Chocolate Pie Murder : Kim’s Cozy Mystery - Book 1 (Kim’s Cozy Mystery series) Read online

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  Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Copyright 2015 by Tom Soule & Ricardo Taylor - All rights reserved.

  All rights Reserved. No part of this publication or the information in it may be quoted from or reproduced in any form by means such as printing, scanning, photocopying or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder.

  Disclaimer and Terms of Use: Effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book is accurate and complete, however, the author and the publisher do not warrant the accuracy of the information, text and graphics contained within the book due to the rapidly changing nature of science, research, known and unknown facts and internet. The Author and the publisher do not hold any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein. This book is presented solely for motivational and informational purposes only.

  Table of Content

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 1

  Kimberly Johnson glanced down at her latest masterpiece after toiling for hours in the kitchen. “My next best creation,” she mumbled as she gripped the pot in her hand and stirred for dear life. She was adding the final touches to an old family recipe for chocolate crumble, a recipe she boasted about earlier to her best girlfriend Sharon who was always playing the role of sidekick. Kimberly was the only daughter of the mayor of Huntington, Mr. Johnson. Mayor Johnson also owned the famous Johnson Resort in town.

  At first, Kimberly didn’t necessarily have a passion for cooking; however, she had a passion for attention. It was her signature move to present each new dessert and entre at benefits and other functions at the Johnson Resort, earning herself both the praise and acknowledgement she craved.

  Damn, it’s time, she thought as her phone buzzed inside her pocket. Today was one of Kim’s best days in the kitchen and soon the entire town would know why. Kim clicked her heels as she stepped into her red leather Cadillac. She was heading home after a long day. As she pulled up in the driveway a burst of excitement surfaced; she was going to see her boyfriend, her high school sweetheart, Sam Hamilton. She had been dating him since senior year. She loved everything about him: his stern directness, his ability to amaze her, and his ability to always know just what she wanted. As she slammed the car door shut, she stylishly flipped her golden curls and proceeded to walk model-style to her town house.

  She finally opened the door and walked inside. She looked up and her eyes captured Sam. Sam was looking handsome and dashing as ever, with his chiseled muscles showing through his shirt as it hugged his body.

  “You’re back. It’s not the same when you aren’t here,” Kim explained as she leapt into his arms. She turned her head as she heard sounds coming from the kitchen area. “What is that?”

  “It’s a surprise, babe,” Sam explained, holding her back so she couldn’t peek. She soon escaped his embrace to find her surprise.

  “Oh my, I can’t believe this! It’s world famous Dan Soule!” Kim said with profound excitement. Dan Soule was a famous chef on the cooking channel. He was creating his signature Citrus Chicken Medley. The aroma of the ginger baked chicken poured throughout the house. “I cannot believe that Dan Soule is cooking in my kitchen, how did you...?” Kim desperately asked Sam.

  “You are…just beyond amazing” Kim said as she struggled to find the words. At that moment, a tear of love fell from her eyes; in that moment she knew she was loved.

  It was now time to eat. Being a southern gentlemen, Sam pulled out her chair and gave her room to adjust herself comfortably. Sitting down next to her, he said, “bon appetite.” The candlelight glared on the table and Kim was in seventh heaven as she started to dive into the dish. With each new bite, the pepper flakes complemented the flavor. Overall, the dinner lived up to Dan’s legacy.

  “How was New York?” Kim asked.

  “It was no fun without you, just a series of meetings and over-budget projects that seemed to always steal my time,” explained Sam.

  “I am so happy when I am the joy of your day,” she said. Sam found her words funny and chuckled in amusement. Once they finished their dinner, they laid together on the sofa.

  “How are you really doing?” Sam asked, his tone becoming stern. Kim sat up more upright.

  “Well with all the new business I have at the Johnson Resort, my days are just getting longer and longer. Not to say I’m not happy. I’m sure I’ll win first place at the Huntington Annual Bakeoff,” Kim replied.

  “How can you be so sure?” Sam asked as he jokingly poked holes in her theory.

  “I created a masterpiece and it is to die for,” Kim said boldly.

  Once he was reassured she wasn’t pushing herself too hard, he walked over to the player and turned on some smooth jazz.

  “Yes, I love this track,” said Kim, mesmerized by the music.

  “I am happy you like it,” responded Sam as he returned to the sofa and began massaging her long legs.

  I feel so protected; nobody except you makes me feel this safe and in love, Kim thought to herself.

  After their amazing evening , Sam wanted to retire to bed; he got some whiskey to calm his thoughts, knowing that would help him sleep. Kim couldn’t resist herself, seeing Sam with whiskey, so she had to intrude.

  “So how was the ride on the train?” Kim inquired.

  “Funny story,” Sam replied. “I met this Yankee on the train. She got lost and I gave her directions. I think she might be related to Mr. Stoves.” Kim started to become very concerned.

  “I should be the only girl on your mind and making you laugh, Sam Robert Hamilton” Kim adamantly advocated. She was the town’s darling and no Yankee girl had the right to make her boyfriend laugh. Maybe the situation calls for hate mail and death threats, she jokingly thought.

  Chapter 2

  Sharon was always the first one to get to work, arriving every morning around 8:30 a.m. She got to the Johnson Resort and, like clockwork, made all the arrangements before Kim showed up.

  We need to get a staff for the carnation on Thursday, find out what waiters will be on duty, and finalize the recipes for the annual bake off. There’s so much to do! Sharon contemplated as she tried to put together the tasks of the day. Sharon’s role was to be Kim’s right hand woman. She was the devoted follower who masterfully executed everything Kim wanted done. Sharon deeply wanted her friends to be happy, Kim in particular.

  Kim’s other friend, Stacy, also worked in the catering business. Stacy was the friend who could always be counted on for a witty comment. She was the yes man in the group, always agreeing with everyone. The girls had been together since high school, and were now in their mid-20s.

  At 10:00 a.m., Kim revealed her creation to the girls.

  “I worked all day yesterday and perfected my mother’s recipe, God bless her soul.” Kim said. She then opened the fridge and pulled out a delicious, sophisticated Chocolate Crumble Cream Pie.
The girls were stunned; not only did it look amazing, Kim had done it all on her own. The masterful design had looked like a regular pie; however, it had chocolate ganache in the center and a secret homemade whipped cream with vanilla and cinnamon on top.

  “It was the best thing I’d ever tasted.” Stacy said.

  “You must not have tried a lot of things” replied Sharon with a smirk. Sharon knew that Kim really wanted a hit to win the bakeoff. After all, whoever won the bakeoff would cater the Governor’s Ball. Stacy clapped her hands at just the thought. Sharon and Stacy knew that Kim was gifted and the hours she put into cooking classes had paid off.

  “I’m so happy I can share this moment with you. It means so much,” Kim expressed to the girls. Kim’s words were genuine and sincere, and touched a place in Sharon’s heart. She pounced into action to work out the details for the Governor’s Ball after the heartfelt gesture by Kim. Kim never really did any of the managing; that was Sharon’s job.

  “Where is dad?” asked Kim.

  “He’s in a meeting” Sharon replied. “He’s gearing up to work on the governor’s visit to Huntington.”

  Mayor Johnson was very excited and happy to have Kim working at the Johnson Resort, running her own catering business. He was very pleased with the amount of success she’d had. Since her mother died when she was young, he had felt the need to spoil her rotten. While Sharon was working out the logistics of the business, Kim was gleefully hanging around the office until her dad was finished.

  “Pumpkin, what are you doing here?” Mayor Johnson asked.

  “I have something I want you to try, Dad,” Kim informed. She had prepared the pie in advance for her father.

  “What is this?” Mayor Johnson asked.

  “My secret weapon,” she explained. He took one bite and instantly recognized that it was Kim’s Mom’s secret recipe. He went over the moon with every bite.

  Chapter 3

  As hard as Sam tried, he could not shake the feelings he was having toward the rude Yankee girl he met on the train. He had very mixed views about his interaction with her. He was in his office at the firm when he started to recall the interactions.

  It was pouring rain in the afternoon and no flights were going in or out of town; the K transit train line was the only viable way back to Huntington. Sam and the other passengers were all very frustrated. He was drenched and umbrella-less.

  “What a day!” Sam sighed to himself. He’d just boarded the train and had finally settled into his seat. Two seats in front of him sat a lady who was clearly even more upset.

  “Geeze, what kind of name is ‘Huunt – ton. Do they hunt here?” she muttered irritably. She continued mumbling on. An older lady sitting beside her cut her eyes at her, disliking the comments. Sam had had enough.

  “Ma’am, it’s pronounced Hunt-ing-ton.”

  “Are you from there?” she chuckled.

  “As a matter of fact, I grew up there,” Sam firmly stated.

  “I am so sorry for being rude; I didn’t want to disrespect your hometown. It’s just that I am a little on edge and am traveling all the way from New York,” she tried to explain.

  “That doesn’t give you the right to be rude, but I do accept your apology.” Sam said. Clearly ashamed, she sat in silence until they approached Huntington.

  Once they arrived in Huntington, it was 5:00 p.m. and the pouring rain had ceased. When the train stopped, Sam proceeded to get off. He then turned to her and said, “have a good afternoon ma’am.”

  She looked with longing as she watched the tall, handsome man step off the train. She abruptly decided to follow him. She walked as if she were wearing the scarlet letter. When she stepped outside, she saw how beautiful and peaceful Huntington looked. Unfortunately, she didn’t know how she was going to get to her destination. She looked around, unsure about her decision to leave New York in the first place.

  “Mister, do you know where I can find the Stove residence? I know I was rude earlier and I still feel guilty, but I must find Mr. Stove,” she explained to Sam. Being the southern gentlemen he was, he was compelled to assist her.

  “Tell you what, ma’am, I will drive you there myself.” Sam said kindly. She rejoiced, feeling quite at home in spite of not knowing the stranger who had agreed to help her. While in the car, Sam offered his condolences about Mr. Stove. In the middle of offering his condolences, she shed a tear.

  “I have never met him; I didn’t even know he passed away. I came to meet him for the first time,” she explained. Now Sam felt very guilty.

  She was on her way to the house of a man she’d never met and I ruined it for her; she didn’t even know that he’d died, Sam thought to himself. He couldn’t help but feel responsible for spoiling the news of old man Stove’s death. The drive was very short, and Sam pulled up a few blocks before her exact location. She opened the door to exit the car.

  “Hey if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call,” Sam said.

  She looked at Sam and whispered back, “thank you.”

  Chapter 4

  The big day had finally arrived; it was a warm spring Sunday and the annual bakeoff was in full swing. The entire town had turned out; kids, teens, adults, all the shops—both mom and pop and large chains—were present. Kim, Stacy, and Sharon’s hard work was all on display.

  Oh my god, I’ve never seen a turn out like this before! I’ve already eaten some of the best carrot cake and pecan pie I’ve ever tasted, Sharon thought to herself as she hid in the bathroom from Kim. She knew that the new business plan hindered on winning the bakeoff, which was very competitive. She couldn’t help but be scared of what Kim would be like if she didn’t win. Kim was busy overseeing her cornbread vanilla cherry cupcakes, which had made a huge splash at the Bakeoff; in just a few hours, she’d already scored over 70 new contacts.

  “Stacy, look how fast they’re going! We’ll run out soon,” Kim said excitedly.

  “Maybe we should pull out the chocolate pie,” Stacy suggested.

  “No, the big guns are only for the judges,” Kim explained to Stacy. “By the way, have you seen Sharon?”

  “She went to the bathroom a while ago” Stacy responded. Kim left to find her.

  “Sharon, are you here? Are you okay?” Kim shouted with concern. She pushed past the gray bathroom stalls and saw Sharon hyperventilating.

  “What’s going on?” Kim asked.

  “I failed you; I placed all bets on this bakeoff and I don’t know if we even have a chance at the Governor’s gig,” Sharon explained.

  “I refuse to believe that. We’ve already sold all the cupcakes and we have over 70 new contacts. Stacy said that we have four orders for next week,” Kim said, trying to reassure Sharon.

  “I know, I know, I just wanted things to work out so badly,” Sharon insisted.

  “Wipe your face before you come back out; your makeup is running. And don’t worry. We’ll be fine, Sharon,” Kim said. After the heartfelt moment, they gathered their strength and exited the bathroom.

  “It’s now time for the bakeoff. If you are entering the competition, place your cake here,” the host told the audience.

  “Do we have your chocolate treats up at the judges’ table?” Sharon asked Stacy.

  “No, Adam will carry them there now,” Stacy replied.

  “Girls, get it together,” Kim said impatiently. Kim decided to walk to the judges’ station herself. As she approached the station, Kim’s hands trembled. Sharon’s earlier panic attack seemed to have spread to Kim.

  “No, ma’am, I can take care of this,” Adam said as he removed the cakes from Kim’s trembling hands.

  “This year, we have a special addition to the competition; in honor of Mr. Stove, we will include one of his recipes, prepared by his family,” the host announced respectfully. “Mr. Stove is a great chef who won many competitions here throughout the years, so let’s take a moment of silence to remember him.”

  The moment passed, then the host began announcing th
e cakes.

  “The first cake up is Annet’s ‘Dark Frost’ cake; I would love a taste of that dessert,” the host said jokingly.

  “Kim, we’ve got this,” Sharon said with her new found confidence.

  “Last but not least, the strawberry tart supreme,” said the host as he introduced the last competing dessert in the competition. “I hope Jasmine can live up to Mr. Stove’s legacy.” The mysterious girl, Jasmine, had the whole town under her spell. The town loved Mr. Stove, as his family had helped found Huntington.

  “Who is that?” Kim asked, surprised by the newcomer. She watched as the town admired Jasmine.

  I cannot believe this; who is this girl? she thought as she slipped out of the competition to catch her breath. While Kim was having her meltdown, the judges were mesmerized by her dish.

  “Drum roll, please, before we announce the winner of this year’s bakeoff!” the host said, exciting the audience. At that moment, Sharon clutched Stacy as both a sense of comfort and a good luck charm.

  “Dog gone it, for the first time ever we have two winners!” said the host. The audience clung to his every word.

  “The winners are Jasmine and Kimberly,” the host announced. After the names were called, the crowd applauded.

  “Oh my god, we won, we did it! Wait though, where is Kim?” Sharon asked, looking around, trying to find Kim in all the excitement. Sharon quickly scanned the room, then poked her head outside.

  “Oh, dear, there you are! Get inside! You won!” Sharon explained to Kim.

  Well, technically, it’s a tie, Kim thought to herself as she happily accepted the victory.

  “Where are the winners? Come up here to receive your checks and the honor to host the Governor’s Ball,” the hose said amid the crowd’s cheers.