Pink Velvet Murder: A Frosted Love Cozy Mystery - Book 9 (Frosted Love Cozy Mysteries) by Carol Durand, Summer Prescott Read Free Book Online Page B

went
to his den to take the call. When he came back, his face was grim.
    “I
have to go out for a bit to investigate a home invasion,” he told her
apologetically. “You can finish the movie if you’d like, or just leave it
paused and watch something else. I may be a while, so when you’re ready for
bed, you know where everything is, don’t wait up for me,” he instructed,
tucking his pistol into a shoulder holster which was then hidden by the sport
coat that he hastily donned. Beckett gave her a quick kiss on his way out the
door, along with another apology and a promise to make it up to her. Knowing
full well that this was the life of someone who made a conscious choice to date
a law enforcement professional, Missy turned off the TV, took the dogs out for
a short walk, then came back and went to bed.
    She
slept soundly, knowing that she was safe and secure as long as she was in
Chas’s care, but woke up when she heard him coming in a few hours later.
Wrapping a red plaid flannel robe around her, and cinching it at the waist, she
padded barefoot into the kitchen, where the worn-out detective was fixing
himself a glass of ice water and a light snack.
    “Hey
you,” she said softly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
    “Hey
beautiful,” he murmured, taking her into his arms.
    “Everything
okay?” she asked, not lifting her sleepy head from his chest.
    “Not
as okay as I’d like,” he admitted, kissing the top of her head and rubbing her
back.
    Missy
pulled away a bit, so that she could look up into his deep blue eyes. “What is
it, Chas? What’s wrong?” she frowned.
    The
detective sighed and kissed her forehead. “The home invasion that I went to
check out earlier…was at your house, Missy,” he said quietly, holding onto her
upper arms.
    “What?”
she exclaimed. “Someone broke into my house? Why would anyone do that?” she
asked fearfully.
    “Well,
Donna Chesman still hasn’t been located as yet. There were  a few items
missing, and a rather cryptic message written on your wall in bright red
crayon.”
    “A
message? What sort of message? And what was missing?” Missy clutched the two
halves of her robe together at the neck.
    “The
message said, Your next ,” he explained reluctantly, knowing that it
might scare her. “And it was written where your grandmother’s painting had
hung, the painting itself was gone. It looked as though some of your clothes
were missing from your closet as well, as was the basket of dog toys that you
keep in the kitchen, unless you brought that with you.”
    Missy
shook her head numbly. “No, I know that you always have a good supply of toys
over here, so I didn’t bring them, but why would Donna steal dog toys?”
    Chas
shrugged. “Maybe she has a dog, who knows? We’re bringing in a handwriting
analyst from New Orleans to take a look at the message and compare it with
samples of Donna’s handwriting. When we do find her, it looks more and more
like she’ll be heading to jail. I want you to stay here until she’s found – I
don’t think that you’ll be safe at home, okay?”
    She
nodded miserably. “This is so awful, Chas,” her voice shook. “I never would’ve
suspected that young girl of any of this.”
    “Sometimes
the people that we suspect the least are the ones who end up being the culprit,
it’s just a sad reality. But don’t worry, sweetie, okay? I think we’re close to
getting this whole case resolved, and as soon as we find Donna, you’ll be able
to go back home,” he took her in his arms again, just holding her without
words.

Chapter 14
    Carlton
Dobbs leaned casually across the counter of Missy’s Muffins and More, clearly
flirting. Cheryl, the manager was in the back, boxing up orders to be
delivered, Grayson was on his lunch break, and Missy was manning the front
counter by herself.
    “I
just had to stop by and partake of a little bit more of your sweetness,” he
grinned.
    “I
get that a lot. Which flavor strikes your fancy?”