Caramel Killer: A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 12 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:

  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 Killer

  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

  Caramel Killer

  A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery

  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

  Author’s Note

  Chapter One

  “Boo, I know you want to be pet, but I’m kind of busy,” I said, glancing down at the black cat at my feet. He rubbed his head against my leg in an attempt to get my attention. I wasn’t anyone’s fool, I knew what he wanted. It was the turkey lunch meat I was using to make sandwiches. I tore a piece off the slice I was getting ready to add to the sandwich I was making and tossed it to him. He caught it before it hit the floor. “Wow, you’ve got skills. I didn’t realize you were that talented.”

  “Meow.”

  I chuckled and finished making the sandwiches and slipped them into plastic bags, so they’d stay fresh. Next, I took half of the pear cranberry tart I had made yesterday out of the refrigerator and transferred it from the pan to a plastic container and put the lid on it. My boyfriend, Ethan Banks, was going to be surprised when I showed up at his workplace with this small feast. I put everything into a small covered wicker basket and added the homemade potato salad I made the night before, fruit salad, oatmeal cookies, and some napkins and silverware. Then I added some paper plates and cups. I had made up some hot cocoa and had already put it into a thermos.

  Boo was rubbing up against my leg again, asking for more turkey. I reached down and scratched his head. “That’s enough turkey for you,” I said. “I’ve got to get going. You keep an eye on things around here.” I gathered up the basket, a folded blanket, my purse and keys, and headed out to my car.

  Ethan was acting detective on the Pumpkin Hollow police force, so I drove over to the police station to surprise him. It was the second week of November and the Halloween season had just ended the previous weekend. I was still worn out from the busy season, but I was looking forward to spending some fun time with Ethan. It felt like I never got enough time with him.

  I pulled into the police station parking lot and headed in.

  “Hi Mia,” Joe Jones said from his place at the reception desk. Joe was nearing retirement age, and he was shuffling paperwork on his desk. He had once told me that in his heart he had retired two years earlier, but it was taking a while for the rest of him to catch up.

  “Hi Joe,” I greeted him. “How are you doing this lovely morning?”

  He grinned at me. “I’d be doing a whole lot better if someone brought me some fudge.”

  I stopped and looked at him a moment. I should have stopped by the candy store before coming here. “Sorry Joe, I didn’t get a chance to drop by the candy store before coming over here.”

  He gave me an exaggerated frown. “Oh,” he said. “There goes the rest of my day. I guess I’ll have to figure out how to get along without it.”

  “I’m sorry Joe,” I said again, walking up to the reception desk. “I promise I’ll bring some by the station soon.”

  “Soon?” he asked, brightening.

  I nodded. “I will. I promise. Do you know where Ethan is? I’m surprising him with a picnic lunch.”

  “That lucky duck. My wife never does anything like that for me. I think he’s in his office right now. Want me to call him for you?”

  “No, I’ll head on back if that’s okay with you.”

  “If I’m going to get fudge sometime soon, it’s okay with me.” He chuckled.

  “I promise, I will bring you some fudge.” I headed back down the hallway to Ethan’s office. My mother made the best fudge in the world, and sometimes people expected me to bring some when I stopped by. I should have picked some up on the way over, since it had been a while since I had brought any
treats for the police officers.

  I knocked on Ethan’s door, and when he called to me from inside, I opened it. I grinned at him. “Hello, Mr. Ethan Banks,” I said standing at the doorway. “How are you this lovely morning?”

  He grinned. “Miss Mia Jordan, I am doing great. Especially now that my lovely girlfriend has stopped in to say hello to me. You did stop by to say hello, didn’t you?”

  I nodded. “Hello, Ethan.” I crossed the small office and leaned over his desk and gave him a kiss. “How’s that for hello?”

  He nodded. “Pretty good. But I think you can do better.”

  “Oh? You do, do you?” I gave him another kiss, slower this time. I pulled back and looked at him and he chuckled, and his cheeks turned pink.

  “See, I told you, you could do better.”

  I playfully slapped at his arm and sat down in the visitor’s chair in front of his desk. “What are you doing today?”

  He glanced down at the pile of paperwork on his desk. “Pushing papers. How about you?”

  “Well, it’s late in the morning on a Thursday in November, and I don’t have to work today. And as I was getting up this morning, I thought how do I want to spend my day off? I immediately thought of my handsome boyfriend down here toiling over paperwork. And do you know what I decided?”

  He raised his eyebrows. “No, tell me. What did you come up with?”

  “I thought it would be a wonderful day to have a picnic lunch with my sweet boo.”

  “Boo? Did you bring the cat, too?"

  I chuckled. “No silly, I was calling you my boo. Can you get away for a picnic lunch?”

  “I think I might be able to manage that. Isn’t it cold outside though?”

  “Not too bad. The sun is out, and there’s really not much of a breeze. I think it will be safe, otherwise we can just have our picnic lunch right here in your office if you’d rather do that.”

  “Oh no,” he said, shaking his head. “I would not rather do that. I need to get out of here and take a breather. I feel like I’ve been trapped in this tiny office for forever.”

  I glanced around. “Seems like somebody as important as you would be given a bigger office. With a window, at least.”

  “Wouldn’t you think so?” he said, looking at me and grinning. “It’s almost like the chief doesn’t think I’m as important as I think I am.”

  I gasped. “He doesn’t think you’re as important as you think you are? Well, where is he? I’ll have a talk with him and straighten him right out.”

  He chuckled and glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s 11:40, why don’t we go ahead and go to lunch?”

  I nodded. “I’m all set. Are you hungry?”

  “You bet I am,” he said. “What did you bring me?” He got to his feet and began straightening his paperwork up into one neat pile.

  “It’s a surprise,” I said.

  “Oh? Wait, let me guess. You didn’t happen to bring me some nice juicy fried chicken, did you? Because I love fried chicken.”

  “Um, no. I hope you didn’t have your heart set on fried chicken, because if you did, lunch might be a disappointment.”

  “Lunch could never be a disappointment,” he said. “As long as I’ve got you for company, I’ll be extremely happy.”

  “Extremely? Well, that makes me feel special.”

  He came around the side of the desk and held his arm out to me and I placed my hand on his arm. “Let’s go, Madam.”

  “By all means,” I said, and he turned the light off before we left the office and then locked the door.

  “I can’t have people slipping in here while I’m gone, snooping through my things,” he said.

  “Are you kidding?” I asked, turning to him.

  He nodded and smiled. “Yes, I am kidding. But some of that paperwork on my office isn’t anything I want sitting out in case a civilian walks in and manages to get into my office.”

  “You know how we civilians are,” I said.

  “I know exactly how you civilians are,” he said as we entered the reception area. “Hey Joe, I’m going to be out of the office for a little while. You know how to get ahold of me if you need me.”

  Joe looked up from his computer. “Okay Ethan,” he said. “Your girlfriend promised me some fudge, by the way.”

  “She did, did she? I hope she doesn’t go back on her promise then.”

  “You two stop it,” I said. “I am not going to go back on my promise. I’ll bring some fudge by, soon.” We headed out to the parking lot and to my car. I glanced up at the sky. It was bright blue with big fluffy clouds slowly making their way across it.

  “It is a beautiful day,” Ethan said and inhaled deeply. “It’s good to be outside again. I feel like I’ve done more paperwork in the past two weeks than I’ve done in my entire law-enforcement career.”

  “Yup, it is a beautiful fall day,” I said as we got into the car. I turned and looked at him. “How about we go out to the woods and have a picnic lunch?”

  He turned and looked at me, one eyebrow raised. “Out into the woods? That sounds kind of dangerous.”

  “You’ve got a gun. We’re fine,” I said and slapped him on the arm. “Do you have time? We don’t have to stay long, but it’ll take a few extra minutes to drive out there.”

  “I haven’t taken a decent lunch hour in what seems like months,” he said. “I’ve got my cell phone if someone needs me, so I think we’re good.”

  “Good, let’s go.”

  I started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

  Chapter Two

  Pumpkin Hollow is situated at the edge of the woods in northern California, and the drive out to the woods for a picnic only took a few minutes. We could have stopped off at Pumpkin Center Park, but with it being fall, I wanted to be out in the woods to enjoy the beautiful weather. Soon enough, it would be too cold to go out there. I had brought a large red and black plaid blanket to lay down on the ground for us to sit on and I was looking forward to just being out in nature and enjoying our lunch. Most of the leaves had already dropped from the trees, and there would be a blanket of dried leaves on the ground that would provide a cushion for us.

  “Here we are,” I said as I pulled off the highway and drove down a dirt road that led into the woods.

  “I hope there aren’t a lot of hunters out today,” he said slowly and turned to stare meaningfully at me.

  I turned and looked at him. “Are you trying to be funny?” The last thing I wanted was to be shot at by hunters.

  “No, because if there are hunters shooting in the woods, I don’t think there’d be anything funny about that.”

  I hit the brakes causing us both to fall forward. The seatbelts kept us from hitting the dashboard. “Do you really think people are going to be shooting at us?” I might not have taken everything into consideration when I planned this little outing.

  He laughed. “Well now, Mia, I don’t think, or at least I don’t expect, people to be shooting at us. But these are the woods and people do go hunting in them.”

  “Do you think we’re in danger?” The park was sounding like a better choice for our picnic.

  He chuckled. “Will you just drive on? People are not shooting guns off this close to the edge of town. At least, they better not be. And besides, it’s the middle of the week. Most people do their hunting on the weekends.”

  “Well I certainly hope so,” I said, pressing my foot to the gas again. “I don’t want to have to dodge bullets.”

  “Me either,” he said, nodding. “Of course, there could be a hunter that’s on vacation from their job and is out here hunting this morning.” His forehead furrowed in thought.

  “Ethan,” I said in exasperation. “You’re just trying to scare me!”

  “Well, we do live in a Halloween themed town, and what is a Halloween themed town without a little scaring?” he said in a sinister voice.

  “Ha ha,” I said. “You’re so funny. I’m going to pull off the road here
so we can find a place to sit and have lunch. You keep an eye out for hunters.”

  “Oh? You don’t want to go further out into the woods?” He looked at me innocently.

  “No, if we’re going to have to dodge bullets, I don’t think we should go out that far. We’ll find a nice cozy place to sit someplace around here.”

  He smirked. “Scaredy-cat.”

  “Whatever,” I said and found a clearing to pull my car off onto and parked. I didn’t go out into the woods nearly enough. It was one of those things that since it had always been here, I took it for granted.

  “I’ll get the basket,” he said and reached into the backseat and picked it up.

  I got the blanket from the trunk and we headed out into the woods, just a little way from my car. When we found a place under a tall oak tree that still had some of its leaves, I spread the blanket over the leaves on the ground.

  “Isn’t this nice?” I asked him. “The weather is beautiful today.”

  “It really is,” he said, sitting down on the blanket and placing the basket between us. “It won’t be long before it snows. This is probably the last reasonably warm day of the season.”

  “I was thinking the same thing,” I said. “Aren’t you glad I came up with this idea?” I wasn't big on the outdoors, but sometimes it was nice to get outside and feel the sun on your face and the breeze in your hair.

  “I’m glad you came up with this idea,” he agreed, looking at the basket expectantly. “I’m also glad you brought food.”

  “Are you hungry?” I asked him as I opened the lid to the basket.

  “I’m starving,” he said. “All I had was a donut and a cup of coffee for breakfast. All that sugar doesn’t stick with me very long.”

  “I hear you,” I said and set out the plates and silverware on the blanket. Then I began pulling the food out of the basket and setting it down. “There’s cocoa in that thermos in case you get cold.”

  “That was thoughtful of you," he said, picking up the thermos and pouring some into a paper cup. “Would you like some?”

  “Yes,” I said. “I brought the rest of that pear cranberry tart I made yesterday. We’ll have that for dessert.”