached out and petted the cat, noticing it had a collar on. She stood up and told the cat to go home. The cat wandered back down her driveway, and Margaret sneezed. She sneezed again.

  “I see you’ve met Fluffy,” said a voice behind her. It was Zach. He had stepped out of the house when Margaret pulled up.

  Margaret sneezed again. “Yes. What a beautiful cat,” she said.

  “She’s been hanging around here since I got home. I think she lives a street or two away. You know you shouldn’t pet any cats,” Zach scolded.

  “But they’re so cute,” she said, as she sneezed again.

  “Come on inside and take an allergy pill,” said Zach. Margaret laughed and followed him into the house.

  2

  Margaret sat at the kitchen table drinking a glass of sweet tea while Zach told her about his afternoon.

  “We went crabbing today,” he said.

  “Nice,” said Margaret. “Is that the delicious smell coming from that pot?”

  “Yep. Ready in five minutes,” said Zach. “Also I got more than usual, so I invited David over for dinner. I hope you don’t mind.”

  Margaret grinned. “I don’t mind at all.” She reached into her pocket to grab a tissue and felt the note from the window.

  “Oh, I forgot about this,” she said, pulling the note from her pocket. “Look.”

  Zach took the note. He read it and started chuckling.

  “What are you laughing about?” asked Margaret.

  “It was nice of the local witch cult to leave you a note,” Zach snickered.

  Margaret laughed. It was funny to think there would be any type of cult activity in their small, picturesque town.

  “What’s next? Slaughtered chickens in the square?” asked Zach, laughing.

  “Don’t forget to watch what music your friends listen to. It could be a death metal cult,” Margaret said, laughing along with Zach.

  “What’s this about a death metal cult?” asked a voice from the door.

  Margaret turned. A tall man with shaggy blond hair stood in her kitchen doorway.

  “Hello, David,” she said, still laughing.

  “Hey, David,” said Zach, going over and shaking his hand. David walked over to where Margaret was sitting at the table. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.

  “How are you two doing tonight?” asked David.

  “I’m fine,” said Zach. “The crabs should be ready soon.”

  “Let me help you get the table ready,” said David.

  “Thanks,” said Margaret, getting up from her seat. She grabbed some newspapers and started unfolding them on the table. Whenever they ate crabs they put the newspaper down for a quick clean-up afterward. Margaret also grabbed the mallets and pickers from a drawer. She got a few sharp knives, too.

  “Tell David about the note,” Zach urged his mom.

  “What note?” asked David.

  “The note from the death metal cult,” Zach said with a straight face. He and Margaret started laughing again. David looked confused.

  Margaret handed him the note. “This was taped to the shop window when I left.”

  David read it and frowned.

  “This is certainly odd,” he said, rereading the note.

  Margaret brushed it off. Joking around with Zach had made her feel better. “It’s probably just a bunch of bored teenagers messing around.”

  “Maybe, but I don’t like it,” said David. “Things like this could start rumors in the community, and at the height of tourist season that is not a good thing.”

  “What should we do?” Margaret asked.

  “Well, let me keep the note and run it for prints,” said David. “Has anyone else touched it besides the two of you?”

  “No,” said Margaret.

  “Good,” said David.

  “I think you should have someone walk you to your car at night when you’re working alone,” said Zach, as he pulled the cooked crabs out of the water.

  “I’m fine,” Margaret insisted. “It’s not a big deal, just a silly note. Besides, if it’s a bunch of kids they will get bored and find someone else to bug,”

  “Maybe,” said David, “but Zach is right. I would feel better if you’d let me walk you to your car.”

  “Oh, this is ridiculous,” said Margaret. “I’m a grown woman capable of taking care of myself.”

  “I know,” said David. “How about this? I want to walk you to your car so we can spend a little more time together each day.”

  Margaret sighed. She knew if she didn’t agree he would do it anyway. She didn’t want to get into an argument with David. And anyway, she wanted to spend more time with him too.

  “Okay,” she said, sitting down at the table. “You win. I’ll wait at the store until you get there.”

  “Good,” said Zach, plopping the crabs in the middle of the table. He sat down, and David grabbed two beers. He opened them and gave one to Margaret.

  “You have to have beer with crabs,” he said.

  “Well, of course,” said Margaret, grabbing a crab. All three of them started pulling the claws off and picking the delicious meat from the crabs. After a few minutes Margaret stopped and sat back.

  “These crabs are delicious, Zach,” she said.

  “I have corn on the cob, too,” Zach replied, getting up and pulling the corn out of the water. “I was waiting for us to make room on the table.” He put
a half dozen ears on the table, and Margaret grabbed one. She spread butter on it and salted it. She bit into the tender kernels.

  “Yum,” Margaret said. “Have I told you how much I appreciate you cooking for us?”

  “Every day, Mom,” Zach laughed.

  “Well, I do. You know I don’t cook as well as I would like to, and it’s a big help coming home to a fresh homemade meal. “

  “I agree,” said David. “This is delicious, Zach.”

  “Thank you,” said Zach, smiling.

  After they were done, Margaret gathered the remnants of crab and corn into the newspaper and threw it out in the outside garbage. She saw the orange cat and smiled.

  “We ate it all, sweetie. You don’t look hungry, though,” Margaret said to the cat. She bent down and stroked its soft fur. She wondered where the cat lived. It looked healthy and had a collar on, so Margaret knew it had a good home. Margaret got up and went back into the house.

  “Wash your hands before you touch your face,” Zach instructed.

  “Yes, Mom,” Margaret said. She washed her hands while David looked on quizzically.

  “There’s a cat running around outside,” Zach explained, “and despite the fact that Mom is allergic to cats she insists on petting it.”

  “But she’s so soft and beautiful,” said Margaret.

  “Yeah, and you will end up with puffy eyes, a runny nose, and hives,” said Zach.

  “That is not a pretty picture,” said David.

  “True,” said Zach.

  “Hey!” said Margaret, and they all laughed. Margaret went to the refrigerator and pulled out some of the shell chocolates.