Books, Picnics And Murder

  Books, Picnics and Murder

  Lori Woods

  Moonstone Press

  Copyright © 2019 by Lori Woods

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Description

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Afterword

  Also by Lori Woods

  Description

  Valley Springs is gearing up for their annual Spring Picnic. It’s a time-honoured tradition, a day filled with sun, laughter, and games. What they’re not ready for is kidnapping, murder, and mob-like hysteria.

  When the town’s richest family announces that their son and nanny have gone missing, there’s only one conclusion: kidnapping. Clary St. James once again finds herself in the middle of mayhem and is determined to find the boy, but her confidence is shaken by hostile townspeople. As she gets closer to the truth, everything is thrown on its head by a shocking discovery.

  It was just supposed to be a town picnic. But with a negligent nanny, a distant father, a hapless stepmother, and an uncle with a motive, it turns into a deadly game of hide-and-seek.

  Will Clary find the boy in time? Or will he become a tragic mystery?

  Chapter 1

  Clary’s grandmother always said that nothing good ever happened after midnight. It didn’t help that she decided to tell that to her daughter as she was in labor with Clary until three in the morning. Clary always thought her grandmother was suspicious of her. Later, on this particular night, she’d give some credit to her grandmother’s theory. Right now, she was safe in her bed as the night passed her.

  Out on the street, everything was quiet as the world slept. No one was there to see the shadowy figure cross the street slowly. Whoever it was didn’t seem bothered by the dark. They walked as though they were on a leisurely Sunday walk. They felt safe and confident in their knowledge that no one would see them, and that they had a few hours until anyone got up. The person wore dark wash jeans and a pitch-black hoodie that hide any sign of gender.

  The person must’ve still felt the need for caution, because they wore a mask to cover the bottom half of their face. They walked slowly up to the storefront of the Story Tree Café. They put a gloved hand up to the glass and peered inside. Clary always left a light on. They peered through, making sure that no one was up. A flicker of movement caught their attention, but it was just the swish of a cat’s tail. Loki the cat was harmless enough, as the black-clad figure knew.

  They squinted inside, trying to ignore their own reflection. Each pore, each out-of-place hair and the sight of their own eyes peered back at them. The cat sat on the couch, facing the intruder with an inquisitive gaze. The cat would make no move, and no sound. He would just watch, as he had done every night the figure had visited so far. Clary slept upstairs, blissfully unaware of what was about to happen. In the room across from her, Marie tossed and turned.

  A recent spike in rent prices and murders had pushed the two friends to become roommates. It wasn’t a massive change, but it was an adjustment. It seemed that Clary dealt better with change than Marie, but it was a necessary change. One that both of them were secretly grateful for.

  A cloud passed over the moon, and the figure shivered. They weren’t cold. They were excited. They felt secure in the knowledge that no matter what Clary and her friends did now, it was too late. Their plan was in motion, and all their players were poised in their positions. The careful positions that the figure had so carefully planned over these past few weeks. The figure leaned in and breathed on the window. In the fog, they drew the words they were thinking. So many secrets.

  The fog faded, and their words disappeared, leaving the tiniest trace. The figure smiled under their mask and took out their key. With a flourish, they walked in as if they owned the place. Loki cocked his head to the side in surprise. This was new. The figure stretched lazily and scratched the cat’s ears as they passed. Loki jerked back and glared at the figure. He jumped off the couch and ran up the stairs, eager to get to Clary. The figure chuckled and dropped an envelope on the counter. They flicked the switch on the expensive coffee machine and put some beans into the machine.

  Clary made it to the top of the stairs a second too late. She clutched her baseball bat in one hand, and slowly walked down the stairs, grateful that she left the light on. Marie insisted it was a waste of electricity, but Clary was firm. The stair creaked under her foot and she froze. When nothing happened, she made her way down the rest of the stairs. Loki watched her with an incredulous look on his furry face. She made her way past a bookshelf as the coffee machine pinged, and a shadow crossed her field of vision.

  She shrieked in fright and swung the bat blindly and as hard as she could.

  “What’s going on?” Marie asked in shock as she watched a stack of books go flying and pages flutter around Clary’s head like dried leaves in the breeze.

  “I don’t know,” Clary said breathlessly, “but it’s not good.”

  “Clary,” Marie snapped, “could you please help me with all this stuff?”

  Marie’s accented voice filled the whole store, but it washed over Clary without any affect. Logan raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing. Instead, he focused on helping Marie with their packed lunch. Loki the cat chirped inquisitively as he walked down the staircase, his tail swishing in the air. He regarded the scene with suspicion, turned his back on Clary and watched the other two as they packed the basket and assorted dishes into the back of Logan’s sleek car.

  “See,” he told Marie triumphantly, “my car is useful.”

  “On one day a year,” she reminded him. “Tell me, pretty boy, how many times have you used it since you moved here?” She put her hands on her hips, leaned all her weight to one side and raised her face slightly. Marie wasn’t tall, she wasn’t short, she was average. Not that anyone would dare say that to her face. Her personality made up for any lack of height. It was the reason that Logan raised his hands in surrender and turned to the shiny car with a grimace.

  “My car is cool,” he grumbled.

  “You know,” she said slowly, “when you first moved here, I thought you were one of those cool guys. The ladies’ man. I thought for sure things would be more interesting because of you. But so far, you’ve just been useful because of this car.”

  “Hey,” he protested, “I am cool.”

  “I’ve seen you sulk because we were out of brownies,” Marie pointed out. “You’ll never recover from that.”

  “I don’t see what you’re complaining about,” he said, changing the subject. He knew she was right, he’d just never admit it. “Things are very entertaining around here.”

  “Entertaining?” Marie asked in a high-pitched tone, causing Logan to wince. “I’m glad you’re having fun. The rest of us would like a little sleep, thank you very much.”

  “Oh, come on,” he pleaded, “it’s not that bad. Maybe you just forgot to switch off the machine? You know you’ve done that before. I mean, it’s a wonder you haven’t burnt the place down yet, Mar. Don’t get mad at me, I’m just saying that you guys are making a mountain out of a molehill.”

  “Okay, Mr. Man,” Marie said sarcastically, “since you think we’re being hysterical, let’s think about it logically.”


  “I never said hysterical,” he sighed.

  “No,” Marie agreed, “but you were thinking it.” She poked him in the chest angrily. “That machine is state-of-the-art. One of the best in the world. It makes coffee in minutes. If I left it on, then it would’ve been pouring coffee by midnight. And what about the cat? He never wakes Clary up. Last night, he came running up the stairs, and made sure to wake her up. Come on, how do you explain the note?”

  “Isn’t the coffee machine on a timer?” Logan pointed out. “It’s possible that you made a mistake. As for the cat, it’s a cat. I watched him lick himself for thirty minutes yesterday, and then play in the dirt. As for the note, isn’t it possible that someone left it behind yesterday?”

  “I cleaned those counters myself,” Marie hissed. “There was nothing.”

  “No offense, but you hate cleaning,” Logan reminded her.

  “So, according to you, last night was one big coincidence?” she asked.

  “I’m not saying you’re both lying,” he said uncomfortably. “I’m just saying that you’re probably not being stalked by a coffee-loving note leaver. Don’t get mad at me, I’m allowed my own opinion.”

  “You’re right,” Marie seethed, “but so am I. You’re an idiot.” She turned on her heel and stomped back into the shop. Logan sighed heavily as she slammed the door behind her.

  “Come on,” he pleaded, “we’re going to be late. It’s the town picnic, you guys. Let’s forget about everything and go have some fun. Don’t you think we deserve a break after everything that’s been happening? We can get out for a bit and clear our minds.”

  “I don’t think we should go,” Marie admitted, sitting on the couch next to Clary. “This is a warning. Whatever’s waiting for us won’t be good.”

  “This is just a prank,” Logan pleaded. “Don’t lose sleep over it. Whoever this is just wants a reaction. Don’t give it to them. Let’s go have some fun, you guys.”

  “I don’t think this is a prank,” Clary spoke up, surprising the two of them.

  “She’s right,” Marie decided. “This Secret Keeper knew about the last murder before anyone else. Now they’re coming into the shop in the middle of the night. We need to stay here and change all the locks. Does anyone know how much alarm systems costs? Is a bodyguard excessive? No, I don’t think so.”

  “You’re being ridiculous,” Logan huffed.

  “Am I?” Marie asked shrilly. “Because last time there was a murder. Four murders in a few months, and none of them had bodyguards or alarms. Coincidence? I think not.”

  “There wasn’t anyone in here,” said in frustration. “There was no sign of forced entry, and nothing was stolen. This Secret Keeper person is making you paranoid. It’s just an elaborate prank. I still think that we should go to the picnic.”

  “We’re not going,” Marie said stubbornly.

  “I am,” Clary said slowly, standing up and folding the note up and putting it back into the envelope. Marie gaped up at her and Logan cheered. “Something isn’t right,” she explained slowly. “Logan’s right, someone is trying to make us paranoid. But I still think we need to take the warning seriously. Something’s about to happen, if it hasn’t already. The best chance we have of finding out is by finding the person behind all this.”

  “I don’t want to,” Marie said nervously. “This is just too much for me. I want to stay here, and watch TV.”

  “All alone?” Clary asked curiously. “In the shop?” Marie hesitated and Clary shrugged. They turned to leave, and Marie watched them pensively.

  “I won’t go!” she called hesitantly.

  Clary closed the door behind her, and Logan gallantly opened the car door for her.

  “I really won’t,” she muttered to herself as she watched Logan get into the car and start it. She huffed angrily and ran out to join them. “Shut up,” she snapped as she closed the door behind her. Logan and Clary shared an amused look before he drove off.

  It was a beautifully sunny day, and almost everyone in town had shown up for the Valley Springs picnic. The lake gleamed merrily and beckoned to the children in swimsuits. The town council had gone all-out and the lakeside was decorated with colorful streamers and various picnic tables. A few games were set up in the distance. The parking lot was full of cars of all shapes and sizes. It was supposed to be a merry sight. Instead, it was eerily quiet.

  Children were sitting in cars, and adults dotted the park. Groups of people were gathered together, muttering worriedly and looking around suspiciously. Marie got out first and gestured grimly. She didn’t need to say anything.

  “I’ll go find out what’s happening,” Logan told Clary. He unbuckled himself and walked over to the group where the mayor and Chief Sanchez were standing. Clary got out of the car too and went to stand next to Marie. She took the chance to look around.

  “Of course, Erica had to be here,” Marie scoffed, gesturing to the town’s biggest gossip. Erica stood in a big group, gesturing wildly. Her plain-looking assistant had to duck to avoid getting hit in the face. Clary’s hand went to her pocket where she’d stuffed the Secret Keeper’s warning.

  Picnic or powder keg?

  Let’s see what happens

  With a little spark.

  -The Secret Keeper

  Chapter 2

  “What’s going on?” Clary asked as Logan approached them with a worried look.

  “Is someone dead?” Marie asked immediately, looking around suspiciously. Logan winced, but shook his head.

  “No, Elijah Northwood and his nanny are missing.”

  “But he’s just ten years old,” Clary gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. Suddenly, it made sense why all the children were safely locked in a car with a parent standing nearby. Her eyes drifted to where Bryan Northwood and his young wife were standing. Bryan was a town legend. His parents had left him a struggling business, but in just a few years, he turned it into a veritable empire. He lived in Valley Springs since it was his hometown and he wanted his young son to experience the same childhood he had.

  “I know,” Logan nodded fearfully.

  The whole world took on a surreal aura as people wondered what had happened to the child. Some craned their necks, as if hoping for some glimpse or clue. Others shook their heads in despair and stared at the ground. Those were the ones who thought the worst had happened.

  “I’m going to talk to Chief Sanchez,” Clary decided, walking away before her friends could protest.

  “I was wondering where you were,” the mayor, Adam Ward, said.

  “What happened?” Clary asked immediately.

  “I don’t suppose you’re going to sit this one out?” Chief Sanchez asked hopefully. She shrugged and he sighed. “Listen, Clary, I know you’ve helped us before, but this is different. Everyone will be on edge, this is life and death. We’ve got a forty-eight-hour window, if that.”

  “Then we have to get work,” Clary said resolutely.

  “I can’t tell you what to do,” Chief Sanchez told her, “but understand that we’re not partners in this. Don’t do anything stupid.” Clary opened her mouth to remind him of the last few months, but his expression was severe. She looked to Adam, who she’d recently helped, but to her surprise, he looked annoyed by her presence.

  “What are we going to do?” another man walked up to the group. He looked vaguely familiar, but Clary didn’t think he lived in town.

  “Ah, Luke,” Chief Sanchez nodded, “this is our mayor, Adam, and a local store owner, Clary.”

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Luke nodded absently, but his expression was anxious. His eyes kept scanning the waterline. “I’m Eli’s uncle. What are we going to do about this?”

  “We were talking about shutting all this down,” Sanchez explained. “Get everyone out of the way, and arrange a search party. I’m going to lead it and set my best man on finding out where Elijah and Payton were yesterday. Start investigating. I’ve let everyone in the area and surrounding counties know about
what’s happening.”

  “What about an Amber Alert?” Clary asked, to the annoyance of Chief Sanchez and Adam.

  “Of course,” Sanchez said, shooting her a warning glance.

  “I think we need to drag the lake,” Luke said quickly, his eyes flicking toward the lake. He watched the waterline intently with his hands on his hips. Sanchez’s eyebrows skyrocketed while Adam and Clary shared a shocked look.

  “I hardly think that’s necessary,” Sanchez coughed. “That’s a worst-case scenario, Mr. Northwood. We could still find your nephew. In fact, I’d rather find him alive than look for his body.” Luke winced, but shook his head.

  “Trust me, I think we should do it.”

  “We can’t drag the lake without looking for him first,” Sanchez said, crossing his arms angrily.

  “I’ll cover the cost myself,” Luke said resolutely, his face tightening with emotion. He took out his credit card and handed it to Sanchez. The chief took a step back in shock, and held his hands up in protest, shaking his head vigorously.

  “Its not the cost that’s the problem, Mr. Northwood. I don’t think your nephew is dead. If you saw him fall in, then we’d drag the lake. There’s a chance that the child was nowhere near the lake. We’d be wasting valuable time.”

  “Eli’s in the lake!” Luke shouted, causing a few people to jump in surprise. One woman gasped loudly and ran to her car where her children were waiting for her. Bryan Northwood looked up in annoyance and made his way over to the group.

  “How do you know that?” Clary asked quickly.

  “He can’t swim,” Luke explained simply, his voice cracking slightly.