Oh, Fudge! Read online

  MOUTHWATERING PRAISE FOR NANCY COCO’S CANDY-COATED MYSTERIES

  Oh Say Can You Fudge

  “Beautiful Mackinac Island provides the setting for a puzzling series of crimes. Now that Allie McMurphy has taken over her grandparents’ hotel and fudge shop, life on Mackinac is good, although her little dog, Mal, does tend to nose out trouble.... Allie’s third offers plenty of plausible suspects and mouthwatering fudge recipes.”

  —Kirkus Reviews

  “WOW. This is a great book. I loved the series from the beginning and this book just makes me love it even more. No one can make me feel like I am in Mackinac Island better than Nancy Coco. She draws the reader in and makes you feel like you are part of the story. I cannot wait to read more. FANTASTIC is the only thing I can say further about this book.”

  —Bookschellves.com

  To Fudge or Not to Fudge

  “To Fudge or Not to Fudge is a superbly-crafted, classic, culinary cozy mystery. If you enjoy them as much as I do, you are in for a real treat. The setting of Mackinac Island immediately drew me to the book as it is an amazing location. The only problem I had with the book was reading about all the mouthwatering fudge made me hungry.”

  —Examiner.com (5 stars out of 5)

  “We LOVED it! This mystery is a vacation between the pages of a book. If you’ve never been to Mackinac Island, you will long to visit, and if you have, the story will help you to recall all of your wonderful memories.”

  —Melissa’s Mochas, Mysteries and Meows

  “A five-star delicious mystery that has great characters, a good plot and a surprise ending. If you like a good mystery with more than one suspect and a surprise ending, then rush out to get this book and read it, but be sure you have the time since once you start you won’t want to put it down. I give this 5 Stars and a Wow Factor of 5+. The fudge recipes included in the book all sound wonderful. I am thinking that a gift basket filled with the fudge from the recipes in this book, along with a copy of the book, some hot chocolate mix and/or coffee, and a nice mug would be a great Christmas gift.”

  —Mystery Reading Nook

  “A charming and funny culinary mystery that parodies reality show competitions and is led by a sweet heroine, eccentric but likable characters, and a skillfully crafted plot that speeds towards an unpredictable conclusion. Allie stands out as a likable and engaging character. Delectable fudge recipes are interspersed throughout the novel.”

  —Kings River Life

  All Fudged Up

  “A sweet treat with memorable characters, a charming locale, and satisfying mystery.”

  —Barbara Allan, author of the Trash ‘n’ Treasures mysteries

  “A fun book with a lively plot, and it’s set in one of America’s most interesting resorts. All this plus fudge!”

  —JoAnna Carl, author of the Chocoholic mysteries (NAL)

  “A sweet confection of a book. Charming setting, clever protagonist, and creamy fudge—a yummy recipe for a great read.”

  —Joanna Campbell Slan, author of The Scrap-N-Craft Mysteries and The Jane Eyre Chronicles

  “Nancy Coco’s All Fudged Up is a delightful mystery delivering suspense and surprise in equal measure. Her heroine, Alice McMurphy, owner of the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop (as much of a mouthful as her delicious fudge), has a wry narrative voice that never falters. Add that to the charm of the setting, Michigan’s famed Mackinac Island, and you have a recipe for enjoyment. As an added bonus, mouth-watering fudge recipes are included. A must-read for all lovers of amateur sleuth classic mysteries.”

  —Carole Bugge, author of Who Killed Blanche Dubois? and other Claire Rawlings mysteries

  “You won’t have to ‘fudge’ your enthusiasm for Nancy Parra’s first Mackinac Island Fudge Shop Mystery. Indulge your sweet tooth as you settle in and meet Allie McMurphy, Mal the bichon/poodle mix, and the rest of the motley crew in this entertaining series debut.”

  —Miranda James

  “The characters are fun and well-developed, the setting is quaint and beautiful, and there are several mouth-watering fudge recipes.”

  —RT Book Reviews (3 stars)

  “Enjoyable . . . ALL FUDGED UP is littered with delicious fudge recipes, including alcohol-infused ones. I really enjoyed this cozy mystery and look forward to reading more in this series.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “Cozy mystery lovers who enjoy quirky characters, a great setting and fantastic recipes will love this debut.”

  —The Lima News

  “The first Candy-Coated mystery is a fun cozy due to the wonderful location filled with eccentric characters.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  The Candy-Coated Mystery Series by Nancy Coco*

  ALL FUDGED UP

  TO FUDGE OR NOT TO FUDGE

  OH SAY CAN YOU FUDGE

  ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS FUDGE

  ALL YOU NEED IS FUDGE

  OH, FUDGE!

  *Available from Kensington Publishing Corp.

  OH, FUDGE!

  Nancy Coco

  KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.

  http://www.kensingtonbooks.com

  All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

  Table of Contents

  Praise

  Also by

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  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

  Acknowledgments

  Teaser chapter

  KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  119 West 40th Street

  New York, NY 10018

  Copyright © 2017 by Nancy J. Parra

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the Publisher and neither the Author nor the Publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”

  Kensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat & TM Off.

  ISBN: 978-1-4967-0164-0

  First Kensington Mass Market Edition: September 2017

  eISBN-13: 978-1-4967-0165-7

  eISBN-10: 1-4967-0165-8

  First Kensington Electronic Edition: September 2017

  This book is for Ashley.

  I’m so proud of you and all you do.

  You never stop amazing me.

  Chapter 1

  The Mackinac Island Butterfly House didn’t open until ten AM on Monday, but I had a message from Blake Gilmore, the current manager, that she needed to see me about a possible tour group staying at the McMurphy. I walked my puppy, Mal, around the back of the Butterfly House looking for an open door. I saw movement in the greenhouse and figured Blake was watering plants or checking the butterflies.

  “Hello? Blake?” I called as I opened the back door and pushed through the plastic flaps that kept the butterfli
es in the greenhouse. I was hit by the tropical humidity of the glass building. Bright blue butterflies floated about and I was careful where I walked as different sizes and shapes and colors of butterflies alighted on every surface. Mal tugged on her leash, pulling me through the lovely winding, lush trail of the greenhouse that contained the live butterfly collection.

  Suddenly I heard a short scream. My heartbeat sped up and Mal and I ran toward the sound. I stopped short at the sight in front of me. “Tori?”

  Mal tugged at her leash, but I held her back.

  There beside the cascading waterfall fountain was my cousin, Victoria Andrews, kneeling over a woman. Tori held the handle of a gardening trowel in her hands. The rest of the trowel was stuck firmly in the chest of a woman I didn’t know. The woman’s jeans-clad legs were oddly angled. Her hands spread out, but empty. A pool of blood blossomed from beneath her checkered blouse. Butterflies landed on her and took off as if she were no more than a rock or convenient plant.

  “Tori, what’s going on?” I couldn’t tell if Tori was pushing the trowel in or pulling it out. But when she saw me, she let go of the handle and held up her hands as if I were the police and had just said, “Freeze!” Her blue eyes filled with fear. Her long blond hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, but a streak of blood caressed her cheek. Her bow-shaped mouth trembled and her tanned skin looked ashen. “Tori? What’s going on?”

  She stood and wiped her bloody hands on the front of her jeans. I could see that she was shaking from head to toe. “It’s not what it looks like,” Tori said with a wobble in her voice.

  Mal dragged me toward the scene. “No,” I said and tugged Mal back as I took out my cell phone. “Tori, sit down.” I ordered as I pointed to a nearby raised bed made of bricks. “You’re in shock.” I dialed 9-1-1 and eased my cousin over to the round flower bed to sit on the edge. Mal jumped up beside her to comfort her and ended up with blood on her white fur.

  “Nine-one-one, this is Charlene. What is your emergency?”

  “Hi, Charlene.”

  “Allie McMurphy, this can’t be good. Where are you? I’ll send Rex over there right away.”

  “Thank you,” I said. Rex Manning was the lead policeman on Mackinac Island and a good friend. “I’m at the Butterfly House. Tell him to come around to the back. We’re in the greenhouse.”

  “He’s on his way,” Charlene said. “You said ‘we’?”

  “Yes, it’s me, my cousin Victoria, and—”

  “Another dead person?”

  “Well, she certainly looks dead,” I said. “I haven’t touched her.”

  “Then how do you know she’s dead?”

  “There’s a hand spade sticking out of her chest and she’s not moving.” I wasn’t going to tell Charlene that my cousin might have been the one to put the spade there. Not until I had all the facts. “Let me check for a pulse.”

  I skirted around the pool of blood and put my fingers on her neck. She felt warm, but there was no pulse. I shook her shoulder. “Are you okay?” But her eyes simply stared lifeless into the skylights. “She doesn’t respond to verbal cues and I didn’t feel a pulse.”

  “Enough said,” Charlene said. “I swear we’ve never had this much trouble until your Papa Liam passed. God rest his soul.”

  It was then that Tori moaned. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

  “Charlene, I’ve got to go,” I said and hung up the phone. I had a doggie doo bag in my pocket. I carried them with me whenever I walked with Mal. I handed it to Tori. “Breathe into the bag,” I said. “I think you’re hyperventilating.”

  “It’s not breathing that’s a problem,” Tori said before she turned her head and emptied her stomach into the bag.

  I put my hand on her back as she heaved. “It’s going to be okay,” I said.

  Mal put her paw on Tori as if to comfort my trembling cousin.

  “What happened? Did you stab her?” I asked. “Was she attacking you?” The dead woman appeared to be middle-aged. Her feet were ensconced in gray and pink walking shoes. She had black hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. There was a streak of white hair along the left side of her face. She had high cheekbones, thin lips, and wide-open brown eyes that stared at the glass ceiling.

  “No, no, she wasn’t attacking me,” Tori said and lifted her head from the baggie. “I didn’t kill her. It’s Barbara Smart. I was supposed to meet her here this morning to talk about a fund-raiser. I found her like that.”

  “But you were holding the handle of the trowel.” I had to point out the obvious.

  “I wanted to help her. I thought if I pulled it out I might be able to do CPR, but as I tugged, more blood came out and I was afraid I was only making things worse. Then you came in. Did I hear you correctly? She didn’t have a pulse?”

  “No, she didn’t,” I said. “Didn’t you check for one?”

  “I know it’s the first thing they tell you to do when you take a CPR class, but I didn’t. I panicked and knelt down and shook her shoulder. I thought I heard a moan so I tried to take the blade out. That’s when you got here.”

  “Did you see anyone?”

  “No,” Tori said and hung her head. Tiny purple butterflies landed on her shoulders. “You and your dog were the first live people I’ve seen.”

  “Wow, okay, so what time was your meeting? Was Blake supposed to be here? After all, Blake manages the Butterfly House.”

  “Barbara and I met with Blake last night. Blake had another meeting this morning, but she told Barbara and me that we could meet here to finish the details.”

  “Wait. You were here last night?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you didn’t call me? It’s before the ferries come so you had to have stayed on the island last night. Why didn’t you let me know you were coming? We have room at the McMurphy. You could have stayed with me.”

  She gave me an angry look. “I didn’t think I was welcome at the McMurphy. You own it, not me—even though our great-grandfather started it.”

  “What?” I straightened away from her. “Papa Liam always said your family didn’t want anything to do with the McMurphy even after my father moved us to Detroit. It’s the only reason I took it over.”

  “Listen, can we talk about this later?” Tori said. “Barbara’s lying there dead.”

  “Sure,” I said. “But we will finish this conversation. Where are you staying?”

  “Dad still owns a cabin on the far north side. I’m staying there.”

  “What’s going on?” Officer Rex Manning walked in through the vinyl flaps from the back door. His black police boots clomped on the brick pavers that were laid down to form the winding trail between the raised beds. “Charlene says you found another body?”

  “Hi, Rex,” I said, and stood. Mal jumped off the edge of the flower bed and raced over to beg Rex to pet her. He reached down to pat her and noticed the blood on her paws. “Sorry, kid, can’t touch you when you have evidence on you.” He looked up at me with his flat blue gaze. “What happened?”

  Rex wore a perfectly pressed police uniform. He took his hat off the minute he entered a building, showing off his shaved head and square jaw. The man had the build of an action movie hero and the attitude that went with his good looks. An orange and black monarch butterfly landed on his arm.

  “I had an early appointment with Blake,” I said. “The front door is closed until ten AM so I came around back. I saw movement in the greenhouse and I thought it was Blake so I came in. I heard a scream and rushed toward the sound to find my cousin Victoria, here, kneeling over the woman with the garden trowel in her chest.” I pointed at the body.

  “I see.” Rex walked over and checked the pulse point at the dead woman’s throat. He glanced over at Tori who had put the doggie doo bag down by her feet and had her head between her knees. “This woman is dead,” Rex announced and picked up her wrist. “She’s still warm. I don’t think she’s been dead long, but we’ll have to wait for the coroner’s report to kno
w for sure.” He stood and went over to Tori. “Tori Andrews?”

  Tori looked up at him. “Hi, Rex.”

  I frowned. How did they know each other?

  “It’s been a while,” Rex said as he squatted down to look Tori in the eye as she hung her head. “I thought you were in California.”

  “I am,” she said and took a deep breath then blew it out slowly. “Up until yesterday.”

  “You have blood on you. Can you tell me what happened?”

  Mal tried to nudge herself between Rex and Tori. Rex gently pushed Mal back and sent me a look that silently told me to take care of my pet. I scooped up my evidence-covered pup and took a step back, knowing that the EMTs were most likely on their way along with the county CSI guy, Shane Carpenter.

  “I was supposed to meet Barbara here this morning, but when I arrived she wasn’t in the office. So I came out here looking for her,” Tori said and put her head between her knees. “I heard a noise and came this way. That’s when I saw her lying there by the fountain. I called her name and knelt down to shake her. You know, like you are supposed to do for CPR.”

  “Is that how you got blood on you?” he asked. Rex was calm and there was kindness in his tone I hadn’t heard in a while.

  “Yes,” Tori said. “I thought I heard her moan and was going to pull out the trowel. I grabbed the handle and then thought, What if that will make things worse? So I stopped. Then Ally came in. She got me to sit down.”