Boo Buried Cupcakes (Black Cat Cafe Cozy Mystery Series Book 11) Read online

  Boo Buried Cupcakes

  A Black Cat Cafe Cozy Mystery

  Lyndsey Cole

  Contents

  Copyright

  Connect with me:

  Book Description

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  A Note from Lyndsey

  About the Author

  Also by Lyndsey Cole

  Copyright © 2017 Lyndsey Cole

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author and/or publisher. No part of this publication may be sold or hired, without written permission from the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are a product of the writer’s imagination and/or have been used fictitiously in such a fashion it is not meant to serve the reader as actual fact and should not be considered as actual fact. Any resemblance to actual events, or persons, living or dead, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication / use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

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  Book Description

  There is one thing Annie Hunter hates more than surprises and costumes . . . and it’s the last thing she expects to stumble on.

  When a Halloween party turns deadly, Annie’s glow in the dark costume lights the path to a blood-soaked body. With killer frosting covering the body and the main suspect, the murder looks like it has solved itself. Unfortunately, clues aren’t always what they seem.

  While rumors spread through the Black Cat Café like spilled cake batter, Annie refuses to believe that the main suspect is a cold-blooded killer. But she could be blinded by the frosting and rushing into a ton of trouble.

  Only a twist of fortune can slice through the ties that bind Annie to a fatal fate!

  1

  Annie filled the last open space of the pastry display tray with a beautifully decorated chocolate Halloween cupcake. She straightened and brushed a strawberry blonde curl out of her face.

  The Black Cat Café door opened.

  The bell jingled, catching Annie’s attention.

  Greta Grayley, with one hand still on the door, lifted her nose and inhaled the delicious aromas. Stepping inside, her black skirt swished around her knees as she walked into the café, past the tables covered with orange tablecloths. She looked neither left nor right at the customers enjoying a morning treat.

  “Greta Grayley, I haven’t seen you for a year,” Leona, Annie’s aunt and the owner of the Black Cat Café, called out to her longtime acquaintance as she closed the cash register. “It must be you’ve made another trip around the sun.”

  Greta smiled. “Yes, Leona. It’s my birthday. It always falls on Halloween which makes it easy to remember even if I hadn’t called in my cake order a few days ago.”

  Leona motioned for Greta to take a seat at the counter while she quickly wiped away the few crumbs left by the previous customer. “Annie is packing up your cake.” She placed a chocolate cupcake with orange frosting and a white fondant ghost on top in front of Greta. “A complimentary treat in honor of your special day.” Leona bent over and propped her elbows on the counter. “How have you been?”

  Greta tilted her head and her shoulder jerked up. “Eh. Nothing different from the last time you asked. You know I’m happiest when I’m in my sunroom with my quilting. The time flies by and Lucky keeps me company.”

  “Ah, Lucky. How is that old black cat?

  Greta’s mouth scrunched to one side. “He is getting old and he’s slowing down.” She nodded at the French doors at the side of the café that overlooked a big outside deck with Heron Lake and the White Mountains of New Hampshire in the distance.

  Leona turned to see what Greta was gazing at. “There he is,” Leona said as she strolled past the tables of diners reading menus and devouring Leona’s famous home-cooked delicacies. She peered through the glass door at the feline. Lucky was busy exploring the café’s deck while Greta chatted inside. Leona opened the door and stepped outside to visit with the black cat.

  Annie moved to the counter and set a big cake box in front of Greta. She noticed a few strands of gray mixed in with Greta’s short black hair that framed her attractive face. “Are you ready for your neighbor’s annual Halloween party tonight?” As soon as the invitation arrived, Annie had managed to convince her husband, Jason, that she really didn’t want to go to the party. Twenty years earlier, Jason had been a classmate with both Greta and her neighbor, Kitty. Annie, several years younger, had never been part of that circle.

  Greta frowned, drawing attention to the few wrinkles beginning at the corner of her mouth. “Unfortunately, I did get wind of an event happening. I hope Kitty’s guests manage to keep the noise down. I hate to report them for disturbing the peace every few years. They have been behaving themselves lately, though, so I might actually get some sleep tonight.” She bit into the cupcake in front of her and spit it right out into a napkin. “Is this a joke?” She stared at Annie with eyebrows drawn together and daggers in her eyes.

  “What do you mean?”

  Greta handed her the cupcake. “Something is seriously wrong with this cupcake. It’s completely inedible.”

  Annie broke off a chunk and tasted it. She grabbed a napkin from the dispenser on the counter, spit out the mouthful of cupcake, and crumpled it inside the napkin. “You’re right,” she whispered, wiping her mouth. “I don’t know what happened. Let me get you another one.”

  “Don’t bother.” Greta slid off the stool. “I have a whole cake to eat anyway.” She tapped the top of the cake box and cocked an eyebrow at Annie. “I hope there’s nothing wrong with this.”

  “Oh, I’m sure it’s fine.” Annie crossed her fingers behind her back, not sure at all if the chocolate cake would taste as it should. “No charge for the cake. And happy birthday.” She shooed Greta out the door, hoping none of the other customers had overheard their conversation. She also hoped that Greta didn’t bump into Leona on her way around the building and complain about the inedible cupcake. Annie wanted to deal with that problem herself.

  Annie quickly pulled out the whole batch of chocolate cupcakes from the display case and moved it out of view of the customers. She tasted another one, and another. She gagged. She choked. She spit out every bite. She tipped the whole tray into the garbage can just before Leona returned inside and closed the French doors.

  “Lucky is getting old. He sure is one lucky,” Leon
a chuckled at her choice of words, “old cat. I hope Greta doesn’t fall apart when his time comes. Or maybe Kitty Brown will give her a kitten.”

  “Fat chance of that happening,” Annie said as she put the lid on the garbage can. “Greta has complained too many times about Kitty’s parties and I don’t think Kitty likes it when Greta’s tomcat visits those purebred Maine Coon cats. Kitty is quite persnickety about those cats of hers.”

  “Those two,” Leona shook her head. “I remember both Greta and Kitty when they were teenagers and they didn’t get along back then, either. The problem is that Greta is an introvert and Kitty is an extrovert. They mix about as well as oil and lemon juice. One of them should have moved a long time ago.”

  “Right. But which one? They both love their family homes on Main Street.” Annie leaned against the pastry display case, which, unfortunately, brought Leona’s attention to the big empty spot inside.

  Leona’s eyes scanned the case. “What happened to all of my beautiful chocolate cupcakes with a ghost on top? That whole top shelf was still filled just a minute ago. Did every single one sell while I was outside for five minutes with Lucky?” Her incredulous voice let Annie know she didn’t think it was possible that every last cupcake sold in that short amount of time.

  Annie felt heat rise to her cheeks. This conversation wasn’t going to be easy. She moved close to Leona and whispered, “The chocolate cupcakes tasted like the salt and sugar got mixed up. I had to throw them all away.” She scanned the café but everyone was still contentedly eating, drinking, and talking as if there wasn’t a care in the world.

  “Impossible.” Leona stomped to the counter and picked up a container. “See? This is what I used.”

  Annie took the container. “Are you sure?”

  “Of course I am.”

  “Put your reading glasses on, Leona. You handed me the salt.”

  Leona glared. “I don’t wear reading glasses and you know it.” She held the container as far from her face as possible and squinted her eyes. “Well, someone must have moved things around. When I’m busy I reach for an item where it’s supposed to be. Fill that empty spot with the chocolate éclairs and some of those strawberries dipped in white chocolate with dark chocolate faces—the ghost strawberries.”

  Annie took the tray of éclairs to the pastry display case. She thought she should taste one but she didn’t want Leona to catch her in the act. But with customers coming and going, Leona got distracted, giving Annie time to slip one to the side and cut it into quarters with her knife. The custardy filling oozed out, making her mouth water. She sampled one piece—tender, with a sweet vanilla custard and a drizzle of chocolate. It tasted exactly how it should—scrumptious. Maybe Leona was right about grabbing the wrong ingredient in her haste. Mistakes were bound to happen once in a while.

  “What’s that half eaten pastry doing over there?”

  Annie looked into the dark eyes of her husband, Jason. Seeing him and his lopsided smile always made her body tingle. “It’s a sample. Would you like a piece?”

  He rested his elbow on top of the case. “I thought you’d never ask.” He stared into Annie’s eyes and wiggled his eyebrows before he chose the biggest piece. “Not bad, but I was hoping to get a half dozen chocolate cupcakes.”

  Annie’s eyebrows jumped up. “A special event?”

  Jason grinned. “A half dozen chocolate cupcakes, please,” he repeated, ignoring Annie’s question.

  “They’re all in the trashcan,” Annie whispered as she snuck a furtive glance at Leona.

  It was Jason’s turn to raise his eyebrows. He followed Annie’s quick glance at Leona and nodded in her direction. “Reading glasses?”

  “Uh-huh. It’s becoming a big problem,” she mouthed the words, knowing her back was to Leona and she was safe as long as her words didn’t reach Leona’s ears.

  “Okaaay,” Jason stretched it out. “How about something else?”

  “We’ve got ghost strawberries, mummy tarts, and spider chocolate chip cookies.”

  Jason examined each of the suggestions. He pointed to the ghost strawberries. “White chocolate dipped strawberries with chocolate faces?”

  “Exactly.”

  “I’ll take six of those and a dozen of the spider cookies.”

  Annie reached into the case and extracted the items, placing them carefully into a box for Jason. “You aren’t going to tell me who these treats are for?” She fluttered her eyelashes, hoping to charm her husband into revealing his secret.

  “Nice try, but the answer is no. It’s a surprise. See you later, and don’t be late for the surprise.” He winked before he turned around.

  Annie’s eyes followed Jason’s backside as he left the café. She wished she was following him now instead of being stuck in the café for several more hours.

  With that pleasant distraction gone, Annie continued restocking the pastry display, wondering as she worked how many more baking disasters she would have to face before Leona got over her vanity and admitted she needed reading glasses. She finished up as Kitty Brown entered the café. A loud whoosh of the door, click clacking of her heels, and a flamboyant wave to Leona got the diners in the café swiveling their heads toward Kitty. She never went anywhere without being showy and the center of attention.

  “Leona! I need a few more items for my party tonight. I hope you’re still well stocked with your fantastic Halloween creations!” Kitty’s hips swayed as she approached the counter.

  Leona smiled. “Good to see you, Kitty. We had the pleasure of having a visit from your neighbor not long ago.”

  Leona winced when Annie jabbed her in the side. Why did Leona bring that subject up which was sure to provoke a problem?

  The smile on Kitty’s face turned upside down. “Greta. I’m sure she’ll cause problems tonight during my Halloween party. This one will be bigger and better than ever.” Kitty leaned close to Annie and Leona. “But, you know what?”

  They both shook their heads.

  “I don’t care.” Kitty waved her hand dramatically. “Greta could move to a secluded cabin in the middle of nowhere since she doesn’t like even one micro decibel of noise. But no, she can’t bear to leave her parents’ home so the rest of us are supposed to cater to her extreme expectations.”

  “That’s one way to look at it,” Leona remarked.

  “All-righty, then.” Kitty’s focus moved to the pastries. “Which of these should I add to my dessert table tonight?” She stroked her chin as she studied the offerings. “I love those chocolate chip cookies with a spider design at the edge. I’ll take all you’ve got.”

  Good thing Jason bought a few of those to-die-for cookies, Annie thought as she boxed up the rest of the spider cookies for Kitty. What the heck was his surprise? It was really beginning to eat away at her and leave a bad taste in her mouth for some unexplained reason.

  2

  A cold wind found the gap between Annie’s neck and the collar of her fleece jacket when she left the Black Cat Café at three o’clock. Waves whipped on Heron Lake and angry clouds raced overhead. She hoped Jason had a crackling fire in the fireplace to take the chill off while she relaxed with her feet up.

  When she pulled into the driveway of Cobblestone Cottage, a car she didn’t recognize, a sleek black Porsche, was in Annie’s normal spot. At least she smelled wood smoke so her wish for a fire would be fulfilled even if company interfered with her relaxing vision.

  Laughter hit her ears as soon as she opened the front door a crack.

  “Annie!” Jason held his arms out. “Come and say hello to Brian Springer. He was part of my gang, along with Kitty Brown, when we were teenagers. Maybe you remember him?”

  Brian put his hands on Annie’s shoulders and appraised her from head to toe. “This is that skinny Annie Fisher? The little girl in middle school when we were big bad seniors?” He whistled his approval. “Wow, Jason, now I know why you snatched her up for yourself.”

  Annie cringed and eased herself away
from Brian’s touch. She did remember Brian, even though she was probably only twelve when he was the local high school jock. He made her nervous back then and the feeling hadn’t changed. His loud, look-at-me, wanting all the attention personality didn’t appear to have changed.

  Was this Jason’s surprise? She wondered how long Brian was planning to hang around.

  Then she saw something that really made her stomach flip over. Three bags were draped over the back of the couch printed with the name Crazy Costume Shop. “Halloween costumes? What’s that about, Jason?”

  Jason’s mouth widened. “That’s my surprise. Brian wants us to tag along to Kitty’s Halloween party. Doesn’t that sound like fun?” His forehead wrinkled in anticipation of her answer.

  “Um, sure.” Annie hated costume parties, and Jason knew it. They already discussed not going to the party but she could see that with the arrival of his old friend, Jason at least, did want to go and, of course, assumed she would go, too. Maybe she would, but she’d try to sneak away as soon as it was convenient and let these old buddies enjoy their visit.

  Annie wanted a breath of fresh air to let this unexpected plan settle. “I think I’ll take Roxy out for a walk before I sit down and relax in front of the fire.”

  At the sound of her name, Roxy, Annie’s terrier mix, was off the couch and waiting by the door that led out to the porch and down to the Lake Trail. Her two cats, Smokey and Snowball, didn’t even bother to raise their heads off the couch as they soaked up the fire’s heat.