Murder to Go (The Heights Bed and Breakfast Cozy Mystery Series Book 1) by Susan D. Baker
Authors: Susan D. Baker
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Chapter 1
Carolyn
Jacobson drew the curtains back and relished the view of Grey Fox Lake from the
Manager’s apartment of The Heights Bed and Breakfast. Carolyn reflected that
she had never had a view as beautiful as this in all her life living next to
the lake. Faced with all the struggles of the past year, she was thankful her
daughter had offered to let them stay with her. It gave her a chance to get to
know her son-in-law. She chuckled to herself, maybe getting to know him too
much.
Carolyn
turned away from the window and found the morning paper lying open on the
kitchen table. Relieved to have a moment to herself, She sat down with her
lunch and started reading when her daughter, Sarah Patterson, walked in from
the bedroom.
Sarah
flung herself down in the chair opposite Carolyn. “Oh, Mom. I don’t know what
I’m going to do.”
“What’s
the trouble?” Carolyn asked as she nibbled her turkey sandwich.
“Mrs.
Simms complained that the door to her room is sticking,” Sarah told her. “I
don’t know when David will have time to fix it.”
“You
and David do too much already, you need to hire some more staff,” Carolyn
remarked pointing a dill pickle slice towards her daughter before taking a bite
of it.
“That's
not all,” Sarah went on. “When Mr. Alexandin checked in this morning, he
decided he had to have the terrace suite instead of the regular downstairs
suite he booked originally. He threw a fit when I told him it was already
booked to another couple. He wanted me to kick them out, and when I refused, he
stormed off and said he was never coming back again.”
“Good
riddance,” Carolyn exclaimed.
“Come
on, Mom,” Sarah chided. “We can’t let a good customer like him get away. He
comes up to Grey Fox Lake every weekend and spends a fortune. I’ll have to call
him up and apologize again or he’ll find another B & B to stay in.”
“Since you were a child, you’ve always worried
about people liking you,” Carolyn commented. “But you can’t go sucking up to
every tyrant that throws a temper tantrum at your reception desk. If this Mr.
Alexandin wants to go to another B & B after the work you’ve done to make
him happy, you can let him go. Another guest will book that room, and they just
might treat you better.”
Sarah
groaned. “Oh, Mom. Haven’t you learned anything since you’ve been staying
here?”
“Have
you had time for lunch today?” Carolyn asked. “You should eat before telling me
about the other crises in the making ? ”
Sarah
brightened up grabbing a pickle slice from her mother’s plate. “Dad has
conquered the kitchen, I knew he would once he had a chance to get comfortable
with our setup. The guests can’t stop raving about his wonderful food. I should
have gotten you two to move in here years ago.”
Carolyn
nodded as she dabbed her mouth with a napkin after the delicious turkey
sandwich he made her for lunch. “He is a wonderful chef. That’s one of the
reasons I married him.”
Sarah
giggled. “Mr. Hoffman tripped over his poodle this morning and his toupee flew
across the room and landed on the potted palm tree in the lounge. You should
have seen it.”
Carolyn
laughed. “Be careful, darling. I’ve been a bad influence on you, poking fun at
everybody behind their backs.”
“You
really shouldn’t do that, you know, Mom,” Sarah reprimanded her. “You know
David doesn’t find it funny at all.”
“I
can’t help myself,” Carolyn replied as she raised her shoulders. Her face lit
up with a smile. “I would joke all the time about the customers who used to
come into your father’s restaurant. It’s harmless.”
“It’s
no way to treat customers,” Sarah pointed out.
“That
is why you are so successful,” Carolyn replied. “You two have built this B
& B from the ground up.”
“We’ve
always loved The Heights,” Sarah told her. “Our dream is coming true. We want
to make it the best it can be, and we’re both willing
Carolyn
Jacobson drew the curtains back and relished the view of Grey Fox Lake from the
Manager’s apartment of The Heights Bed and Breakfast. Carolyn reflected that
she had never had a view as beautiful as this in all her life living next to
the lake. Faced with all the struggles of the past year, she was thankful her
daughter had offered to let them stay with her. It gave her a chance to get to
know her son-in-law. She chuckled to herself, maybe getting to know him too
much.
Carolyn
turned away from the window and found the morning paper lying open on the
kitchen table. Relieved to have a moment to herself, She sat down with her
lunch and started reading when her daughter, Sarah Patterson, walked in from
the bedroom.
Sarah
flung herself down in the chair opposite Carolyn. “Oh, Mom. I don’t know what
I’m going to do.”
“What’s
the trouble?” Carolyn asked as she nibbled her turkey sandwich.
“Mrs.
Simms complained that the door to her room is sticking,” Sarah told her. “I
don’t know when David will have time to fix it.”
“You
and David do too much already, you need to hire some more staff,” Carolyn
remarked pointing a dill pickle slice towards her daughter before taking a bite
of it.
“That's
not all,” Sarah went on. “When Mr. Alexandin checked in this morning, he
decided he had to have the terrace suite instead of the regular downstairs
suite he booked originally. He threw a fit when I told him it was already
booked to another couple. He wanted me to kick them out, and when I refused, he
stormed off and said he was never coming back again.”
“Good
riddance,” Carolyn exclaimed.
“Come
on, Mom,” Sarah chided. “We can’t let a good customer like him get away. He
comes up to Grey Fox Lake every weekend and spends a fortune. I’ll have to call
him up and apologize again or he’ll find another B & B to stay in.”
“Since you were a child, you’ve always worried
about people liking you,” Carolyn commented. “But you can’t go sucking up to
every tyrant that throws a temper tantrum at your reception desk. If this Mr.
Alexandin wants to go to another B & B after the work you’ve done to make
him happy, you can let him go. Another guest will book that room, and they just
might treat you better.”
Sarah
groaned. “Oh, Mom. Haven’t you learned anything since you’ve been staying
here?”
“Have
you had time for lunch today?” Carolyn asked. “You should eat before telling me
about the other crises in the making ? ”
Sarah
brightened up grabbing a pickle slice from her mother’s plate. “Dad has
conquered the kitchen, I knew he would once he had a chance to get comfortable
with our setup. The guests can’t stop raving about his wonderful food. I should
have gotten you two to move in here years ago.”
Carolyn
nodded as she dabbed her mouth with a napkin after the delicious turkey
sandwich he made her for lunch. “He is a wonderful chef. That’s one of the
reasons I married him.”
Sarah
giggled. “Mr. Hoffman tripped over his poodle this morning and his toupee flew
across the room and landed on the potted palm tree in the lounge. You should
have seen it.”
Carolyn
laughed. “Be careful, darling. I’ve been a bad influence on you, poking fun at
everybody behind their backs.”
“You
really shouldn’t do that, you know, Mom,” Sarah reprimanded her. “You know
David doesn’t find it funny at all.”
“I
can’t help myself,” Carolyn replied as she raised her shoulders. Her face lit
up with a smile. “I would joke all the time about the customers who used to
come into your father’s restaurant. It’s harmless.”
“It’s
no way to treat customers,” Sarah pointed out.
“That
is why you are so successful,” Carolyn replied. “You two have built this B
& B from the ground up.”
“We’ve
always loved The Heights,” Sarah told her. “Our dream is coming true. We want
to make it the best it can be, and we’re both willing
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