Bad Hair Day: An Annie Addison Cozy Mystery, #5

By Molly Dox

Annie Addison is a Jersey girl with a problem. Dead bodies keep popping up. This time her ex-husband is the victim, and both she and her sister are looking guilty. Can Annie untangle the mess she's in and find the clues that will keep her out of jail?

With small town charm and endearing characters, "Bad Hair Day" thrusts our favorite hairstylist into the mix once again. It's sink or swim in the coastal community. This is book 5 in the Annie Addison Cozy Mystery series. (Clean read, No blood, No foul language)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Molly Dox Books
• Release date: Feb 28, 2015
• ISBN: 9781501475542

Book preview

Chapter 1

Everybody turned toward the abrupt yelling across the room. Uncle Buck’s was one of the only places in town open year round.

What do you want from me? Alex stood, his chair making a loud scuffing noise against the hardwood floor.

The woman, Annie’s sister, clenched her teeth. What I want is for you to get home before eight or nine at night. I’m getting tired of living alone.

The couple noticed the stares. Alex glanced around and sat back down. His shoulders were tensed and his nostrils flared. I’ve got a full work load. You knew what you were getting into.

Annie turned to Charlotte and LuAnn, her dinner companions for the evening. Is it wrong that I’m happy they’re fighting?

Nah, I get it, Charlotte said.

I mean, it’s not enough that my sister married my ex-husband, but she moved to the island too. Now I have to see them together on top of it all. Bitter? Maybe.

LuAnn added to the conversation. It’s a normal human reaction to be jealous.

I’m not jealous! Annie was quick to defend herself. It just makes me sick to my stomach the way they deceived me for so long.

Right, but underneath the frustration, it stems from jealousy. LuAnn was intent on making her point. At the police academy, we went into all different psychological stuff as well as physical training. You’d be surprised by the things you learn.

"Maybe some people would be jealous, but not me. I’m not jealous. You’re just plum crazy." She glared at LuAnn.

Charlotte interjected. I can see what you’re saying, LuAnn, but I don’t think in Annie’s case it’s jealousy as much as being hurt by two people she trusted.

You’re probably right, LuAnn said, giving in. Anyway, it’s getting late. I need to cash out my check and head home. I work the early shift tomorrow. I’m so not a morning person these days.

Yeah, me too, Annie said. Are you ready, Charlotte?

Sure, let’s call it a night.

The women paid their tab and headed outside. Annie pulled her jacket collar up around her face to block the stiff wind coming in off the ocean. She was good and ready for the warmer weather to roll around. The Jersey shoreline was a delight in the warmer months, but through the winter, the damp, salty air started to wear her down.

***

Nobody expected the news. Nobody could have warned Annie just how hard it would hit her. Alex, her ex-husband, was found dead the following morning. LuAnn called her as soon as she found out. Working the morning shift was usually quiet, but today would be a whole other story.

Chief Frisco jotted notes down, taking in the scenario. The car was parked at the law office, and his body was found in the backseat along with a bottle of booze. There was no label on the booze. Knocking on the window, the man didn’t respond. It was the blood that made Chief Frisco break out the window and unlock the door. The man’s hair was tinged with blood. On closer inspection, he saw the man wasn’t breathing either. How long had he been there?

His skin and muscles sagged. His face was too pale. Rigor mortis hadn’t quite set in yet. That meant the crime had probably occurred in the last three hours. While it looked like it could have been a man drinking himself to death, something didn’t feel right. Chief Frisco decided he’d rather be safe than sorry. They’d treat it as a homicide until they knew differently. That meant sweeping the area for clues, dusting for fingerprints, and an autopsy might be in order.

LuAnn, run some crime scene tape around the area, he said. Until we figure out if this is an accidental death or a homicide, I don’t want anybody touching anything. The squad and coroner have been called.

What is that? LuAnn looked closer into