Independence Day Murder Read online

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Other Books in the Series

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  Parade float after parade float rolled slowly down the street as Shady Lake's Third of July parade kicked off. Between the people walking in the parade and the spectators, everyone in town was within a four block radius of me right now. The air was blasting with marching band music and music blaring out of the speakers on each float as kids laughed and yelled. The smell of fried food and popcorn were wafting through the air. There was nothing better than a small town Independence Day celebration.

  For the few years that I had lived in the big city, the celebrations paled in comparison with Shady Lake's celebration. Even though the fireworks show was bigger and the parades were longer, there was just something about knowing everyone and being able to take personal pride in the celebration.

  I sat in a folding camp chair on a grassy boulevard just off the main street, surrounded by family. Everyone was snacking and laughing as the kids sat on the curb. Each time a float would go by tossing candy, the kids would compete to see who could grab the most and stuff it into their plastic sacks.

  All four of my siblings were watching the parade along with our parents. We had all briefly considered making a float for the bed and breakfast, but had decided against it when an argument broke out about the theme. Instead of risking a family blowout, we had just decided to watch the parade together.

  The patriarch and matriarch of our clan were seated in the middle of the group, their grandkids at their feet, when the youngsters weren't off collecting candy. Next to me was my sister Trina and Trina's fiance Jimmy. They had both just moved back to Shady Lake and Trina was chatting away about her new job as a receptionist at the main welcome desk at the hospital. Teddy and his wife were sitting behind them while Tilly and her husband were trying desperately to wrangle their three children. Tank and his girlfriend were busy making goo-goo eyes at each other. It was nice to spend this time with all of the official members of the Schmidt family.

  Due to some careful planning and a very early arrival time, we had managed to snag spots this year right next to the judging area. A big platform had been erected in front of one of the local churches and on top of it was a folding table that the judges sat at. Ronald Green, being the mayor, was seated in the middle as the head judge. Ronald was a lifelong Shady Laker who loved our town almost as much as he loved eating. Both were evident by the slightly too small "I LOVE SHADY LAKE" t-shirt that he was wearing stretched over his grandfatherly belly. The only thing he loved more than those things was his wife Melinda, who was the grumpy half to balance out his interminable positivity. She was sitting on a folding chair next to the judging stand with her arms folded across her chest, making sure that everyone knew what she thought of such frivolity.

  On one side of Ronald was Rich Blanchard who owned the Loony Bin along with his adult children. He was often credited with helping to start the revitalization of Shady Lake's downtown area. Rich was also a long-time friend of my parents and I still couldn't help but call him Mr. Rich sometimes. He was holding a clipboard and had his pen poised, looking generally serious about his judging job.

  Next to Rich was Murray Biggs. He was the new doctor in town and word on the street was that his handsome good looks were no match for his inconsiderate nature and short fuse. Trina's one complaint about her new job was that Murray always found something to be upset about. Even the most senior nurses were not protected from his fury. Trina said he was making the hospital a miserable place to work and because Murray was such a renowned doctor, the higher-ups were pretending they didn't notice all of the discord Murray was sowing. Trina was generally a laid-back person who got along with everyone so if Trina couldn't stand Murray, I knew that he was no good.

  On the other side of Ronald was Max Marcus, my paramour. We had been high school sweethearts who had drifted apart and ended up married to other people. After we were both unexpectedly widowed around the same time, we managed to find our way back to each other. Max caught my eye and winked. I waved back, feeling the blush rise up in my cheeks. That man always knew how to make me feel like we were back in high school again.

  This year, I had put the marketing skills I had used in my past life to good use by spreading word of the oddly timed parade to other towns around the area. It must have worked because there were plenty of unfamiliar faces among the residents of Shady Lake. One of the reasons Shady Lake had their parade the day before the Fourth of July was to try to draw a larger crowd and this year it had worked.

  The Fourth of July had come up quickly this year because not only was I busy helping my parents out at the Shady Lake Bed and Breakfast, but I was also helping my best friend Mandy plan her wedding. Mandy and Trevor had been dating for over a decade so when Trevor finally proposed, they decided a quick wedding was the way to go.

  Right now, the wedding was pushed to the back of my mind because I was waiting for a special float to go by. Even though Mandy was hip-deep in wedding planning, she still wanted to have a float in the parade for the bakery and cafe she owned.

  The Donut Hut had been a Shady Lake staple for years and years. Before Mandy took over, her parents Bill and Sally had run it for decades and Sally's parents before that. I actually wasn't sure how old the Donut Hut was, but I did know that their pastries were the best in town because I had personally tasted every single kind that the Donut Hut ever made.

  Then Mandy's float appeared from around the corner. I had helped Mandy make a gigantic donut that was on the very back of the float. The theme of the parade this year was "Echoes of the Past" so the rest of the float had a roughly constructed, old school diner scene that we had manufactured out of cardboard. Mandy was standing behind the counter in a cute vintage dress with her hair all done up in a victory roll. Everyone always said Mandy and I looked alike, but I know for a fact that I could definitely not pull that look off like Mandy could.

  As soon as she was in view, my entire family started hooting and hollering. Mandy waved frantically at us and threw three massive handfuls of candy our way. My sweet tooth was glad that Mandy had turned down our offer to walk in the parade with her float. I eagerly snatched a piece of candy before my nieces and nephew could grab them all up.

  Mandy had recruited her part-time workers along with Trevor who was driving the truck that the float was attached to. Mandy's main employee Claire was even rollerskating from one side of the float to the other, handing out coupons for a free donut hole with next purchase of a donut. Trevor was gripping the steering wheel of the truck so tightly that his knuckles were white and every time Claire skated in front of the truck, I could see him gnash his teeth, grinding them together so hard it made me cringe. I couldn't blame him really con
sidering the entire parade was a mess of very slow moving floats, children dashing in and out of the street in search of candy, and golf carts, bicycles, and skateboarders zipping around for any number of reasons. But Trevor loved Mandy, so he had agreed to drive the float for her.

  Once Trevor got to the judging area, Trevor stopped the truck and hit a button on the stereo. An old 50's tune started pumping out of the speakers and Mandy, Claire and the other girls did a cute little dance. At the end, Mandy hopped off of the float and ran up to the judge's stand, shoving a box of donuts onto the table just in front of Ronald.

  Ronald's eyes lit up and he immediately reached for the box, only to have it grabbed away by his wife. She was always concerned about his weight and his eating habits. While I understood her concern, I couldn't help but feel a little bad for Ronald.

  "No, that's bribery," she screeched. Melinda took the box and scurried away as Ronald called after her, looking heartbroken at the loss of his donuts.

  I caught Mandy's eye as she hopped back up on the float and she winked at me, a sure sign that she had known that was going to happen. The loss of the box of donuts was worth any possible bonus points she had gotten for trying that stunt.

  Once she was safely back on the float, Mandy banged her fist on top of the truck and Trevor rolled on, looking slightly relieved to be done with the judging portion of the parade. Now he just had two more miles of very, very slow driving until he was done for this year's parade.

  The next float in line was a vintage beach scene. It was covered with sandy colored blankets to look like a beach. There were a few adults and kids scattered around the float, pretending to build sand castles and have a picnic. In front of the float were two men carrying a large banner that read SAVE OUR BEACH. They were a local group who had formed at the beginning of the summer when it was announced that the city council had decided not to bring in more sand to revitalize the city beach. They claimed that for the health of the lake, more sand was not the answer.

  The one hitch in that explanation was that when Murray Biggs moved to Shady Lake, they had been more than willing to let him create his own private beach for his lakefront home. Money talks, and in this case it screamed that the city council had no problem helping the haves instead of the have-nots.

  Even Ronald, Shady Lake's number one champion, had voted to allow Murray to make his beach. There had been talk that he was hoping it would put a foot in the door to revitalize the city beach, but so far it had done no such thing. Last week when I saw him at our last planning meeting for the Fourth of July celebration, he had hustled out the door looking sheepish as soon as I mentioned the city beach.

  "Up with the city beach; down with Murray Biggs," the group started to chant over and over as they approached the judging area. Apparently they were not trying to win any of the parade prizes.

  Chapter Two

  I glanced at the judging stand to see Murray sit back in his seat, a smarmy smirk spreading across his face. What a creep. He was obviously taking pleasure in this show, almost daring them to do or say something even worse.

  All of the color had drained from Ronald's face, making him look even more like his nickname of Mayor Panda. He was sitting totally still except for his head which kept flicking back and forth, glancing in horror from the chanting group on the street to where Murray was sitting. Rich looked somewhat bemused by the whole spectacle while Max had on his serious Mr. Cop face, eyes darting around to make sure no one was getting out of line.

  A tall, slender man stepped forward out of the chanting crowd and held a hand up in the air. Derek Bradley and his boyfriend Greg had moved into town over a year ago, but recently Derek had become a force of nature in Shady Lake. This was the first season that he had opened the new (and only) winery in Shady Lake. It was a smashing success so far and somehow Mandy had convinced him to hold her wedding there. That meant I had been spending a lot of time talking to Derek and Greg lately. Not only were they business owners, Derek had founded and lead the Save the Beach group. I sort of wondered if he ever had time to really sleep.

  A hush fell over the crowd as Derek put a megaphone up to his mouth. His eyes were blazing and he stood square to the judges table, as if daring someone to stop him as he started his speech.

  "It's a sad day when a small town such as Shady Lake stops taking care of public places and instead gives in to the dollar signs of greed," he said, slowly and enunciated so that everyone could understand him. He faced directly toward the judges stand where Ronald looked like he wanted to hide under the table while Murray looked like he wanted to stand on top of it. "The city beach has needed a new load of sand for over a decade now and instead of helping revitalize summer activities in town, the city council decided it was more important to listen to the money that Murray Biggs can throw behind anything and everything he wants done."

  Derek paused for a moment, lowering the megaphone slightly and clenching his hand into a fist by his side. The rest of the Save the Beach group seemed to almost swell behind him, one man stepping up to give him a jovial slap on the back. Mutters of support ran through the crowd.

  "If you'd like to see the public beach revitalized, I suggest you join us for our next meeting," Derek said. "We will be discussing how to vote the city council and mayor out of office in a few months. If that is what it takes, that is what we will do. We need public officials who actually care about the city."

  Max loudly cleared his voice from the judge's stand, obviously telling Derek that he should move on before he caused any more trouble. Ronald looked like he was about to pass out, but Rich must have noticed because he slung his arm around Ronald's shoulders just in case he did keel over. The last thing this exciting parade needed was for Mayor Panda to fall off of the judging stand because of a medical emergency.

  Only Murray looked like he was enjoying the show. His smarmy smile was still on his face and it made him seem like the greasiest sort of sleazeball.

  "Look at that jerk," Trina said. "He's enjoying all of this. What an absolute sh..."

  "Trina," I hissed. "Kid alert."

  Trina's face got red and as she slapped her hand over her mouth. It took a lot to make Trina swear, but she would never dream of doing it in front of the kids. I couldn't help but laugh as Trina tried to regain her composure.

  "He's a real piece of work is what I meant," she stammered. "And he is. Any decent person would have been mortified to be called out like that but Murray doesn't even care. He thinks he's such a hotshot doctor. I'm sure he wouldn't be happy to know that he is only a mediocre doctor who works at a small town hospital. He might have the medical knowledge, but it doesn't make him a good doctor."

  "Maybe you can tell him that someday," I said, patting her hand.

  Trina looked at me like she wanted to murder me while Jimmy let out a loud donkey-bray sort of laugh. I couldn't help but laugh along as even Trina started to laugh. The rest of our family who had missed the entire conversation just looked at us, confused as to what was so funny.

  The Save the Beach group started up their chant again and kept on marching, some of the members running along the sidewalks to hand out leaflets to anyone who would take one. I managed to grab one as a short woman bustled past and took a look.

  Don't let the city council fool you into thinking more sand would be bad for the lake. Murray Biggs was allowed to bring in three times the sand we need simply because he could pay them off.

  If the beach is a priority for you, join us next Thursday as we strategize how to get people into office who care about Shady Lake.

  Below that listed the meeting place and time. They made a good argument and I had to admit that I was considering attending. I didn't go to the beach very often, but it shouldn't be neglected. I had loved the beach as a kid and it provided free entertainment in a town that desperately needed it. I stuffed the flyer into my purse as a reminder to go to the meeting and hear them out.

  I looked once more at the judge's stand, but this time a blond wom
an in a lawn chair sitting below the stand caught my eye. She was wearing large sunglasses and appeared to be sipping out of a water bottle that looked like it was filled with something other than water. The woman looked completely out of place at the Third of July parade in an outfit of knee-length black shorts and a black tank top among the colorful backdrop of patriotic colors on the rest of the crowd. The only thing that stood out was a flashy, jeweled brooch in the shape of an American flag pinned to her chest.

  "Who is that?" I asked Trina as I nudged her with my elbow. "That woman sitting by the judges? I've seen her around town a few times, but I've never actually met her."

  "That's Murray's charming wife, Carol," Trina said. "She's just as nasty as he is but she's a bit more subdued about it. Rumor has it that Carol hated having to move to Shady Lake and her newest hobby is how many bottles of wine she can drink a day."

  "Trina!" I said, shocked at how hateful Trina sounded.

  "That's just what I've heard," Trina said with a shrug. "Mandy was the one who told me."

  I sat back in my chair and scowled a little. Mandy always said that she hated gossip, but she had no problem passing on facts and truth. To me there was no difference, but Mandy said she would never tell people something she hadn't verified with at least two different people. I guess it was a bit more believable that way.

  It was hard to believe that Carol could just sit there and watch her husband be publicly humiliated without seeming to care, even though he didn't care either. I didn't want to speculate but I had to imagine that they may not be the happiest couple.

  I shook my head, feeling like a jerk. I grabbed one of those strawberry hard candies and twirled the wrapper off of it, popping it into my mouth. As the sugary sweetness filled my mouth, I tried not to think too deeply about unhappy marriages. I had been surrounded by happy couples in my formative years and I had been supremely happy with Max in high school and then Peter and now with Max again. I couldn't imagine being with someone who I couldn't stand.