Christmas Chocolate Murder (A Maple Hills Cozy Mystery Book 9) Read online

  The next morning Nikki got up early. She put on the coffee and made some scrambled eggs and toast. Seth woke up and met her in the kitchen.

  “What time are you going into work?” he asked quietly. Brian had been up most of the night reading. He had finally fallen asleep, so Seth and Nikki did not want to disturb him.

  “I’ll be going in shortly. Why?”

  “Well, I would like to come in and help, if you don’t mind.”

  Nikki gave him a hug. “Thank you. We need all the help we can get.”

  Nikki poured some coffee, and they sat down at the kitchen table. The snow had stopped, but there were drifts over six feet high in the area. Hawk was going to come over and drive them to town. Nikki was grateful for Hawk. She loved to drive, but not in snow this deep. In fact, not in snow, period. It rarely snowed in Atlanta, and when it did the whole city shut down. Up here, it would take a blizzard like last night for folks to even consider staying at home.

  “So, Brian said he doesn’t have a girlfriend because he studies so much.”

  Seth laughed. “Yeah, he is Mr. Bookworm.”

  “Is he in the running for valedictorian?” Nikki wanted to step lightly around Seth. He was smart. She did not want him to suspect his friend. She and Hawk weren’t sure of anything. Brian’s name was one of a dozen on the list.

  Seth thought about it while he sipped his coffee. “No. Well, I’m not sure. He never talked about it, why?”

  Nikki had to think on her feet. If she said ‘no reason’ Seth would get suspicious. So, she said, “Well, as much as he studies, I thought he would be.”

  Seth laughed and shook his head. “Probably, but it doesn’t seem that important to him.”

  Nikki laughed, but she had a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach like something wasn’t sitting well. She was actually glad that Brian would be staying at the house. That way she and Hawk could investigate Susan’s death without him hanging around.

  The phone rang, and Seth got it. “Hawk said he is on the way.”

  “Okay, I’ll get a thermos of coffee to go for him. Would you like one?”

  “No thank you, Mom. I’ll have more in the shop.”

  Nikki and Seth got their things together and waited for Hawk to get to the house. When he got there, he took them down the windy snowy road to town.

  Nikki opened the front door and went into the shop. Tori and Lidia appeared a few minutes later. Seth had seen them at the diner and had gone over to say good morning. Seth held the door open and gave Tori’s hand a squeeze when she walked by. Nikki opened the safe and put the money in the register.

  “Thank you for making the deposit the other day, Tori. My head is spinning trying to keep up with things.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m glad to help.”

  I could not ask for better employees, Nikki thought while turning the Open sign around. The sun was shining brightly, but the snow was not going anywhere. Even with the sunshine, the outside temperature was bitter cold. Nikki cranked up the heat in the shop and went into the kitchen. Tori, Lidia, and Seth were in there starting on the chocolates.

  “Thank you for coming in early,” Nikki said to Tori and Lidia. “Being closed yesterday has put us behind.”

  “Not as much as you would think,” replied Lidia, opening the refrigerator. There were boxes and boxes of candy inside including a double batch of the white chocolate peppermint sticks. “We didn’t have too many customers when the storm was announced, so Tori and I got our butts in gear and completed the orders for the next few days.”

  Nikki was in shock. Her jaw hung open looking at the chocolates. She had been so worried about Seth, she had felt neglectful to her customers. Thank goodness for Tori and Lidia. She hugged them with tears in her eyes.

  “What can I do to repay you?” she asked.

  “Find out what happened to Susan,” said Tori. “And then we can all get back into the holiday spirit.”

  “I will try my best,” said Nikki, looking at Tori. She had grown into a very responsible young woman.

  Just then the front bell rang as someone entered the shop. Nikki looked out and saw Hawk. “We’re in the back,” she called. He came over and explained to Nikki that he was going to take another look at the crime scene.

  “Would you like to ride along?”

  “Absolutely,” said Nikki. “Let’s take a look.”

  Nikki left the shop a lot less worried about her customers. Time to get down to business, she thought.

  Nikki and Hawk got to the parking lot. So much snow had fallen since the crime, Nikki was worried that there would not be any evidence. They got out of Hawk’s car and ducked under the crime scene tape.

  “Gus is hoping the tape can be removed, soon. He says it’s bad for business,” Hawk mentioned to Nikki with a grimace. “I like Gus, but I don’t think he realizes how callous he can sound.”

  “I don’t think he is callous; he is just worried about feeding his family. I understand that,” said Nikki, shivering.

  Hawk nodded in response. “Okay, let’s take a careful look around.”

  Nikki and Hawk walked in a single line. They disturbed as little as possible, but they did brush some of the snow out of the way. There was nothing suspicious. And they could not find a reason for the carbon monoxide poisoning. Nikki was leaning around the end of the car when she told Hawk to come over. She looked at the bushes, and carefully wiped the snow away. Some of the bushes were bent over from the weight of the snow, but there were some that were broken.

  “Look, Hawk. Doesn’t the broken pattern look like someone walked through here?” Nikki put words to her thoughts.

  Hawk looked where she was pointing. “Did you just brush that snow off?”

  “Yes,” said Nikki excitedly. “See how some of the bushes are bent from the snow . . .”

  “And the others are broken where someone probably walked,” said Hawk, finishing her sentence.

  Nikki smiled. It was their first possible lead. It wasn’t much, but it was something. There were more broken bushes a little ways off. Hawk took some pictures and they made their way carefully back to the car. “Can we go to the station?” Nikki asked. “I would like to check Susan’s backpack again.”

  “Sure,” said Hawk. “Would you like to swing by the shop first and see how everyone is doing?”

  “No need,” said Nikki, and Hawk looked at her. “Really,” she assured him. “The shop is in good hands.”

  “I’m glad to hear that,” Hawk replied with a grin. He was glad Nikki felt good about leaving the shop. He had been concerned when Seth was stuck in the middle of another investigation, but Nikki seemed to be handling this well. He should not be surprised after everything they had been through together. Nikki was one tough lady. He admired that about her.

  Hawk started up the car, and they went to the station.

  Hawk put Nikki in a room with a large table. He gave her the backpack and some gloves. He wanted to let the chief know about the bushes, so he left Nikki to sort through the backpack. She started with the small compartment. There was nothing new. She pulled out the books one by one and flipped through them. Some papers fell out, but they were just notes and quizzes from her classes. Nikki picked up a notebook and looked through it. There were mainly notes from class and some notes about Susan’s job offers. Nikki made a mental note to ask if Hawk had followed up on those. The next notebook was the same. The final notebook was a bit different. Nikki had noticed that Susan did not rip her pages out. She carefully creased them and tore them along the edge. Near the back of this notebook there were several pages that had been torn out. The edges were left in the notebook. Nikki thought about this and ran to Hawk’s office.

  “Hawk, can I see the notes that Susan received?”

  Hawk got up and went to the evidence room. He pulled out the notes and handed them to Nikki. He knew better than to ask ‘why’ when she was excited. Nikki took the notes and held them up to the torn pages in the notebook. She could n
ot tell through the plastic, but they seemed like they would match.

  “I will get this notebook and these pages to the lab right away and see what they come up with,” Hawk exclaimed excitedly.

  “I’m concerned, Hawk,” Nikki said halting Hawk in his tracks.

  He turned and looked at her. “What’s wrong?” he asked putting his hand on her shoulder. Nikki’s mouth had gone down into a frown.

  “Seth and Susan would study together. This does not look good for him.”

  “But we know Seth didn’t do this,” Hawk reassured her.

  “I know it, you know it, and I am pretty sure the chief knows it, but it still does not look good.”

  “Also, Brian would sometimes study with them. Seth did not know he was running for valedictorian. Did I tell you that?” Nikki asked.

  “No, that is weird,” said Hawk.

  “We have more questions than answers,” sighed Nikki dejectedly.

  “What would you like me to do?” asked Hawk.

  “Well, that needs to go to the lab. I think it’s time I have a talk with Brian,” replied Nikki with a determined set to her mouth.

  “Let me go with you,” suggested Hawk.

  “No. I don’t want to scare him. If you go along he might suspect something. Let me go and talk to him, and I will let you know what I find out,” said Nikki.

  Hawk knew she was right, but he was not happy. “Keep your phone with you and call me if you need me,” he demanded.

  “Okay,” Nikki kissed his cheek. “I will be fine. Now get that notebook to the lab.”

  “Fine. I will drop you off at your house and pick you up in an hour. Is that a deal?”

  “Yes,” said Nikki, glad to have him watching her back. “That should be plenty of time for me to talk to Brian. I’ll tell him I came home to make him some lunch.” Nikki hated that she suspected Seth’s friend, but something just did not feel right. She thought about stopping by the shop, but she did not want to delay talking to Brian. The sooner she talked to him, the more she would learn.

  Chapter Seven

  Hawk pulled up to Nikki’s driveway. He touched her hand and made sure she was okay. Nikki gave him a reassuring look and got out of the car.

  “Thank you for the lift,” she called to him as she walked to her front door. Hank waved and drove away. He was determined to get to the lab quickly so he could be back to Nikki’s house as soon as possible.

  Nikki opened her front door. Her heart was beating rapidly, but she maintained a calm demeanor. She did not want Brian to suspect anything. She went into the kitchen and heard the television. After she put her purse and keys down, she went into the den. Brian was sitting there watching television. He got up when he heard her and turned it off.

  “You don’t have to turn that off on my account,” Nikki said.

  “I really should get back to my reading,” replied Brian, turning a bit red.

  “All work and no play . . . Would you like me to make you some lunch?”

  “Thank you, I would appreciate that.” Brian followed Nikki back into the kitchen. He sat by the counter, and she pulled out the makings for some sandwiches.

  “Turkey? Ham? Which would you like?” Nikki asked.

  “Turkey, please.”

  “White or wheat bread?”

  “Wheat, please.”

  “Good choice. That’s so much healthier than white bread.”

  “When I was growing up we didn’t have white bread in our house,” Brian said.

  Nikki felt the ice cracking between them. “Really? Seth loved white bread as a child. That is one of the staples of the south.”

  “Yeah. My parents are kind of health freaks,” said Brian, grinning a side grin.

  “Do they eat granola?”

  “Not only do they eat it, they make their own. They only eat organic food. They get fresh vegetables from a nearby farm and have fruit flown in when it’s in season. My mom is a vegetarian, but my father eats meat. Only the best filets for him,” explained Brian with wide eyes.

  “Pork barbecue was a staple in Seth’s childhood. He loved it with coleslaw and corn on the cob.”

  Nikki smiled. She could talk about food all day, but she needed to steer this conversation back to the important issue; Susan’s death.

  “So, your parents are in Europe?” Nikki asked while putting some mayonnaise on their sandwiches.

  “Yes, they’re travelling for the holidays. They invited me along, but I did not want to miss classes.”

  “Wow. If someone asked me to Europe, I would not care if I missed classes,” joked Nikki. “What do your parents do for a living?”

  “My dad is a financial investor, and my mother is a writer.”

  That sounds normal, thought Nikki, maybe my feelings are off on this case.

  “My mother wanted to go to Europe so she could experience things first hand. That way, when she wrote about them, she could get the details correct. She is a serious writer. She spends a good portion of her day organizing her plots and ideas.”

  “What does your mother write?”

  “She has written some fiction and some travel blogs. She writes a little of this and a little of that. She has been published, but she is not a bestseller. She’s waiting for her big break. That’s why she’s touring Europe. She wants to base her next romance there. She thinks if she experiences the culture it will reflect in her writing.”

  “So, your parents must have been worried when you said you weren’t coming along.”

  “My mom was disappointed, but my father reminded her that it was my senior year and that I had to keep my grades up. My mom promised me a trip to England after I graduate.”

  “That sounds wonderful,” said Nikki wishing she could do something like that for Seth.

  “Yeah, I can’t wait. I have been looking forward to going back there for a couple of years.”

  “You’ve been there before?” Nikki asked.

  “Yes. For a month after I graduated from high school I backpacked through Europe. It was fantastic.”

  “That sounds amazing.”

  “Yeah. I told Seth he should do it sometime. It really is an experience.”

  Nikki handed him his sandwich, and they ate quietly. Nikki watched Brian eat. He seemed like a nice young man. He was well travelled, and his parents were well-off. He did not come across as snobbish, and he was content being in Nikki’s house. He seemed quiet and fairly happy. Nikki was conflicted. How could he have murdered Susan? He doesn’t seem like the type. She chastised herself. If all criminals looked the type, we would not need detectives.

  After they were done eating, Brian cleared up the plates.

  “So, how are your classes going?” Nikki asked him.

  Brian’s face turned dark for a moment, but he smiled and said, “I’m still maintaining my A average.”

  “Wow, that is impressive,” coaxed Nikki.

  “It is hard, but I am championing through.”

  “Is that why you’re reading a lot here on vacation?” Nikki asked.

  “Yes. I have to stay ahead to keep up my grades. I don’t get to hang out with my friends much, but that’s why I’m so glad Seth is my roommate. When he thinks I have been studying too much, he will make me leave the room and hang out with him. Actually, that’s how I met Susan.” Brian flinched a little and looked pained. He went on, “They were studying together and they invited me along a couple of times. I liked Susan, but she and Seth were really close. They included me in the conversation, and sometimes I would study with them. We got along really well. I am sorry she’s gone.” He sighed and sat down. Nikki put her hand on his shoulder, but she wasn’t happy about it.

  He has to think I do not suspect him, she reminded herself.

  “We ate lunch together the last day of school,” Brian choked. He was almost crying. Nikki patted his shoulder.

  “Do you and Hawk have any leads?” he asked with tears in his eyes.

  “We are working on the case togeth
er, but we haven’t solved it yet,” said Nikki evasively.

  “I really liked her. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you solve this case.”

  Nikki forced a smile and told him she would let him know. You don’t know how much you have already helped. Nikki looked at the clock.

  “Hawk will be back any minute to take me back to town. Would you like to join us? You could hang around the shop with Seth if you like.”

  “No, thank you. I think I’ll stay here. I have some science I need to work on.”

  Nikki told him that was fine. In fact, she was glad he was going to stay at the house. It would give her time to talk to Hawk on the ride back to town. She put the lunch dishes away and gathered her things. She braced herself for the cold and stepped outside as Hawk was pulling up the driveway.

  “You are early,” Nikki exclaimed.

  “Are you okay?” Hawk asked anxiously.

  “Yes,” she reassured him. “I am fine. In fact, I had quite a productive lunch,” she added as she climbed into his truck. He looked at her and shook his head.

  “Are you going to fill me in?”

  “Not yet. Let’s start driving back to town. It’s just a hunch, but I will fill you in on the way.”

  Hawk pulled the truck out of the driveway. They did not see Brian staring at them out of the downstairs window. He wiped a tear from his eye and went back to his books.

  Chapter Eight

  Nikki repeated what Brian had told her at lunch. Hawk listened. “Well,” he said, “it sounds fine.”

  “Yes, but you didn’t see his face when I mentioned his grades,” replied Nikki. “It was like a dark cloud came over him. His eyes were holding back anger. He said he has straight A’s but if he does, why would talking about his grades upset him so much?”

  “That is a good question,” said Hawk, turning into the parking lot of the police station.

  “I think we should try to talk to some of his professors. Maybe they can help us. Maybe he and Susan had some professors in common?”

  Hawk agreed and said he would get to work on looking up the professors. He would start by calling the university. Nikki said she was going to check on the store. She asked him to call her when he found anything out. Hawk reassured her that he would. She started walking slowly and carefully toward the store. The snow had stopped, but there were icy patches on some of the sidewalks. It seemed you could shovel the snow, but you might just uncover some ice while doing so. She looked across at Gus who was trying to salt the sidewalks to encourage the ice to melt. As she turned the corner she noticed her sidewalk had been shoveled. She opened the front door and looked in.