Christmas Tree Catastrophe (Lily Bloom Cozy Mystery Series Book 6) Read online

  Christmas Tree Catastrophe

  Lily Bloom Cozy Mystery Series

  by Lyndsey Cole

  Copyright © 2014 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.

  CONTENTS

  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

  A Holiday Tradition from Lyndsey Cole’s Kitchen

  Chapter 1

  Lily Bloom was mentally giving herself twenty lashes with a thorny rose stem. She blew a strand of hair out of her face and finished wiring the last bit of laurel for the roping she was working on.

  Iris burst into her daughter’s Beautiful Blooms Flower Shop letting the door slam behind her, keeping the cold wind from following her inside. “Nasty weather outside. What are you doing?”

  “I’m finishing up the decorations for the new library opening. It seemed like a good idea when I told Malcolm Moss I would do it, but that was months ago, before Ryan and I planned our wedding for Christmas Eve.”

  “The opening is five days before your wedding, you have plenty of time,” Iris said.

  “I guess you’re right. Once the library commitment is over, I’ll be able to relax and spend the rest of the time focusing on my wedding. Nothing will interfere with those plans.”

  “How about you and Ryan come over for dinner tonight? I invited Daisy and Adam too. It would be fantastic if my girls and their boyfriends could join us tonight. Walter says he never sees all of you enough, isn’t that sweet? Besides, it’s the end of the week and you should enjoy sitting down by a warm fire and letting someone else cater to you for a change.”

  Lily curled up the laurel roping and packed everything into a box. “Being spoiled sounds special, Mom, but I’m planning to finish up the decorating at the library tonight.” She pointed to all the boxes stacked up in the work area. “I’ve got yards and yards of laurel roping, dozens of poinsettias, strings of tiny white lights and an armful of white lilies and white roses for the main entryway. The library is going to be spectacular. When Noah Lyman left money for the library, he also left specific instructions, and plenty of money, on how he wanted the opening to be celebrated. That man had a vision.”

  Iris harrumphed. “Yeah, and now his vision is my view from the sunroom of the Lyman Estate.”

  Lily chuckled. “Don’t complain too loudly or you’ll be sounding like Walter’s last wife. And we all know what happened to her . . .”

  “Yeah, well, Walter is much happier with me now. Don’t tell anyone I said this, but Harriet getting murdered was the best thing that happened to Walter. And I do love living in Walter’s house but I enjoy it so much more when my girls come to help fill up all that space.” She reached down to pat Lily’s terrier, Rosie, before adding, “Well, stop over when you’re done if you want to. With the strength of this storm, your only option may be to spend the night since you can walk over from the library if you can’t drive home.”

  “You have a good point. Why don’t you take Rosie with you just in case? I can’t bring her into the library anyway.”

  “Perfect. Poppy and Ollie always love having Rosie to play with. Plus, I think she manages to teach those two puppies a few manners.” Iris had her hand on the door to leave, but turned back to ask, “Do you need any help?”

  “No, I think there are already too many people helping. You know how that can go, we’ll all be in each other’s way and I’ll have to think for everyone. Kari and I would get the work done quickest without everyone trying to be helpful, but of course Tamara insisted on being there too, since she’s co-chair with Malcolm and she didn’t want him to make any decisions without her.”

  Iris howled with laughter. “You will be entertained with those two in the same room. There’s no love lost between them, that’s for sure. Who else is helping tonight?”

  “Kari already brought a load of decorations over and she’ll stay for a while to help me hang all the laurel roping.”

  “That was a smart move to hire her.”

  Lily agreed. “I hired her just in time. With Daisy’s baking business picking up like gang busters, especially through the holidays, Kari is putting in a lot of time and picking up the slack, a real lifesaver. She’s so easy to work with, too. I barely need to explain anything anymore, she’s usually one step ahead of me.” Lily swept her hand around the shop. “She stacked all these boxes before she left so all that’s left for me to do is load them in my minivan.”

  “Who else will be there?”

  “Penny Jackson, the librarian, will be there, of course. Have you met her yet?”

  “No, and I haven’t heard the best reviews about her,” Iris said.

  “Oh, anything in particular?”

  “Probably just some silly political maneuvering for that job.”

  Lily shrugged. “I’m not sure she’ll be around for long if Malcolm gets his way. Everyone voted for Penny except Malcolm. He wanted Crystal Parker to be head librarian but she got the assistant position. I don’t know if Crystal is coming tonight, and there’s always tension when Malcolm, Penny and Crystal are together.” She closed the last box of roping. “And the hot pilot, Nick Sampson, has been helping at the library. It’ll be a treat to see him again. Nina might be there since the two of them have become thick as thieves.”

  “Try to keep the peace and come over whenever you get done. Come on Rosie, you’re coming to Grandma’s house for a sleep over.” Iris opened the door, pulling her coat tight around herself to try to keep the wind out. Rosie looked back at Lily, then reluctantly followed Iris, not liking the cold and not liking to leave Lily.

  Lily shivered as the blast of cold air swept through her shop. She bundled up and carried all her supplies to her minivan. One last check in the shop to make sure Sweet Pea, her kitty, had food and water and was curled up on her pillow before she left for the library.

  The brand new Noah Lyman Library had more lights on than any other building in Misty Valley. With the wind howling and the snow blowing, the glow was a beacon in the darkness. Lily pulled up to the main entrance as close as possible and started to carry everything inside. Before she even got to the door, Kari scooted out to help, telling Lily, “Be careful where you step, there are some slippery spots.”
r />   No sooner than Lily was warned, her foot skidded on a patch of ice and she landed on her back.

  Kari hurried over. “Are you okay?”

  Lily pushed herself up. “Yes, just my ego that’s bruised. At least this snow made for a soft landing. We’d better get this stuff inside before anything freezes.”

  As Lily and Kari shuffled the decorations and flowers into the main entryway of the library, Lily heard an angry male voice at the other side of the central area. “I think it is a terrible idea and you’ll only get your plan started over my dead body.”

  Lily rolled her eyes and whispered to Kari, “Tamara and Malcolm are having one of their usual spats. I’ll be glad when those two aren’t co-chairs of the Friends of the Library. Anyone else would be better than the two of them.”

  Tamara huffed and puffed to the service area, mumbling to herself as she searched through the drawers.

  “Can I help you find something?” Lily asked Tamara.

  “Huh? Oh, Lily, that guy puts me in such a state, I don’t know if I’m coming or going. You know my idea to sell bricks to raise money for a handicap walkway to the garden area?”

  Lily nodded. “A worthy idea. Malcolm doesn’t think so?”

  Tamara leaned her red and green clad body on the counter and angled toward Lily who was standing on the other side. The Christmas tree on her sweater was decorated with tiny ornaments that swayed every time her chest heaved. “The pathway is a marvelous idea, but since Malcolm didn’t come up with the plan, he’s going to fight me tooth and nail to kill my project.” She reached into a reusable shopping bag and pulled out a brick. “See? I had one made as an example.”

  Lily took the red clay brick, turning it one way and the other. The top was engraved with Tamara Biotchi’s name, and the date 12/20/14—the date for the opening—on the other side, not that anyone would see the date since it would be facing down, but, whatever, this was just an example. “Quite tasteful. Did you show Malcolm?”

  “Of course I did and he had a hissy fit to beat the band.”

  Lily patted Tamara’s arm causing a tiny bell ornament to jingle. “Put it out of your mind until after the opening. Tonight, the first order of business is to get all these decorations done and get out of here before we all get snowed in.” Lily thought to herself that being snowed in with Tamara and Malcolm would be a fate worse than death.

  As Nick approached the counter, his face broke into a grin from ear to ear and he winked at Lily. “Well, look who the storm blew in—my favorite Bloom.”

  Lily gave Nick a hug. “It’s been too long Nick, what have you been up to? Or should I say, you and Nina?” Lily’s eyebrow raised slightly as she smiled at Nick.

  A slight pink tinged Nick’s handsome face. “Yeah, me and Nina. Thanks for sending her my way. She’s one hot ticket. I even convinced her to try skydiving in the spring.” Nick picked up a mug. “Want some hot spiced cider to warm you up?”

  Lily saw Kari walking in with the last load from her minivan. “Better fix up two mugs. I’m sure Kari will need some too.”

  The cider warmed her from head to toe and gave her a new burst of energy to get on with the work. “Let’s get all the laurel roping up first since that will be the back drop for everything else.”

  Lily and Kari worked efficiently together and Nick helped with the doorways when they needed someone taller. Lily could still hear Tamara and Malcolm bickering in the background but they didn’t sound as angry as when she had first arrived.

  Another cold blast of air made Lily shiver. She turned around as Penny Jackson, the new librarian, pushed through the side entrance with her backside so as not to drop the box she was carrying.

  “Hello everyone. I brought some Christmas cookies if you need a sugar boost. Still warm from my oven.” Penny put her box on the library service counter next to the pot of warm cider. Carefully, she arranged her offering on a Christmas platter—sugar cookies in all the holiday designs, gingerbread men and women, spicy Dutch speculaas cookies, delicious rum balls, and cranberry almond biscotti.

  Nick grabbed a plateful to share with Lily and Kari so they could keep working in between bites. Lily sampled the rum ball first and swooned from the sweet combination of chocolate and rum pleasing her taste buds. “Penny, this is the best rum ball I’ve ever had. I better not eat too many or I won’t be able to stand up,” she joked.

  Lily attached the last bit of laurel and stood back to survey how the whole scene looked. The main area of the library was open to the second floor with chandeliers spaced down the center aisle. Laurel roping was draped along the wood paneled walls and around all the doorways. Tiny Christmas lights were wound through the laurel and as soon as Lily hit the switch to turn them on, Penny’s hand covered her heart and her mouth formed a perfect O. “Stunning” was all she could say.

  Tamara had been busy decorating the Christmas tree at the far end of the area, opposite the big front doors. She turned around too and her arms flew out from her sides. “Beautiful! It glitters like a magical wonderland.”

  Lily smiled from the compliments. “Greens and lights make all the difference. Once I get the poinsettias placed around, the Christmas colors will be completed.”

  Lily noticed that Kari kept glancing out at the snow swirling around the building. “Do you want to leave?”

  Kari nodded. “Is that okay or do you need more help?”

  “I’m almost done and Tamara, Malcolm, Penny, and Nick are still here. Get going and drive carefully.” Lily hugged Kari. “You’ve been a lifesaver for me these last few months. Are you coming tomorrow?”

  “Definitely. I’m dragging Gabe along too, whether he likes it or not.”

  Lily finished moving the poinsettias into place with a twist of the Christmas lights through the plants. She loved how the green laurel background and the glittering lights made the bright red poinsettia color pop even more.

  Tamara and Malcolm, still quarrelling, were bundled up and headed for the door. Tamara stopped to hug Lily and thank her for the decorating help. “If Noah Lyman is looking down on this library, I hope he’s smiling at all the hard work we’ve put in to make his legacy come to life.”

  “Hard work and all his money is a good combination. I’m sure he would be happy to know how it turned out. Too bad he didn’t plan to build the library before he died so he could have had time to enjoy his legacy.”

  “He was too much of a recluse. I don’t think he would have even ventured inside unless he snuck in after hours and he could have the space all to himself. He was one odd duck for sure, but generous in the end. See you tomorrow night, Lily. Don’t stay too long, the weather is getting worse every minute.” With that warning, Tamara pulled her white puffy down parka as tight as she could and zipped it up to her chin. The door had just closed behind Malcolm as Tamara followed him out.

  Lily put her white lily and red rose arrangement—she’d saved the best for last—on a small table just inside the entrance. Everyone would see the beautiful blooms first when they arrived and the oriental lilies added a spicy sweet scent to the air. She looked at the library from every angle and felt the magic. The lights twisted through the laurel roping twinkled and the red poinsettias made a big splash of color. At the far end, the Christmas tree sparkled with lights and beautiful handmade ornaments, made by the people in Misty Valley—a miniature carved wooden replica of the library, felted snowflakes and Santas, small knitted mittens, a cluster of tin cardinals, and popsicle stick reindeer made by the kids. It was a work of art that the whole town could be proud of.

  Nick walked by, heading for the door. “You’re the last one here. Don’t wait too long or you’ll be stranded in the snow.”

  “I’m not worried. If the snow is too deep, I’ll walk next door to my mother’s house.” She pointed across the library parking lot to lights shining through the snow. “There are the lights of her sunroom. Drive carefully, Nick. Did Penny already leave?”

  “She left a few minutes ago, through th
e side door. Crystal too. I guess they parked on the other side.”

  “Oh, Crystal was here? I never even noticed her.”

  “She said she had to do something downstairs. She wasn’t here for long.”

  Lily took one more look at the scene as the cold air swirled around her. It took her a while to clean up and gather her now empty boxes and store them in a closet for later when all the decorations would need to be taken down. Zipping up her coat and pulling on her hat and gloves she took a deep breath and was ready to brave the dark wintry night. Just as she was walking across the parking lot, the timer turned all the outside lights on. Well, that helps, I wonder why they weren’t on earlier?

  With her head down to cut through the cold snow and wind, something odd caught the corner of Lily’s eye. Looking toward the twenty foot blue spruce, all lit up with Christmas lights, she noticed shadows dancing on the snow and something else, but she couldn’t make out what exactly she was looking at.

  “What the heck is that?” she said out loud but the words were blown away immediately.

  Chapter 2

  Lily searched the parking lot, barely able to spot her minivan already buried under several inches of snow. As quickly as the lights had come on, they went dark. She blinked her eyes several times trying to adjust to the abrupt light change.

  Lily glanced back at the blue spruce but, with the lights off, nothing more than a big, dark shape was visible. Possibly her eyes had played a trick on her and it was only a shadow she had seen that she thought appeared to be something. Wrapping her scarf around her face, she decided to follow the quickly disappearing tire tracks out of the parking lot and walk to her mother’s house instead of wasting any time scraping the snow and ice from her minivan. She would rather deal with the snow in the light of day when the storm was over.

  Stomping her feet on the front doormat, she pushed the heavy door open and practically got blown inside. Rosie heard the commotion and came to greet Lily, sniffing her from head to foot to make sure she was okay. Rosie had a special sense about everything to do with Lily and she cocked her head sideways as if to ask, what have you been doing out in the terrible weather? Lily patted her faithful terrier. “I can never slip anything by you, can I?” Rosie’s tail wagged in reply.