Coffee Cake and Clues (Holly Hart Cozy Mystery Series Book 9) by Laura Pauling

Author:Laura Pauling [Pauling, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Redpoint Press
Published: 2022-10-05T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Holly had one of those dreams, the kind where everyone else moves easily through space and time, but where she moved in slow motion. Millicent and Trent were eating in a restaurant, and Holly was trying to remind Trent of their situation. Every time she tried to talk with a sluggish mouth, her speech came out garbled, nonsensical; no one could understand her.

And throughout her efforts, the phone kept ringing, and she kept ignoring it because of her laser-like focus on Trent, her continued effort to form words, and her distress.

She startled. Jolted up in bed.

The phone was ringing. A glance at the clock told her it was 7:30 a.m. She never slept this late.

She fumbled at her nightstand, dropped the phone onto the floor. Muttering and praying the person wouldn’t hang up, she leaned over and swiped at the phone screen, and then called out, “Hold on!”

Upright once more, she said hello into the phone, breathless.

“Oh, Holly. I’m sorry I woke you up. I didn’t know who else to talk to. It’s horrible. Just awful and I don’t know what to do. Can you please come down here? Please. Please.”

Whoa. It was Katie. Now Holly was wide awake. Like someone threw a bucket of cold water over her. “Tell me what happened.” Holly heard the wavering breaths over the phone. “Are you okay? Where are you?”

“I’m f-fine. At the l-library. It’s awful.”

“Now tell my why.” Relief swept through her that Katie was okay, not in any kind of accident.

“Someone spray painted graffiti on the side of the building. You have to see it.”

“Have you called the police?”

“Not yet. Should I? I didn’t think I could call Mason, him being recused and all, but this has to do with the case. I’m positive.”

“Yes. Phone the station. Talk to Trent. And call Finn. Make sure he documents everything. I’ll be there in a few.”

Holly scrambled to dress. She threw on grey yoga pants and an oversized hoodie. It was her I’m-at-home-and-no-one-will-see-me outfit. But she didn’t care. Yesterday’s baking and emotional effort had left her exhausted. Her hair went up into a clip. She couldn’t help herself, so in case she saw Trent, she dabbed on some light foundation and lip gloss.

Muffins yipped in the kitchen, waiting for food and to be let out. “I’ll be right there!” She rubbed his side. “Ready for an adventure? To sniff out some clues and bad guys? Let’s go.” She grabbed a bowl of dog food for him to eat in the car.

The air was nippy at this time of morning, her breath creating foggy clouds. She parked down the street, attached Muffins’ leash, and headed toward the library.

Katie stood outside the front of the library, dressed for the day. She waved frantically. Finn was already there, snapping photos. Holly hurried, Muffins by her feet. When she arrived at the front of the library, it was obvious why Katie had called her, why she was so frantic, and why it so obviously had to do with the murder.

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