A Taste of Magic (A Sugarcomb Lake Cozy Mystery Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

“What happened in there?”
    Through gritted teeth, Clarissa explained, “I went in there and the officer pretty much accused me of being a hysterical woman with an overactive imagination.  He was all like ‘don’t you worry little lady, we’ve got this all under control.’  It was so infuriating!  He didn’t even write down any of what I told him.”
    “Wow, that’s awful,” Liana said sympathetically.  “I hate old geezers like that.”
    “Yeah, and worst of all they probably won’t ever catch the mayor’s killer with that kind of know-it-all attitude,” Clarissa complained.  “I think they’re more interested in eating donuts and chatting around the water cooler than actually, you know, doing their jobs.  It’s like a bad cliché come to life.  A man died!  His killer needs to be brought to justice.”
    “Maybe his death was karma,” Liana offered, likely in an attempt to console her friend.
    “Why do you say that?”
    “Well you know Jed Black’s reputation,” Liana shrugged.  “It’s a small town.  People talk.  He was a tyrannical businessman who used threats and intimidation to become mayor.  And then, as if he wasn’t bad enough before becoming mayor, the power went to his head.  I hate to say it, but he probably had it coming.”
    “That’s an awful thing to say!” Clarissa scolded her best friend.  Then she added, “I mean, even if he was a terrible person, it’s still not okay that he was murdered.  No one deserves that.  And whoever did it shouldn’t just get away with it.”
    “I agree, but what are you going to do?” Liana said absentmindedly.  It was clear her mind was elsewhere.  “I need coffee,” she announced. The woman was completely and utterly obsessed with coffee.  In fact, given how much she consumed, she probably had pure coffee running through her veins.
    “We just had coffee at my place!” Clarissa reminded her.  “And they were huge cups!”
    “Yes, but that was like, a whole hour ago!  I need more coffee.  Are you coming with me?”
    “No, I need to go turn in some resumes around town,” Clarissa replied.
    “It’s Saturday!  Take the day off.”
    “Take the day off from what, unemployment?  Sorry, but I don’t have time for coffee,” Clarissa insisted.  Besides, she knew if she agreed to join her friend for coffee they would be sitting there at the quaint little coffee shop all day.  She wasn’t really interested in small town gossip – especially not when she needed to find a job like, yesterday.
    “Suit yourself – I’ll talk to my neighbor about hiring you to landscape his yard.  Call you later!”
    Clarissa gave her friend a wave and then wandered down the tree lined street. 
    The leaves were all beginning to turn beautiful shades of red, yellow and orange.  Some were sprinkled on the street like colorful confetti.  It was quite a pretty sight, even if it did mean that winter was right around the corner. 
    Clarissa stopped in every shop she passed and tried to leave resumes wherever possible.  But she kept getting the same apologetic reply: nobody was hiring.  Frustrated, she headed down to the town square to post a “Roommate Wanted” sign on the bulletin board down there.
    “Did you hear about Jed Black?” Clarissa overheard one middle aged woman say to another.
    “Isn’t it terrible,” the other woman clucked.  “Then again, his wife doesn’t seem too distraught.”
    “No?”
    “Nope, I saw Bonnie Black at the grocery store this morning.  She was buying wine and a big chocolate cake.  I know everybody grieves differently, but she didn’t even seem very upset.  She looked good.  In fact,” the woman said, “I thought she looked too good, if you know what I mean.  It was almost as though she was getting ready to throw a party!”
    Clarissa’s eyebrows shot up at the odd revelation.  Then she realized she was standing there blatantly eavesdropping.  She quickly hurried over to put her