Dead Before The Wedding: A Carly Keene Cozy Mystery (Carly Keene Cozy Mysteries Book 1) by Ruby Blaylock
Authors: Ruby Blaylock
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how violent Parker’s Mill was becoming. She reminded Carly and Shell that in her day, no one locked their doors and no one threw electric heaters into bathtubs with people in them.
Both girls were getting a little tired of the questions, but there was no doubt that Larry’s murder and Carly’s discovery of his body was good for business. When they finally got a lull in customers, Shell sighed. “Whoo, what would we do if it was this busy every day? I’d have to hire more help.”
Carly agreed. “Yeah, maybe I should go looking for dead bodies more often.” The girls both giggled a little too loudly. They realized that it wasn’t right to laugh over anyone’s death, but the tension had been too thick in the little bakery for the past two days, and it was time to try and lighten the mood just a little.
Halfway through the day, things had settled down considerably in Sweets & Eats. Carly had brought out her laptop so she could get a little work done during the downtime at the bakery, and Shell was cleaning a few drops of dried batter off the base of her large silver mixer. Carly knew that Shell wouldn’t rest until the stainless steel appliance sparkled like a mirror. The thought that Shell might just actually have OCD had crossed her mind on more than one occasion.
“Hey, Carly,” Shell called, pausing in her cleaning long enough to look over at her friend. “We still have Mona’s cake back here.” The realization made Shell wince. “Oh, gawd...you don’t think she’ll come in here asking about it, do you? I mean, I’d just rather not have to deal with that whole sideshow.”
Carly thought for a moment, pushing her hair back behind one ear. “Well, I wouldn’t call her, if that’s what you’re asking. I’d give it a few days anyway, then you can send her a message if you need to. Did you take a big deposit?” Carly knew Shell would have taken her standard fifteen percent, non-refundable deposit, but she wouldn’t be surprised if Mona had insisted on paying more than that. She’d paid Carly half the cost of the photography package up front, even though Carly rarely asked for more than a ten percent deposit.
Carly sighed. “I’ll have to call her, too, but not today. I need to give her deposit back, but I really don’t want to have to talk to her. I may just see if I can put the money back in her bank account.” Carly had noted that Mona’s check was from the bank across the street, which happened to also be the bank where both Carly and the bakery held accounts. In a small town like Parker’s Mill, it was easy enough to find out who banked where and pay someone back by simply having the teller deposit it into the account for you.
The bell over the door tinkled and Carly looked over to see who was coming in for a sweet treat with a hefty side of gossip. She smiled when she realized it was Tucker, with both Betty Sue and Tyler in tow.
“Hey, Carly, can I just sit Tyler here while I tie Betty Sue up outside? I don’t figure Shell would be too happy with having a dog in the bakery, but I couldn’t leave her. She chewed up Tyler’s Power Ranger and ate two pairs of my socks in the last 24 hours.”
Carly nodded and smiled, then came out from behind the counter and around to where the little boy was standing. “Hey, Tyler. Remember me?” Carly ruffled the little boy’s hair and wondered why on earth he was here with Tucker instead of with his grandfather.
As if he had read her mind, Tucker slipped back into the bakery and walked over to where Carly and Tyler were standing. “I’m treating Tyler here to one of Shell’s famous chocolate chip cookies. His granddad isn’t feeling too well, but he said that Tina’s aunt is driving down from New York to help out. I just felt bad for him, and today was my day off, so I thought I’d get him out of the house for a little while.”
Carly thought that Tucker was awfully sweet for thinking of
Both girls were getting a little tired of the questions, but there was no doubt that Larry’s murder and Carly’s discovery of his body was good for business. When they finally got a lull in customers, Shell sighed. “Whoo, what would we do if it was this busy every day? I’d have to hire more help.”
Carly agreed. “Yeah, maybe I should go looking for dead bodies more often.” The girls both giggled a little too loudly. They realized that it wasn’t right to laugh over anyone’s death, but the tension had been too thick in the little bakery for the past two days, and it was time to try and lighten the mood just a little.
Halfway through the day, things had settled down considerably in Sweets & Eats. Carly had brought out her laptop so she could get a little work done during the downtime at the bakery, and Shell was cleaning a few drops of dried batter off the base of her large silver mixer. Carly knew that Shell wouldn’t rest until the stainless steel appliance sparkled like a mirror. The thought that Shell might just actually have OCD had crossed her mind on more than one occasion.
“Hey, Carly,” Shell called, pausing in her cleaning long enough to look over at her friend. “We still have Mona’s cake back here.” The realization made Shell wince. “Oh, gawd...you don’t think she’ll come in here asking about it, do you? I mean, I’d just rather not have to deal with that whole sideshow.”
Carly thought for a moment, pushing her hair back behind one ear. “Well, I wouldn’t call her, if that’s what you’re asking. I’d give it a few days anyway, then you can send her a message if you need to. Did you take a big deposit?” Carly knew Shell would have taken her standard fifteen percent, non-refundable deposit, but she wouldn’t be surprised if Mona had insisted on paying more than that. She’d paid Carly half the cost of the photography package up front, even though Carly rarely asked for more than a ten percent deposit.
Carly sighed. “I’ll have to call her, too, but not today. I need to give her deposit back, but I really don’t want to have to talk to her. I may just see if I can put the money back in her bank account.” Carly had noted that Mona’s check was from the bank across the street, which happened to also be the bank where both Carly and the bakery held accounts. In a small town like Parker’s Mill, it was easy enough to find out who banked where and pay someone back by simply having the teller deposit it into the account for you.
The bell over the door tinkled and Carly looked over to see who was coming in for a sweet treat with a hefty side of gossip. She smiled when she realized it was Tucker, with both Betty Sue and Tyler in tow.
“Hey, Carly, can I just sit Tyler here while I tie Betty Sue up outside? I don’t figure Shell would be too happy with having a dog in the bakery, but I couldn’t leave her. She chewed up Tyler’s Power Ranger and ate two pairs of my socks in the last 24 hours.”
Carly nodded and smiled, then came out from behind the counter and around to where the little boy was standing. “Hey, Tyler. Remember me?” Carly ruffled the little boy’s hair and wondered why on earth he was here with Tucker instead of with his grandfather.
As if he had read her mind, Tucker slipped back into the bakery and walked over to where Carly and Tyler were standing. “I’m treating Tyler here to one of Shell’s famous chocolate chip cookies. His granddad isn’t feeling too well, but he said that Tina’s aunt is driving down from New York to help out. I just felt bad for him, and today was my day off, so I thought I’d get him out of the house for a little while.”
Carly thought that Tucker was awfully sweet for thinking of
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