Coconut Chocolate Murder (A Maple Hills Cozy Mystery Book 7) Read online

  “I guess,” Nikki said. “Help me put these files away, and we'll go have lunch.”

  “Lidia and Tori are waiting at the diner for us,” Hawk said as he began helping her clear the files.

  Nikki suddenly stopped and looked at Hawk. She froze as her mind swung a bright, shiny object in front of her eyes. Only this time, the object was shaped like a needle. “Hawk?”

  “Are you okay?” Hawk asked, alarmed.

  “I...” Nikki struggled to speak, “I...”

  “Sit down.”

  Nikki took Hawk's arm and sat.

  “Want some water?”

  “No, I'm...” Nikki closed her eyes. As she did, she saw herself standing in a gray light. Suddenly, a hand appeared and jabbed a needle into her neck. Nikki jerked and threw her eyes open.

  “What is it?” Hawk asked, watching Nikki begin to breathe in short, panicked gasps as her eyes grew wide with fear.

  “I'm not sure,” Nikki whispered. “Please, let's leave. I need some fresh air.”

  Hawk helped Nikki stand up. With shaky hands, she put on her coat and ski cap. “Ready?” Hawk asked.

  Nikki nodded. “And a little hungry. Maybe some food will help.”

  As Nikki walked out of the records room, she walked away from certain memories that were whispering into her mind, breaking away from frozen screams and melting into a nightmare.

  Chapter Ten

  After lunch, Nikki and Hawk drove to the rental house while Lidia and Tori headed back to the police station. “Weather is getting worse,” Hawk said, leaning forward in the driver's seat.

  Nikki listened to the screaming winds lashing sleet against the jeep. “I trust your driving. I do not trust icy roads,” she told Hawk in a worried voice.

  “Good thing the rental house is right here in town,” Hawk replied. “There's no way we could have driven out into the country. I'm not even sure we're going to make it back to your cabin tonight. We may have to pitch a tent in my office.”

  Nikki braced herself as the jeep slid to a stop at a four-way intersection. The business district was now a block behind her. Cozy, warm, townhomes stood before her, lining comfortable streets that any writer would imagine with delight. “Keep going,” Nikki urged Hawk even though her heart was running laps.

  Hawk looked to his left and then to his right. “Ice is sticking to the power lines. My guess is this part of town will lose power before morning. Your cabin could be without power by now, too.”

  “One problem at a time,” Nikki begged him. “First, let's drive by the rental home.”

  Hawk nodded and eased through the four-way stop. “The house isn't far. I bet ten bucks that’s how Oliver Bates vanished from sight the other day. All he had to do was cut through a side street and wander off toward the rental house.”

  Nikki looked to her left as Hawk drove past a cute brick house. Smoke was rising from a stone chimney attached to the side of the house. Instead of imagining loving families gathered around a blazing fire, sharing stories, drinking hot chocolate, and eating popcorn, Nikki saw a dying woman struggling to crawl across a bedroom floor toward her. Nikki... get help... Nikki, call for… help. Nikki…

  “Nikki?” Hawk asked.

  “Huh?” She jumped in her seat.

  “I said we're one street away from the rental house.”

  “Oh, okay. Drive slowly.”

  Hawk glanced at Nikki. Her face was pale, and her eyes were filled with horror and fear. “I wish I could walk inside your mind and save you from whatever monster is chasing you.”

  “Me, too,” Nikki replied, her voice shaky.

  Hawk slid the jeep to a stop at a second four-way stop. “There,” he said and pointed to a little yellow house sitting on the right-hand corner of Pine Street. Nikki leaned forward and studied it. “I see lights on.”

  “Me, too,” Hawk said, fixing his eyes on a gray, two-door car sitting in the driveway. I'm going to turn right, ease past the house, and get a look at the tag on that car.”

  Nikki drew in a deep breath. “Okay, let's go.”

  Inside the house, Oliver Bates was taking a hot shower. Having caught a chill from the icy weather, he feared that he might come down with a cold. Soaking up the hot steam, he was focused on his health and was completely unaware that Nikki and Hawk had located his hide-out.

  After his shower, Oliver took two Vitamin C pills, drank three cups of hot honey water, and settled down into an armchair with his laptop and waited for Nikki to return to her cabin. “I must make you more aware of the true killer,” he whispered hideously. “The true killer is out there, Ms. Bates. Tick-tock, the sand is running out... for both you and me. We must hurry and play.”

  Back at the police station, Nikki walked into Hawk's office and plopped down in a cushioned chair in front of his desk. “Hey, guys,” Nikki said in an exhausted voice.

  Lidia and Tori were sitting in two chairs placed next to the window. “There is no way we're driving home tonight,” Tori said, looking out the office window into the deep gray, icy day.

  “I agree,” Lidia confirmed. “And this wind, my goodness, I've never seen it this strong.”

  “Me neither,” Hawk agreed, walking into his office and closing the door. “Okay, Nikki, I ran the tag.”

  “And?” Nikki asked anxiously.

  “The car belongs to a rental company in New Jersey,” Hawk explained, walking to his desk and sitting down.

  “Oliver can't use credit cards,” Nikki said, “and you need a credit card to rent a car.”

  “Not at Anywhere, Anytime Car Rental Service,” Hawk told her. “You can rent a car with cash just as long as you pay the cash deposit.”

  “Surely this company would have taken a copy of Bates’ driver's license,” Nikki mused.

  “Maybe, maybe not. I ran the company through the system, and let's just say the feedback is enough to make you cringe. Basically, the company rents lemons that aren't worth two cents.”

  “Okay, so Oliver got away with renting a lemon,” Nikki replied in a tired voice, “but I'm sure he's not going to be driving a lemon for the rest of his life. Hawk, the man is a dangerous killer. He's not walking blind here. That man has probably purchased a new vehicle and home on a tropical island somewhere.”

  Hawk crossed his ankle over his left knee. “With the Canadian border right up the road, he can make a hasty escape, too. I have nothing to charge him with at this point, though,” he muttered. “Sure, we found a few bread crumbs to stuff in our pockets today, but where does that leave us?”

  “Well,” Nikki said, attempting to sound positive, “let's count our bread crumbs. We know that Jane Bates was from Maple Hills and that Oliver Bates went to work at the CDC in Vermont after he left the navy. It's likely that he met Jane in Maple Hills somewhere along the line. Oliver was probably transferred to Atlanta, which explains how he ended up in Georgia.” Nikki rubbed her eyes. “Jane was murdered and managed to scrawl a few lipstick letters on her bedroom floor, leaving behind some form of a clue. Oliver believes her killer lives in Maple Hills, but I'm not so sure. I believe the man is playing a game. I also believe he killed Mrs. Grove.”

  “I'm going to run the marriage license,” Hawk told Nikki, “and find out where Bates married his wife. I'm also going to check with Atlanta and see what they have on Oliver and Jane. Maybe Atlanta might have a breadcrumb for us?”

  “Good idea,” Nikki agreed. “Also, Hawk, find out if Oliver went hiking in South America with someone... anyone. I have to believe he has a friend in his back pocket somewhere.”

  “I'll call a friend of mine in New York and see what he can come up with.”

  Nikki continued to rub her eyes. As she did, the image of a dead woman reappeared in her mind Nikki... call for help... help... help... Nikki yanked her eyes open. “Oh my,” she whimpered.

  “What is it, honey?” Lidia asked and rushed over to Nikki.

  Nikki looked up into Lidia's worried eyes. “Oh Lidia!” She began to cry and threw
her face into Lidia's stomach. “It's so awful... I can see her!”

  “Who?” Hawk asked.

  Lidia placed her right hand on the back of Nikki's neck to comfort her. “Who, honey? Who do you see?”

  “A dead woman, lying on a floor and begging me to call for help,” Nikki cried.

  Hawk looked at Lidia and then at Tori. Tori stood up and walked over to Lidia. “Is there anything I can do?” she asked worriedly.

  Lidia shook her head. “I'm afraid not.”

  “I keep seeing this shiny object going back and forth in front of my eyes. And earlier today, I saw the object turn into a needle... and I saw a man stick the needle into my neck,” Nikki explained through tears.

  “Oh my,” Lidia said and looked to Hawk for help.

  Hawk rubbed his chin. “Nikki, look at me.”

  Nikki lifted her head and focused on Hawk. “Yes?” she asked and wiped at her tears.

  “I think it's possible that somewhere down the line you were hypnotized. I think you realize that by now, too.” Hawk stood up and walked to Nikki. Taking her hands, he looked softly into her tear-filled eyes. “I have an idea.”

  “I'm listening,” Nikki promised.

  “This may sound silly, so bear with me.” Hawk drew in a deep breath. “When I was a cop in New York, I watched a doctor hypnotize a woman who witnessed a murder. The woman was so traumatized that her mind blocked out every detail of the murder. Needless to say, the doctor was able to help the woman bypass her trauma and remember what she had seen. I was pretty amazed because, well, I was skeptical about the whole hypnotism act.”

  “You want to hypnotize me?” Nikki asked Hawk.

  Hawk nodded. “Your mind is leaking out what you were programmed to forget,” Hawk explained. “Sooner or later you're bound to remember everything that you have forgotten, but we don't have time to wait around.”

  “Isn't that kind of dangerous?” Tori asked, concerned. “Hawk, playing with someone's mind can cause a lot of harm. Are you really qualified to hypnotize someone?”

  “Nope,” Hawk said simply, keeping his eyes locked on Nikki, “and I probably never will be qualified, either.”

  “I want to remember,” Nikki pleaded. “I need to remember. I think Oliver Bates killed his wife, Hawk. I know he killed Mrs. Grove. And now he's after me, playing some kind of sick game. The man is a dangerous killer... and he's set his sights on me, and I don't know why.”

  “Could it be because you saw him kill his wife?” Lidia asked Nikki. “How old is this weirdo?”

  “Early seventies,” Nikki answered.

  “What age was he when his wife was murdered?”

  “Forty-eight,” Hawk told Lidia.

  “So do the math...that would have put Nikki in her early twenties, right?” Lidia asked.

  Nikki nodded. “I would have been twenty-one or twenty-two, I guess. I was in journalism school at that age.”

  A bell went off in Hawk's mind. “Nikki, what if Oliver's wife called you to her home to report something to you concerning her husband? And what if Oliver found out and killed his wife before she could tell you? And what if you walked in and found the woman dying on her bedroom floor? And,” Hawk finished, “what if Oliver appeared and injected you with something and then programmed your mind to forget?”

  “It's... possible,” Nikki answered Hawk, “but those are a lot of 'what if's'. I didn't even know Jane Bates.”

  “Maybe you did, and you just don't remember it,” Hawk said. “You're seeing this woman in your mind because you're remembering her. And if you're remembering her, then you knew her somehow.”

  “Hawk is right,” Lidia told Nikki.

  “Yeah, I think he is,” Tori added. “Hawk, we trust you.”

  Hawk bit down on his lower lip. “Nikki?”

  Nikki stared into Hawk's eyes. “I have to know. I have to defeat Oliver Bates.”

  “Okay,” Hawk said and let go of Nikki's hands. Rubbing his neck, he studied his office. “Tori, close the blinds. Nikki, pull a chair into the middle of the room.”

  Nikki became very nervous. She watched Hawk hurry to his computer as she pulled a chair into the middle of the office. Hawk jumped online and brought up a website that played relaxing piano music. “That should do it,” he said as a soft, soothing melody floated into the air. “Nikki, sit down. Lidia, Tori, stand outside my office door, and don't let anyone disturb us.”

  “Come on,” Lidia said and grabbed Tori’s hand.

  “You can do this,” Tori told Nikki and hugged her neck.

  Hawk waited until Lidia and Tori had left his office before he reached into his front pocket and pulled out a gold pocket watch. “This watch belonged to my dad,” he told Nikki.

  Nikki stared at the watch as the winds howled and screamed outside. “Hawk, are you sure you can do this?”

  Hawk walked to Nikki, bent down, and gently kissed her lips. “Nikki, all I'm sure of is that I love you.”

  Nikki felt her heart reach out for Hawk. She gently touched his caring face. “Okay, my knight in shining armor, hypnotize me.”

  Hawk smiled. “Mind if I hypnotize you to love me forever?” he asked.

  “I already do,” Nikki promised and drew in a deep breath. “I'm ready.”

  Hawk grew silent. He listened to the ice hit the office window for a few seconds. “Okay, Nikki, here we go,” he said in low whisper and dropped the gold pocket watch down in front of Nikki's eyes.

  Chapter Eleven

  Oliver Bates became furious when Nikki knocked on the front door of the house his wife had grown up in. “May I come in?” Nikki asked, standing on the small, ice-covered front porch as the winds howled all around her.

  “You're a very sneaky person, now aren't you?” Oliver growled. Looking past Nikki into the dark night, he searched for any sign that Nikki had arrived with back-up. Instead, he saw her SUV parked in the driveway next to the rental car. “Inside,” he commanded.

  Nikki stepped into a small, warm foyer covered with pale yellow wallpaper. “I have some news for you,” she told Oliver, shaking the ice off her coat. “I've found the killer.”

  “Have you now?”

  Nikki studied the old man. He was wearing a gray jogging outfit and thick, wool socks. Suddenly he appeared very old and very weak in Nikki's eyes. But, Nikki quickly warned herself, the body may look old, yet the mind was still extremely deadly. “I won't take too much of your time tonight,” Nikki told Oliver. “I need to get home as soon as possible.”

  “Yes, the weather is much worse,” he stated, forcing his voice to sound firm and under control. “How did you find out my location? First, answer me that.”

  “You didn't hide yourself very well,” Nikki replied, a hint of mock disappointment in her voice. “Any amateur sleuth could have found you, Mr. Bates.”

  Nikki's response slapped Oliver across his face. “Do not test me, Ms. Bates, do you understand me?” he snarled.

  “Listen,” Nikki said, sidestepping the threat, “I've located a man who lived in Atlanta at the time your wife was murdered. He has to be the killer. I'm going to speak with him tomorrow. I need you to come with me.”

  Oliver locked eyes with Nikki and attempted to reach into her mind. “Is that so?”

  “Yes,” Nikki answered. “Mr. Bates, you twisted my arm and forced me to track down the person who killed your wife. I have completed my duty as you asked, assuming Mr. Purry is our man, that is. I am taking a blind leap of faith here. I assume you are not playing games with me and that you really want to find the killer.”

  “And the killer could be this… Mr. Purry?” Oliver asked.

  “Charlie Purry,” Nikki explained, repeating the false name. “The man lived in Atlanta and ran an antique shop. He left Atlanta soon after your wife was killed. Before Mr. Purry left Atlanta, he drew the attention of the police, who began investigating him for selling stolen goods. My guess is this man somehow knew your wife, Mr. Bates, and your wife knew about his crooked business
. He must have killed Jane to keep her silent.”

  “I see,” Oliver said coldly. “Well, perhaps we should pay this Mr. Purry a visit.”

  “Good. Meet me at my store at noon tomorrow. The weatherman isn't forecasting good weather anytime soon, so dress warmly.”

  “Of course,” Oliver assured her. “Now, hurry home.”

  “I'll be driving very slowly and very carefully,” Nikki replied and opened the front door. “Tomorrow at noon. And please, Mr. Bates, I request that you refrain from violence. We're just going to speak with Mr. Purry and ask some questions.”

  “Of course,” Oliver replied and bid Nikki a safe trip home. “Tomorrow, Nikki Bates, you will find out who Mrs. Grove’s real killer is. I'm pleased that you're playing my game, but the time has come to end it.” He slammed the front door shut then grumbled, “Tomorrow I will help you remember what I programmed you to forget. You will remember all the agony you caused me. When I am finished, you will be begging me for mercy. Oh yes, tomorrow you will know the truth, Nikki Bates.”

  Nikki hurried to her SUV, slipping and sliding on the ice. She carefully climbed up into the driver's seat. “The stage is set,” she whispered to Hawk.

  Keeping his head down in the back seat, Hawk waited until Nikki maneuvered away from the house and then crawled into the front seat and buckled up. “Are you sure that snake will take the bait?”

  “Right now,” Nikki told Hawk as she drove slowly back toward town, “Oliver Bates’ mind is running in a hundred different directions. The one fact he is sure of is that I am lying to him. Tomorrow, he'll come at me with full force.”

  “How do you know this?” Hawk asked.

  Nikki eased her SUV up to a stop sign. “Hawk, I saw the man kill his wife. I saw the man inject me with some kind of hypnotic serum. I saw the man inject me again with the same serum before I left Atlanta. He programmed me to relocate to Maple Hills, Vermont. Why? Because he intended to kill me. But first, he wanted to play his sick little game.”