Sweet Corpse of Mine
SWEET CORPSE OF MINE
SECRET SEAL ISLE MYSTERIES
LUCY QUINN
CONTENTS
About This Book
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
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
About the Author
Copyright © 2018 by Lucy Quinn
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.
Cover by Lewellen Designs
Editing by Red Adept Publishing and Angie Ramey
Don’t miss an installment from Lucy Quinn. Sign up for her newsletter.
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Valentine’s Day on Secret Seal Isle means flowers, chocolates and champagne brunch. But cupid doesn’t shoot straight to the heart this year. When a secret love nest is found in a storage unit, racy lingerie isn't the only shocking discovery. And the corpse just happens to be the long-time missing wife of Winter’s new love, Blake.
When Rain tries to help clear Blake’s good name, she lands in a bizarre love triangle of her own. Fortunately Cookie is on the case, with her own Valentine, Dylan by her side. That is until their relationship is thrown of course when Hunter arrives to help. Cookie discovers her former partner isn’t ready to let her go. With relationships under fire and a body on ice, Cookie needs to solve another murder and find a way to save Valentine’s Day.
CHAPTER 1
C ookie James peered in her closet, wearing only her bra and jeans, looking for something feminine to wear on her date with her boyfriend Dylan Creed. She’d never really been into fashion—that was her best friend Scarlett’s territory. And considering she was an ex-FBI-agent-turned-inn-owner, it meant her wardrobe was severely lacking in the flirty department.
She’d shuffled through all her hangers once and was on the second round when she heard the front door open, and Dylan shouted, “Cookie?”
“Upstairs,” she called through her open bedroom door.
His heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs below, indicating he was coming up to meet her. “Ack!” She ran back over to her closet and pulled out the first blouse her hand landed on; a white button down shirt, a staple from her FBI days.
At least it hugs my curves, she thought as she shoved her arms into the sleeves and hastily fastened the buttons. Her fingers were still working the top opening when Dylan appeared in her doorway.
He leaned against the frame, his bright blue eyes sweeping over her. One hand was at his side while the other was hidden behind his back. “Still getting dressed?” he asked, one eyebrow raised.
“Just about done.” She adjusted one of the cuffs and moved toward him.
“You really shouldn’t have bothered.” His eyes gleamed with mischief as he glanced down at her ample cleavage, and his voice lowered as he said, “Could’ve saved us some time.”
She stopped in front of him and placed her hands on his chest, his muscles rippling beneath her touch. “What exactly did you think we were going to do on this date, Mr. Creed?” She glanced at the clock next to her bed. “It’s only eleven in the morning.”
“I have ideas.” He grinned and produced a single yellow rose, revealing what he’d been hiding.
“Oh my,” Cookie gushed, taking the flower and burying her nose in the sweet scent. “This smells wonderful.” She looked at him over the rose, her eyes meeting his, and added, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Taking a step forward, he wrapped one arm around her waist and lowered his lips gently to hers.
His kiss was gentle at first as Cookie leaned into him, the floral scent of the rose mixing with his pure male spice. Then he deepened the kiss and gently started walking her back toward the bed.
Cookie pulled back slightly, catching her breath and asked, “Why Mr. Creed, are you trying to seduce me?”
“Is it working?”
Her entire body was heated, and she thought he’d had a point when he said she hadn’t needed to bother getting dressed. “Maybe.”
“Then let me try harder.” He gently took the rose from her and placed it on her nightstand. But before he leaned in for another kiss he asked, “Is Rain here?”
Cookie shook her head, her eyes trained on his lips, dying for another taste. “Nope.”
“Is she due back anytime soon?” Dylan ran his fingers over her cheekbone, his touch sending a shiver down her spine.
“No. She’s out playing with Winter.” Cookie, needing no further encouragement, reached beneath the hem of his Henley shirt and ran her fingers over his eight pack abs, wondering what she’d done to deserve such a fine specimen of a man.
Dylan sucked in a sharp breath and raised his arms, making it easier for her to pull his shirt off.
Cookie took a moment to unabashedly gaze at his impressive torso. If there was such a thing as perfection, she was certain she was staring at it. Her phone rang from its spot in her back pocket.
Dylan groaned.
“Ignore it,” Cookie said and grabbed him by the waist of his jeans, pulling him in so close that she felt every inch of him.
“If you insist.” He placed a trail of kisses down her neck as he undid the buttons she’d fastened just a few minutes before. When her blouse was open, exposing her white lace bra, he paused to let out a sigh. “No guests today?”
“Two,” Cookie said, breathless as she shrugged out of her shirt. “They’ve gone on a whale watching trip. Won’t be back for hours.”
“Good.” His hands went to the button of her jeans as Cookie’s undid his belt buckle.
Their lips met again and Cookie melted, letting herself get completely lost in him until her butt vibrated as a text came in. She groaned, pulling her phone out of her pocket, and it clattered on the nightstand where she tossed it next to the yellow rose without even bothering to look at it.
“Now, where were we?” she asked Dylan, moving in for another kiss.
“Um, Cookie?” he said, his gaze darting to the phone.
“Ignore it,” she said again, turning his head gently so he was looking at her instead of the evil electronic device that was seriously blocking her game.
“It’s a 911 from your mother.” His tone was flat as he took a step back and picked his shirt up off the floor, already starting to pull it over his head.
Cookie grabbed it out of his hands. “Not so fast, Mister. This is Rain we’re talking about here. The 911 could just be that she and Winter ran out of ganga and are expecting me to find her stash in her hippy room under the stairs so that I can bring it to her.”
Dylan chuckled.
“It’s not funny,” she said. But she had to admit that even though she pretended her mother’s antics irritated her—and when the two of them first moved to the island after years of being apart, they had—lately Cookie found herself amused. The truth was if Cookie and Scarlett managed to have as much fun as Rain and Winter did in their sixties, she’d call it a win. But it still didn’t mean she’d br
ing her mother pot because she was too stoned to drive and pick it up herself. Cookie was still ex-FBI after all.
“It’s a little funny,” Dylan said, handing her the phone. “But while you’re probably right, it’s Rain. And that could mean anything from dead bodies to DUIs.”
“Oh, for crying out loud. Don’t even say that.” Cookie grimaced, knowing he was right. Her mother, while sweet and full of heart, was also a complete trouble maker. If she wasn’t spiking her brownies with Mary Jane, she was putting on X-rated holiday revues. It was just her way.
With a sigh, Cookie pulled up her mother’s number and hit CALL.
“Cookie! Thank God you got my message. We have an emergency,” her mother said by way of greeting, her tone hushed. “You have to get over here ASAP.”
“What is it this time?” Cookie asked. “Did you two get caught skinny dipping down at the cove again?” Just last week Rain and Winter had decided to join the Polar Bear Club and had been “practicing” their skinny dipping debut in the freezing Maine waters. They’d made so much noise, shrieking as they froze their butts off, that someone had called Deputy Swan, the one and only law officer on Secret Seal Isle. Rain had been vague on the details, but Cookie had surmised one of the women had flashed Swan a peek at her assets in exchange for letting them off with just a warning.
“Of course not, dear. We planned to do that next week.”
“Right.” Cookie rolled her eyes and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling Dylan down with her. “So what’s the emergency?”
“We found Lydia,” her mother whispered into the phone.
“Who’s Lydia?” Cookie tried her best to keep the impatience out of her voice, but knew she was losing the battle when Rain spoke again.
“Stop acting like I’m inconveniencing you, Cookie James. This is important.”
Cookie sat up straight, this time giving her mother her complete attention. It wasn’t often Rain used her “mom” voice, but when she did Cookie could be sure she wasn’t crying wolf. “I’m listening.”
“Lydia is Blake Rosen’s missing wife—you know, Winter’s boyfriend.”
“Soulmate,” Winter said, her faint voice echoing over the line.
“Right, soulmate,” Rain parroted. “He’s the love of her life. Don’t you remember her telling you she’d marry him in a heartbeat if it weren’t for his wife? The one that went missing over five years ago and kept him technically married?”
“Sure, I remember.” Not even a week ago, Winter had been mooning about her new boyfriend. They’d been a couple since right after the new year. Cookie hadn’t taken her too seriously. In her view, five weeks into a relationship was hardly enough time to know if someone was your soulmate. Cookie had known Dylan for almost a year, and she still didn’t have a clue. She loved him, sure. But soulmate? She shook her head. “And now you’ve found her? Where is she, working at a diner in Hancock and suffering from amnesia?”
Cookie smiled, amused at herself for coming up with a scenario that was even too ridiculous for Rain and Winter.
“Nope. But that would be a far better situation than the one we have on our hands,” Rain said in all seriousness.
All humor fled as Cookie narrowed her eyes, staring at Dylan. “Mother, I think you better tell me what’s going on.”
Her mother sighed into the phone and when she spoke again, her voice was shaky. “We found Lydia in a freezer. She’d dead.”
Cookie sucked in a sharp breath. “Whose freezer? Blake’s?” Since over half of all female homicides turned out to be the result of domestic violence, there was a reason the authorities always looked at the spouse first.
“Sort of. I mean, I guess so,” Rain hedged.
“Mom, where are you?” Cookie picked up her shirt and started stuffing her arms into the sleeves.
“Sunfish Self Storage down by the ferry terminal.”
“Unit number?” Cookie asked as she grabbed Dylan’s hand and tugged him off the bed.
“Thirteen.”
Of course it was. “We’re on our way. Don’t touch anything.”
CHAPTER 2
Even though the island was so small everything was basically within walking distance, Cookie asked Dylan to drive her to the self-storage. Besides it being February and bitter cold, she didn’t want Rain and Winter to spend any more time than necessary with the body. Knowing them, they’d already unwittingly tampered with the evidence.
Dylan held the door open for Cookie, and she rushed into the small office, eager to get out of the blistering wind. The warmth stung her cheeks as she walked up to the counter and eyed the thin, unkempt man leaning back in his chair with his feet propped up on the desk and crossed at the ankles. A small thirteen-inch television flickered on the wall in front of him.
Cookie cleared her throat.
The man turned his bloodshot, glassy eyes toward her and squinted. “Hey.” A sloppy smile claimed his lips as he added, “Aren’t you the hottest thing to come through my door since July.” The guy chuckled at his own joke.
Dylan coughed, covering his laugh.
Cookie shoved her elbow into his rib, silencing him. “Thanks, I think. I’m actually here to meet someone at their storage unit.” Cookie gestured to the glass door to the left that led to the warehouse of units. “Mind if we just slip through?”
The man dropped his feet to the floor and pushed himself up, trying to stand, but he stumbled and grabbed onto the desk to right himself. “Whoa.” He laughed. “Guess that weed was stronger than I thought.” He took two steps, filling the little office with a crackling sound.
Cookie glanced down and spotted a pile of vending machine snack wrappers. Damn, where had he put it all? He appeared to be just about six feet tall but looked to weigh no more than a hundred and forty pounds. She was willing to bet ten pounds of it was from the junk food he’d just consumed.
She was also willing to bet it was no coincidence that he was higher than a kite since Rain and Winter had just happened to find themselves rummaging around in someone else’s storage unit.
“Who are you here to meet?” the guy asked.
“Rain and Winter. Two women I’m betting you know. They need help moving something.” It wasn’t a total lie. Lydia would have to be moved at some point, but Cookie was hoping the M.E. would take care of that.
“Ah, Rain and Winter.” He gave them a conspiratorial grin and an exaggerated wink. “I know all about them. Real cool grandmas. My nana could take a couple lessons from them.”
Dylan’s body shook with silent laughter, no doubt about the grandma crack. Rain would be mortified if she knew anyone thought she was a day over forty.
“I’m sure they’d love to give her few pointers,” Cookie said and tugged Dylan over to the door. “We’re kind of in a hurry, so if you wouldn’t mind buzzing us through…”
“Right.” The man nodded his head a few times then seemed to remember what it was he was supposed to be doing and pressed a button under the counter. A loud buzzer sounded, and Cookie pushed her way through to the stark white hallway with bright orange garage doors.
“That was interesting,” Dylan said as he followed Cookie past the first row of storage units.
She let out a harrumph and turned right, following the numbers toward unit thirteen.
“Are you sure this is it?” Dylan asked when they got there.
The door was closed, and as far as Cookie could tell the place was deserted. Cookie pressed her ear to the metal door and heard the faint sound of laughter. Good Lord, what were they up to? Considering her mother’s grave tone on the phone, whatever Rain and Winter were doing, it couldn’t be good. “This is it,” Cookie confirmed.
“You’re sure?” he asked, his expression skeptical.
“Yep. Go ahead and open it.”
Dylan shrugged and reached down, grabbing the metal handle, and the door rattled as it went up with apparent ease. Cookie and Dylan stood there for a moment, their mouths open as they surveyed the scene.
/> A queen-size bed covered with a royal purple silk bedspread was pushed up against the back wall. A matching shag rug covered the concrete floor, and in the corner next to the bed was a nightstand with a large candle and two empty wineglasses. A floor lamp was set to low, giving the space an intimate feel with romantic lighting.
To the left, there was a sub-zero freezer looking out of place, and standing in front of it were Winter and Rain. Both of them were dressed in pushup corsets, black stockings, and garter belts. To the right was a chest of drawers, the top drawer open with various bras and silk lingerie spilling over the side.
“Well, hello there,” Dylan said not even bothering to try not to laugh. “Let me guess, Playboy Bunnies?”
“I am a bunny,” Rain said, using both hands to lift her breasts and enhance her cleavage. “Winter is a burlesque dancer.” She reached over to her friend’s breast and flicked a tassel dangling from it. “You should see what she can do with these.”
Cookie’s gaze landed on Winter’s chest and indeed, she realized, Winter’s corset stopped just below her breasts and she was wearing pasties, complete with tassels.
“I think I’m a natural,” Winter said and started gyrating so that her tassels swirled around with vigor.
“Yes!” Rain pumped her fist into the air. “You’re getting really good at it. I bet you could get a job with Miss Millie’s Maidens over in Hancock. I hear they’re always looking for fresh tassel talent.”
“I am impressive.” Winter stared down at her chest as she increased the speed of her spinning.
“I wonder if I could do that.” Rain reached for a pair of tassels sitting on top of the freezer with one hand and started to unlace her corset with the other.
“Mother!” Cookie cried, finally finding her voice. “What in the ever-loving hell are you two doing?”
Rain dropped the pasties and immediately stopped undoing her laces. A look of contrition washed over her as her cheeks flushed. “Nothing.”
“It looks like you’re trying on another woman’s lingerie,” Cookie said, peering at her mother’s enlarged pupils. It was no surprise to Cookie that her mother, and no doubt Winter, had been getting high before they rummaged through Lydia’s intimates, not to mention that would confirm where the storage worker had gotten his stash.