Chaos in California Read online

  Chaos in California

  Accidentally Undercover Mysteries - Book 3

  Lucy Quinn

  Seaside Story Productions

  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

  About the Author

  Also by Lucy Quinn

  Copyright © 2019 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 Angie Ramey

  * * *

  Don’t miss an installment from Lucy Quinn. Sign up for her newsletter.

  About This Book

  Chaos in California

  Welcome to northern California, where the redwoods meet the sea, surfers catch the waves, and… people grow cannabis? In their quest to prove Dora’s innocence in a murder back in Pensacola, Dora and Evie find themselves at a remote cannabis farm, where they are sucked into another murder mystery to solve.

  1

  Evie looked at the two men who had just lowered their rifles. They were big, muscular men with shaved heads who she might have found attractive if they weren’t scowling at her as if they’d just been ordered not to kill their enemy. And it was clear they thought she, Dora, and Sunshine, her little white bichon, were definitely a threat. Being on the run from Marco Franklin and the mob was no joke.

  She glanced over at the pile of mail she’d dropped on the ground when she heard the sound of two guns cocking earlier. She desperately wanted to sort through the packages to see if one of them was from Gertie Bonatelli in New Orleans because it contained a precious piece of evidence that would clear her best friend Dora from a murder charge against her. Dora had accidently killed Steve Franklin just after she’d discovered his son Marco’s money laundering scheme. But Evie hadn’t even had a chance to see if the mail was incoming or outgoing before she and Dora were unexpectedly held at gunpoint.

  Oh, how easy it could have been if they’d just rolled into the town of Clamshell Cove, found the Buddha bank that contained the flash drive of information, and hightailed it out of there before The Rock and Vin Diesel had found them. Now they were surrounded by the two musclemen and a thin, older woman whom she assumed was Windy Weathers. And even though the woman, who was staring at Dora, had just offered them a meal, Evie had her suspicions that the woman wasn’t quite as hospitable as they might hope. But a meal sounded really good after two full days of cheap road food, and she was torn on how to respond.

  Dora took care of Evie’s dilemma by saying to the woman, “We’d be honored to accept your invitation. Are you Windy?”

  “That depends on who’s asking,” the woman replied.

  “Do—Jessica,” Dora stuttered, making Evie want to groan because now that a warrant was out for their arrest and their story had been publicized in their hometown of Pensacola, Florida, Dora and Evie couldn’t use their real names.

  Evie stuck out her hand with the hope Windy hadn’t noticed Dora’s mistake. “Daisy.” Sunshine moved closer to the older woman and held up a paw as if to shake as well. “This is my dog, Sushi,” Evie said, using the code name she’d given Sunshine for an Instagram account. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  Windy ignored Evie’s hand and squatted down to shake Sunshine’s paw instead. Evie decided the woman couldn’t be too terrible if she was a dog lover. When Windy stood again, her gaze darted between Dora and Evie as she studied them. “Hmpf, you’ll be telling me the truth before the morning’s out if you know what’s good for you. Give Simon your keys, and let’s get you two some breakfast.”

  “Oh!” Dora exclaimed when the big man with the shiny shaved head held out his hand. There was a fleeting look on Dora’s face that made Evie think she had considered making a run for it. But she reached in her pocket for the keys to the vintage VW camper bus and reluctantly dropped them in his palm. “Our bus is kind of touchy.”

  Simon merely grunted in reply as he took them, and Dora followed him to the van. Evie understood her panic. For all they knew, he was going to drive off in it taking everything they had with him. It would leave them stranded in the middle of the redwoods, too. Dora said, “It floods really easy. You’re going to want—” The van sputtered to life, and Dora sighed.

  Both women glanced at each other, an unspoken shared concern passing between them. Were they really going to walk into a compound with two musclemen who had just held them at gunpoint? Did they have a choice? No. Not if they wanted that Buddha. The other guy opened up the wooden gate to let them all through. Simon, driving the bus, went first, with Windy right behind. Dora and Evie followed her while the other large man walked behind them. Probably making sure they didn’t run, Evie thought.

  While the outside entrance had appeared tucked away and overgrown, it was a different story the farther into the property they got. Along the dirt driveway, they passed neatly tended garden beds full of flowers that were planted in rows as if they were grown for cutting, and they were led to a large barn painted dark blue with white doors. Simon parked the van near one of the doors and got out to join them as they continued walking through a thicket of trees. At first glance, one would think the barn was the main building. It was huge, but beyond the trees Evie could make out a smaller, natural-wood cabin with lots of windows.

  The drive that had narrowed to a path once they were in the woods, opened up again to more beautiful landscaping of bushes and flowering plants. “Goodness,” Dora said. “You have a gorgeous home.”

  “Thank you,” Windy said, confirming it was likely her name since that was who the post office had as the recipient of mail at this address.

  Evie wondered about the big barn and the number of packages she’d seen in Windy’s mailbox. Perhaps the woman ran a mail-order business of some sort. “I noticed the flowers,” Evie said. “Do you sell them to florists or at a farmer’s market?”

  Windy turned and glared at her from a weathered face that had likely never seen age cream or sunscreen. “I’m the one who’ll be asking the questions, Daisy.”

  Evie nodded, and once Windy turned forward again, Dora glanced at Evie with wide eyes that looked unusually large in her pale face. Her platinum blonde pixie-cut, gelled to a chaotic state, didn’t help to make her look any calmer. Evie couldn’t wait to fix it for Dora when she dared. Her friend had given herself the horrible cut in an effort to create a disguise, and she was a bit touchy about the results.

  The inside of the house was open living space that stretched two stories high, with rough wood rafters and a loft that was closed off by sliding barn doors. Dora and Evie were led to a kitchen that had appliances Evie quickly recognized as top-of-the-line. The entire house appeared to be decked out with expensive things, judging by the leather couches and interesting artwork on the walls. But she kept her comments to herself while Simon grabbed an apron and put it on before walking over to the sink to wash h
is hands.

  “Garret will make you coffee or tea,” Windy said. “Which do you prefer?”

  Evie looked at Garret and noticed his eyes were actually a warm shade of brown, now that they weren’t narrowed to slits. She and Dora both said coffee. As if they were customers in a café instead of the women he’d just held at gunpoint, he asked, “Lattes? I make a damn good one.”

  “Sounds heavenly,” Dora said as she sank into a cushioned chair at the kitchen table.

  Windy placed herself at the head of the table, while Simon set a small bowl of food down for Sunshine near where he was working. He looked at the women. “Are you both okay with eggs? They’re fresh from our chickens.”

  “That’s a yes from both of us,” Evie said with enthusiasm, but she wasn’t feeling it inside. Windy had just found them riffling through her mail and hadn’t given them much choice about joining her for breakfast. The gesture could be seen as kindness, but Evie was waiting for Windy to tell them what she was really after.

  A fancy cappuccino machine whirred as Evie wondered what was sending up the extra red flags for her. Something about the place felt off. Something other than the fact they’d been held at gunpoint. The fancy appliances and very large barn that she didn’t think contained animals were curious enough, but the fact there were security men with guns to greet prospective troublemakers pointed to extreme eccentricity or something dangerous. She was betting it was the latter.

  Since Windy didn’t seem to want to do it, Dora tried to make conversation and asked, “Have you always lived in this area?”

  “No,” Windy said as she continued to stare at them.

  Garret placed a latte in front of all three women, and Evie eyed Windy over her cup as she took a sip. She guessed Dora was doing the same. She was proud of her friend, because the silent treatment Windy was giving them would have made Dora spill every secret she had a few weeks ago. Not now, though. Dora had found her inner warrior, and she was holding her own.

  Evie was actually the first one to cave. She had a lot of words to get out most days if she was going to stay sane, and today was no different. She looked at Windy. “We really were only looking for a package that shouldn’t have been sent to you. And we had every intention of reimbursing you for the whole thing.” To prove her point, Evie lifted up her hips and reached into her pocket. She pulled out a handful of bills. “See. I’ve got cash.”

  Windy smiled like a cat toying with a mouse. “Tell me more about the package.”

  Dora jumped in. “It was a Buddha bank that my Aunt Gertie shouldn’t have sold on eBay. The—it belonged to me.”

  “A Buddha bank?” Windy frowned as if she was searching her memory for it, but considering how sharp the woman seemed, Evie suspected it was more than likely the woman knew exactly what purchase they were looking for. Windy tilted her head, and a slow smile formed on her face. “New Orleans, you say. Huh.”

  Nobody spoke, and the only sounds were Sunshine crunching on dry dog food and eggs sizzling in a pan. Windy studied them like they were a puzzle, and her lips twitched as if she found something amusing.

  When Evie couldn’t take it any longer, she said, “That bank is awfully special to Jessica. Any chance you have it?”

  “Yes, I can imagine it is.” Windy snorted. “I’m sorry,” she said before she let out the laugh she’d been trying to hold in. She pointed at Dora and then Evie, which only made her laugh harder.

  Evie smiled. Laughter is contagious, after all, and Dora chuckled a little with her, too. But Evie knew neither of them had any idea what Windy found so funny. When the woman finally controlled herself, she said, “Whew. Thanks, girls. Those hairdos of yours—” Another snicker escaped before she went on. “At first I thought you might be down on your luck, but then I figured it out.” She shook her head. “Dora, Evie, how about we make a deal?”

  2

  Dora gaped at Windy. The woman had just insulted Evie and her for their hair, which, to be truthful, was fair, since she looked like hers had been cut in the dark and Evie’s mop of pale pink curls could be a clown wig. But what really shocked her was that Windy knew who they were. Were they on the news all the way in California? “How did you know who we are?”

  Windy tapped her temple. “I’m a lot smarter than people think. I thought you both looked familiar, and when you mentioned New Orleans, it hit me where I’d seen you before.” She leaned in and eyed them with concern. “Your faces were plastered all over the national news the other night.”

  Dora’s heart sank. If the police knew they were just in New Orleans, they might be hot on their tail.

  “Crap,” Evie said as she tugged on one of her curls as if she could make it grow faster. Dora felt a pang of guilt. She knew Evie had only cut her hair to make Dora feel better, and it was going to take forever for her curly locks to grow long again. Evie said, “It might be time for wigs.”

  Windy waved her hand. “You’ve got nothing to worry about around here. Most everyone in this town has run away from something, too. People don’t ask questions in these parts, and they sure as heck don’t give answers to strangers, especially cops.”

  Plates of scrambled eggs with cheese and pico de gallo thumped before them, and Simon gave Dora a wry smile as if he sympathized with the pickle Evie and she were in. She scooped up a forkful of food to eat even though hunger was the furthest thing from her mind. Dora guessed Windy had a past she didn’t want discovered, too, and she couldn’t wait to google the woman to see what she could dig up. But first she needed to know what their hostess planned to charge for her secrecy. “What kind of deal are we talking?”

  “According to the news story, you two have managed to solve a couple of murders and a charity scam. How about doing a little sleuthing for me? In exchange, I won’t tell anyone who you are, and you can lay low here for a while where nobody will bother you.” A smile played on her lips. “You’ll also be assigned some chores.”

  Dora looked at Evie and could see her mind was working, too, trying to figure out what chores Windy meant. The big barn they’d passed didn’t seem to have any animals in it if her nose was working right, so other than chickens, she didn’t think there would be tasks that were too horrible. She imagined they’d be cleaning the house and weeding flower beds. Maybe there were vegetable gardens behind the house that needed tending too.

  Evie shrugged her shoulders at Dora, and Dora asked, “What about the Buddha bank? We get that too, right?”

  “Really? Because I’d think you want what’s inside more.”

  Windy’s condescending tone was starting to get on Dora’s nerves, and it was all she could do to keep from rolling her eyes. “Yes. We want what’s inside the bank, Windy.”

  “Tell you what. I’ll give you the bank and the contents if you solve the crime.”

  Dora bit her lip. Without the flash drive stored in the piggy bank, she couldn’t prove her innocence. Windy really had them over a barrel. Dora didn’t know what Windy had done in the past, but she’d bet the woman was darn good at whatever illegal activity it was, and she was a little concerned about what the crime might be.

  “What kind of crime are we talking about solving?” Evie asked, even though it didn’t matter, because both she and Dora knew they had no choice but to try to solve it.

  “Murder.”

  Dora let out a sigh. “Of course, it is. Care to tell us why you can’t go to the police?”

  “My face is plastered on a wanted poster, too. Has been for around fifty years. And no, I didn’t do it.”

  That’s what they all say, Dora thought.

  “Drugs?” Evie asked. She leaned in closer with her excitement. “Were you at Woodstock? I heard it was a-ma-zing!”

  Windy chuckled. “No. Something more serious. There was a nuclear power protest, and a power plant explosion went wrong.” She shrugged. “I was caught in the middle.”

  “Whoa,” Evie said. “Dor, she was an activist.”

  A tiny smile played at the older wom
an’s lips, but she didn’t respond to Evie’s statement.

  Dora was not quite as enamored with Windy as Evie was, but she said, “Fine. We’ll solve your murder for you. Give us the details.”

  “Wonderful,” Windy said. She glanced at a large wristwatch which Dora recognized as a smart watch that was usually paired with a phone. It struck her as odd that the woman would care to keep up with texts or counting steps, considering the fact the overalls she was wearing hung loosely on her thin shoulders. “I’ll tell you all about it while you earn your breakfast. Your first chore has just arrived.”

  Dora still didn’t have an appetite, but she had a feeling she was going to need her energy, so she scarfed down the rest of her food as she got up to take her plate to the sink the way Evie had. Then she followed Windy out of the house, wondering what she’d just agreed to.

  When they got to the barn, the odor of rotting fruit mixed with sour milk wafted toward them. “Ugh,” Dora said as she held her nose and gazed at the pickup truck that had pulled up near the barn, convinced the vehicle likely hadn’t passed inspection in the last decade. There was a large plastic garbage can in the bed, and that was where the odor was coming from.

  “Hop in.” Windy slapped the tailgate of the rickety old truck, indicating that’s where Evie and Dora were sitting. “Sushi,” Windy said as she crouched down and scooped her up. “That’s not your real name, is it? No matter. You’re sitting in the front with me where you’ll be safe.” Windy smiled at Dora and Evie. “It’s time to meet the girls.”