The Bookshop Mysteries: A Bitter Pill: A Small Town Cozy Mystery by S.A. Reeves

Author:S.A. Reeves [Reeves, S.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stephen Haunts Ltd
Published: 2024-09-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-One

Gemma eased her car to a gentle stop in front of Mavis’s house. Baxter, the embodiment of canine patience, sat upright on the backseat, his tail thumping in anticipation. He had come to know this ritual well — it was time for walkies.

A sound of locks clicking into place heralded the arrival of Mavis, who emerged from her front door eagerly dangling a bag of chocolate cookies from her fingertips.

“Come on, Baxter!” Gemma called, pushing open the car door. The dog needed no further invitation. He bounded out eagerly and Gemma clipped on his lead.

“Couldn’t have asked for a better day!” Mavis declared, holding up the bag with a flourish. “And wait till you try these — a new recipe.”

They ambled down the path together, the two women strolling slowly while Baxter scampered ahead and sniffed everything in sight. As they turned right onto Bargate Road, the full panorama of Belper presented itself. Lush green hills stretched out as far as the eye could see. Verdant fields and thick woods surrounded Belper, nestled as it was in the Amber Valley. Gemma and Mavis paused for a moment to take in the true glory of their sleepy little town. Then, prodded by Baxter, they walked down the road towards a park.

A group of local kids was engaged in a spirited football match. The thuds of the ball and calls of “Pass it!” filled the air. Mavis smiled as she passed the cookies to Gemma.

“Try one of these, my dear.”

“Twist my arm, why don’t you?” Gemma replied with mock reluctance, taking a bite.

The cookie was divine. Crisp on the outside, and still gooey in the middle. By now, their stroll had taken them to the secluded end of the park, where a gap in the bushes beckoned them onto a less-trodden path — a farmer’s track that meandered through the surrounding spring barley fields, where time seemed to unfold at its own leisurely pace. Here, Baxter's leash was removed, and he skipped ahead with unbridled joy.

“Look at him go,” Gemma said with a chuckle, watching Baxter zigzag frantically across the open land, nose inches above the ground, ears flopping.

“He’s got the right idea!” Mavis said, her eyes following Baxter as he undoubtedly searched for rabbits.

As they ambled down the farmer’s track, Mavis grew pensive, her eyes narrowing in a way that Gemma recognised as the precursor to significant news. She prepared herself for the upcoming information, and kept an eye on Baxter who, oblivious to human affairs, was chasing around an unsuspecting butterfly.

“I spoke to Ellie this morning at the coffee shop,” Mavis began, her voice casual but with an undercurrent of excitement. “Got some really interesting information about Dominic.”

Gemma’s ears perked up. “Oh? Do tell!”

“First off, Donna’s completely mistaken. Ellie is positive that Dominic was single when she met him. So Donna’s allegation of her being a home wrecker is all poppycock.”

“Interesting,” Gemma mused. “So that means Donna’s theory flies right out of the window, right?”

“Wait until you hear the rest,” Mavis interjected, her tone dropping to a whisper so Gemma had to lean in closer to listen.

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