Maple Hills Mystery Box Set by Wendy Meadows

Author:Wendy Meadows [Meadows, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Majestic Owl Publishing LLC
Published: 2019-04-07T22:00:00+00:00

Coconut Chocolate Murder

Book Seven

1

Nikki hummed sweetly as she took inventory of the chocolates resting in the front display case. Feeling pretty in the blue autumn dress she had purchased the day before, she hoped that Hawk would pay her a compliment when he dropped in for lunch. “This is lovely,” Nikki murmured, smiling and hugging a wooden clipboard to her chest as she admired the window display. Walking away from the front counter, she made her way to the front door and looked outside. Autumn leaves were playing in a crisp, cold wind. The days were getting shorter and colder. The landscape surrounding the town was blossoming with bright colors falling from the eyes of a sleepy autumn morning. Nikki was in love.

Drawing a deep breath of chocolate, peppermint, and coffee, she smiled and watched the leaves dance across the empty street. Glad to be at the store before Lidia and Nikki arrived, Nikki cherished the time alone. She loved her new family very deeply—but standing alone in her store, she watched the autumn morning whisper gentle promises of days filled with strolls in warm sweaters and chilly nights huddled around a campfire with hot cocoa. Nikki also cherished this solitary, quiet time. “So lovely,” she whispered.

Closing her eyes, Nikki walked ahead in time until she arrived in a snowy, cozy little Vermont town covered with icicles and children building snowmen. She imagined smoke coming from warm fireplaces attached to cozy homes filled with laughter and love; she saw the smoke rising up into a winter sky dropping strange and wonderful snow down onto the world. Then Nikki saw herself walking with Hawk, hand in hand, down the sidewalk toward her store, sipping hot cocoa, talking, and laughing. “Time to rest,” Nikki told herself. “No more cases. Time to work on my book, spend time in my store, and rest.”

Opening her eyes, Nikki smiled. Outside she saw a grumpy Mr. Wipinski stroll past her store toward his own shop. The old man was holding a brown cup of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other. “Good thing I declined the job at the paper,” Nikki giggled sweetly. “Mr. Wipinski isn't one of my biggest fans.”

Sighing, she returned to the front counter and continued with her inventory. As she worked, the autumn winds outside filled her store with music. Outside, two vicious eyes appeared across the street and looked at Nikki's store. Two furious hands tugged on a gray coat, whispered a low threat, and walked away just as Lidia pulled down the Main Street and swung her car into a parking space next to Nikki's SUV.

“Morning, dear,” Lidia said, walking into the store wearing a thick, heavy, brown coat.

Nikki turned and took a look at Lidia’s coat. “My, you look like you're ready to go explore the North Pole in that!”

Lidia locked the front door behind her and then turned to Nikki. “I'm not a cold-weather person,” she replied, smelling the coffee roaming through the air like a warm, welcoming friend.

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