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  Stuck With S’More Death

  A Jill Andrews Cozy Mystery

  Nicole Ellis

  Copyright © 2018 by Nicole Ellis

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  1

  “I don’t know, Jill. I still think it would have been fun to go camping somewhere in the mountains,” Adam said as he rummaged in his dresser drawer for a pair of shorts.

  I stopped folding a pile of kids clothes to take with us on our vacation and stared at him. “We have a nine-month-old. Tent camping sounds miserable.”

  He shrugged. “I’m sure we could have made it work.”

  I rolled my eyes and packed the neat piles into the suitcase that lay open on our bed. In as calm a voice as I could muster, I said, “I’m sure we could have, but I think we’ll have more fun staying in the cabins at the Thunder Lake Resort. Besides, I’m looking forward to seeing Leah again.”

  He looked up at me. “You haven’t seen her since you worked together, right?”

  “Yeah, she left about a year before I had Mikey. When she and her husband quit the rat race to buy a campground in Eastern Washington, I thought she was crazy.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “That’s a big change.”

  “I know.” Owning a campground was vastly different than working as a marketing executive at a firm in downtown Seattle, but her husband, Del, was an avid outdoorsman and had talked her into it. “But she seems to be thriving out there and making the resort a success. Desi and I had to make these reservations a year ago.”

  “Hmm. Well, maybe next year we can go tent camping?” He regarded me hopefully.

  “Maybe.” I didn’t want to tell him that there was very little chance that I’d voluntarily go somewhere that didn’t have running water and flushing toilets. Then again, there were some nice campgrounds nowadays. Perhaps there was room to compromise. Besides, next year was a long way off.

  A pang of realization hit me. Our kids were growing so fast that, in truth, I didn’t know what would be fun to do with them next year. Ella would be walking soon, and Mikey would probably kill to go to Disneyland. I forced myself to take a deep breath. They weren’t exactly leaving the nest anytime soon, and we’d have many fun family vacations in the years to come.

  “We’re at least going to get to go hiking, right? Now that I’m home more, I’d really like to get back to hiking more often. Why bother living in such a beautiful area if we’re not going to enjoy the outdoors? We went often when I was a kid, and I’d like for Mikey to start experiencing the great outdoors too.”

  I held up a pair of pint-sized hiking boots. “I bought these for Mikey so you can go with him.”

  His face lit up. “Thanks, honey.” He grabbed his stacks of clothes off the bed and placed them in the other suitcase. “I’ll pack my shaving kit tomorrow morning. Is there anything else you need me to do tonight? I had a new client come in today, and I want to make sure I have as much done on their case as I can before we leave.” He looked like a little kid waiting to be excused to go play.

  I smiled at him. It was nice to see him excited about work again. He’d recently left the law firm he’d been with for years and started his own practice in downtown Ericksville. He hadn’t been inundated with clients yet, but the change in his attitude about work had been amazing.

  “Nope, I’ve got it from here. I’m going to check on the kids and then log into work for an hour or so myself.”

  “Great.” He scurried out of the room.

  I zipped up the two suitcases and stacked them in the corner of our room. Leah had told me that they provided linens and kitchen equipment for the small cabins, but I didn’t know what else we’d need. Maybe plastic inner tubes for playing in the lake? I jotted it down on my notepad. We were planning to leave around noon the next day, so I’d hunt for the sand and water toys in the garage after breakfast and then throw them into the car.

  When I walked past his room, Mikey was sleeping soundly with his face illuminated by a Mickey Mouse nightlight. I continued on to Ella’s room to check on her in her crib and put my hand on her chest. She smiled at me in her sleep, melting my heart.

  It had been a long summer, and as much as I’d been enjoying my new job at the Boathouse, the event center owned by my in-laws, I needed a break. I was looking forward to spending time with my family. My sister-in-law Desi had a four-year-old son as well and a three-month-old baby. She and her husband Tomàs could use a break, and Mikey was excited to spend a week with his cousin Anthony at the lake.

  I went downstairs, sat at my desk in the living room, and fired up my laptop. My mother-in-law, Beth, and father-in-law, Lincoln, would be holding down the fort at the Boathouse while I was gone. Still, I had to respond to a few clients about their events before we left. My stomach twisted a little. I’d become so involved in my work that it worried me to leave it behind for nine days. Probably a sign that I badly needed this vacation.

  One of the bigger events I had on the horizon was the town’s annual haunted house. In past years, it had been held in a local warehouse, but the building had recently been converted to apartments, leaving the event without a venue. We’d given the town a huge discount to have it at the Boathouse, but Beth and Lincoln figured it would be good for business. Also, they were active members of the community and felt it was their civic duty to help out with the big event.

  I admired my in-laws’ dedication to their community and I’d been excited when Beth asked me to manage the event. However, working with Angela Laveaux, the person who was organizing the haunted house, was another story. From the first time I’d called her to chat about the event, she’d been full of grandiose ideas and time-consuming demands. She’d even walked into the main room at the Boathouse during a wedding reception—interrupting the groom’s toast to his new wife. She’d claimed that she’d entered the room by mistake, but she’d stayed a few minutes too long to make that appear true and I had a sneaking suspicion that she wanted to see how well we were able to execute a client’s vision for their event.

  I’d worked with some tough clients, but Angela might even be worse to work with than Nancy Davenport, the preschool PTA president and my archnemesis. I flipped through the notes I’d written in my notebook and confirmed that all important dates were logged on my schedule. The haunted house was scheduled to run for the entire week leading up to Halloween and would be highly visible in Ericksville. Everything looked in order, but I felt bad leaving Beth at Angela’s mercy while I was gone. Then again, Beth had been running things at the Boathouse long before I started there and was perfectly capable of dealing with any type of difficult client.

  I shut the lid of my computer and pushed it to the back of the desk. I was going away for a week and this was the last time I planned to think about work. Adam and I had taken a couples trip together for our anniversary in June, but we’d never gone anywhere with both of the kids. School would be starting soon for Mikey and I expected Adam’s
commitments to his practice to increase in the near future, so our vacation to Thunder Lake Resort might be the last chance we had for a while to get away as a family. We were badly in need of some quality family time and I wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of that.

  2

  The next morning, I still felt as tightly coiled as a spring. It was funny. Vacations were supposed to be relaxing, but the preparations beforehand were incredibly stressful. I didn’t remember feeling like that before having kids, but I suppose I only had myself to take care of back then. It seemed like with each kid, the stress—and gear required—had been multiplied by a factor of four.

  I checked my packing list again and reassured myself that there were only a few last-minute items to add. After Goldie finished his breakfast, I’d throw his food bowls, kibble and leash into the car and I’d be done packing for him. Dogs were so much easier than kids. I’d briefly considered bringing Ella’s Exersaucer, but Adam had vetoed that. I’d settled on her Pack ‘n Play, bouncer, and stroller. Even with those few bulky items, the car-top carrier might be needed. I scribbled a note about it on the bottom of my list.

  I washed off the kitchen counters and eyed the back of Adam’s head. He and Mikey were eating buttered toast on the couch while watching cartoons. Ella sat in her bouncer close by on the floor, watching the animated characters intently. This was my chance.

  “Honey,” I called out. Adam didn’t turn. I walked over to him and tapped him on the shoulder. I really hoped he had everything under control so I could sneak out to grab a cup of coffee in town by myself before getting into the car for a long road trip with two small children and a cranky husband.

  He finally looked up. “Hey. What’s up?”

  “I’m going to walk down to see Desi, ok?” I leaned across the back of the couch so I was more in his line of sight.

  “Sure. We’re still leaving at noon, right?”

  I could see him watching the show out of the corner of his eye.

  “Yes.” The kids’ eyes were glued to the TV. I didn’t like having them watch so much television, but in this case, it was buying me some much needed time to myself. “Hey, we might need the car-top carrier. Is it accessible in the garage?”

  I had his full attention.

  “I think so, but how much stuff are you bringing anyway?”

  I jutted out my chin. “Babies have a lot of gear.”

  He shook his head. “I’ll get it out of the garage.” He motioned to the door. “Go have fun. Say hi to Desi for me.”

  “Bye, honey. Love you, kids.” I grabbed my purse and hurried outside before anyone changed their mind about letting me leave. Leaning against the front door, I took in the view of Puget Sound and the town of Ericksville below our house, which sat high up on the hill. Desi owned the BeansTalk Café, housed in a converted lighthouse keeper’s cottage. Her baking skills were top-notch and my mouth watered just thinking about her baked goods. It would be so peaceful to eat a pastry and drink a cup of coffee at one of the outdoor tables overlooking the lighthouse grounds and Puget Sound. I quickened my pace. The faster I got there, the more time I’d have to relax and—maybe, if I was lucky—read the paper uninterrupted.

  When I reached the café, all of the outdoor tables were occupied. I tried to convince myself that it didn’t matter and I could relax inside just as well, but I knew it wouldn’t be the same. There was something magical about sitting outside, feeling a gentle breeze flowing by and hearing the sounds of the boats cutting through the waves.

  I didn’t see Desi anywhere, but I ordered my coffee and a piece of coffee cake at the counter from Desi’s assistant. After she handed them to me, I turned to see if there were any vacancies in the outdoor tables, but they were still full. I hesitated, unsure of where to sit.

  “What’s wrong?” Desi asked as she approached me.

  “Oh, nothing.” I stared down at my coffee cup. Even the cute heart the barista had swirled in the top of my latte wasn’t lifting my spirits.

  She put her hands on her hips. “Jill. You look way too glum for someone holding a cup of java and a piece of my coffee cake.”

  “It’s silly, but I had this picture in my head of eating outside today. I need to decompress a little after making it through my packing lists.”

  She laughed. “I felt the same way this morning. How is it possible that such small children could need so much stuff for a week away? Anyway, I left the kids with Mom this morning before work and took a walk on the beach.” She pointed toward the staff-only area behind the counter. “You could sit at my table. Andrea isn’t due for a break for a while, so no one is using it.”

  I brightened. “Oh yeah, I’d forgotten about your secret garden.”

  She laughed again. “You’re free to sit there. Just go through the back.” She glanced at the round clock on the wall. “You know, I might join you.” She added quickly, “If you don’t mind the company, that is.”

  “I’d love for you to join me.” Suddenly, chatting with a friend sounded like a much better option than sitting alone. I followed her behind the counter where she snagged a cup of coffee and a brownie for herself and then continued out the back door.

  Recently, she’d made herself a small private sitting area outside, surrounded by white lattice work and colorful flowers. We sat down on the cushioned chairs and I leaned back for a moment, gazing up at the blue sky. “This is the life.”

  Desi sipped her coffee. “So, was Adam as bad as Tomàs about the packing? I swear, he threw a few things in a bag and called it good. I had to keep reminding him about things that he’d forgotten.”

  “What do you think?” I crushed a piece of brown sugar topping between my fingers. “And Adam thinks going tent camping would be fun. I can’t imagine how much planning that would take for us and two little kids.”

  Desi scrunched up her face like she had tasted something sour.

  “Yeah, that’s going to be a while. I don’t think I want to take the kids out tent camping at least until Lina is potty-trained. Tomàs and I made the mistake of taking Anthony camping when he was little, and let’s just say it wasn’t an enjoyable experience for either us or the people in the campsite next to us.” She swigged the last drop of her coffee and stood, picking her plate up from the table. “I’m excited to see the resort after hearing you talk it up all these years.”

  I laughed. “I’ve never been there, so I hope it’s all that Leah has made it seem.”

  “What made her move out there anyway?”

  “I don’t know. She got tired of the rat race, I guess.” I wrapped my fingers around the handle of the cup. “If I hadn’t left when I had kids, I probably would have reached the same point eventually. That commute was starting to wear on me.”

  “Was she always interested in the outdoors?”

  An image of Leah in her high heels and tight pencil skirts flashed through my mind, making me laugh again.

  “No. When I first met her, her idea of being outdoors was to have coffee on the rooftop deck of our building. But once she met Del, she started going hiking with him and I saw a gradual change in her. He brought out a whole new side of her that loved the outdoors.” I shrugged. “After a while, being locked inside a building all day really got to her.”

  She nodded. “It would to me too. That’s why I like being my own boss.” She looked around. “Speaking of which, I’d better get back to work. We’re pretty busy this morning, and I’m going to try to knock off around three so we can leave for the resort before rush hour.”

  I nodded. “I should get home too.”

  I finished my food and stood. Desi and I went back into the café and deposited our plates in the dishwashing sink. In the main part of the café, I heard a familiar voice talking to someone in line and I fought the urge to hunch down behind the counter.

  Nancy Davenport. Any stress that had dissipated during my coffee chat with Desi came roaring back in full force. I contemplated going out the back way, but then steeled mysel
f to walk past her.

  “Hi, Nancy.” I smiled, determined to kill her with kindness. I’d vowed that this year at preschool was going to be better than the last two. I had hoped that Nancy and I would have developed at least a cordial relationship by working together at the preschool auction last spring, but every interaction I had with her proved me wrong.

  “Why hello, Jill. It’s nice seeing you again. We didn’t see much of you at the preschool after your parent volunteer week was up. Some of the parents come in every week, you know.” She smiled at me with a cat-got-the-canary grin. “I was so sorry to hear that Mikey wasn’t going to be attending Busy Bees Preschool in the upcoming school year.”

  I tilted my head to the side and gave her a quizzical look. “What do you mean, not attending? Mikey is going to be in the pre-K class this year.”

  She shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. Danielle didn’t receive a registration form for him, so he’s not on the class list. The final deadline was last week.”

  I stared at her. Ice shot through my veins, pooling in my stomach. I closed my eyes briefly. In all the excitement of everything that had gone on over the summer and starting my new job, I’d completely spaced out on the registration deadline for Mikey’s preschool.

  “Will he be attending another preschool in Ericksville? I hear the one on Cherry Street is good,” Nancy said, giving me a knowing smile.

  I opened and closed my mouth like a fish. “You know, I have a registration form for Mikey, I’ll just walk it over to Danielle today.” I wasn’t sure how I was going to manage to sandwich that into my already packed schedule before we left on our vacation, but I knew it needed to take priority over everything else. If Mikey didn’t attend Busy Bees Preschool, I didn’t think I’d be able to get him into another preschool or daycare on such short notice before school began in a little over a week.