Much Ado About Nutmeg

Book 6: Pancake House Mystery

by Sarah Fox

Genres: Amateur Sleuth; Culinary Cozy Mysteries; Female Sleuths

Synopsis

Wedding bells are in the air — along with the aroma of maple syrup — in the latest Pancake House Mystery. But a series of murders threatens to spoil everyone's appetite . . .

Between tourist season, planning her beach wedding, and running her pancake house, the Flip Side, Marley McKinney is busier than ever. On top of that, one of her regulars is competing in Wildwood Cove's Golden Oldies Games — a sporting event for athletes fifty and over — and Marley wants to cheer her on. Everything's running as smooth as batter — until sports reporter Yvonne Pritchard stirs up a triple batch of trouble . . .

Yvonne has one admirer in town — Ed Herman — but she has many more enemies, from a disgruntled coach to an athlete she once shamed on social media. So when a body washes up on shore, and it's no accident, it's not a complete surprise Yvonne is the victim. And when Ed asks Marley to use her sleuthing skills to solve the crime, she'll have to squeeze in time between squeezing into wedding dresses. Then a second victim turns up, and Marley will have to work at high speed to stop a killer from piling up bodies faster than she can whip up a tall stack . . .

Release date: January 14, 2020

Publisher: Lyrical Press

Print pages: 279

Sample

Chapter One

Wildwood Cove’s population of senior citizens was about to double. The seaside town was already bustling with activity, thanks to all the tourists who’d arrived to enjoy the beautiful beach and the charming town now that the summer season was at its height. Over the next few days, it was expected to get even busier as seniors flocked to the town. The new arrivals wouldn’t be frail old ladies or doddery men, though. In fact, these seniors would probably put plenty of young people to shame, because they were heading to Wildwood Cove to compete in the Golden Oldies Games, a statewide sporting event for athletes aged fifty and over.

As the owner of The Flip Side—the local pancake house—I was more than happy to welcome the visitors to my town. Business was always good during the tourist season, but I was expecting it to be even better over the next couple of weeks. The athletes wouldn’t be the only new arrivals; coaches, family members, and spectators would also be coming to the games. Hopefully they’d bring their appetites with them.

The sporting events wouldn’t get underway until the weekend—still a few days away—but I’d heard through the town grapevine that the organizers and even some athletes had already arrived in Wildwood Cove.

In anticipation of the increased business, I dug four extra tables out from the storage room. With the help of the doorstop, I left the front door of the pancake house open so I could move the tables outdoors. As I was dragging the first one across the floor, Leigh Hunter hurried into the restaurant, a few minutes early for her waitressing shift.

“Let me help you with that, Marley.” She grabbed one side of the table, instantly lightening my load.

“Thanks,” I said with a grateful smile as we tipped the table so it would fit through the door.

“We’re going to need the extra seating over the coming days,” Leigh said, backing out of the pancake house.

“That’s what I’m hoping.” We set the table down on the pavement outside The Flip Side’s large front window and I took a moment to gaze out at the ocean. “And I’m sure some of our customers will want to make the most of this gorgeous weather.”

“Who wouldn’t?”

The Flip Side was located on the paved promenade that ran along the top of Wildwood Beach. It had the best view in town, especially on a day like this, with the early morning sunshine sparkling on the ocean waves and the blue sky clear except for a few puffy white clouds drifting along. It wasn’t yet seven o’clock, but already the sun warmed my face.

I reminded myself that I still had work to do and headed back indoors. Leigh helped me move the other three tables and several chairs out onto the pavement. When that was done, I set out a large dish of water for any thirsty dogs that might need a drink while their owners enjoyed a meal of pancakes or crêpes.

I didn’t bother to close the door once I was finished setting up outside. The fresh, salty breeze drifting in off the ocean was too pleasant to shut out. Later we’d probably need the door closed and the air-conditioning on, but for now the temperature was perfect inside and out.

The pancake house opened at seven and it didn’t take long for the first customers to show up. By eight o’clock the place was hopping, and I donned my red apron and jumped in to help serve the customers.

“Talk about a full house!” Sienna Murray said as she passed by me on her way to deliver plates of crêpes and waffles to a table of four. Sienna would be starting her senior year of high school in a few weeks’ time. During the year, she worked at The Flip Side on weekends, but at the moment she was working five days a week just like Leigh.

“It’s a nice sight to see,” I commented before Sienna was out of earshot.

Every table was occupied at the moment, indoors and out. Half a dozen people hovered outside the door, waiting for space to free up. It wasn’t often that we had a line and the booming business brought a smile to my face.

An hour or so later, the rush of customers slowed slightly. Most of the tables were still occupied, but there were a couple of free ones inside and there was no longer a line at the door. I was about to untie my apron and head into my office to take care of some administrative tasks, when one of The Flip Side’s regular customers arrived.

Leaving my apron on, I grabbed the coffeepot and headed across the restaurant as Marjorie Wells pulled out a chair at one of the free tables. She kept her gray hair cropped short and was usually dressed ready for a workout. Today was no exception. She wore sporty shorts and a tank top, with running shoes on her feet. As soon as she sat down, she removed her phone from her armband and set it on the table, off to one side.

“Morning, Marjorie,” I greeted as I poured coffee into a mug, not needing to ask if she wanted any. “Will Eleanor be joining you?”

Eleanor Crosby was one of Marjorie’s closest friends. They dined together at the pancake house at least once a week.

“She’ll be here any moment,” Marjorie replied.

I rested the coffeepot on the table. “Are you all set for the games?”

“You bet. I’ve been training every day for months now. I can’t wait to get out there and race next week.”

Although in her sixties, Marjorie was one of the most active people I knew. She swam in the ocean every day during the summer, she got around town either on foot or on her bicycle, and she played regular games of badminton and squash. She’d also taken up racewalking in the past year or so, and when she heard that the Golden Oldies Games would take place in Wildwood Cove, she’d wasted no time signing up to compete in that event.

“I’m hoping I can be there to cheer you on,” I said.

“Thanks, Marley. Even if you can’t make it, I appreciate the sentiment.”

“I’ll definitely do my best to be there,” I assured her before continuing on my way around the restaurant, refilling mugs for anyone who wanted more coffee.

As I finished my rounds, Eleanor arrived. I waved to her before gathering up dirty dishes from a table that had recently freed up. I knew Leigh would take Marjorie’s and Eleanor’s orders, so I carried the dishes into the kitchen.

When I returned to the dining room, a group of four adults had just entered the pancake house. I directed them to an open table and made sure they each had a menu. Three of the new customers—two fair-haired women and a man with graying dark hair—appeared to be in their mid- to late fifties. Their clothes were fairly casual but looked expensive, as did the gold jewelry the two women wore.

The fourth member of their group didn’t quite fit in, appearance-wise. He wore jeans and a form hugging T-shirt that showed off his muscular build. He was good-looking, with golden blond hair and blue eyes, and was probably in his late thirties, a few years older than me. As I filled coffee mugs, I noticed the woman sitting next to him place her hand on his knee.

“I’m Marley McKinney, The Flip Side’s owner,” I said as I filled the fourth mug. “Are you visitors to Wildwood Cove?”

“We are,” the older man replied. “We’re competing in the Golden Oldies Games. Well, three of us are, anyway. Levi’s not a golden oldie yet.” He smiled at the younger man.

The woman next to Levi gave his knee a squeeze. “Just golden.”

Levi grinned at her and covered her hand with his own.

“Which sports?” I asked the group at large.

“Tennis,” the older man said. He offered me his hand and I shook it. “I’m Easton Miller. My wife, Rowena, and I are competing in mixed doubles and Pippa here”—he nodded at the woman next to Levi—“is in the singles event.”

“Is that how you all met?” I asked. “Through tennis?”

“No,” Pippa replied. “Tennis just happens to be a shared interest. Rowena and I go way back, and she and Easton went to school together.” Pippa smiled as her eyes met Levi’s. “And Levi’s my personal trainer.”

Very personal, by the looks of things, but I kept that thought to myself.

“Good luck with the games,” I said with a smile. “And welcome to Wildwood Cove. I hope you’ll enjoy your stay here.”

I left them to look over their menus, after assuring them that Leigh would be there to take their orders shortly. The pancake house was nearly full again, so I quickly gathered up dirty dishes from a table by the window, wanting to free it up as soon as possible.

“It should be cool,” Tommy Park was saying to chef Ivan Kaminski as I entered the kitchen. “I get a press pass so I’ll have up-close access to all the events.”

Ivan acknowledged his assistant’s statement with a nod as he flipped pancakes on the griddle.

“Press pass?” I echoed, setting my load down on the counter by the dishwasher.

Tommy paused in the midst of adding some crispy bacon to a plate of eggs Benedict and sausages. “I’ll be doing some sports photography for the Wildwood Cove Weekly,” he explained, referring to the local newspaper. “I won’t get paid for it, but I might get to see some of my photos in the paper.”

“That’s great,” I said.

Tommy was a talented photographer and had recently landed a few paying jobs taking photos for local businesses to post on their websites. He’d also agreed to do the photography at my upcoming wedding.

I loaded the dishes into the dishwasher. “Speaking of photography…”

The door swung open and Sienna scurried into the kitchen. “Guess what!”

“Just tell me it’s nothing bad,” I said, although I was pretty sure it wasn’t. Sienna wouldn’t have been smiling if there was a disaster unfolding in the other room.

“Not bad, but definitely surprising.”

“Don’t leave us in suspense.” Tommy returned from the pass-through window where he’d set the plate of eggs Benedict. It had disappeared almost immediately as Leigh grabbed it from the other side of the window.

“Ed’s here,” Sienna said.

“Ed Herman?” I asked.

“Yep.”

Ivan added whipped cream and fresh strawberries to the stack of pancakes he’d set on a plate. “That’s not surprising.”

Ed showed up at The Flip Side at least twice every week with his buddy Gary.

“Sure,” Sienna said, her grin widening. “But how often does he show up with a woman?”

“Seriously?” Tommy asked. “That’s got to be a first.”

I turned on the dishwasher before facing Sienna. “Just a woman? No Gary?”

“No Gary.” Sienna’s smile was lighting up the room. “I think he’s on a date.”

That was definitely unexpected. I’d lived in Wildwood Cove for more than a year now, and I’d never seen Ed in the sole company of a woman. I’d also never heard of him dating anyone.

Tommy peeked through the pass-through window. “She’s got to be at least ten years younger than him.”

I took a quick look myself before pulling Tommy away from the window. “We don’t want to get caught staring.” I could see that Leigh was busy at another table. “I’ll go take their orders.”

“Find out who she is,” Sienna said as I headed for the door. “I’ve never seen her before.”

I was as curious as Sienna and Tommy, but I didn’t want to grill Ed. Hopefully he’d offer up some information without any prodding.

Grabbing the coffeepot on my way by, I headed straight for his table.

“Morning, Ed.” I filled his mug, knowing he never went without at least one cup of coffee at the pancake house.

“Morning, Marley.” Ed had a big smile on his face and a touch of red in his cheeks. “I’d like you to meet my friend Yvonne Pritchard.”

I exchanged greetings with the woman. Her hair was the same honey-blond shade as Rowena Miller’s, but with dark roots just beginning to show. Tommy was right about the age difference. Ed was retired and Yvonne appeared to be in her early to mid-fifties.

“Are you new to town?” I asked her as I filled her mug, after checking that she wanted coffee.

“I’m here temporarily,” she said. “I just arrived yesterday.”

Ed beamed at her. “We met at the bakery. Yvonne’s a reporter with the Seattle Insider. A sports reporter.”

“You must be here to cover the Golden Oldies Games,” I said.

“That’s right,” she confirmed. “But I’m enjoying a couple days of R-and-R first.”

Ed took a sip of coffee, his grin returning immediately afterward. “I’m going to show her the sights.”

“That’s great.” I smiled at him before addressing Yvonne. “I hope you’ll enjoy your time in Wildwood Cove.”

I took their orders—blueberry pancakes with bacon and sausages for Ed and banana nut pancakes for Yvonne—and returned to the kitchen.

Sienna had been wiping down a table, but she followed me through the swinging door.

“Well?” she asked as soon as we were in the kitchen.

“Her name’s Yvonne Pritchard,” I said. “She’s a sports reporter from Seattle, here to cover the games. She and Ed just met yesterday, but he already seems smitten.”

“That’s so cute,” Sienna said.

It was, but I wasn’t exactly free of concerns. Yvonne wouldn’t be in town for long. I’d grown fond of Ed over the past year and I was glad he was happy, but I had a niggling feeling that the sports reporter could end up breaking his heart.

Chapter Two

The next couple of days were so busy that they passed in a flash. Before I knew it, Friday had arrived, and along with it came even more hungry customers. Most—if not all—the athletes competing in the games had arrived in town, along with everyone else involved in the event. The opening ceremonies would take place that evening in Wildwood Park, and several customers told me that they hoped to take in the free festivities. I planned to go as well, after heading home first. I was comfortable in the pancake house in my jeans and a T-shirt, thanks to the air-conditioning, but with the sun beating down outside, I knew it would be a different story at the park.

After The Flip Side shut down at two o’clock, I spent time cleaning, paying invoices, and updating the pancake house’s website. As I’d anticipated, the walk home along the beach left me hot and thirsty, and I was glad to reach my beachfront Victorian, where my cat and dog waited for me, along with an ice cold pitcher of sweet tea in the fridge.

I made a mental note to pack a pair of shorts in my tote bag the next morning so I could change before leaving the pancake house at the end of the workday. The first few weeks of summer had been relatively cool, but that was no longer the case.

The animals were as happy to see me as I was to see them, but I didn’t stick around too long. I let them spend some time out in the yard while I changed into a cooler outfit and drank a tall glass of iced tea, and then I set off again, heading back into town on foot and making my way to Wildwood Park. Although the sun beat down on my shoulders, I didn’t second-guess my decision to walk. If I’d driven, I could have enjoyed my car’s air-conditioning, but I was glad for the chance to stretch my legs and enjoy the fresh air. Even if I did get too hot, I could always stop by Scoops Ice Cream after the opening ceremonies.

As I got closer to the park, I realized I’d made a good decision by leaving my car at home. Every parking spot was taken and a good crowd had already gathered. The limited shade offered by the trees had been claimed by people with blankets and lawn chairs, and the sunny areas were filling up too. At one end of the park, a small stage had been set up. A row of chairs on the stage stood empty, but upbeat music played from the large speakers set at either side of the platform.

I made my way around picnic blankets, chairs, and groups of people standing around chatting. I searched for familiar faces in the crowd, but so far I hadn’t recognized anyone. Many of the people present were probably family members of the athletes, in town to cheer on their loved ones. I also noticed a photographer, snapping photos of people I assumed were athletes. He had a nose like a hawk and had plenty of gel in his brown hair to keep it spiked on top. As I passed him, he introduced himself to a group of three women as Jay Henkel. He didn’t look familiar and his name didn’t ring a bell, so I assumed he was from out of town. Our local paper had only two full-time employees and I knew both, at least by sight.

A moment later I finally caught sight of my best friend, Lisa Morales. She was lounging in a lawn chair, with Ivan in the seat next to her. A cooler sat on the grass in front of them.

Lisa shaded her eyes and waved as she saw me approaching. “Hey, Marley. Where’s Brett?” she asked, referring to my fiancé.

“Still working,” I said as I reached her. “But he’s meeting me here later.”

“You’ll sit with us, right?”

“Sure, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course we don’t,” Ivan said.

Lisa frowned. “Too bad we didn’t bring an extra chair.”

Ivan moved to get up. “I can go home and get one.”

“No,” I said quickly. “That’s okay. I’ll sit on the grass.”

He got up anyway. “Take my seat.”

“Thanks, Ivan, but I’m fine. Really.” I plunked myself down on the grass.

Ivan scowled at me, but that was his usual expression so it didn’t worry me.

He lowered himself back into his chair. “You’ll eat with us.”

It sounded more like a command than an invitation, but Ivan’s gruffness didn’t bother me anymore. He looked intimidating with his large muscles, tattoos, and almost permanent scowl, and he sounded scary at times too, but I knew he was a good man with a big heart.

Lisa knew it too. She and Ivan had been dating for several months now.

“Ivan packed us a picnic,” Lisa said, nodding at the cooler. “I hope you’ll help us eat it. He made all the food himself, and we’ve got plenty of it.”

“Then I’d be a fool not to take you up on your offer,” I said. “No one cooks better than you do, Ivan.”

He accepted the compliment with a hint of a nod. Lisa took his hand and gave it a squeeze. I noticed that he returned the pressure and his typical scowl eased slightly. I smiled, loving the fact that they made each other so happy.

As I made myself more comfortable on the grass, I checked out the crowd around us. I spotted a woman with honey-blond hair and thought she was Ed’s new lady friend, Yvonne, until I realized that Easton Miller was there too. The woman with him was his wife, Rowena, not Yvonne.

I waved to the Millers as they set up their folding lawn chairs on a free patch of grass nearby. They waved back and a moment later Pippa and Levi joined them, settling on a picnic blanket next to their friends.

“They’re not locals, are they?” Lisa asked.

“No, they’re here to compete. Well, three of them are,” I amended.

Before I could say anything more, a man approached the microphone at center stage and announced that it was time for the ceremonies to begin. Speeches followed, luckily not lasting too long. Then a video played on a large screen, highlighting inspiring stories of athletes from past Golden Oldies Games. By that point, Ivan had opened the cooler, and we munched on delicious finger foods as we watched. Not long after the video finished, the main part of the opening ceremonies wrapped up.

A concert was scheduled to take place next. A Seattle band had been booked to play for the next couple of hours, and most people were sticking around to enjoy the music. I’d grown tired of sitting on the ground, so I decided to get up and stretch my legs while the band set up onstage. I walked around the edge of the park, smiling at a few people I recognized, including Pippa. She was in conversation with a dark-haired man I’d never seen before, but she smiled back as I passed by.

Food trucks had parked along one street at the edge of the park and had a steady stream of customers. I saw Ed in line at a taco truck and a second later I realized that Yvonne Pritchard was mere feet away from me, standing in the shade of a maple tree, another woman I didn’t recognize chatting with her.

I was about to say hello to Yvonne when I caught what her companion was saying.

“Looks like you’ve got an admirer, Yvonne,” the woman said, her eyes on Ed as he picked up his order at the taco truck.

The reporter smirked. “I figure it’s worth putting up with him. . .