Pumpkins, Peril and a Paella (A Charlotte Denver Cozy Mystery Book 4) Read online

  “And Garrett asked us to take the pumpkin heads back to the crew hut to get them out of your way.” Wayne’s eyes darted from the crates to the table, on which sat one solitary lantern.

  Charlotte blushed. “Er, I’ve only managed to finish one, I’m afraid. It’s taking a bit longer than I thought it would.”

  “No worries,” he said, cheerfully. “We’ll come back and collect them from you tomorrow. Just let Garrett know when they’re ready and me Brendan will come and get them.”

  “Okay, that’ll be a huge help, thanks Wayne. Have you got your Halloween outfits sorted out yet? I assume you’ll be dressing up for the fair?”

  He grinned and rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Laura’s making costumes for all the crew. She wanted our spare wetsuits - we’ve no clue what she’s doing with them - but whatever it is, she’s spent the last three days doing it! We won’t see them until tomorrow.”

  “Typical Laura! She does love to get involved, doesn’t she?” Charlotte felt a wave of warmth towards her godmother. “I can’t wait to see what she’s done!”

  “Neither can we,” said Brendan, emerging from the café. “But whatever it is, I hope it’ll be cool. I’ve got my reputation to consider, y’know.”

  Charlotte smiled at the young fisherman who was considered somewhat of a heartthrob by the local girls. “Don’t worry. If I know Laura, it will be. Anyway, if you could call round and collect the lanterns from my place tomorrow, at any time to suit you, that would really help me out. I’ll be there until around five o’clock. Thanks, guys.”

  As Brendan and Wayne walked out, Jess walked in swathed in a multi-coloured scarf coiled repeatedly around her neck, a quilted silver coat, thermal track suit bottoms tucked into a pair of shaggy moon boots, a pair of ski gloves and a sheepskin hat with furry ear flaps.

  “Oh my! It’s like a skating rink out there.” She surveyed Charlotte amongst the pumpkin fest. “Morning, lovie. Having fun?”

  “Hi, and not really, no,” said Charlotte. “I’m going to be carving these till past midnight at this rate. Why didn’t you tell me it took so long to make one flippin’ lantern?”

  “Because you never asked.” Jess replied with a grin. “And I’m not surprised it’s taking you so long, because you’re using all the wrong equipment. Tell you what, as I’m such a good friend, how about I come round to your place this evening? I’ll ask my neighbour if I can borrow a couple of her proper pumpkin knives and her electric scoop and I’ll help you finish them? How’s that sound?”

  “I thought you’d never offer!” Charlotte heaved a sigh of relief. “And as a thank you, I’ll cook dinner ... you’re a lifesaver.” She checked the time on her phone. “¨You’re very early, by the way.”

  “Yeah, I thought I’d give myself enough time to make my way in slowly. The roads are absolutely treacherous and I didn’t want to risk skidding on the ice. The gritter lorry hasn’t been out yet.”

  “I think it will be soon.” Charlotte began to clear the table of pumpkin remnants. “Larry went by a while ago on the plough.”

  Jess nodded as she inspected the lantern Charlotte had carved. “You know, that’s the happiest Halloween pumpkin I’ve ever seen. As much as it’s nice to see a smiling face about the place, don’t you think they should be a little scarier? I mean it is Halloween, after all.”

  Charlotte shrugged. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t until I started that I realised I’m not really cut out for lantern design. Perhaps you could carve something a little more intimidating later - I’ve got a magazine article you could follow.”

  “Right you are,” said Jess as she unwrapped herself from her cocoon of clothing. “First things first, though - a tea, a coffee and a warm up in front of the heater.”

  Between them, they carried the crate of pumpkins into the kitchen and the tall heater out onto the terrace. Within minutes of lighting it, the awning was as warm as freshly popped-up toast.

  “Phew!” Charlotte wiped her arm across her forehead as they set the tables. “I’m roasting!”

  “How d’you think I feel?” Jess pulled at her thermal track suit bottoms. “Thank goodness I brought a pair of cargo pants with me to change in to. In fact, I think I’ll do that now before I melt.”

  Charlotte was in the kitchen when she heard the awning door open. “Yoo-hoo! I say. Anyone about?”

  She popped her head over the swing door of the kitchen and called out to Ava Whittington, long time St. Eves resident and one of Charlotte’s most favourite people.

  “Hi, Ava.” She waved. “Be right with you.”

  Jess came out of the ladies room. “Morning, Ava,” she called as she went to put on her apron. “You’ll be nice and warm out on that terrace today, that heater’s like a furnace once it gets going. I was cold to my bones when I got here this morning but ...”

  She stopped mid-sentence. Ava was perched on the edge of her chair in a white ski suit and matching gloves, a white half-balaclava, a fuchsia pink ski jacket with white fur around the hood, chunky snow boots with snow chains on the bottom, a ski pole under each arm and a slick of fluorescent pink sun block on her nose and cheekbones. She was nothing if not prepared.

  Jess smacked her palm against her forehead. “Damn it! I’m so sorry, Ava. We would have given you a proper send off, but I completely forgot - didn’t you, Charlotte?”

  “Forgot what?”

  “Yes, you “completely forgot” what?” The older woman frowned questioningly.

  “That today’s the day you’re setting off for the north face of the Eiger.” Jess giggled as Ava tutted and smoothed the legs of her ski suit.

  “Oh yes, very funny, I’m sure. You may laugh, young lady, but at least I’m warm and protected from the reflection of the sun’s rays off the snow.”

  “You look lovely, Ava,” said Charlotte, soothingly. “There’s nothing wrong with wrapping up against the elements.”

  “Hmpf,” said Ava. “Well, I’m not taking any chances. The pavements were so icy yesterday, people were dropping like skittles in the town. The last thing I need is to fall on my backside and break something.”

  “Quite right, Ava. I was only teasing, you know.” Jess squeezed Ava’s hand through the bulk of her glove and smiled.

  “I know you were, dear.” Ava smiled back. “I can take a joke, you know.”

  “You having a coffee?” asked Charlotte.

  Ava pushed back the cuff of her jacket to check her watch. “Yes please, I think I will while I’m waiting for the rest of the gang. We’re going for a walk along the beach. It’s so much easier to walk on the sand in this weather than on the pavements.”

  Charlotte shuddered. “Rather you than me,” she said. “I can’t say I see the appeal of walking on the beach in weather like this.”

  “Well, the sea air is very therapeutic, you know, and just because it’s snowing, that’s no reason to miss out on our daily exercise.

  “Anyway ...” Ava looked outside to check that the others weren’t on their way before leaning forward in a conspiratorial manner. “I wanted to come in a little early to let you in on a little secret. Don’t say anything, but there’s a budding romance in our midst.”

  Charlotte and Jess looked at each other, their interest piqued.

  “Romance? Between who?”

  “Harriett and Leo!” Ava waited for a reaction and wasn’t disappointed.

  “Harriett and Leo!” said Charlotte and Jess in unison, their eyes wide. “When on earth did that happen?”

  “Oh, only recently,” said Ava. “They’re terribly keen on each other, you know, but they’ve kept it very low-key. I’m the only person who knows. They’ve been stepping out together for a few weeks now.”

  Fourteen years previously, Harriett Lawley had divorced her adulterous husband and to Ava’s knowledge, had never looked at another man romantically since.

  Her two children, who lived in New Zealand, had cheered when the divorce had become final. They were all for their mother finding anoth
er man with whom to share her life but she hadn’t been in the slightest bit interested to do so.

  “I can do without the aggravation,” she’d said, when asked if marriage, or even a courtship, featured in her plans for the future.

  Leo Reeves was a warm and friendly man who’d lost his wife in a road accident twelve years previously.

  Close friends said that he’d never got over the loss of his wife but he kept his sadness well hidden. Outwardly, he was the kindest, gentlest, most fun-loving man you could ever wish to meet.

  “Well, good luck to them,” said Jess. “I hope it works out if that’s what they want.”

  “Yes, I hope so, too,” said Charlotte. “I think they’ll make a lovely couple. Goodness knows they deserve some happiness after what they’ve been through.”

  Right on cue, the door opened again and in walked Leo, Harriett, Harry and Betty, all smiles and snow jackets.

  “Morning, all,” said Charlotte. “You staying for a coffee or going straight off for your walk?”

  “I think we’ll get off now and call in on the way back,” said Leo. “We’ll be about an hour and a half - I think we’re popping into town afterwards to see what they’ve got in the fancy dress shop. That still okay with everyone?”

  They all nodded. “Fine by us.”

  “Right, come on then, let’s get going. It’s so cosy in here, if I hang around for too much longer, I won’t want to leave.” Harriett pulled her scarf up over her nose, strands of strawberry-blond hair peeking out from her hood and framing her face.

  “Allow me.” Leo stepped to one side and held open the door, giving her one of his arms to cling to as she stepped out into the slush.

  Ava winked secretly at Charlotte and Jess before she and Betty both took one of Harry’s outstretched arms. “Charlotte, dear, I’m leaving my ski poles here - I’ll pick them up later. We’ll see you after we’ve sorted out our costumes. Oooh, it’s going to be a real horror-filled Halloween - I can feel it in my bones!”

  If only had Ava known how prophetic her words would turn out to be ...

  Chapter 2

  “Considering the weather, it’s a lot busier today than I thought it would be. I didn’t expect there to be many people out and about, but we’ve certainly had our fair share of customers.” Jess mopped up puddles of melted slush from the tiled floor, left by Adam from the Mini-Mart when he’d popped in for two takeaway hot chocolates.

  Charlotte counted the food tickets. “Well, I’ve cooked more than 30 breakfasts in just over an hour and a half, so that’s not bad at all - as you say - considering the weather.”

  “You know, I think I’m going to ...”

  “You need to tilt the chair to the left!” Jess was interrupted by a loud voice outside.

  She and Charlotte turned to see two men in long black coats struggling to get a wheelchair through the doorway of the awning.

  “Oh my goodness! Hang on.” They rushed out and between them, managed to help the men manoeuvre the chair through the door.

  “Thank you.” The occupant of the wheelchair removed her black fedora to reveal mousy brown hair, cut short and streaked with grey, watery pale-green eyes and deeply suntanned skin, as wrinkled as an old peach. “I’m so sorry to have troubled you. We often have problems - but then, my transport is rather wide.” She smiled benignly at Charlotte and Jess and pulled her blanket around her legs.

  “Don’t mention it - it was no trouble at all,” said Charlotte as she closed the door against the bitingly cold air.

  The woman held out her hand, its pale blue veins clearly visible beneath paper-thin skin, despite her deep tan.

  “Maureen Slade,” she said. “And these are my sons, Trevor and Richard.”

  Like matching bookends, either side of the wheelchair, her sons nodded in acknowledgement and stuck out their hands before removing black beanie hats to reveal tanned, smoothly shaved heads.

  “Nice to meet you all,” said Charlotte. “It’s so cold outside, would you like to sit at a table near the heater?”

  “That would be lovely, thank you. We’ve only recently come back from Tenerife. We were there for a month and it was so hot! I can’t tell you what a shock to the system it was to come back to snow. Oh, what a charming little dog.” Maureen Slade put her hand down for Pippin to sniff before settling herself at a table in the corner. “I don’t suppose either of you have seen my son this morning have you? He looks just like Richard and Trevor but he’s got blonde hair. His name’s Samuel.

  “He went out last night, you see, and he hasn’t come back yet. Richard spoke to him last night but since then, we haven’t heard a word from him. Mind you,” she chuckled, “he could charm the birds from the trees, that one, so heaven knows where he’ll have ended up. He’s got an eye for the ladies, that’s for sure.”

  Charlotte looked at Jess and they shook their heads. “Sorry, I don’t recall seeing anyone of that description. Do you, Jess?”

  “No, I haven’t seen him, either.”

  Maureen Slade looked a little deflated and Charlotte found herself wishing she could have given the woman some more positive news.

  “Oh well, no matter. I’m probably worrying over nothing.” Maureen unwound her scarf. “You must think I’m a silly old woman, worrying about a grown man like this but once a mother, always a mother, doesn’t matter how old your children are.”

  “I don’t think you’re silly at all.” Charlotte put her hand on the woman’s shoulder. “I’m sure Sam will turn up soon, but in the meantime, we’ll keep a look out for him and be sure to tell him to get in touch with you if he hasn’t already. How’s that?”

  Maureen perked up considerably. “That would be wonderful. Thank you so much, dear ... but his name is Samuel, not Sam. I do hate it when people abbreviate names - it’s one of my pet peeves.”

  “Oh. Of course, I’m sorry. Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have some things to be getting on with in the kitchen, but Jess will make sure you have everything you need.” Charlotte smiled warmly.

  “What can I get you?” Charlotte noticed that Jess was pleasant but formal to the point of being abrupt when she took their order.

  “What’s up with you?” She whispered over the swing door of the kitchen when Jess came in to make three cappuccinos for the trio.

  “Can I have three chocolate brownies, please.” Jess looked over her shoulder. “Don’t you know who they are?” She whispered back as she held a jug of milk under the gurgling steam pipe of the coffee machine.

  “No. Why, should I?” Charlotte put the brownies on a tray and passed them through the serving hatch.

  “Hang on a minute, I’ll tell you after I’ve taken these out.” Jess poured the frothy milk onto the hot coffee and with a few deft flicks of her wrist, created a delicate feather design on top of the foam. “Be right back.”

  Charlotte racked her brain. The name ‘Slade’ was vaguely familiar but she couldn’t for the life of her think why.

  “Right.” Jess dropped her voice to a whisper again. “About ten years ago, give or take a few months, Trevor, Richard and Samuel Slade were arrested for armed robbery. They were eventually convicted and sentenced to fifteen years but last month, they were released early for good behaviour.” She looked over her shoulder to make sure they were still alone.

  “Anyway, since Maureen’s husband died while the boys were in prison, she’s hardly been seen around the town. In fact, I haven’t seen her on the marina for years and I’m amazed to see her out and about in weather like this - she suffers with terrible arthritis, apparently, so I can’t imagine the cold is doing it much good.”

  “Why don’t I know any of this?” Charlotte peered out through the hole in the wall at the trio on the terrace.

  “Well, it would have been round about the time you bought the café, so you probably had your mind on other things.” Jess looked a little sheepish. “And also ... you do tend to freak out a little at the mention of even the most minor of crimes being committed
in St. Eves, so sometimes it’s just best not to discuss certain things with you. And don’t look at me like that, Charlotte, you know it’s true.”

  Charlotte considered what Jess had said for a while and nodded. “Hmmm, I suppose you’re right. I do tend to shy away from negative stuff like that, don’t I?”

  “You do a bit. It’s probably why Nathan hasn’t said anything to you about it but I’m sure he’s been following the case. He’s the one who made the arrests, after all.”

  Charlotte’s eyes widened. “Nathan?! Really?”

  Jess nodded. “Yes. At the time, he was convinced that the brothers were guilty of a whole string of armed robberies but there was only one he could prove they’d been involved in.”

  “And which one was that?”

  “The one at Hall’s Hardware Store.”

  “What? Larry’s parents’ place?”

  “Yep, the very same. Unlucky for the Slade brothers, Nathan happened to walk into the store just as they were rushing out. There was a scuffle and one of the brothers hit him over the head. Two of them ran off but he managed to restrain one of them until backup arrived. Then he went after the guys who’d legged it. He caught one of them and the other one gave himself up.”

  “Oh my goodness! I wasn’t really in touch with Nathan when I first came back, so I had no idea.” Charlotte felt a sudden wave of anger towards the brothers and felt guilty immediately afterwards. “And their father passed away, you say?”

  Jess nodded. “Yes. I know it happened around the time the brothers were put away, but much more than that I’m not sure of. Ava’s the one to ask if you want more info.”

  “Ava? Why? Were she and her husband friends with the Slades?”

  “Well, I don’t know if they were friends, but they certainly knew each other. Hang on, looks like Richard’s coming in.”

  “Hello ladies. Could I trouble you for a little soda water, please? I’ve got a touch of heartburn and it always helps to calm it down. Then I’ll settle up with you, if I may.”

  “Bottle or syphon?”