Death in the Garden Read online

  Copyright © 2019 by Kathleen Suzette. All rights reserved. This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination, or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanical, without permission in writing from the author or publisher.

  Books by Kathleen Suzette:

  An Amelia Crum Mystery Series

  Death in the Garden

  An Amelia Crum Mystery, book 1

  A Home Economics Mystery Series

  Appliqued to Death

  A Home Economics Mystery, book 1

  A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery Series

  Clam Chowder and a Murder

  A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 1

  A Short Stack and a Murder

  A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 2

  Cherry Pie and a Murder

  A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 3

  Barbecue and a Murder

  A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 4

  Birthday Cake and a Murder

  A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 5

  Hot Cider and a Murder

  A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 6

  Roast Turkey and a Murder

  A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 7

  Gingerbread and a Murder

  A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 8

  Fish Fry and a Murder

  A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 9

  Cupcakes and a Murder

  A Rainey Daye Cozy Mystery, book 10

  A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery Series

  Candy Coated Murder

  A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 1

  Murderously Sweet

  A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 2

  Chocolate Covered Murder

  A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 3

  Death and Sweets

  A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 4

  Sugared Demise

  A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 5

  Confectionately Dead

  A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 6

  Hard Candy and a Killer

  A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 7

  Candy Kisses and a Killer

  A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 8

  Terminal Taffy

  A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 9

  Fudgy Fatality

  A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 10

  Truffled Murder

  A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 11

  Caramel Murder

  A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 12

  A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery Series

  Apple Pie A La Murder,

  A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery, Book 1

  Trick or Treat and Murder,

  A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery, Book 2

  Thankfully Dead

  A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery, Book 3

  Candy Cane Killer

  A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery, Book 4

  Ice Cold Murder

  A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery, Book 5

  Love is Murder

  A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery, Book 6

  Strawberry Surprise Killer

  A Freshly Baked Cozy Mystery, Book 7

  A Gracie Williams Mystery Series

  Pushing Up Daisies in Arizona,

  A Gracie Williams Mystery, Book 1

  Kicked the Bucket in Arizona,

  A Gracie Williams Mystery, Book 2

  Death in the Garden

  An Amelia Crum Mystery, book 1

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter One

  “Our next book should be something exciting. Like a vampire book. I like vampires.” Nora Diaz looked around the room, the light in her eyes gave away her excitement.

  Maggie Capps narrowed her eyes at Nora, then turned to the others. “I’m open to suggestions for our next book.” She cleared her throat, ignoring Nora.

  Amelia Crum swallowed back the snort that threatened to escape. The last thing Maggie was open to was suggestions. Since she had joined the Marion county book club two months earlier, Maggie had made all the decisions on what they would read. Her Billionaire Boyfriend sat on the table in front of her, and when her eyes rested on the book, her mouth involuntary formed a straight line.

  “Amelia, what did you think was the protagonist’s greatest strength?” Maggie asked, running a hand through her short, curly hair. It had been black at one time, but it was graying fast.

  Amelia looked at her, surprised she was asking her opinion on anything. She thought about it a moment. “Oh, um, I think the protagonist liked her boyfriend,” she finally managed. What she really meant was that the protagonist was a self-involved money-grubber. But she didn’t want to say that, being the newest member of the book club.

  Maggie stared at her. “I guess that’s true. But isn’t there anything else you can think of to say about her strengths?”

  Amelia swallowed. “She liked clothes.” And she liked her boyfriend’s money so she could buy a lot of expensive clothes.

  Maggie’s mouth dropped open in surprise. Then she turned away. “Nora, what about you? What did you think of the protagonist and the harrowing life experiences she encountered?”

  Martha Grant chuckled from the corner where she knitted a light blue baby blanket. “Harrowing experiences? I guess if you call spending other people’s money harrowing, then sign me up!” Martha looked to be in her nineties and spoke her mind. Amelia liked that about her.

  Maggie scowled at Martha, but ignored her.

  “I think the main character, Tiffany Cross, was self-involved,” Joanne Bridewell spoke up. “Really Maggie, can’t you come up with a decent book for us to read? These billionaire romances are so unrealistic.”

  Maggie gasped and placed a hand on her chest. “Unrealistic? Why, each one of them is a Cinderella story set in modern times. They’re bound to become classics! And if you think it’s easy picking book club books, then maybe you should do it,” Maggie huffed. “I swear. You people don’t appreciate all the time and effort I put into this club. It’s like you don’t appreciate anything I do.”

  Joanne shot Amelia a look. “Why don’t we take a vote on it each month? That way we aren’t putting all the pressure on you, Maggie. What do you all think? Should we vote on which book to read each month?” Joanne looked around the room.

  “I vote for vampires!” Nora said gleefully. Nora was the youngest member of the group at forty-two, and Amelia enjoyed her youthful exuberance. “I loved Twilight. Can we read the Twilight books? All of them?”

  Maggie gasped. “No! We can’t read vampire books, and especially not Twilight!”

  “Why can’t we read Twilight?” Joanne asked. “We’ve read all the billionaire romance books I can take for a while. I don’t mind romance, but we need a little variety.”

  Maggie’s eyes went wide. “Because—because—this is a respectable book club!” Maggie sputtered, leaning forward in her chair. “What will people think if they find out we’re reading T
wilight?”

  Joanne shrugged. “Who cares what people think? If they aren’t a part of the book club, then why should we care? I say we take turns picking out a book. That way no one has to live under the burden of picking out all the books we should read. Amelia?” She turned to look at the newcomer.

  Amelia smiled. At that moment, Joanne was her hero. Since her retirement from the Iowa National Bank exactly sixty-two days earlier, she had made nine book suggestions to the book club and Maggie had shot them all down.

  “I think that’s a wonderful idea.” She glanced at Maggie’s ashen face. “For Maggie’s sake. We shouldn’t put that kind of burden on you, Maggie.”

  Maggie shook her head. “No, I didn’t mean to say it was a burden. What I meant was that I always put such thought and care into the books I choose. For you all. I do it for all of you. I want you to be happy with the books we read.” She glanced at Martha. “Martha, what do you think? Don’t you think I should continue to pick the books?”

  Martha pursed her lips together in thought, then shook her head. “No. If I read one more billionaire romance, I’ll puke. Your taste in books stinks.”

  Maggie gasped. “Well! I had no idea you all felt that way about it.” Her bottom lip protruded, and she looked away from the group.

  “It’s not that we dislike romance,” Amelia said, trying to smooth things over. “It would just be nice if, as Joanne said, we had a variety of books to read.”

  Maggie turned back, her lips trembling. “But Twilight? Who on earth wants to read Twilight?”

  “I do! I do!” Nora said gleefully, bouncing up and down in her seat. “I loved the movies. They were the best movies I’ve ever seen.”

  “Well then, maybe you haven’t seen enough movies in your life,” Maggie spat out.

  Joanne turned to Amelia and winked. “I think Nora should have first choice and it looks like it’s going to be Twilight.”

  Nora sat at the edge of her chair and clapped her hands. “Yes! We’re going to read Twilight! Now, Maggie, as you read the book, I want you to take note of Bella and what her strengths as a protagonist are.”

  Amelia chuckled quietly. She hadn’t known any of these women prior to joining the book club and she had felt like a stranger here, but with one word from Joanne, she finally felt included. She suddenly realized it was Maggie that had been making her feel excluded.

  “I get to pick next,” Sue Jones said.

  One of the things Amelia hadn’t anticipated with retirement was that the friends she had worked with turned out not to be friends, but co-workers. Over the years, they had occasionally socialized after work, and when they came to work each day, they would discuss what was new in their lives, and with their families. They invited one another to their children’s weddings and baby showers, and she had always bought nice gifts for each occasion. Amelia had even babysat Crystal Hocking’s toddler four times. But when she called or emailed her former co-workers to do something in the evenings or weekends now that she had retired, they all gave the same excuse. They were tired from working all day. Or they needed to spend time with their families since they had worked all week. She sighed. The real friends she’d had years ago had moved away or were still working their own jobs, and so she was left to sort out the loneliness she sometimes felt since leaving her job.

  Inside Her Billionaire Boyfriend was a sheet of paper she had been listing all the books she wanted to read once she retired and had more time for reading. She pulled out the sheet of paper and unfolded it, glancing over the titles. She liked classics, including Agatha Christie. She loved a good mystery novel, and she knew exactly which title to suggest when it came her time to pick.

  “How’s that for change?” Joanne leaned over and whispered. Maggie was still arguing for excluding Twilight from the list of books to read.

  Amelia quickly folded the paper up and stuck it back into the book. “That was wonderful. Thank you.” She smiled at her.

  Joanne winked at her again. “I’ve been in this book club for nearly a year and if I read one more of Maggie’s book suggestions, I’ll scream. Really, why didn’t I think of this sooner?”

  “I think it’s only fair that everyone gets to choose.”

  Maggie cleared her throat. “All right. If Nora gets to choose the book, then someone else should bring the snacks. I’ve been bringing snacks for years and it gets expensive.”

  Martha chuckled. “You make us all give you money for those snacks.”

  Maggie turned to her. “It’s only two dollars. You can’t expect me to pay for them and make them, too.”

  “Those bologna roll ups didn’t cost twelve dollars. You pocketed the change.” Martha laughed and went back to her knitting.

  Maggie narrowed her eyes at her. “If there was any money left over, it paid for the time I took to make the food. It’s not like I have an unlimited supply of time or money, you know.”

  “I think whoever picks the book, should bring the snack,” Amelia suggested. “That way it won’t always fall on the same person. We appreciate all the work you put into the book selections and the snacks, Maggie.” She smiled at her, still hoping to smooth things over.

  Maggie sighed. “Fine. Nora, you bring the snacks. But no olives. I’m allergic.”

  And with that, the book club was fixed and suddenly Amelia found herself looking forward to the get-togethers.

  The book club met on the first Tuesday of the month at nine o’clock in the morning at the Marion County library reading room. There were six members, including Amelia. She mentally crossed one of her retirement goals off her list. Join a book club that had invested discussions of the books they were reading. Up until this moment, she couldn’t cross it off because there wasn’t anything vital being discussed. She felt there now would be.

  “I think we should read The Devil Wears Prada next,” Sue said. “I loved the movie.”

  Maggie groaned. “There goes any chance of having a respectable book club.”

  “So it’s all set. We’ll read Twilight this month and have a discussion at our next meeting,” Joanne announced.

  Maggie grimaced and shook her head but didn’t protest.

  Amelia glanced at the clock on the wall. It was ten o’clock and this meeting of the book club was officially over. She tucked her list of books into her purse and picked up Her Billionaire Boyfriend and got to her feet.

  Joanne stood up. “Want to get some coffee?”

  Amelia looked at her. She’d forgotten how to make friends; it had been so long since she’d done anything with anyone that she didn’t work with. This would be a start.

  She nodded. “Yes. That would be fun.”

  They headed out and Amelia dropped the book into the returns bin on the way out.

  Chapter Two

  Amelia squinted her eyes in the bright sunlight as they stepped out into the sunshine. Spring was here, and she was happy to finally shake off the winter doldrums. She glanced at Joanne beside her. She still found herself struggling to talk about anything more than ARMs, debt to income ratios, and credit scores when she was around other people. She wondered how long it would take for those things to fade from her memory.

  Joanne shaded her eyes with her hand as she looked at Amelia. “Is The Coffee Bean okay? They have great scones. They use fresh fruit in their baked goods.”

  Amelia nodded. “Oh, I almost forgot. I’ve got to stop off at the community gardens. I rented a couple of plots over there. I’ve planted tomatoes and zucchini, along with a few other things.” There. She’d said something that had nothing to do with home loans or finances.

  “Really? I’ve never planted a thing in my life. My husband takes care of the lawn and he accidentally killed everything we had growing in the brick planters in the front of the house.” She chuckled. “I accused him of having a black thumb until I killed off all four of the poinsettias my mother gave us one Christmas. If I try to give him a hard time, he just brings that up.”

  Amelia smiled. �
�I’ve never done it before. Planting a vegetable garden, I mean. I’ve had houseplants, but not much else. Would you like to drive over there with me? It won’t take long to water the plants, and we can get a coffee afterward.”

  “Sure, why not?” Joanne said. “Maybe I’ll even learn something by watching you.”

  The drive over to the community gardens was short, with Amelia trying to come up with something to say to Joanne. When they pulled up to the garden, Amelia parked the car and turned to Joanne. “This will just take a few minutes.”

  Joanne nodded, and they got out of the car. “No hurry. I’ve got plenty of time.” The gardens were deserted other than the birds and squirrels that liked to hang around the plants looking for a meal. “I didn’t realize so many people used the community gardens,” Joanne said, surveying the garden plots. She was tall and thin, and her high heels made her even taller.

  “I think most people have several plots or planters. I’ve got two raised bed planters and one plot in the ground. I read about it last year in the newspaper and I thought it would be a fun thing to do. And now that I have more time, I decided I wanted to try my hand at my own little plot. There are still plenty of available plots, you should rent one.” Amelia led the way to the gates. Each gardener was given a key to the gate so they could come and go as they pleased.

  “Maybe next year,” Joanne said.

  Amelia was annoyed that some of the other gardeners never put their tools up when they were done and occasionally, she had come down and found the gate was left unlocked.

  She went to put her key in the lock now and discovered it was once again left open. She made a tsk-tsk sound and looked at Joanne. “Sometimes people aren’t considerate and don’t lock up after themselves.”

  “I’m surprised that doesn’t happen all the time,” Joanne said and followed Amelia into the garden.

  The garden was made up of raised beds or plots in the ground and covered nearly three acres of land that had been donated to the city when the building that had once stood there was torn down several years earlier. Many of the plots had never been gardened, but the ones closest to the gate were brimming with greenery and flowers.