A Peachy Case 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

  Thanks for reading

  Be the First to Know

  About the Author

  Also by Wendy Meadows

  Chapter One

  Momma Peach liked Seattle and she sure loved the majestic beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle was an interesting city with lots to do and see, with lots and lots of rain following you everywhere like a lonely friend seeking comfort. The landscape surrounding the city was absolutely breathtaking—the tall, lush trees, fertile forests, diamond-clear lakes, beautiful valleys and rugged coastline all combined into one gorgeous jewel. The land was sure different from Georgia, yet the places seemed connected, like it was all one sweet voice from heaven.

  “I sure liked walking around Seattle with you, Mr. Sam,” Momma Peach said, looking out of the backseat window into a heavy rain. The taxi was carrying them to the port where the North Queen was resting at the dock, and the driver maneuvered his way away from the fancy hotel and onto a rainy highway filled with wet cars.

  Sam glanced over at Momma Peach. Momma Peach was wearing a bright pink rain jacket over her blue and white dress. Her hair was covered with the usual pink cloth that somehow seemed perfect. “Your face is shining,” he said in a relaxed voice.

  “I am happy, Mr. Sam,” Momma Peach replied. She looked at Sam. Sam was dressed like a cowboy ready to tame a few wild horses. “I sure am happy you decided to come along on the cruise. And I like your new cowboy hat, Mr. Sam. It makes you look tough.”

  Sam grinned. He lifted his right hand and felt the hat and then glanced down at the rugged brown jacket he had tossed on over a pair of old blue jeans. “Old habits, Momma Peach...old habits.” Sam walked his eyes out into the rain. “That restaurant we ate at last night sure had some good food, didn't it?”

  Momma Peach patted her belly. “I don’t have any complaints,” she chuckled. “I especially ain't complaining about the chocolate mousse.”

  Sam's grin widened. “I noticed.”

  Momma Peach chuckled again and nudged Sam with her elbow. “Silly.”

  Sam smiled and glanced back over his shoulder. The cab Michelle and Able were riding in appeared behind them on the wet highway. “Michelle sure seems to like Able, doesn't she?”

  “My baby girl is in love,” Momma Peach confirmed. She reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of peppermint. “I think I hear wedding bells.”

  “Really?” Sam asked shocked. He watched Momma Peach place the peppermint into her mouth. “Michelle and Able just met.”

  “I know that, baby,” Momma Peach smiled. “But sometimes a heartfelt prayer is answered quicker than lightning can flash down from the sky.”

  “Married...wow...I just can't imagine Michelle married.” Sam leaned back in his seat. “She's...I mean, last night she got into a fight with that cabbie who tried to overcharge us.”

  Momma Peach stopped smiling. “I saw her tangle with that tattoo-covered bear,” she said and shook her head. “What choice did she have? That ugly bear tried to shove her up against the cab.”

  Sam made a pained face. “That was the guy’s first and last mistake. I doubt he'll try to cheat anyone again.” Their cab driver glanced in the rearview mirror at Sam but didn't say a word. Perhaps their driver had heard about his friend being beaten to a pulp by some kung fu-fighting cop.

  “I think so, too,” Momma Peach agreed. She looked over her shoulder and spotted Michelle's cab. “Michelle wants peace, Mr. Sam, but she won't ever back down from a fight.” Momma Peach attempted to cheer up her heart. “But her new boyfriend sure didn't let his woman take on that ugly old bear alone, now did he?”

  Sam thought back to the fight and how Able had jumped on the back of Michelle's opponent. He laughed. “Able sure tried to hold on, but that bucking bear was too much for him.”

  “Bless his heart,” Momma Peach said and felt a smile touch her lips again. “Able may be the clumsiest man alive, but he sure ain't no coward. No sir and no ma’am. He might end up getting himself shoved in a garbage can someday, but he'll do so fighting with all his might.”

  Sam agreed. “Able will protect Michelle, that's for sure...and Michelle will always protect him, too. I guess you're right, Momma Peach. Those two are meant for each other...two heartbeats finding each other like lost boats on a lonely sea.”

  Momma Peach looked into Sam's face and saw sadness. “Mr. Sam is thinking of his wife.”

  “Hard not to, at times, Momma Peach,” Sam confessed.

  Momma Peach patted Sam's arm. “I know, baby,” she assured Sam. “But listen to me, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “I won this cruise and I want all of my friends to have a grand old time. So,” Momma Peach patted Sam's arm again, “I don't want you feeling sad. We're gonna get on a big old ship that's going to take us up there to Alaska. We'll be far away from all our troubles, Mr. Sam. Of course,” Momma Peach shook her head, “I sure don't know what kind of troubles we might return to. I must have been crazy to leave Old Joe alone with Mandy and Rosa. Oh, give me strength.”

  Sam winced. “Yeah, I'm not sure what we're going to return to, either, Momma Peach. Old Joe is...well, let's just say I carry my wallet in my front pocket when he's around.”

  Momma Peach laughed. “Don't I know it, baby. Old Joe is an old dog set in his ways. I guess he'll always be an old shyster. But at least he's changing...some.”

  Sam laughed and patted his back pocket. “Just making sure…yup, I still have my wallet.”

  “Oh, you,” Momma Peach said and nudged Sam with her elbow again.

  “I reckon men like Old Joe just need time,” Sam told Momma Peach. “I'm sure Mandy and Rosa won't put up with any scheme he might come up with, either.”

  Momma Peach nodded her head. “My girls can handle Old Joe. I can just picture it…if he gives them any lip they’ll simply lock him in the cellar and stand on top of that trap door until Old Joe promises to behave himself.” She and Sam chuckled mightily at the image in their minds.

  The cab driver continued toward the dock without saying a word and decided to take a shortcut so he could charge an honest fare. When he arrived at the rainy dock, he quickly unloaded the luggage in the trunk and accepted the fare skittishly from Sam before driving away into the rain at top speed. “What's with him?” Sam asked Momma Peach.

  Momma Peach opened a bright pink umbrella and cast her eyes up at the biggest ship she had ever seen in her life. The North Queen was docked quietly in the port with the stormy waters of the bay beyond. The ship was rocking back and forth a tiny bit in the troubled waters but standing tall, with lonely blue and white colors wrapped around it. A strange feeling gripped Momma Peach's stomach. The sight of the cruise ship terrified her for some unnamable reason. “Oh my,” she whispered, staring through the hard rain at the massive ship with its boarding ramp extending down to the dock a little ways further down from where they stood. The cruise ship
loomed back at her, its portholes looking out like mysterious eyes that were, she thought, filled with fear.

  Having exited their own taxi, Michelle and Able walked up to Momma Peach. “That's a really big ship,” Able said in a worried voice, holding a gray umbrella over Michelle's head with his left hand and a brown suitcase in his right hand. “I hope I don't get seasick.”

  Sam winced. He could all too easily imagine Able getting seasick. The poor guy looked bad enough wearing his dorky red and green striped rain jacket. Of course, Able thought the jacket was cool and Michelle didn't have the heart to say otherwise. Michelle, on the other hand, looked very stylish in her black leather jacket zipped tightly against the rain over a dark gray dress. Sam supposed opposites did attract. “Maybe you should go see the ship’s doctor once we're underway?”

  “Good idea,” Able agreed. He looked at the cruise ship with worried eyes.

  Michelle squeezed Able’s hand to reassure him. She was so happy to be on vacation with the people she loved. Being in Seattle with Able had been very romantic. The shopping was fun. The food was delicious. The landscape was gorgeous. Now she was about to board a fancy cruise ship and sail north to Alaska. But one glance into Momma Peach's eyes sent all of her wonderful feelings running away into a dark corner. “Momma Peach?” she asked.

  Momma Peach heard Michelle say her name but she didn't reply. She was staring at the cruise ship in a hypnotic state. “Oh my,” she whispered again, scared.

  Michelle stared at Momma Peach. “Momma Peach?” she asked again.

  This time Momma Peach managed to tear her eyes away from the cruise ship and look at Michelle. “Yes, baby?”

  “Are you okay?”

  Momma Peach looked into Michelle's beautiful face. Just last night she had seen Michelle standing outside of a cozy restaurant with Able in the rain, laughing and giggling and so happy. Her baby was having a splendid time – well-deserved and well-earned. How could she spoil the fun by putting into words what her heart was telling her? “I’m fine, Michelle,” Momma Peach promised and forced a smile to her face. “I guess we...better get on board before that big old ship sails out to sea without us. Mr. Sam, are you ready?”

  “Ready as ever,” Sam smiled. “Able?”

  Able gulped. “Ready...as ever. Honey?” he asked Michelle.

  Michelle had not stopped staring into Momma Peach's face. Something was wrong. “No, I'm not ready,” she said. “Momma Peach, what is it? I can read your eyes. Something is the matter.”

  Momma Peach looked back at the cruise ship. Beyond the cruise ship was the rough, open sea filled with hard, choppy waves. Momma Peach sighed. “Baby, a bad feeling came over me just as soon as I laid eyes on that ship.”

  “A bad feeling?” Able asked, alarmed.

  Sam didn't say anything. Instead, he stared at the cruise ship with curious eyes. “Yes, a bad feeling,” Momma Peach confirmed. “The sight of that big old ship is scaring me something awful.”

  Michelle looked up at the ship again. She felt a strange feeling sweep over her. Before she could say a word, Sam spoke up. “Yeah, I'm getting a bad feeling in my gut, too.” Sam wasn't lying to make Momma Peach feel better, either. He was speaking the truth: the sight of the cruise ship had made his gut knot up just then.

  “Do we...get on board, then?” Able asked.

  Able's question was answered by a loud fire alarm erupting on board. Momma Peach darted her eyes around the ship and spotted black smoke pouring out of an upper deck. Employees of the cruise line scurried to the boarding ramp and began rushing passengers off the ship and then hurried to safety themselves. Soon there was quite a crowd huddled on the dock. “What's going on?” Sam asked a middle-aged man in a white cruise line uniform who was striding past them.

  “Major kitchen fire,” the man told Sam and shook his head. “We couldn't get it under control...the fire is spreading. You better stand back. The fire department will need room when they arrive.”

  “So...no cruise?” Able asked.

  “Not today,” the man said firmly, and hurried off.

  Michelle looked at Momma Peach. “I guess the cruise is off,” she sighed. Despite the fearful feeling of panic that she had felt in her gut just moments before, Michelle was heartbroken.

  Momma Peach felt relief and sadness engulf her heart. Surely it was better to be on land and watch the cruise ship burn than to be at sea when it happened, when they would surely have been shoved into lifeboats and simply prayed for the best. But still, the disappointment in her Michelle’s eyes broke her heart. “Maybe not,” Momma Peach said and looked at Sam. “Maybe...we can rent a car and drive to Alaska?”

  Sam folded his arms together. “Now there's a good idea. Able, Michelle? What do you think?”

  Able stared at the black smoke rising up from the ship. The ship seemed cursed in his eyes. “Yeah, driving to Alaska seems a lot better than sailing.”

  Michelle considered Momma Peach's suggestion. She imagined being on the open road with Able, sitting together in the backseat, holding hands, stopping at log cabin restaurants, sleeping in rugged bed and breakfasts, or camping under the stars and roasting marshmallows. “I think driving to Alaska will be fun,” she smiled. “It's obvious our ship isn't going out to sea anytime soon.”

  Momma Peach looked at the cruise ship. The ship seemed to look at her with hurt eyes now. Momma Peach knew, deep down in her heart, that she would see the cruise ship again. “Well, no sense in standing around in the rain. We better call a cab to take us to a car rental place and—oof!” A man wearing a dark gray trench coat jolted into Momma Peach and almost knocked her over. “Excuse you!” Momma Peach growled as she caught her balance. The man rushed off and vanished into the crowd of panicked employees and passengers. Michelle began to give chase but Momma Peach grabbed her arm. “Let him go, baby.”

  Michelle watched the man vanish and shook her head. “Some people,” she said and looked at Momma Peach. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, honey.” Momma Peach looked at Able. “Able, why don't you go call us a cab.”

  “I'll go with him,” Sam said, not trusting the younger man not to get lost in the commotion, and walked off with Able.

  Momma Peach deliberately turned her back to the cruise ship. “We'll put this morning’s events behind us and have a wonderful trip. You'll see. We'll get up there to Alaska and tussle with some grizzly bears and tickle the bellies of some salmon.”

  Michelle smiled at her words, but her eyes watched Able and Sam weaving away through the crowd in the rain. Then she turned and saw that the black smoke was growing thicker and thicker. In the distance, the sound of sirens began whining. “Come on, Momma Peach, let's get out of this rain. There isn't any sense standing here.”

  “You ain't too disappointed about the cruise, are you?” Momma Peach begged as they turned to walk away.

  Michelle shook her head. She wrapped her arm around Momma Peach and smiled. “Momma Peach, as long as we're together, that's all that matters to me. And to be honest, I was kinda worried Able might get seasick and spend the entire cruise in the bathroom. At least now,” Michelle added in a positive tone, “he can't get seasick.”

  Momma Peach smiled. “No,” she agreed. “Let’s just hope he doesn’t get car sick, baby,” she said with a chuckle and walked off with Michelle. She looked over her shoulder at the cruise ship and knew that she was going to see the North Queen again somewhere, but for now she was happy to put it behind her.

  “Wow, so the kitchen was deliberately set on fire?” Able asked, sitting in the back seat of a gray minivan with Michelle.

  Sam focused on the road before him. Tall, beautiful pine trees lined both sides of the road. Beyond the trees stood the towering peaks of the Alaskan wilderness; untamed, wild, rugged and free. Sam imagined what the land looked like covered with snow. Summer was winding down and fall was quickly approaching. Before long, the land would be blanketed with fresh, white snow. “Seems that way,” he said.


  Momma Peach stared out of the window at the beautiful landscape from the front seat. They were about two hours away from where they planned to stay at the Snowy River Lodge. Not that she was in any rush to get to the lodge. The drive up into Alaska from Seattle had been relaxing and peaceful so far. But Momma Peach couldn't seem to get her mind off the North Queen. Her heartfelt unsettled. “Yes,” she told Able, “some scoundrel set the kitchen on fire, they’re saying in the newspaper. We saw it in a copy of the local paper at the last gas station, while you boys were in the rest room.”

  “Why arson?” Able asked.

  “Exactly my question,” Michelle answered Able. Her detective’s mind was awake and she was focused on the fire despite the beautiful landscape around them. “An employee or employees had to be involved.”

  Sam eased down his window a bit to let in some fresh, clean air. He drew in a deep breath. “Will you smell that air,” he said in a voice that told everyone he wasn't in the mood to continue discussing the misfortune that had struck the cruise ship. “The air is cooler up this way than it was down in Juneau.”

  “We're north of Anchorage,” Able pointed out. He looked out of the window next to him and soaked in the untamed landscape. “I wonder if there are any grizzly bears around?” he asked.

  Momma Peach felt a smile touch her lips. Leave up to Able to make a worried woman smile. She unfolded her arms and brushed a few wrinkles out of her blue and white dress. “Honey, if there are bears, Momma Peach will run them off for you.”

  Able nervously swallowed. He wasn't interested in tangling with a grizzly bear. “The lodge we're staying at...it's pretty remote, huh?”

  “Very remote,” Sam confirmed happily. “We're going to be two hours from any town.”