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    Murder and Marshmallows: An Angela Morton Mystery, #1
    Murder and Marshmallows: An Angela Morton Mystery, #1
    Murder and Marshmallows: An Angela Morton Mystery, #1
    Ebook100 pages1 hour

    Murder and Marshmallows: An Angela Morton Mystery, #1

    By Lucinda D. Davis

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    About this ebook

    There's a killer with a good aim and a very sharp arrow at Mad River Campground and no shortage of suspects with motives for killing the shifty, lazy odd job man.

    Detective Angela Morton is tall, attractive, whip smart and she's suffering from a broken heart.  On compassionate leave from the Lake Placid Police, Angela is asked to investigate the murder and camping has never been so complicated or dangerous!

    Together, Angela and her friend Nathan Swale, a forensics expert, turn up some old history that some folks would prefer kept under wraps, then there's the matter of a boy's drowning, an incriminating photo that has resurfaced in a most unfortunate place, a cold case crime that's about to blow wide open, stolen love, and two suspects who aren't telling the whole story.

    Toss in an arrogant, overblown businessman who has nefarious plans for the small campground and who gets what he wants when he wants, and you've got the perfect mix for Murder and Marshmallows. But, are they moving into somebody's comfort zone? Will the next arrow find one of them?

    And what about that broken heart?  Nathan has eyes only for Angela, but he knows he's got to move slowly to win her over. The cozy campfire and meals under the stars seems like just the right place…if they can survive!

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLucinda D. Davis
    Release dateJan 16, 2019
    ISBN9781386622178
    Murder and Marshmallows: An Angela Morton Mystery, #1
    Author

    Lucinda D. Davis

    About the Author Lucinda D. Davis has been reading and loving mystery stories since she was old enough to haunt the narrow rows of books at the small Quebec, Canada village library where she spent her summers. After decades of penning ad copy, marketing, and writing for horse sport magazines, she decided to do what people had been telling her to do for years: write some books! She presently lives in a small hamlet on the beautiful Rideau Canal in Ontario, Canada. Her living room view looks out over the locks and waterways. This idyllic setting replete with friends, and more than a few interesting characters inspired her Boddington Bay series of short 'coffee break' cozy mysteries. Her longer Coppin's Lock series brings England to the Canadian countryside! The stories introduce readers to a trendy town in Ontario, Canada that could have been plucked from the English landscape, quirky characters included! Take the essential and quintessential British tea shop, pub and antique shop, throw in two female sleuths, add a Police Chief left shaking his head and you've got the ideal cozy mystery. While the girls may roam from home from time to time, their hearts are firmly set in Coppin's Locks! Visit her website at http://www.lucindadavisauthor.com and Like her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Lucinda-D-Davis-637648859641784/

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      Book preview

      Murder and Marshmallows - Lucinda D. Davis

      Murder

      and

      Marshmallows

      LUCINDA D. DAVIS

      PUBLISHED BY

      LUCINDA D. DAVIS

      COPYRIGHT@2018

      All rights reserved.

      No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent of the copyright owner, and publisher of this book. 

      Go camping, they said.

      You’ll have fun, they said.

      Catch a killer, they said.

      And she did!

      Prologue

      The old hardwood recurve bow creaked alarmingly, but the fingers at the arrow were steady.  The right hand pulled the string back, then released it confidently. Milliseconds later the arrow found its mark and the target fall face forward in the forest floor’s green moss, the razor-sharp hunting arrow tip firmly embedded in the left lung. The victim gasped for breath and clawed the forest floor. Blood from torn and shredded arteries turned the forest floor bright read.

      The archer watched briefly from behind a tree, then placed the bow and remaining three arrows in an oversized bag. As one life ebbed away, the archer turned and walked away, satisfied with a job well done.

      Chapter One

      Sally Pearce, cheerful co-owner of Mad River Family Campground, and wife of Mel, the world’s most miserable campground owner, walked through the back door of the Welcome Center. She could hear the heated conversation between her husband and campers at the front desk.

      Well, it’s clearly a computer glitch. Nothing I can do about it. And, no I can’t just, ‘fit you in’ as you suggest, grumbled Mel.

      Charlene, their summer employee, glanced uncomfortably at the group and was glad when Sally made an appearance to deal with the mess, as she so often did.

      We’ve been over this for fifteen minutes, replied the woman, crossly shifting a screaming baby from left hip to right. I made the reservation and here is my confirmation!

      Can I help? asked Sally, smiling as she approached the woman.

      I made a reservation a month ago for this weekend and here is my confirmation, said the woman, showing Sally a computerized form with a confirmation number at the bottom. My husband and I and our three kids just drove four hours to get here. I am not leaving!

      I understand, and you are correct. You do have a reservation form and we will honor it, smiled Sally, silently cursing the faulty website that too often gave campers sites that were already booked and reserved. Time to threaten the website designer and manager, yet once again.

      This is indeed our fault. I have a nice site available near the swimming pool. The kiddies will love that, she added brightly, marking the campsite on a map and handing it to the woman as the group left the office.

      Mel, can’t you try to help customers out? she said through gritted teeth once the room was clear. She didn’t care if Charlene heard. She was way past pretending to be polite to Mel when it was just the three of them in the office.

      You’re one to talk. You gave them the hot-rod site, retorted Mel, pulling his pants up over his huge belly, and running his hands through his curly hair. This is a long weekend coming up. All those people will hear is teenagers yelling and the screech of tires and brakes on the highway. Did you really help them out?

      Better than sending them away because our stupid website screwed up again.  People leave reviews online now, you know. You can’t get away with lousy customer service, Mel.  When are you going to learn that? Now, Charlene, please call Fred and tell him to fix the website calendar once and for all or he’s history.

      Sally walked back into her office, slammed the door and opened the window, unable to suppress the urge for a cigarette, a habit she’d been trying to quit for two years. Just as she lit up, one of the campground’s rented golf carts came careening up to the office.

      Darn kids, she mumbled. There’s a speed limit for those things. Probably the Grant kids again. Little terrors and troublemakers. She stubbed out her cigarette in an ashtray and marched out to the front desk ready to deliver some rules and regulations. But instead of the Grant teenagers, long time camper Gladys Finch was gasping at the counter, Body in the woods. Blood.

      Where, Gladys? Are you sure? Not the kids having fun? A prank?

      Gladys pulled a camera out of her bag and fumbled for a few seconds until she shoved the device at Sally. Look! Here’s a photo I took while birdwatching. I was taking a photo of the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker past the old stables and when I moved the camera I saw the body.

      Sure enough, a body lay on the forest floor and something was sticking out of its back. Tall weeds partially obscured the body, but there was something there.

      What’s the matter? asked Mel, appearing from his office.

      Nothing Mel. I will deal with this. You go back to what you were doing, said Sally sharply. Mel knew better than to argue. Sally yelled at Charlene to hold the fort, then she and Gladys jumped in the golf cart and drove off at top speed down Goose Lane towards the edge of the campground. Minutes later Gladys pointed a shaking finger towards the woods. Sure enough, there was a body. Sally pulled out her cell phone, dialed Mel and told him to call and meet the police at the front gate and to bring them to the path near the stables. And they will need a hearse or whatever they do for the dead these days, she added before hanging up.

      Chapter Two

      The Mad River Campground erupted that afternoon once the rumors of a dead body in the woods began to circulate. The cause of death had undergone some creative transformations: someone had been trampled in a stampede by cows from the neighboring farm, or had drowned in the campground pool and had been moved to the woods. Angela Morton, a Lake Placid detective on compassionate leave, listened with half an ear as she stood at the campground bar sipping a beer.

      Did ya hear? asked Chuck, sidling up to Angela. She groaned inwardly and smiled briefly at the man who’d been flirting with her ever since her arrival six weeks ago. So far, she’d managed to put him off, but she knew that soon she’d have to put him in his place, firmly. His thinning hair, earrings, tattoos and teeth that needed serious dental work didn’t do a thing for her.

      No, Chuck. Didn’t hear a thing, she lied.

      Body. It was found in the woods. Half eaten by foxes or coyotes or something like that.

      Really? Gross.

      Yeah. Wanna another beer or something stronger? Chuck asked hopefully.

      Nope. I’m good to go. Time for my hot chocolate and my book.

      What ya reading?

      War and Peace.

      Steamy romance I bet.

      "Not really. Sort of a social commentary. It

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