Hobbies and Homicide
A Dune House Cozy Mystery
Cindy Bell
Copyright © 2023 Cindy Bell
Chapter One
Mary Brent scooped up the orange peels from the counter and dropped them into a compost container. Tension built up in her muscles at the thought of what the next hour might bring. She’d let Suzie Allen talk her into something that she didn’t think would end well.
“I’m just not sure that I’ll be able to handle it, Suzie.” Mary glanced down at her knees, currently covered by thin, blue jeans.
“I promise, she’ll be able to help you modify the exercises to make it more comfortable. I really think that it might actually help you to get a little more flexibility and maybe relieve some of your discomfort.” Suzie poured fresh orange juice into a glass. “I can’t believe you made this yourself.”
“Well, Michael and Molly mentioned that they really enjoyed orange juice for breakfast, so I thought it would be a nice touch.” Mary smiled as she placed toasted bagels onto plates. “I just want everyone to feel comfortable here, and since we only have a few guests this weekend, it’s easy to give a little extra. I’m sure the other guests will enjoy some as well.”
“You’re so great at all of this.” Suzie poured herself a cup of coffee. “You never miss a single detail.”
“Neither do you.” Mary gestured to the kitchen décor that surrounded them. “Your interior design skills make this place come alive with warmth. I never would have thought to add a slightly brighter color above the cabinets to give the whole place a glow.”
“I do like it.” Suzie glanced along the top of the cabinets as she smiled. “I guess we both have our own strengths when it comes to running this B&B. That’s why we make the perfect team.”
“That, and a lifetime of friendship.” Mary picked up her own cup of coffee and held it out toward Suzie’s.
“Yes, I’ll always toast to that.” Suzie touched her mug against Mary’s as she grinned. “I just hope our friendship survives yoga.”
At the sound of the front door opening, they turned toward it.
“Morning,” Michael called out as he walked into the kitchen with his wife, Molly. The couple, who were in their fifties, were staying at Dune House for the weekend to celebrate their wedding anniversary.
“Oh, this looks amazing.” Molly smiled.
“It does.” Michael looked over at the food spread out on the table.
“Have you already been out this morning?” Mary asked.
“Yes, we couldn’t sleep and wanted an early start.” Molly wrung her hands. “It was so beautiful on the beach. It’s such an amazing setting.”
“We love it here.” Mary poured some orange juice into glasses.
“Once you’ve finished your breakfast, we can head down to yoga.” Suzie looked between them.
“Oh.” Molly glanced at her husband.
“Thank you, but we’ve changed our minds.” Michael cleared his throat. “We’re going to skip it. We might have a rest after breakfast.”
“Okay.” Suzie was surprised. They seemed eager to join them when she had told them about the yoga classes the previous evening.
“My back is playing up, so we thought we would give it a miss.” Molly held her hands above her head and arched her back to stretch it. “It often gives me trouble.”
“That’s no good.” Suzie frowned.
“Why don’t you relax on the porch, and I’ll bring this all out to you?” Mary waved her hand over the orange juice and bagels. “The chairs are very comfortable.”
“Thank you.” Michael started toward the door.
After Suzie and Mary set up everything on the table outside, they walked back into the kitchen.
“Well, they seem happy with breakfast.” Mary smiled.
“They do. Come on, we need to get ready for yoga on the beach.”
“What’s this I hear about yoga on the beach?” Jeanette grinned as she walked into the kitchen. Wavy black hair, held back by a hair tie, cascaded down her back to reach her waistline. Her running clothes accentuated her slender but muscular figure.
“You’re invited. It’s just a little farther along the beach.” Suzie pointed in the direction. “I only found out about it after you went to your room last night, and I didn’t want to interrupt you.” She handed her a plate with the bagel on it, while Mary offered her the glass of orange juice. “It starts in about thirty minutes, plenty of time to eat breakfast before we head out.”
“Oh, this is so sweet of you.” Jeanette took a sip of the orange juice, then set the glass down. “But I can’t eat or drink anything but water before my run. I need to run on an empty stomach. I’m sorry, I should have mentioned that. I will definitely enjoy this later, though.”
“I didn’t know you were a runner.” Suzie smiled. “It’s a beautiful morning for it.”
“Great, I can’t wait to get out there. If I get back in time, I’ll definitely join you for the yoga class.” Jeanette tucked earbuds into her ears as she walked out of the kitchen and into the dining room. Sliding glass doors led out to a wraparound porch. The porch led straight out onto the beach.
“Wow, I wish I had that much enthusiasm in these old bones.” Mary gave a short laugh.
“Mary, you’re not old. Yoga is great at any age, you’re going to feel so good after.”
“I never knew you were such a proponent of it. How did I miss that?”
“You didn’t. I did it for a little while during my travels to help me wake up in the morning. But I fell out of the habit pretty quickly. I do recall it being very good for me, though, and I’m eager to get back into it.” Suzie settled her hands on Mary’s shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Trust me. Just go get changed, and we can head down early to do some stretching. I’m sure Lizzy will help you through it every step of the way.”
“Lizzy, the twenty-two-year-old yoga instructor, is going to help me with these worn-out knees?” Mary smacked one of her knees as she smiled. “I think she might be getting more than she bargained for.”
“Oh, Mary.” Suzie placed her hands on her hips as she studied her. “One of these days you’re going to know just how amazing you are.”
“I doubt it’s going to be during yoga.” Mary waved over her shoulder as she walked toward the stairs that led to her room. Dune House had three floors. Most of the rooms offered stunning views of the beach.
When Mary and Suzie first teamed up to turn the home Suzie had inherited from her uncle back into a bed and breakfast, Suzie had decorated each room with a different theme and changed them regularly.
Suzie took care of the decorating and most of the admin, while Mary manned the kitchen, and they shared the housework. Working with her best friend felt like a dream. They had their conflicts now and then, but they always resolved them.
Mary looked at her reflection in the mirror that hung on the back of her door. She’d spent a lifetime with doubts about her figure, especially after having two children. She’d always had some extra pounds and considered her features to be plain. When she turned forty, a few gray strands showed up in her auburn hair. Now, in her fifties, they were scattered throughout. She didn’t mind it. But after putting on the clothes that Suzie picked out for her yoga experience, the old habit of criticizing what she saw surfaced.
“Ugh, enough of this!” She stepped away from the mirror and grabbed a hair tie to pull her hair back with. Once she had it in a tight ponytail, she stepped out of her room.
Suzie flounced past her in bright pink leggings paired with a fluorescent-orange, off-the-shoulder workout top. Her brassy-blonde hair bounced around her cheeks as she spun around toward Mary.
“What do you think?” She grinned. “I dug it out of the back of my closet.”
“I think you look amazing.” Mary laughed. “And you’ll be very easy to spot.”
“A bit much, right?” Suzie laughed. “But I thought it would be fun. You look fantastic.”
“Should we bring Pilot down with us? I think he’d be well-behaved.”
The yellow Lab, who was curled up on his bed in the foyer near the front door, jumped up and ran toward them at the sound of his name.
“Hmm, maybe instead of goat yoga, he could do dog yoga?” Suzie grinned as she pet the top of Pilot’s head. “But he might be a bit big for that.”
“You’re right. He might be well-behaved, but it could be distracting if he tries to join in.” Mary laughed as she imagined it.
“Are you ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.” Mary groaned.
“Where’s that sunny disposition that always gets me going in the morning?” Suzie winked at her. “You’re usually the one telling me to think positive.”
“I’m positive. I’m just positive that this is going to hurt.” Mary followed Suzie out through the sliding glass doors. They led Pilot to the fenced yard and threw the ball to him, which he eagerly retrieved and dropped at their feet. “We won’t be long.” Mary patted Pilot’s head, then closed the gate.
“Seriously, though, Mary, if you do feel it’s too much, just let me know and we can both just go for a walk on the beach.” Suzie looped her arm through Mary’s.
Suzie felt a cool breeze blow off the surface of the water as they walked farther down the beach.
“Actually, maybe a walk is the way to go. It’s such a gorgeous morning. Not too hot, not too cool, it’s perfect.”
“No, Suzie, I don’t want you to miss out because of me.”
“I won’t be missing out. I’ll be getting to spend some time with you.” Suzie nudged her shoulder. “Relax, we’re going to have a good morning, no matter what. I can feel it.” She took a deep breath of the morning air, laced with just a touch of salt, and listened to the crashing waves in the distance.
As they walked down the beach, Suzie scanned the expanse farther ahead of her and discovered brightly colored yoga mats set up on the sand not far from the edge of the ocean. Beyond them, a woman in workout gear knelt down in the sand near the water.
“Oh, Lizzy’s already set up.” Suzie smiled as she approached the yoga teacher who had invited them to the class. “Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Lizzy!” Suzie called out as she approached her, but she didn’t respond.
The water that lapped around the woman’s bare feet had an unusual tint. The sight of it took Suzie’s breath away.
“Is that blood?” Mary stared at the water.
“Are you okay, Lizzy?” Suzie gasped.
“She’s dead.” Lizzy turned to look at them with wide eyes and a cold voice. “I thought I could help, but she’s dead.”
Suzie looked beyond Lizzy and saw a body half-in and half-out of the water. A woman in a T-shirt and shorts. Beside her, mostly in the water, was a metal detector. Suzie’s gaze shifted back to the woman in the water. Clearly, she was dead. The wound on her head left no question about that. It looked like she had been hit with the metal detector. She had been murdered!
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