Hot Fudge Homicide (A Seaside Ice Cream Shop Mystery Book 4) by Angela K. Ryan

Author:Angela K. Ryan [Ryan, Angela K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: John Paul Publishing
Published: 2022-09-08T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15

“It’s great to hear from you,” Connie said.

“I was afraid you might be working.”

“Nope. Your timing is perfect. I’m just sitting on the beach in front of my condo. I decided to take the afternoon off while I still can. It’s still pretty quiet here in southwest Florida. Some of the snowbirds are beginning to return, but we’re still quite a few months out from the high season.”

“Ah, yes. I always forget that our busy seasons are at opposite times of the year,” Anna said. “Summers are busy here in New England, and winters are slow. But in Sapphire Beach, all the tourists and snowbirds head south in the winter and leave for the oppressive summer months.”

“What are you up to this afternoon?” Connie asked.

Anna chuckled. “I’m driving back to Seagull Cove from Portland, Maine. It’s kind of a long story.”

“I’ve been meaning to call you to get an update of what we talked about in June. Does your excursion to Maine have anything to do with Bella, by any chance?”

“It does. I’m sorry I haven’t updated you. It’s been crazy-busy here. But a lot has happened on that front since we last spoke.”

“You’re kidding,” Connie said. “I figured you hadn’t made much progress, since I haven’t heard from you.”

“It’s just been so hectic between it being high season here and everything else going on.”

Connie chuckled. “Yes, I heard you’ve gotten involved in a few more murder investigations.”

“I have. I think of you all the time as I get sucked into them.”

“That’s what happens. They draw you in.”

“Or the loved ones of the victim draws you in,” Anna added.

“It’s always something. Anyway, tell me about Bella. The last we talked, your friend, Joe Wiggins, thought he saw Bella across the street the morning of your grand opening. Then the two of you took a boat out to the site of Bella’s accident. Joe told you that if Bella had wanted to stage her death, that would be a good place to do it, because it was near a residential area where she could have easily escaped undetected.”

“Yes. Those two things are what got me to go full force into investigating. But there have been several more developments since then. Connie, it looks like Bella is alive.”

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

“Connie, are you there?”

“Anna, what makes you say that?” Connie asked in a choked-up voice.

“Let me start from the beginning.” Over the next half hour, Anna filled Connie in on finding the financial records that indicated a large unaccounted-for withdrawal from Bella’s savings and retirement accounts shortly before her accident; how Bella’s boyfriend, Greyson, told Anna that Bella was taking nail technician classes before her accident but that Bella kept this a secret from Anna; how Anna and Jeremy had visited Castleton Beauty School and the reaction they got from Justine when they showed her a picture of Bella; how Justine called Bella ‘Izzy,’ but then suddenly pretended she didn’t know who Bella was, and the similar reaction Anna and Jeremy received from Carly when Anna mentioned Castleton.

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