A Drizzle of Deception: A Cozy Mystery (Caesars Creek Mystery Series Book 10) by Constance Barker

 
    Chapter One
     
     
    While it was a wild vacation to say the least, I was glad to get back home to Caesars Creek and to my little guy Winchester. Sammi, Paige and Bruce’s daughter, had taken care of him at their house, but I knew he missed me terribly, and I did him as well. After a few days of rest however, I was ready to get back to work at my ice cream shoppe, The Frozen Scoop. I took Winchester with me that first day back and of course Stormi made over him.
     
    “How’s my little stinker?” Stormi cooed to Winchester. “Has you been a good boy?”
     
    Winchester stood on his tiny Westie legs and pranced for her.
     
    Stormi giggled. “I never get tired of watching him dance.”
     
    It wasn’t long before we were busy with customers. Some wanting ice cream cones, others fruity smoothies, or ordering ice cream cakes. Everyone wanted to know what happened on Stormi and Greg’s honeymoon and mine, Brandon, Paige and Bruce’s vacation. We filled people in on the resort and of course the two poor murdered individuals and my almost demise.
     
    Trixie, our older, but never a grey hair out of place friend, stopped in during a slow time in the afternoon to catch up along with Paige. So we filled her in on our adventures as well.
     
    “I ought to slap you girls silly for getting into something as dangerous as a murder mystery.” Trixie admonished as she took a lick of her chocolate almond delight in a sugar cone.
     
    Stormi sat down next to Trixie at one of our small tables out front. “As if a murder is going to stop us. I reamed that guy a new one.”
     
    Trixie guffawed. “I bet you did! He had no clue who he was dealing with until it was too late.”
     
    I took a load off and sat down next to Trixie. “I could do with some peace after that fiasco.”
     
    “You and me both,” Paige said as she grabbed a scoop of plain vanilla.
     
    Stormi gave Paige a look of disgust. “Vanilla again. Branch out woman.”
     
    Paige stood with the ice cream scoop in her hand. “Hey, you do your thing I’ll do mine. There’s a reason vanilla is your best seller.”
     
    “You’ve got a point,” Stormi smirked. “I just never saw the allure. Plain vanilla is so boring.”
     
    Paige grabbed a spoon atop a canister filled with chocolate chips. “Who said it would be plain.” She dusted a scoop of chips over the vanilla ice cream, and then added a ladle of hot fudge to it.
     
    Stormi nodded. “That’s more like it.”
     
    Stormi has been my best friend since we were little, and now I was engaged to her brother Brandon. Stormi had recently married the best cop in town, Greg. Our other friends, married couple Bruce and Paige, and Brandon and I accompanied Stormi and Greg on their honeymoon to an exotic locale. I know how that sounds…why would you go with your friend on her honeymoon? But we were a tight-knit group and Stormi and Greg wanted us to come along. Well, as long as we gave them a wide berth, which we did.
     
    “I still can’t believe the trouble you girl’s get into.” Trixie crunched into her sugar cone. “Reminds me of my rowdy youth back in the day.” Trixie had a faraway look. “Greta and I would get into some wild shenanigans.”
     
    “Greta?” Although the poor woman was murdered by Trixie’s daughter, Stormi still held disdain for the woman. But honestly, Greta had earned most of it. “I can’t imagine Greta getting into too much trouble.”
     
    Trixie grabbed a napkin. “Oh, she had a wild hair up her hiney.”
     
    We grimaced with the mental image.
     
    Trix chuckled at her memories. “Yes, we got into a few scrapes in our day.”
     
    Suddenly our attention was directed at the front door as it swung open and Stormi’s grandfather, Papaw Jeb burst in.
     
    “Stormi, I’m so glad you’re back! You have to send Greg to my place….someone’s trying to rob me.”
     
    Stormi jumped up and led Jeb over to our table and made him sit. “Now Papaw, tell me what’s been