Biscotti and brutality, p.1
Biscotti and Brutality, page 1
Biscotti and Brutality
Snow Falls Alaska Cozy
Book Four
Wendy Meadows
Copyright © 2022 by Wendy Meadows
All rights reserved.
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No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
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Majestic Owl Publishing LLC
P.O. Box 997
Newport, NH 03773
Created with Vellum
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
More from Wendy
About Wendy Meadows
Chapter One
Murder.
Bethany Lights could not, for the life of her, understand how she had become directly involved in three murder cases within a year. The first murder case involved a group of killers who trapped her in Snow Falls. The second murder case became a tangled mess at a deserted ski lodge sitting on top of an icy mountain. The third murder case happened in a sleepy lake resort town that rolled up its sidewalks as soon as the sun set. Three murder cases...one year. What were the chances? She didn't know. But Bethany sure wondered if she was cursed. Maybe? Maybe not? The fact was, murder seemed to always be creeping about in her shadow.
Well, at least this morning has been peaceful. To be honest, ever since Julie and I have returned from North Carolina, life hasn't been that horrible. We both witnessed—shockingly—a very pleasant spring and summer. Nothing awful happened. Maybe the three murder cases I survived were the whole shebang, as the saying goes. Bethany listened to her thoughts wander around a cautious mind as she pushed a green shopping cart down a cozy aisle lined with autumn sweaters. Autumn in Alaska...chimney smoke...brightly colored leaves...pumpkins...corn mazes...hayrides...well, those delightful dreams are the norm. Up here in Alaska, autumn comes early, it seems. In Snow Falls, there aren't any corn mazes or hayrides. Sure, pumpkins are hauled in, and the downtown area is decorated with smiling turkeys and hay bales, but autumn in Alaska isn't like autumn in North Carolina. Still, it's very pleasant...different...kind of lonely...but pleasant.
Sarah Spencer spotted a lovely woman who was the spitting image of Jane Wyatt from the television show Father Knows Best. Sarah couldn't get over how much Bethany resembled Jane Wyatt. “Bethany belongs back in the 1950s, and so do I,” Sarah whispered as she watched Bethany examine a green and brown sweater marked twenty percent off. Bethany was wearing a green sweater with brown leaves on it. It was clear the woman was lost in her thoughts and not paying attention to any sweater. Sarah quickly brushed at the jeans she was wearing and carefully approached her friend. “I like that sweater.”
“Huh?” Bethany raised her eyes as if a killer was running at her. When she spotted a beautiful, brilliant woman approaching, she formed a quick smile. “Oh, hello, Sarah. Amanda told me you were staying home today.”
“Oh, I was.” Sarah offered a smile that clearly told Bethany that leaving Amanda alone at O'Mally's meant certain disaster for the snack café. “We have a shipment arriving in about an hour. Amanda turned the slight headache I had into a medical emergency and insisted I stay home. I took some aspirin.” Sarah studied Bethany's face as she talked. “The store’s been open for about an hour. You're an early shopper. Uh...mind if I intrude and ask if anything is the matter?”
Bethany glanced down at the sweater she was holding. Ever since Bethany had returned from North Carolina with Julie, she had been spending her time cooped up in the coffee shop. Even during the spring and summer months, she dared not venture far from town or her cabin. As for Julie, she took a few nature walks with Amanda and her husband, but that was about as far as she traveled from town. Bethany simply felt afraid to leave Snow Falls. Fear was causing her to feel trapped in a world that became redundant and, sadly, somewhat boring. “Oh. No...”
Sarah slowly folded her arms. “Bethany, when you got back to Snow Falls from North Carolina, you began a routine.” She paused. She didn't want Bethany to feel uncomfortable or as if she was about to receive a severe scolding. Sarah knew to proceed using extreme caution. “You open your coffee shop three days a week for five hours, from eight to one. On the days your coffee shop is closed, you spend exactly five hours walking around O'Mally's. When you're not in town, you're at your cabin.”
“I suppose I have become a creature of habit,” Bethany confessed.
“There's safety and comfort in that. You know your routine, you learn your routine...which means nothing can sneak up on you.” Sarah finished her sentence with a sigh.
What could Bethany say? Sarah was right. She had created a routine that offered safety and comforted a nervous woman who had become afraid to even go outside her cabin at night. I always carry my gun in an ankle holster I bought. I've become scared. Yes. Julie and I survived North Carolina...but so many died. The entire case was filled with one confusing maze after another. I can handle that truth. What I can't handle are the shadows that seem to follow me.
“Well, perhaps I'm simply content. I've settled down into my new life here in Snow Falls, Sarah...and for once, life has been peaceful.”
“Well, yes.” Sarah nodded. “The spring and summer months went by with no trouble. At least externally. But in here”—Sarah reached out and gently touched Bethany's heart—“I think there has been a great deal of fear lurking about.” Before Bethany could respond, Sarah pushed forward. “Bethany, when I faced off against the Back Alley Killer, I realized I’d slapped a murderous, evil, soulless monster across the face. And to make matters worse, the Back Alley Killer manipulated my ex-husband...who is dead now...to betray me.”
“But I had many long talks with Amanda, Conrad, and Andrew at the coffee shop. They informed me—”
“My family is determined to make everyone believe I'm some kind of Joan of Arc,” Sarah cut Bethany off with a gentle smile. “Bethany, I'm retired and living in Alaska running a department store. At least, that's the image I see for myself. But in here”—Sarah touched her own heart this time—“there's always a snarling snowman wearing a leather jacket and chewing on a candy cane...waiting...hiding. Sometimes at night, I wake up in a cold sweat. Sometimes I wake up and see that awful snowman standing at the foot of my bed. Why? Because the fear is always present.”
“Yes, I think you're right.” Bethany put down the sweater she was holding and looked around. Sarah and Amanda had transformed the inside of O'Mally's into an autumn wonderland. O'Mally's is safe. I feel secure inside this store. I don't feel afraid. “I can't stay hidden inside of O'Mally's forever, can I?”
“Afraid not,” Sarah informed Bethany. “Right now, my twins are at my cabin being watched by my husband, who’d better do the dishes for once.” She shook her head. “Conrad can clean a toilet, but he can't wash a simple breakfast plate. Well, anyway, my point is, every morning when I leave my kids and husband, I do so knowing that anything could happen. There are countless hidden shadows hiding in the snow, Bethany. But I refuse to live my life in fear.”
“Sarah, you and Amanda...you were both nearly killed so many times.”
“That's true,” Sarah said gently. “When Amanda and I became infected with a deadly virus, I thought that was it for us. Light's out, the end. Amanda and I still have to have our blood tested every six months. Dr. Whitfield insists that the blood tests are for precaution only, but sometimes I wonder if he believes the virus will manifest itself again.” Sarah shook her head. “Bethany, can you believe a mean grizzly bear helped save me and Amanda? Well, a mean grizzly bear, and some very hot water.”
“Yes, Amanda told me about the grizzly bear.”
A comforting smile touched Sarah's eyes. “I can live in fear, honey, but even when the monsters think they have me backed into a corner...well, I would have never expected a grizzly bear to come to my rescue.” She motioned around O'Mally's. “I love this old store more than I can put into words, but sometimes Conrad and I take the kids away. Take this summer, for instance. Conrad and I took the twins to see Pete. We had a fun time filled with lots of laughs. Could something bad have happened? Sure. Something bad can happen just getting out of bed.”
“Are you suggesting I take a trip?” Bethany asked in a nervous voice. “Sarah, I don't think I'm ready.”
“I'm suggesting you and Julie sit down and talk,” Sarah said with a big-sister tone. “Julie has the same look in her eyes as you do.” She reached her right hand into the front pocket of her jeans. Bethany made a curious face, and Sarah smiled. “Here,” she told Bethany, bringing out a green brochure. “Look at this.”
Bethany accepted the brochure with an uneasy hand. “Autumn in Vermont?” she asked.
Sarah nodded. “Th
Bethany opened the brochure Sarah had handed her. Her eyes drank in pictures of cozy pumpkin fields filled with hay wagons and smiling families. Dazzling, breathtaking autumn trees lined the edges of the pumpkin fields. The scene was very welcoming and inviting. “This brochure is nice, Sarah, but I don't think I'm ready to take a trip.”
“My friends Jim and Jill Cunningham are wonderful people, Bethany. Jim and Jill are in their mid-sixties, and they’re both retired comedians. Just imagine the laughs.” Sarah smiled. “Jim is a brilliant pianist. He was inspired to go into comedy after seeing a live performance by Victor Borge when he was a younger man. Jill was a schoolteacher and used her comedy to inspire students to learn. When she met Jim, they hit the road together.”
“I'm sure they're both very nice.” Bethany nodded. Sarah was gently pressing Bethany to leave Snow Falls, but it was clear Bethany wasn't ready to part with her comfort zone.
“They are,” Sarah smiled. “Anyway, I called my friends and told them about you and Julie. They agreed to keep two rooms open for the next month, just in case you and Julie take a trip. And who knows?” Sarah gently nudged Bethany with her shoulder. “You two might meet your Mr. Rights? You don’t have to stay single forever if you don’t want to. Somewhere out there, Bethany, the right man is waiting.”
Bethany felt her cheeks turn red. Romance was alien to her heart. “Oh, maybe someday. I'm content in knowing I'm free from a horrible marriage.” She spoke without lifting her eyes from the brochure Sarah had handed her. The scenes are pleasant and welcoming, and Vermont is beautiful in the autumn. I can almost smell the hay...the bonfires...the apple cider...the pumpkin pies. It would be nice to take a trip away from Snow Falls. As much as I love and adore my new home, I admit I have allowed myself to become caged in. And maybe Sarah is right? I can't stay locked inside of O'Mally's for the rest of my life. Sooner or later, I will have to venture out into the world again or go crazy. I mean, there's only so many green sweaters a woman can buy. But what if I take a trip to relax but end up being chased by monsters again?
“Honey.”
“Huh?” Bethany lifted her eyes. Sarah was staring at her in a way that told Bethany the woman was reading her troubled thoughts like an open book.
“I can't force you to take a trip, but I can promise you one thing,” Sarah spoke in a voice that became very serious. “If you allow yourself to live in constant fear, you will never escape the shadows. As scared as your heart can become—especially for a woman—there comes a time when you must open a locked door and step back into the world.”
“Sarah—”
“Bethany, you're a fighter,” Sarah continued. “I see an amazing strength in you, and an amazing intelligence—an intelligence I would even consider dangerous, to be honest. You should have been a cop.” Bethany shook her head modestly and let out a nervous laugh. Sarah simply smiled. “Bethany, you're becoming a new woman...let that new woman breathe and have life. And if that means you continue getting dragged into a cage filled with monsters, so be it. I would much rather fight to my death than cower in a corner hiding from every shadow.”
Before Bethany could answer, a nervous girl named Rachel ran up to Sarah. “Uh...Sarah, the food truck is here, and Amanda is already taking stock of how many kosher hot dogs there are,” the girl said urgently.
“Oh no, Amanda.” Sarah quickly patted Bethany's hand. “Honey, I'm always here for you. You're my family now. Think about what we talked about. In the meantime, I have to stop Amanda from eating all the kosher dogs.”
Bethany watched Sarah take off at a full sprint. As she did, a curious thought struck her troubled heart. Sarah and Amanda were nearly killed on many occasions, yet look at them. Every day, they embrace life. Bethany dropped her eyes back down to the brochure she was holding. No one knows Sarah gave me this brochure. Maybe I can take a fun trip...but not alone. Bethany lowered the brochure, then she reached into a white purse, retrieved a cell phone, and called Julie. “Julie, are you busy?”
“I'm sitting here eating ice cream and watching reruns,” Julie admitted in a bored voice.
“Uh, want a change of scenery?” Bethany asked, drawing in a few deep, brave breaths. “And maybe a few laughs?”
Chapter Two
“Oh, look at the lake!” Julie exclaimed, speaking in a thick British accent that caused Ron Taylor to smile. Ron Taylor was a seventy-eight-year-old man who drove the only cab in Hay Lake—“cab” being a generous word for a 1968 Chevrolet Impala that was rusted down to the core and rattled so badly that the wheels nearly wobbled off. No matter. Ron loved his old car. Lots of memories…wonderful memories.
Bethany spotted a sun-glittered lake between a line of thick, lush autumn trees. The little back road Ron was traveling down wrapped around the back side of Hay Lake, allowing Bethany and Julie a look at the countryside. On the west side of the lake stood the small town of Hay Lake—cozy hotels, stores, restaurants, and other small-town features lined the front of the lake. Orange Lead Road stretched through Hay Lake and took people to various farms, pumpkin patches, campgrounds, and a lovely fairground. The east side of the lake—or the backside, as Ron insisted—was for the people who called Hay Lake home. Miles and miles of cozy back roads splintered away from the lake, leading to beautiful homes.
Jim and Jill Cunningham lived north of the lake on Winter Dove Road. Winter Dove Road connected to the little back road that ran along the back side of the lake. Bethany subconsciously made mental notes of the layout and directions. Relax. Nothing bad has happened. The flight to Vermont went off without a problem. No luggage was lost, no planes crashed, no murderers appeared. You're in Hay Lake with your best friend. “It is beautiful.”
Ron glanced in the old rearview mirror and spotted two lovely women sitting in the back seat of his car. Bethany's red hair was very striking—and lovely. Bethany reminded him of an old actress he knew but couldn't name. Julie, Ron thought, looked like a dazzling British beauty with dark black hair. Julie reminded Ron of his own wife, who had died of cancer five years prior. Of course, Ron's wife had not been British, but it was interesting how Julie resembled her. “Going to be cold tonight. Temperatures will drop into the low thirties. Hope you two brought a sweater.” Ron pronounced the word “sweater” as “sweatah.” The old man spoke with a heavy Brooklyn accent.
“Oh, we did,” Bethany assured Ron. “My friend and I live in, uh, Alaska.” Why didn't I say the name of the town? I have to stop being so nervous. “We're used to the cold.”
“I should say so,” Julie added and let out a quick laugh. Like Bethany, she felt nervous being so far away from home. But also like Bethany, it was time to venture back out into the world again. “Cousin Amanda had a long talk with me,” she told Bethany. “I know I already told you what we talked about, but I can't stop hearing what Amanda's last words were before we ended our talk.”
“’Fear takes away the joy of eating a chili kosher hot dog dripping with cheese,’” Bethany said, smiling some.
“Yes.” Julie rolled her eyes. “My cousin has a way of making a woman realize that she can't stay locked away in her bedroom for life.” She flicked her eyes toward a beautiful lake peeking through the beautiful autumn trees. “When you suggested we take this trip, I was shocked...and relieved. Anyway, love, I'm determined to spend the next seven days having a wonderful time. And you know what?”
