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A TANGLED MURDER DUNE HOUSE COZY MYSTERY SERIES CINDY BELL CONTENTS Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 About the Author Also by Cindy Bell Copyright © 2020 Cindy Bell All rights reserved. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and locations portrayed in this book and the names herein are fictitious. Any similarity to or identification with the locations, names, characters or history of any person, product or entity is entirely coincidental and unintentional. All trademarks and brands referred to in this book are for illustrative purposes only, are the property of their respective owners and not affiliated with this publication in any way. Any trademarks are being used without permission, and the publication of the trademark is not authorized by, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owner. CHAPTER 1 “S uzie! They’re almost here!” Mary Brent waved to her from the front porch of Dune House. Suzie Allen jolted awake from the daydream she’d been lost in and looked at the assortment of towels that she had been folding. Running a bed and breakfast in a seaside town had its share of monotonous tasks, and folding towels was high on that list. There were still a few more to do, but she didn’t have time to waste on them. She piled them back into the basket and left the basket on the shelf in the laundry room just off the kitchen. “I’ll be right there.” Suzie called out. “Let me grab Pilot’s leash.” She snatched the yellow Labrador’s leash off the hook near the front door, and Pilot promptly barreled up to her, his tail wagging with excitement. “Okay boy, let me just get this on you.” She laughed as he jumped up against her legs and then bounced back. “You’re just as excited as I am, aren’t you?” She finally managed to get the clip on the collar of the squirming dog. As she opened the door to the large wraparound porch, she spotted Mary at the top of the steps that led down into the parking lot. “Hurry, or we’re going to miss their approach.” Mary gripped the railing tight as she eased herself down each step. “This is not the time to start acting up.” She gave her knees a stern look. “Don’t worry, we’ll get there right on time.” Suzie hooked her free arm through Mary’s, and they walked down the path together toward the docks. After Suzie had inherited her uncle’s property, she’d made what she considered to be the best decision of her life. She converted it back into its former glory as a B&B. A business for her and her lifelong best friend, Mary, to operate together. There were plenty of bumps in the road, but as she drank in the sunny sky and reveled in the warmth of being near her friend, she couldn’t imagine a single place she’d rather be. It didn’t hurt that she’d met someone in the small, seaside town of Garber and found herself in the middle of a romance she’d never expected. It was as if the life she’d always longed for had begun in her fifties. “I hope so.” Mary looked in both directions up and down the beach, but the beach that ran in front of Dune House remained empty. “Everyone must already be there.” She led the way down the path to the wooden dock that stretched in both directions along the water. Several boats were docked in slips along one end, but the rest of the slips were empty. “See, they haven’t arrived, yet.” Suzie smiled. “Let’s go find Paul, I’m sure he’s saved us a great place.” “He’s probably been camped out since this morning.” Mary grinned. “That’s quite likely.” Suzie thought of her boyfriend staking out a spot on the dunes with a great view before the sun even came up. He had a stubborn streak when it came to doing things in what he considered the right way. She didn’t doubt that he’d spent a good amount of time analyzing the options until he found the exact ideal angle to view the race from. “Wow, what a crowd.” Mary’s eyes widened when she reached the end of the dock and stepped down onto the wide strip of beach. Bleachers had been erected, and they were full to the brim with both residents of Garber, and an assortment of out-of-towners that arrived early that morning to see the completion of a sailing yacht race. “There he is.” Suzie pointed to Paul who was perched on the top of a dune, a bit of a distance from the bleachers, with a large blanket spread out. “Of course, he always finds a way to avoid the crowd.” She flashed Mary a grin and led Pilot over to him. “Just in time.” Paul smiled as he stood up and opened his arms to her. “I was hoping that you would make it to see the yachts come in.” “Wouldn’t miss it.” Suzie hugged him, then kissed his cheek before he bent down to pet Pilot. “I’m so excited to see who wins.” “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sailing race in person before.” Mary craned her neck in an attempt to see out farther along the inlet that led to the docks. “What happens if there is a tie?” “Trust me, there won’t be one.” Paul cast a heavy look in her direction. “I’ve seen these races before and when the yachts are so close together, they can get pretty cutthroat at the end. Whoever is in front will try to make sure that they get to the finish line first, at any cost.” “Oh, it can’t be that bad, can it?” Suzie rolled her eyes. “No one would want to harm these expensive boats.” “Yachts.” Paul winked at her, then shrugged. “That’s what happens when you have a lot of cash, you can always buy a new one.” Just then, a series of cheers erupted in the bleachers. A voice came over a temporary PA system that had been installed throughout the area. “Now we’re in the final leg, there are only minutes left until we will be able to announce the winner of the Red Water Challenge. Neck and neck are Goose and Gallant. But Pierre’s Perch is right behind them and gaining fast!” Suzie smiled to herself in reaction to the names of the boats. It wasn’t until she met Paul that she truly understood how attached a person could become to their boat. Paul was a fisherman. He worked and lived on his boat, he’d taught her that it was more than a vessel, it was his own world. The men that were in the race likely spent a good amount of time on their yachts as well and had a certain level of affection for them. “Wow! Here they come!” Mary clapped as the first yacht emerged from the bend of the inlet. Its towering masts made the other boats in the harbor seem tiny in comparison. “It’s so majestic.” “They are quite beautiful.” Suzie sighed and squeezed Paul’s hand. The summer season was the busiest time of year for the B&B. Dune House had been booked solid for the entire season. Things were starting to quiet down a bit, and having a brief break for some fun and sunshine and time spent with her favorite people, helped her to relax. “Oh no!” Mary gasped as did the crowd in the bleachers. “Look how close they are! Are they going to crash?” Suzie winced as she saw the yacht in second place, move forward and swing directly in front of the yacht in first place, easily taking the lead. She heard shouts from the yacht now second in line, Gallant, as it rocked wildly in the wake of the yacht in the lead, Goose. “It’s alright, he’s righting it.” Paul narrowed his eyes as he watched the two yachts. “But that was too close. Far too dangerous. Goose’s skipper should know better than to pull a move like that.” “Look, the other one is pulling in front!” Mary pointed at the third yacht, Pierre’s Perch, that had originally been behind the first two, and was now plowing forward through the water. It quickly overtook the second yacht, and then began to compete with the first one as they both neared the finish line. “Will it be Goose or Pierre’s Perch? They are both on their way to the finish line!” The announcer sounded breathless from excitement. Suzie felt breathless as well as she squeezed Paul’s hand. Her heart pounded. She never expected to be so invested in the outcome of the race. “Go Gallant, go!” She waved her free hand through the air. “Gallant can still catch up!” Pilot barked his support as well. “It’s so close, how will they tell who wins?” Mary shook her head. “I can’t tell from here.” “Wait for it.” Paul tipped his head toward the yachts. “One of them has a trick up their sleeve, I guarantee it.” Just as he spoke his last words, Pierre’s Perch’s sail turned to catch a gust of wind and the yacht surged forward, only far enough for the bow to pass Goose’s just before it crossed the finish line. As cheers erupted from the crowd, Mary sighed. “I had hoped it would be Gallant.” “Me too.” Suzie nudged her with her elbow. “But it was still fun to see, wasn’t it?” “Yes.” Mary squinted out over the water. “Quicker than I expected.” “Don’t worry, the best part is yet to come.” Suzie raised her eyebrows. “The party!” Mary rolled her eyes as she smiled. Though she and Suzie were about the same age, she often saw Suzie as the more spry and energetic of the pair. However, living and working in Dune House together had reawakened that spark within Mary to some degree. Years of motherhood, and playing the dutiful role of a wife to a husband who did not treat her well, it had taken her some time to rediscover her own interests and passions. She would never be as bold and vivacious as she considered Suzie to be, but she was getting more courage to do what she wanted to do and have some fun. “Hello ladies.” A familiar voice rang out, followed by a familiar face. “Louis, it’s not often we see you out of the library.” Mary laughed as she smiled at the man who walked up to her. “I couldn’t miss the race. It’s a moment in history.” Louis smiled as he turned from Mary to Suzie. “It’s the perfect day for it, isn’t it?” “Yes, I’m amazed it’s not as hot as it’s been the past few days.” Suzie tipped her head toward the water. “Did you catch that last- second win?” “I did.” Louis tapped the side of his head. “It’s permanently stored here now. Quite a shock really, I thought Doug Sherrah would be the big winner. He’s won several other races in the past.” “Not today, I guess.” Suzie shrugged. Doug was going to be staying at Dune House with his wife, Evelyn. Suzie had briefly met him when he drove down to drop off Evelyn and their bags at the B&B yesterday. “See you at the party?” “Yes, I’ll see you later.” Louis waved as he walked away. “We have some time before the festivities start. I brought snacks.” Paul pointed to the picnic basket on the blanket. “Aw, I knew you would use it!” Suzie smiled. “When I saw it, I knew it had to be yours.” “Thanks so much for thinking of it, Paul.” Mary peeked into the picnic basket. “I hadn’t even considered snacks.”