Debts and Debtors: (A Geeks and Things Cozy Mystery Novella #3) (Geeks and Things Cozy Mysteries) by Sarah Biglow

 
    CHAPTER ONE
     
    Raindrops pelted the kitchen window in Kalina Greystone’s small apartment. Heat from the kitchen fogged the interior of the glass, obscuring the view outside. Kalina wiped sweat from her forehead with the back of her arm. The weather—in addition to being wet—had turned cold in early November and she’d turned up the heat to compensate. She was up to her elbows in dessert. This was the first Thanksgiving she’d been home with her family in a few years—and the first since her father’s passing—and she didn’t want to disappoint. Checking the recipe for the spice applesauce cake frosting one more time, she moved the saucepan of brown sugar, cream and butter to the burner set on high. It reached a boil in only a few minutes and she feverishly stirred it to make sure it didn’t burn. Master cook she was not. Her phone buzzed with an incoming call, slowly vibrating toward the edge of the table.
    “Not now!” she moaned, hastily pulling the concoction from the stove and scooping up her phone.
    Luckily, it was just an alarm to remind her she needed to leave for Jillian’s house in a half hour. Chris was supposed to be coming over so they could drive together. The thought of having her very serious romantic partner joining her for a family holiday made butterflies swarm in her stomach. Things between them had been better than ever the last few months. In fact, they were in the process of moving in together. The process had been put on hold due to the holidays but before long she wouldn’t have to live alone. Her front room was already strewn with partially packed boxes. Her landlord was being generous and letting her leave most of the furniture in the place. Easier to rent a fully furnished place in a town like this. She couldn’t believe how lucky she’d been, moving home, taking over the family business and falling back in love with her high school sweetheart. Some days she had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.
    Setting her phone aside, she added the remaining ingredients to the frosting mixture, gave it a good stir and carefully poured it over the cake. It still needed to cool a little bit but that’s what her sister’s fridge was for. Making sure the stovetop was off, she headed to her room to clean up. Ten minutes later she reappeared in a nice, pale blue blouse and black slacks. She slipped into rain boots and tossed a pair of flats into her purse.
    She checked her phone, expecting a text from Chris letting her know he was waiting out front. No new messages. “Come on, where are you?”
    Kalina busied herself packing up the cake and pulling on her jacket but still no word from Chris. Finally, she sent him a text. ‘Are you on your way? We will be late.’
    Still no response.
    This was not the way she wanted to spend her Thanksgiving but she couldn’t help feeling a little annoyed that he was suddenly ignoring her. Finally, she pulled on her coat and stowed her phone in her pocket for safekeeping. Time to brave the storm.
    Torrents of water buffeted her all the way to her car. She practically dove into the driver seat; the cake container almost landed sideways on the passenger seat. She let out a breath—air condensing in front of her—and started the engine. She set the wipers on high and waited for the heat to kick in before she pulled out of the driveway and turned left down her street.
    Her phone began to ring loudly halfway to Jillian’s house. “Great.”
    Her mood already on edge, she pulled over to the side of the road and yanked the phone free. Chris’s number flashed on the Caller ID. She hit ‘Accept’ and put the phone on speaker so she could keep driving. “Hey.” She did her best to keep her tone neutral.
    “I am so sorry, Kal.”
    “You can meet me there. That’s fine.”
    “I don’t think I can make it.”
    “You promised.” It came out as more of a whine than she’d intended.
    “I know. I wish I could be there, believe me. But I