The Promise of Murder: A Darcy Sweet Cozy Mystery, #32

By K.J. Emrick

A celebration... an uninvited guest... and another murder!

If there's one thing that would always be true about Misty Hollow, it was the simple fact that life here was never boring. 

 

And by extension, Darcy Sweet's life was never boring either.

 

The whole town was buzzing with excitement as a huge festival had been planned for the towns Semiquincentennial which was being held in the park in the center of town. 

 

Surely this one thing could go off without a hitch...

 

Darcy Sweet should have known better... this was Misty Hollow of course... nothing ever went smoothly here, did it?

 

Firstly, the was Mayor acting all suspicious, in a huddle with some of the town's business people and excluding Darcy from knowing what was going on.

 

Secondly, an uninvited guest turned up on Darcy and Jon's doorstep, looking to stay for a couple of weeks.

 

Thirdly, and most important of all, a direct descendant of the towns settlers is found dead.

 

As the investigation unfolds it appears more and more like these incidents are connected in some way.

 

But how?

 

That was one of the questions Darcy needed to answer... and fast!

 

The Promise of Murder is the 32nd book in the Darcy Sweet Cozy Mystery series. If you love paranormal cozy mysteries, with a touch of romance and family, you'll love the Darcy Sweet Cozy Mystery series!

• Language: English
• Publisher: South Coast Publishing
• Release date: Dec 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201727222

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

If there was one thing that would always be true about Misty Hollow, it was the simple fact that life here was never boring.

There was always something going on. It might not always be a good something, but it was always something. The town’s birthday celebration was this weekend, and a huge festival had been planned. Games and live music and fireworks, and lots of activities. The whole town was looking forward to it. People would be coming from miles around to help them celebrate.

This was going to be a busy weekend.

Spring was here again, at the beginning of April, and the weather was already pleasant and warm. It was the perfect time for a festival in the park. The grass was green and freshly mown by George Flanders, the town’s maintenance man. There were buds starting on the trees, not opened yet but full of promise. Birds sang in the branches. Bumblebees buzzed lazily through the air looking for flowers to land on. Even if Darcy Sweet hadn’t been out in the park with her family, she would still want to be out in the world today, soaking in the afternoon sunshine.

They had picked up both of their kids from school so they could all take a look at the preparations for the celebration together. Darcy smiled down at Colby and Zane now, brushing aside strands of her graying, raven-black hair where the breeze had blown it into her face. Her little boy was looking at everything with wide eyes, amazed at the transformation the park had undergone, wowed by all the people working together to make it happen. Her teenaged daughter was…well, less impressed.

Her husband Jon was walking beside her, casting a critical eye across the booths that were being hammered together and put in place for the start of the festival tomorrow. Hammers were thumping and electric drills were whirring as screws and bolts were tightened in place. Darcy wasn’t sure where Mayor Andy Blanchard had hired all of these people from, but they were everywhere, working in unison like ants, wearing blue cotton shirts with their company name O’Toole stitched proudly across the back.

Everything’s looking good, Jon declared, pursing his lips and nodding his approval. This should be really good for the town. I saw the local news do a segment on it last night. Heard it on the radio, too. With publicity like that, the town’s going to be getting a lot of attention.

Yeah, Darcy agreed, and for something other than a murder this time.

She couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of her voice. In recent years Misty Hollow had done everything it could to single-handedly keep the murder rate in America from dropping. They’d earned a reputation for themselves, with one news article even going so far as to compare them to New York City and Detroit. Jon actually had that one framed on his office wall at the police station.

For a town that depended on tourism dollars, that sort of publicity was a mixed blessing for Misty Hollow. Yes, it made some people think twice before planning a visit, but for others it had the exact opposite effect. There were people who got a thrill from visiting places where tragedies happened. They wanted to say they were there where the bad thing happened, take selfies with themselves standing in front of where so-and-so died, or whatever.

A lot of people were very strange, in Darcy’s opinion. Then again, she’d done the same thing when she was younger. She still had a photo of herself on Elm Street in Potsdam, New York, where A Nightmare On Elm Street actually started. Her heart-shaped face was all smiles in that photo. So, maybe she understood that urge a little better than she liked to admit.

Mom, her daughter said with a sigh, can we ple-e-ease go back home now?

Darcy pushed her shoulder playfully into Colby’s. Why? Do you have someplace to be on a beautiful day like today?

Rolling her blue-green eyes—a mixture inherited from her parents—Colby stuffed her hands deep into the pockets of her jeans. Yes, I have somewhere else to be.

Oh? Where’s that?

Anywhere but here.

Life was so very rough, Darcy reflected to herself, when you were fourteen She remembered being that age herself, coming to live here in Misty Hollow for the first time, friendless and certain that everything in her life was conspiring against her. She didn’t start finding her place until her Great Aunt Millie had shown her that she did in fact have value and purpose. Armed with that boost of confidence she found friends, and then love, and now she had a whole life here in Misty Hollow.

Thank you, Aunt Millie.

Every day she tried to give that same lesson to her kids. Colby was a good kid, who was growing up to be a fine young woman, but everyone needed to know they were loved. She and Jon had done everything they could to encourage her daughter to be strong, and independent, and confident in who she was. They’d done the same with her brother Zane. It wasn’t easy being part of the Tinker-Sweet family, for lots of different reasons.

Tell you what. Reaching over with one arm, she gave her daughter a sideways hug. You go ahead and go home now. We’ll be done here in a little while, and then we’ll bring home pizza for dinner. How’s that sound?

Walking next to her, Colby’s little brother was quick to cheer that idea. Pizza! Pizza! I want pizza! Pizza! Pizza! Zane called out loudly.

Around them, people turned to look, grinning at the cute towheaded boy’s enthusiasm before going back to the preparations. All of six years old now, Zane thought he was super grown up, even if the simple things in life like a pizza date with his parents made him feel as happy as if it was Christmas morning.

Catching Darcy’s gaze, Jon cocked a dark eyebrow. I thought we agreed this was going to be family time?

We did, she agreed, but we’re just checking things out because you’re the chief of police and it’s part of your job. Colby and Zane have both been really patient with us old folk doing old folk things.

I’m not that old, he said, and neither are you.

Darcy loved him for that, but she knew there were more lines around her eyes today than there had been a year ago. She was just a couple years shy of fifty now. She wasn’t ashamed of it…but maybe not all that happy, either.

Anyway.

All I’m saying, she told Jon, is the town’s about to celebrate our founding by the original Ten Families in the 1700s and that might be a big deal to you and me, but our kids are just tagging along because they love us.

Oh, that’s so not it, Colby let her know. You guys picked me up right after school. I didn’t have a choice. That’s basically kidnapping, you know.

But, Darcy asked her, pretending to be shocked, you do love us, right?

Maybe…can I go home now?

Sure, I guess.

Then I love you. Bye, Mom!

She was already walking away while she said it, in a direction that would take her out of the park on the side closest to the street where they lived.

Well, Jon said, watching her go. I guess that’s the best you can hope for when you’re the parents of teenagers, huh?

Zane stood right next to his dad and stuck his tongue out after his sister. Yeah. I never wanna be teenagered.

Don’t worry, buddy. Us guys will always stick together.

Yeah! We’ll be sticks together!

Darcy put a hand over her mouth to cover soft laughter. Watching this perfect picture of her husband and son just made her so happy. She could see so much of Jon in the shape of Zane’s face, and how he unconsciously mimicked the way his dad stood and walked and carried himself. Her children had brought her so much joy. Her husband even more so.

Jon had always been a strikingly handsome man, and he still was, even now that he’d reached middle age. He was already the big 5-0 but on him, it looked good. There was gray in his black hair, and maybe his blue eyes were a little more gray than they used to be, but that didn’t change anything. To her, he would always be the same young and tall and devilishly handsome man who swept her off her feet all those years ago.

Not that it was all about his looks, but she especially liked watching him when he could dress casually in khakis and a short-sleeved polo shirt, like he was now. She was truly attracted to his mind and his beautiful soul, but the way his butt looked in those pants…very nice.

He caught her looking and gave her a wink. All right. It looks like everything is moving right along here. Things should be good for tomorrow. I’ve got to just check in with the mayor and then we can go and get that pizza. Shouldn’t take long.

Sure. Darcy shook her head doubtfully. Because Andy Blanchard is known for being brief and to the point.

Our mayor is known for a lot of things. Jon’s snort echoed her own thoughts. But being brief is not one of them.

Or for being reasonable either, Darcy almost added out loud. She and the town’s current mayor had crossed paths several times in the past. Most of those hadn’t ended well. She found him to be a very disagreeable man, although that was putting it lightly. She had other phrases that fit the man’s personality better, but she was trying her best not to slip and say them out loud when Zane was right here with them. She didn’t want him picking up those words until he was much, much older.

Mom? Zane said to her suddenly, what’s that word mean?

For a moment she thought she’d slipped and actually called Andy something bad out loud, but it turned out her son was pointing at one of the many banners hung up throughout the park. Some of them were huge, hanging up between two poles, colorfully declaring the Semiquincentennial Celebration! this weekend. Some smaller ones were tacked to the tops of many of the booths being constructed by the horde of busy workers. Everywhere you looked, there they were. That might just account for the entire town budget right there.

It says ‘semi-quin-centennial, Darcy told him, drawing out the pronunciation of each part. It’s a fancy word for a 250th birthday. The town of Misty Hollow is that old this year. Can you believe it?

Semiquintosential? Zane tried.

Semiquincentennial, Darcy said again.

"Semi-quemi-senti-mental?

Close, Jon told him. It’s semi-quin-cen-tenn-ial.

Zane scrunched up his whole face before shouting out, Semi-chemi-tenni-gal!

Darcy laughed out loud. Yeah, kiddo. That’s close enough. Just think of it this way. The town is really old.

Her son’s eyebrows drew themselves together. So, we’re all really old?

Jon ruffled his son’s unruly hair. No, kiddo. You’re still really young. It’s just the town that’s old.

Whew. That’s good. I don’t want to be old yet.

Nope, his father agreed. Me either, but here I am.

Zane looked at him funny. You’re not old, Daddy. You’re just Daddy.

Thanks, kiddo. That means a lot.

Welcome! Reaching up, he took his father’s hand and started swinging it back and forth as he sang, Happy birthday to us, happy birthday to us!

Darcy clapped. Now you got it. Happy birthday to us!

They made a circuit around the park, using the gazebo in the center as a compass point to guide them through the construction and flurry of activity in what was usually an open space. They were almost back to where they started before they found Mayor Andy Blanchard. He was standing with a group that included several of the town board members…and the local business owners.

Jon huffed a breath. Hmm. Looks like an impromptu town meeting.

Darcy felt the muscles at the back of her neck twitch. Something wasn’t right here. Funny. Last I checked, I was a business owner in Misty Hollow, too. Wonder why I wasn’t invited to join whatever it is they’re doing?

Oh, I think we both know the answer to that, Jon said with a twist of his lips.

She frowned, but he was right. Andy resented her, and the way she constantly called him to task for the bad decisions he made. She might be the owner of the town’s only book store—still a big draw for the tourists—but that wouldn’t matter to him. All that mattered was that he didn’t like her. Come to think of it he didn’t like Jon, either. He’d tried to replace Jon as the chief of police once already, only to have it backfire in his face.

Darcy tried not to be annoyed when she noticed Kelsi Roberts, the owner of the town’s artisan craft shop, and Belson Mathers, the owner of the camping goods store, were in the group. She considered them to be friends, but she supposed she couldn’t blame them if the mayor asked them to be here. If the town board had come to her with a business opportunity she thought could help her store, she would want to at least listen to it, too.

Although, that didn’t explain why Kelsi and Belson and some of the others wouldn’t meet her eyes as they got close.

Mayor Blanchard sniffed. Er, good to see you, Chief Tinker. The way he said it made it obvious it was anything but. So. Have you completed your walkthrough of our preparations? There’s no splinters or anything that could hurt anyone?

Darcy saw the way Jon’s lips tightened. He was careful not to let the mayor see how annoyed he was, but Darcy could tell.

Splinters aren’t really my concern, Mister Mayor. From somewhere, Jon managed to pull out a smile. But everything looks up to code and my officers will be here Saturday and Sunday to provide security for the event just like you asked. So…what’s going on here?

The mayor’s face flushed red. The sudden color made his thin, mousy-brown mustache stand out all the more. He swung a finger up to point it in Jon’s direction. "That’s not your concern either, Chief Tinker! This is just…just more splinters as far as you’re concerned. Which is to say, it’s none of your concern!"

Andy was a thin man, bordering on scrawny, and even when he was angry it was hard to be intimidated by him. Darcy thought that might just be the lamest comeback in the history of the world, but it made his point. Whatever they were doing, it was a secret.

She absolutely hated secrets. Here in Misty Hollow, secrets usually got people killed.

Hopefully, that wouldn’t be the case this time.

While the mayor and Jon bantered, Darcy tried to catch the attention of Kelsi or Belson without being obvious. She finally managed to get Kelsi to look her way. With a glance, she let Darcy know that she would fill her in on what was happening, but later. Not now. Then she was looking away again. That was going to have to be good enough, Darcy supposed. Kelsi had been a friend of theirs for years. She wouldn’t let them down.

Well, this has been fun as always, Jon was saying to the mayor, but I think it’s time for me to get my family home. We promised the kids pizza and I think they both have homework to do before the weekend starts.

Ugh, Zane grumbled. Homework’s no fun.

Mayor Blanchard ignored him. Perfect, yes. Perfect. He waved at them all with one hand, again and again, turning away to usher the board members further into the park. You do that. Head on home. See you tomorrow, or whatever, just go. Just do your job, Chief.

Kelsi and the others followed after them, which made Darcy think that whatever business brought them here wasn’t over yet.

Interesting.

What do you think that was all about? she asked Jon when they were alone with Zane again.

No idea. He shrugged, and then slid his arm around her waist. I haven’t been in the loop with the town’s administration since…well, actually I’ve never been in the loop here. I guess the closest I came was when Helen was mayor, back in the day. At least she had the good sense to be open about her plans for the town. Everyone knew what they were getting with her.

Darcy nodded with thoughtful reflection. Yeah. I miss Helen too. She was a good friend.

Helen Turner was one more person lost too soon to a murder in this town. Memories of the times they spent together still made her smile. It was a way of keeping her alive, in spirit if nothing else.

Hey, Jon? Do you ever think of the people who used to be in our lives?

He gave her a look that would have been unreadable to anyone else. That’s a long list.

Yes, it is, but every one of them was important to us, in one way or another.

It wasn’t just the people they had lost to an untimely death who came to mind when she thought of days past. Although, there were certainly plenty of those. Ghosts from other moments in her life, and Jon’s life too.

If there was one thing Darcy knew about, it was ghosts.

Her family had a gift, passed down at birth, that let her see and hear and talk to ghosts. When people died, they didn’t necessarily go on to their final rest. Not right away. Some of them were a real comfort to have in her life, like Great Aunt Millie.

Others…well. Some ghosts were truly terrifying.

It wasn’t just the ghosts she remembered, though. There had been plenty of people who filtered out of their lives for one reason or another. People whose life had simply taken them to different places. Like Sue Fisher, her friend and one-time co-worker who had left Misty Hollow to earn an advanced degree in literature, and now taught High School English in another state. Like Mark Cameron, who used to be the bank teller in town but was now a carefree emu farmer after winning the lottery. Like Clara Barstow, who ran the deli in town for years but now, in her seventies, had taken a well-deserved retirement and was travelling to see her grandchildren in California.

There was family on that list, too. People