Death Bee Comes Her Read online

  MOUTHWATERING PRAISE FOR NANCY COCO’S CANDY-COATED MYSTERIES

  Forever Fudge

  “Nancy Coco paints us a pretty picture of this charming island setting where the main mode of transportation is a horse-drawn vehicle. She also gives us a delicious mystery complete with doses of her homemade fudge . . . a perfect read to wrap up your summer!”

  —Wonder Women Sixty

  Oh, Fudge!

  “Oh, Fudge! is a charming cozy, the sixth in the Candy-Coated Mystery Series. But be warned: there’s a candy recipe at the end of each chapter, so don’t read this one when you’re hungry!”

  —Suspense Magazine

  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)

  “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 toward 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 Mystery Series

  “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 Mystery Series (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 Mystery Series 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, mouthwatering 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 mouthwatering 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

  Also by Nancy Coco

  The Candy-Coated Mystery Series

  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!

  DECK THE HALLS WITH FUDGE

  FOREVER FUDGE

  FUDGE BITES

  DEATH BEE COMES HER

  Nancy Coco

  www.kensingtonbooks.com

  All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

  Table of Contents

  MOUTHWATERING PRAISE FOR NANCY COCO’S CANDY-COATED MYSTERIES

  Also by

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Epigraph

  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

  Teaser chapter

  KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  119 West 40th Street

  New York, NY 10018

  Copyright © 2020 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.

  To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  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.”

  The Kensington logo is a trademark of Kensington Publishing Corp.

  ISBN: 978-1-4967-2702-2

  ISBN-13: 978-1-4967-1977-5 (ebook)

  ISBN-10: 1-4967-1977-8 (ebook)

  This one is for my grandma Mary. I hope you are dancing a polka with Grandpa again and making your famous homemade bread.

  My son, eat honey because it is good, and

  the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste.

  —Proverbs 24:13

  Chapter 1

  The people who live on the Oregon coast are a bit . . . shall we say quirky? Hippies, grunge fans, and hipsters have melded into a colorful and interesting community. That’s the way I like to think of us, anyway. When you think of the West Coast, you might think of sun, surf, and sand, right? That doesn’t always apply here. We have fog, cool breezes, and rocky shores. Did you ever see that movie, Twilight? It’s more like that. In fact, parts of it were filmed nearby.

  Now, I’ve lived here a while and I’ve never seen a vampire, but I have seen a few sparkly people. One was Emma Jean Baily, who owns a gift shop near the beach. She was out sweeping in front of her shop.

  “Glitter is the herpes of the craft world,” she’d told me. “Once it’s on you, it will never truly go away. I still find it in the most interesting places.”

  “Hi, Mrs. Baily,” I said and smiled at her glittered T-shirt. Her shop was sided with rugged, stained redwood. The porch rose up from the sidewalk and invited people inside.

  “Hello, Wren, how are you and Everett doing today?” Emma Jean asked. She was a small woman with a cap of blonde hair and bright blue eyes in a pixie face. She was my mother’s age, but looked youthful in jeans and T-shirt.

  “We’re well,” I said. Everett’s my cat and constant companion. He purred his reply. Everett is a Havana Brown and his breed is known for their propensity to talk. “We’re going for a walk on the beach.”

  “Good day for it,” she said and gestured toward the beach. “I’d stroll with you, but I’m setting up for next week’s Halloweentown extravaganza. Lots to do. Is your shop doing anything?”

  “I’m making honey taffy. And we’re dressing up, of course.”

  “Of course,” she said and leaned against her broom. “This year I’m going as Little Red Riding Hood. What are you going to be?”

  “Everett is going as a warlock and I’m going as his familiar.” Everett meowed his approval.

  Emma Jean laughed.

  “I’m just kidding,” I laughed. “As much as Everett might like that, I don’t know yet what I’m doing exactly . . . maybe a Wizard of Oz theme.”

  “Oh, there’s a lot you can do with that,” Emma Jean said, her eyes twinkling. “If you need any help, I’ve got supplies. It would be fun to do Glinda the Good Witch, in glitter.”

  “I just might take you up on that offer,” I said and Everett agreed.

  “Well, if you need my help or not, I can’t wait to see you both at the costume parade on Halloween.”

  “Bye.” We continued toward the beach, which was only a block or two from my shop. Most people didn’t look twice when they saw me walking my cat on a leash. Everett loved going for walks. He was a social cat with slick, chocolate brown, short hair and bright green eyes. My Aunt Eloise was a cat fancier and bred Havana Browns. Everett was the great-grandson of her best show cat, Elton, and just as handsome, if I say so myself.

  Aunt Eloise loved Havana Browns because they were charming, outgoing, and playful. Everett fit the bill to a T.

  “Hi, Wren,” Barbara Miller said as she stepped out of Books and More. “Hello, Everett. Are you two off to the beach?”

  “I thought we’d walk the shore for a bit,” I said. “I’ve been making candy all morning and I needed to stretch my legs.”

  “Are you making honey taffy for the Halloweentown celebration?”

  “It is a favorite for Halloweentown,” I said. “Funny how people like the taffy for Halloweentown but prefer the dark chocolate for the Big Foot Festival.” Halloweentown was a series of Disney movies that were filmed on the coast of Oregon. In honor of the movies, Oceanview celebrated all things magical and scary every year for an entire week in October.

  “Everything in your shop is wonderful,” she said. “I don’t know how people choose. Now that I think of it, I need a couple of new candles. Is someone minding the store?”

  “Porsche is there,” I said. “She can help you pick out the best beeswax candles for the season.”

  “Oh, good,” Barbara said. “I’m on my way over there now. Tootles.” I watched her walk off. Barbara Miller was my grandmother’s neighbor. They had grown up together. While my grandma had to use a walker, Barbara still got around quite well in her athletic shoes, jeans, and jacket. Her short hair went from gray in the back to white in the front, but it framed her wide face well.

  Everett and I headed down the nearly empty street. Since it was October, most of the large crowds of tourists had left the coast, leaving the die-hards and the locals. It was my favorite time of year. I loved the colors of fall when the ocean was a deep cold blue. The trees had begun to turn red and yellow while the pines were dark green. Orange pumpkins dotted the sidewalks along with autumnal wreathes and Halloween decorations.

  The thing about Everett was he was a bit of a talker. He liked to comment on things we saw on our walks. I talked to him often without even realizing that most people didn’t understand talking to a cat. “Want to go down to the beach?” I asked him.

  “Are you talking to that cat?” Mildred Woolright said as she passed by.

  “Oh, hello,” I said. “Yes, I guess I was.”

  She blinked at me. “You’re a bit too young to be a crazy cat lady.”

  “I’m not crazy,” I said with a smile. “But I’ll admit to being a cat lady.”

  Mildred rolled her eyes and continued down the street as I winked at Everett. “Shall we go to the beach?” Cats don’t usually care too much for water, but Everett had grown up beside the ocean and as long as we didn’t get too close to the water’s edge, he didn’t mind the sand.

  He meowed his agreement and we left the promenade. There were a few slight dunes where the wind had blown the sand between the promenade and the Pacific Ocean. They rolled gently no more than a yard high and were covered with waving beach grass. Everett loved the feel of the grass against his fur.

  Bonfires were allowed on the beach and the evidence of them crunched under our feet. Black charcoal spread out in piles large and small. Pieces of charred wood scattered about. The beach was a deep stretch of sand that narrowed during high tide and stretched out during low tide. I was enjoying the sound of the ocean and searching the waves for evidence of whales when I felt Everett pull on his leash. “What?” I asked as I followed him past a clump of dune grass. He led me over to a woman sleeping in the sand. “Hello?” I picked the cat up and looked at the woman. Sometimes people camped on the beach, but rarely in the rounded dunes.

  Who was she? Why was she here?

  The woman wore nice clothes and didn’t look like someone who regularly slept on the beach. “Ma’am?” I squatted down and shook her shoulder, but she was stiff and cold. I put my fingers on the base of her neck. There was no pulse. “Oh, boy.” I jumped back and wiped my hand on my long skirt.

  I grabbed my phone and dialed 9-1-1.

  “Nine-one-one, how can I help you?”

  “I think there’s a dead woman on the beach.” My voice trembled and came out barely audible. My face felt a little numb and my thoughts tumbled.

  “This is the nine-one-one operator. Can you please repeat that?”

  “Josie?” I recognized my friend’s voice through the jumble of emotions.

  “Wren?” she asked. “Are you okay? Did you say there’s a dead woman on the beach?”

  “When did you start working
as a dispatch operator?” I asked because I was in shock and not thinking clearly.

  “It’s my first day,” she said with what sounded like nervous pride. “You’re my first call. Where are you? Are you okay?”

  “Oh,” I said. “I’m okay, yes, I’m fine. I think. There’s a woman on the beach and I think she’s dead. I guess that would make her a dead body?”

  “Where are you exactly?”

  “I, um.” I glanced around. “I’m about fifty yards from the beach entrance on Main Street.”

  “Okay, good, an ambulance and police officers are on their way. Are you in danger?”

  “No, I seem to be alone on the shore. Should I stay on the line?” I asked.

  “Yes,” she said. “Please stay on the line. You’re sure you’re safe?”

  “I’m sure,” I said.

  After a pause that stretched out for what seemed like forever, she said, “the police are on their way.”

  “Great.”

  “Please stay on the line so that I know you are safe.”

  “Okay,” I said and waited a couple of long moments in silence. The wind blew against my face and the ocean roared. I felt as stiff as the woman at my feet. “Maybe we should keep talking.”

  “I can do that. Why don’t you tell me what she looks like,” Josie asked. “Anyone we know?”

  I leaned down closer. “She’s dressed like a country club woman. Nice shoes, expensive dress slacks in a swirl pattern, and a tunic-style black top, blonde hair,” I said. “She might be in her sixties. Strange, though . . .”