Merriment & Murder

  Merriment & Murder

  Jenna St. James

  Maddy Maddson

  Copyright © 2019 by Jenna St. James.

  Published by Jenna St. James

  Cover Design Jenna St. James

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names and characters are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Jenna St. James Books

  Ryli Sinclair Mystery Series (cozy)

  Picture Perfect Murder Bachelorettes and Bodies

  Girls’ Night Out Murder Rings, Veils, and Murder

  Old-Fashioned Murder Next Stop Murder

  Bed, Breakfast & Murder Gold, Frankincense & a Merry Murder

  Veiled in Murder Heartache, Hustle, & Homicide

  Sullivan Sisters Mystery Series (cozy)

  Murder on the Vine Tea Leaves, Jealousy, & Murder

  Burning Hot Murder Flames, Frames, & Murder

  PrePEAR to Die

  Copper Cove Mystery Series (cozy)

  Seaside & Homicide

  Merriment & Murder

  A Witch in Time Series (paranormal)

  Time After Time

  Runaway Bride Time (novella)

  Toy Time Tragedy (novella)

  A Trinity Falls Series (romantic comedy)

  Blazing Trouble

  Cougar Trouble

  Chapter 1

  “I think we’re ready for the party,” I said to my two best friends, Peyton Patterson and Raven Masters.

  “I love all the colors,” Raven said.

  Says the girl who only wears black.

  Peyton looped her arm around mine. “I’m a little sad, though.”

  “Why?” I asked. “Aunt Aggie coming back is a great thing.”

  After nearly thirty years of being estranged from my Grams, my great-Aunt Aggie finally decided to move back to Copper Cove and make a new start. She and Grams were still finding their footing with each other, but after a month together, they seemed to be doing all right. Aunt Aggie had purchased the Bed and Breakfast across the street from where Grams and I lived, and tonight was the big grand opening for the town.

  Peyton rested her head on my shoulder. “It’s not your Aunt Aggie I’m sad about. Do you realize this might very well be our last Christmas together? We’re seniors. From here on out, who knows where our lives will take us?”

  Meow!

  I swallowed past the sudden lump in my throat and bent down to pick up Jinx, my older-than-dirt black cat. “Don’t say that, Peyton. We’ll always be together.”

  Peyton and I had been best friends since kindergarten. We were both sort of outsiders in town. She was not only super brainy, but model gorgeous. A dichotomy that confused most kids our age. The fact her dad owned the funeral home and was the town coroner didn’t help matters, either. I was an outsider for different reasons. My mom abandoned me the first chance she got, giving me to my Grams to raise. That probably wouldn’t be so bad on its own, but most townspeople thought my Grams was a witch because she owned the apothecary in town. Those were two big strikes against me.

  Raven tossed back her purple hair. “Well, I think this is going to be my best Christmas ever.”

  Raven had moved to town at the beginning of the school year. At first I didn’t really like her because she was so weird. She had purple hair, a nose ring, and she always wore black. Not the kind of girl I’d normally hang out with. That is, until I got to know her. When Granny Winnie had been accused of murdering two people last month, Raven was instrumental in helping us find clues to solve that mystery and keep Grams out of prison.

  “There you girls are.” Aunt Aggie strolled into the spacious great room…her hip-hugging designer jeans and pink-tipped white hair a stark contrast to her sixty years. “I was wondering—oh.” She stopped and gazed around the room we’d just finished decorating. “This is gorgeous. You girls did a great job.”

  A skinny red and gold tree sat in one of the corners, lighted garland framed the fireplace, and we’d replaced her regular decorative pillows on the two couches with velvet jewel-colored pillows that had cute Christmas sayings.

  “This is the last room,” I said. “We’ve decorated the great room, front parlor, dining room, the downstairs bathroom, the library, and the—what’s that fancy word you used to describe the room off the back of the house?”

  “The conservatory,” Aunt Aggie said.

  I snickered. “Conservatory.”

  Aunt Aggie threw back her head and laughed, her spikey pink tips swaying with the movement. “You can call it a sunroom.”

  “Whatever it’s called,” Raven said, “it’s decorated too.”

  “That’s every room on the first floor except for your private bedroom area which is blocked off,” I said. “And the kitchen.”

  Aunt Aggie nodded. “Chef Granger said he didn’t want anything hindering his movements, so all Christmas kitchen décor had to be eliminated.”

  We followed Aunt Aggie back into the dining room where Grams and Henley Waller were sitting at the long table drinking coffee.

  “I’m already exhausted.” Grams snatched a gingerbread man from a platter and dipped it in her coffee before biting off the head.

  I rolled my eyes. “You’ve been sipping coffee, eating cookies, and bossing us around all day. How can you be tired?”

  “That’s hard work,” Grams said around a mouthful of cookie.

  Mr. Waller gave me a wink. He lived a couple hundred yards up the road at the lighthouse. He’d been the lightkeeper for over thirty years—clear back when my Papa had been alive. The two men had even been best friends. Recently, Mr. Waller confessed to Grams he’d had feelings for her all these years. They’ve pretty much been inseparable the last month now.

  Aunt Aggie glanced at her watch. “Chef Granger should be here any minute.”

  “I still can’t believe you got Chef James Granger to cater,” Raven said. “He’s like the hottest chef around right now.”

  I scrunched up my face. “Uh…he’s like the only chef around these parts. Copper Cove isn’t exactly a metropolis.”

  Which is exactly why Grams and I spent a lot of our time fighting. I wanted to go away to college when I graduated in May, and she wanted me to stay in Copper Cove and work in her apothecary selling my soaps and natural beauty products. But the town only had nine thousand people…there was no way I was going to make a living selling beauty products. Plus, I just needed more.

  Copper Cove sat along the natural cove of the Pacific Ocean in Mendocino County. Like a lot of coastal towns, the houses and storefronts were bright and cheerful and the townspeople were friendly and gossipy. And while I loved being able to look out my bedroom window and watch the boats and whales go by, deep down I knew it wouldn’t be enough to make me truly happy.

  “His restaurant is amazing,” Raven said. “The food is delicious, and the staff is really nice. Sometimes he’ll come out of the back and walk around and talk to people.”

  “It’s weird you know him that well,” I said.

  Raven shrugged. “What can I say? Both parents are lawyers. We do a lot of eating out.”

  According to Raven, this Chef Granger was the ultimate when it came to anything food related. Two years ago he went on one of those reality cooking shows and won first place. Then out of the blue last year, he opened a restaurant on the outskirts of town between Copper Cove and the tiny town of Gillway. Since Grams cooked most of our meals, and we rarely ate out, I’d never been to his restaurant. But according to Raven, it
was mega popular.

  How in the world Aunt Aggie convinced this chef guy to come here and cook for the open house was beyond me. Supposedly it takes weeks just to get a table in his restaurant. Why would he want to come here and make little snack foods?

  Meow! Meow!

  “What’s that, Jinx?” I asked. “Someone’s here?”

  “That’s just freaky,” Aunt Aggie said.

  I don’t know how or why, but for some reason, Jinx and I have always had this crazy connection. I swear I can understand what he says. No one was really sure where Jinx came from. Grams claimed he showed up on her doorstep the day my mom abandoned me.

  The sudden pounding on the door had Aunt Aggie’s eyes going wide. “See! Freaky!”

  I chuckled. “Why’s it freaky?”

  “It just is,” Aunt Aggie said as she strolled out of the dining room toward the front door.

  “I think it’s cool,” Raven said.

  I gave her a get-real stare.

  She threw her hands up and laughed. “Okay. I admit I was a little freaked out the first couple times you did it.”

  I was about to tease her more, but Aunt Aggie’s flushed face appeared in the doorway. Towering over her was a handsome man with silver hair flowing down to his shoulders. He had the palest blue eyes I’d ever seen, and a silver and black goatee. I wasn’t good at guessing older people’s ages, but if I had to guess, I’d say he was around Aunt Aggie’s age. About sixty.

  “Everyone, this is Chef James Granger.” Aunt Aggie stepped aside and motioned to the man. “He and some of his staff are catering tonight.”

  Three women in black t-shirts proclaiming Granger Kitchen Staff in red glitter smiled and nodded.

  Chef Granger gave a slight bow then turned to the group of women behind him. “Ms. Quinn has informed you where the kitchen is. Please begin preparing. I’ll be along shortly.”

  Aunt Aggie smiled. “Call me Aggie, James. It’s been a long time, but not so long you can’t call me by my first name.”

  Whoa! What?

  “You two know each other?” Raven asked, her voice filled with awe.

  Chef Granger winked at Aunt Aggie. “Aggie and I go way back. Almost back to our diapers.”

  Aunt Aggie tittered. “Not quite that far. James and I were in the same class in school until he moved away our sophomore year.”

  “Jimmy Granger?” Grams stood up and hugged the handsome chef. “I don’t know why I didn’t put that together. I’m sorry for not getting out to your restaurant. Brynn and I don’t really eat out a lot.”

  Chef Granger patted Grams’ hand. “That’s no problem, Winnifred. It’s been a long time.”

  “You can call me Winnie,” Grams said. “Everyone does.”

  “Do you remember Henley Waller?” Aunt Aggie asked.

  The two men shook hands.

  “Nice to see you after all this time,” Henley said. “And I’m a lot like Winnie. No point going out to eat when you’re used to eating for just one.”

  I grinned. “Now that you two are—what did they call it in your day—courting? Now that you two are courting, maybe you can go out on a date at his fancy restaurant?”

  Grams narrowed her eyes. “I got me some cilantro in the refrigerator across the street, Brynn. Don’t make me use it.”

  Chef Granger grinned at me. “Tastes like soap to you?”

  “Yep,” I said.

  “So that makes you Brynn?” he asked.

  “Yep,” I repeated.

  Raven stuck out her hand. “My name’s Raven Masters, Chef Granger. Mom, Dad, and I eat at your restaurant at least once a week. We love it.”

  He gave her a wolfish grin as he shook her hand. “I thought I recognized you. And thank you, Miss Raven. I appreciate the praise.”

  Peyton gave him a small wave. “I’m Peyton, and I come from a large family. Mom pretty much does all our cooking. But I did watch you on Chefs Last Stand, and you were by far my favorite. I was so excited when you won.” Her brow furrowed. “They said you were from San Francisco on the show.”

  Chef Granger nodded. “I moved there when I was in high school.”

  “And you decided to move back here?” I asked. “And open a fancy restaurant? Why?”

  Chef Granger cocked his head. “Why not? Copper Cove is a great place to live.”

  “But it’s…Copper Cove!” I exclaimed. “You could have made bank in the city. Plus all the nightlife and entertainment.” I sighed. “I can’t wait to experience it for myself.”

  Chef Granger grunted. “You may come to change your mind on that, young lady.”

  I shook my head emphatically. “Never.”

  Chapter 2

  “You girls look beautiful,” Grams said as Peyton, Raven, and I walked down her staircase an hour later. “Look at you, Raven! In a color other than black.”

  Raven grinned. “I decided to throw caution to the wind and go all out for Christmas.”

  I snickered. “It’s deep purple. Looks almost black.”

  “But it’s not,” Raven pointed out. “And that’s all that matters.”

  All three of us had decided on different colored long-sleeved sweater dresses with ankle boots. Not what we usually wore to school, but since we were officially on Christmas break as of yesterday, it was time to get into the holiday spirit.

  Meow! Meow!

  I looked down at Jinx and laughed. “Grams, are you making him wear a bowtie to the party?”

  “Yep. Just a tasteful red one.”

  Meow! Meow! Hissss!

  Peyton laughed. “No need to translate what that meant. Jinx obviously isn’t happy.”

  I looked out the front window of the house and saw the twins, Jessica and Janice, walking up Aunt Aggie’s sidewalk. Jessica and Janice owned Sisters Bakery and Coffee Shop…one of my favorite hangouts in town.

  “The twins and other guests are starting to arrive,” I said. “We need to get across the street to help greet.”

  “Go ahead,” Gram said. “Jinx and I will be along shortly. Henley is walking me over.”

  With a quick wave, the three of us scrambled outside and hurried over to Aunt Aggie’s bed and breakfast. The outside was decorated just as elaborately as the inside. Big, white bulbs outlined all three floors of the house, and lighted garland spanned the wraparound railing.

  I turned around to look past our house and out at the Pacific Ocean. It was too dark to really see the churning water, but I could hear the waves as they collided against the rocks and crashed onto the shore.

  “C’mon.” Raven tugged on my arm. “It’s cold out here.”

  The party didn’t officially start until seven, but tons of guests were already mingling inside by six-forty. I waved to Aunt Aggie but followed Raven and Peyton over to the twins. They were dressed in matching silver glittery dresses.

  “Those dresses are killer,” I said. “Love the glitter.”

  Jessica smiled. “Thanks. You girls looks adorable in your matching dresses too.”

  “And those boots!” Janice exclaimed.

  “Two are the same color as our caramel macchiato,” Jessica said, “and the other is a deep mocha.”

  I snickered. “Only you would describe boot colors in coffee flavors.”

  “Speaking of coffee,” Peyton said, “I saw where you guys are looking to hire someone for deliveries.”

  I clapped my hands. “I’m so excited for that! Now I can have my fix whenever I want.”

  Janice smiled. “It’s mostly evenings and weekends we’ll need the help. I’ve decided to expand the menu and serve gourmet sandwiches on artisan breads, and I’m also going to have a soup-of-the-day available.”

  “We even bought the most adorable little Smart car and put our logo on it,” Jessica added.

  “If we know of anyone,” I said, “we’ll send them your way.”

  “You girls are the best,” Jessica said.

  “Who decorated?” Janice asked.

  “We did,” Raven sa
id. “Looks good, right?”

  “Beautiful,” the twins said simultaneously.

  Peyton, Raven, and I said goodbye and headed for the dining room, and straight to the tray of iced sugar cookies on the table. Snatching one up, I shoved it in my mouth and moaned. It was just the right consistency of soft cookie but hard icing.

  “Are you eating the party food already?” Aunt Aggie joked.

  I quickly swallowed and grinned. “Delicious.”

  She winked. “I’ve already had three. James says if he catches me again, I’m banned from the dining room.”

  We all jumped at the unmistakable sound of a tray crashing to the floor. A few seconds later, Chef Granger let out a string of curses. The four of us ran to the kitchen entryway—or the entryway from the dining room. There were actually two entrances into the kitchen.

  “Is this how we’re going to start the evening, Mariah?” Chef Granger asked.

  “Sorry Chef,” Mariah said. “It won’t happen again.”

  He frowned at her for a few more seconds. “You got this. If she shows up tonight, you ignore her and carry on.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The girl grabbed another tray of champagne and headed out the other doorway. Chef Granger grumbled to himself as he bent down to pick up the plastic flutes littering the ground.

  “Let me get you a mop,” Aunt Aggie said.

  He looked up and scowled. “Usually Mariah isn’t this clumsy. She’s one of my best servers.” He stood and took the mop from Aunt Aggie’s hand. “About four months ago she and her fiancée broke up.” He snorted. “Or I should say the fiancée’s mother demanded they split up. Seems she didn’t think Mariah was good enough for her son. Mariah’s still trying to get over it.”

  “And you think this mean woman will be here tonight?” I asked.

  “There’s a good chance,” Chef Granger said. “This is a pretty big deal to the community, and she’s all about being seen in public.”

  “Who is it?” Peyton asked.

  “Temperance Clairmont,” Chef Granger said.