Ice Cream You Scream: A Cozy Mystery (Caesars Creek Mystery Series Book 4) Read online

  Ice Cream You Scream

  by

  Constance Barker

  Copyright 2015 Constance Barker

  All rights reserved.

  Similarities to real people, places or events are purely coincidental.

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  I’m not a big fan of Halloween, although I do enjoy dressing up. Stormi’s the same way; she loves the costumes, but not the gory stuff normally associated with it. However, Paige and her husband Bruce love the whole ball of wax including gruesome attire, orange and black decorations, and seeing the kiddoes all dressed up. I admit, I love watching the little ones as well, and give out ice cream cones on what we call ‘beggar’s night’ here in Caesars Creek, Georgia. But this Halloween would be different from the others in many ways.

  Several weeks before Halloween, Bruce decided he was tired of traveling for business. He missed his wife and daughter and wanted to hang out his own shingle instead of working hard for someone else. He was also weary of the technological field. Fortunately, he also had a finance major, allowing him the ability to help others with financial planning. All he needed was an office where he could meet with clients.

  The building next to mine had been vacant for years. The owner lived out of state and didn’t seem to care that it wasn’t rented. Bruce thought it might be the perfect setup for his new venture, but it would need a lot of cleanup work. That day he and Paige sat at one of the tables enjoying their cherry jubilee and java mocha cones as they laid out their plans to Stormi and me.

  “I’ve got a call into the owner of the building regarding a lease and fixing up the place,” Bruce said as he took another lick of his cherry jubilee.

  Stormi emptied the trash from the barrel sitting in a corner of the store. “I have a feeling you’ll be over here every chance you get.”

  Bruce grinned. “You got that right girlfriend.” Stormi snickered.

  Bruce stood up and grabbed a napkin from the holder on the counter. “I’m hoping to get the lease payment down if I clean and fix up the place. I looked through the front window and it definitely has some issues.”

  Paige crunched into her sugar cone. “I don’t care how many issues it has, if this keeps you home I’ll scour the place with my own two hands.”

  “Hopefully I can have professionals clean it up,” Bruce replied as he wiped his mouth with the napkin and threw it into the trashcan. “But maybe you girls can look the place over for me during my last business trip…that is if I get the place.”

  At that moment, his phone rang. “It’s him.” Bruce walked to the corner of the shoppe to take his call.

  I turned to Paige. “I bet you’re excited about him being home more.”

  Paige stood up from the table as she watched Bruce talking on the phone. “You know it. But I don’t want to get too excited in case this falls through.”

  Stormi watered the potted plants dotted around the shoppe. “Even if this falls through couldn’t he find another place to lease?”

  “I suppose,” Paige answered. “But he wants to be in town, and those other places in the strip malls are too expensive to rent. He’s hoping he can get this one cheap, clean it up with little hassle, and get going on building his client list. Plus I’d like him to be home this year when I decorate for our annual Halloween party. Every year he’s gone on a business trip right before the party and then comes home the day of and all he has to do is jump into his costume.”

  Stormi grimaced. “Yeah, and every year Tara and I have to come over and help with all the creepy crawly decorations. I hope you got rid of the skull with the chattering teeth, otherwise I’m going to knock a couple teeth out of its head.”

  Every year Paige and Bruce have a Halloween party and every year we help with the decorating and the menu, which would of course include gooey oddities like, eyeball meatballs or spaghetti brains. It wasn’t that we didn’t enjoy helping out, but Stormi and I are a bit squeamish when it comes to anything Halloween. Of course, everyone knows this so it’s oh so funny to scare the crap out of us every year.

  “Yeah, I love helping you guys,” I said. “But could Stormi and I skip the party?”

  “You may not.” Paige stated in her most motherly tone.

  “Then please tell everyone to quit picking on us,” Stormi demanded.

  Paige grabbed a wet cloth to clean off her table. “You know you sound like my 5 year old nephew.”

  “I know how he feels,” Stormi sulked.

  Bruce hung up from his call with the owner and walked towards the counter. “I got the lease. I don’t know whether to dance a jig or weep. I know that place needs a lot of work. The owner said he’d pay for any major issues if we didn’t mind cleaning it up.”

  “That’s awesome,” I exclaimed. “And I’ll help with the cleanup. It shouldn’t be too difficult.”

  Bruce sat down at a table. “I take it you haven’t seen the inside of the building.”

  “Well, no I haven’t,” I agreed. “Surely it isn’t that bad.”

  “Be afraid…be very afraid,” Bruce announced cryptically.

  Stormi threw down her wet cloth. “Don’t start with me Sparky!”

  Bruce laughed. “I’ll make sure we all have dust masks for our inaugural visit.”

  What we didn’t know at the time is that something good and something not so pleasant would come out of this new venture.

  *****

  The owner of the building sent the keys overnight shipment to Bruce and he was more than ready to look the space over. Fortunately for him, he was leaving the next day for his last business trip with the tech company so that meant the three of us, plus Paige and Bruce’s daughter Sam, would be in charge of cleaning up the place. We all met, minus Sam, an hour early before I opened my shoppe.

  Bruce and Paige were excited to start this new chapter in their lives. While I was enthused for them, I felt a sort of trepidation where this building was concerned. The space remained vacant for many years. Before that, it was used primarily as storage space. A company kept boxes of files within its walls. I thought it odd that a downtown building would be used in such a way, but perhaps it was cheap rent. Once the new owner purchased the building, a moving company came in and removed all the file boxes. I heard the new owner never visited the building or our town. He was one of those real estate tycoons buying up cheap properties across the nation waiting for the economy to improve and sell for a profit. However, the shape this building was in, he might be waiting for a long time.

  As we stood at the front door of the building, Bruce handed out dust masks to Paige, Stormi and I. “Don your masks ladies. I have no idea what ancient dust particles lie within.”

  We pulled the dust masks over our faces while Bruce unlocked the door. The old wood door creaked as he opened it slowly.

  “It has the haunted creaky door sound down pat,” Stormi mused.

  Bruce entered through the door first followed by Paige and I. Stormi brought up the rear. She was so close to my hind end I could feel her hot breath on my neck.

  The space was much as I imagined it would be. Dark, dreary, dusty, cobwebs and creaky floors.

  While I couldn’t see Stormi’s nose through the dust mask, I was sure it was turned upward. “Well Paige, if you want to hold your Halloween party here you won’t have to change the décor much.”

  “That’s for sure,” Paige agreed.

  The space was open and with no furniture except for an old desk and chair sitting in the corner. Bruce walked around the r
oom checking out who knows what. Of course, he could see the potential.

  “We get this front glass window cleaned it will let in a bunch of natural light. I’ll have Brandon install overhead lighting and check out the plumbing. After you girls get it cleaned up, I’ll be ready to roll out my shingle.”

  Stormi walked over to the desk and using the tips of her fingers picked up a lonely old pen. She pursed her lips and blew the quarter inch of dust off the pen’s surface. “I think you better order a hazmat team.”

  Bruce laughed. “It’s not that bad. Nothing a little elbow grease can’t handle.”

  Stormi looked at Bruce. “Says the man leaving on an all expenses paid business trip tomorrow.”

  Bruce removed his dust mask and put his arm around Stormi’s shoulders. “I promise I’ll take you ladies out for a nice dinner when I get back.”

  Paige took off her mask and looked around the space. “You better promise them a trip to a Caribbean resort.”

  Stormi and I removed our masks and we all continued our tour of the dilapidated building. A set of stairs stood on the right side wall.

  “Do we dare attempt the stairs,” Paige asked.

  “Of course,” Bruce answered. “Back then they made stuff to last.”

  “Tell that to the termites,” Paige countered.

  “That’s true,” Bruce reluctantly agreed. “I’ll have Brandon check them over first.”

  Brandon was Stormi’s little brother. He and I had gotten into a little tiff when our friend Trixie was in a bit of trouble a month ago, but everything had smoothed over now. He was back to being his jovial self and I remained wondering why I felt funny every time he came into the my ice cream shoppe.

  I’d known Brandon since he was a young boy since Stormi and I grew up together. I’d never thought much about Brandon except he was Stormi’s brother and a good guy, but the last month or so these feelings that I can’t describe began to blossom every time he came near me. At first, I thought it was a fluke, but when these reactions kept occurring, I knew something was up. As much as I fought it, I was falling for him. Miss Trixie didn’t help when she told me she saw how Brandon looked at me. I couldn’t see it, but perhaps it was because I didn’t want to set myself up to be hurt again. One failed marriage was enough thank you. However, whenever his name was brought up, my heart skipped a beat.

  Stormi headed towards the front door. “Let’s get out of here then. All this dust is playing havoc with my hair.”

  Bruce looked up at the ceiling. “Yeah, I’ll give Brandon a call and have him inspect the place first and make sure it’s safe.”

  Just then, we heard a clamor coming from overhead. It sounded like storm troopers taking over the second floor of the building. Stormi’s hand flew up to her chest. “Sweet Mother!” She yelled. “What is that?”

  Before any of us could scream or run, we caught sight of movement racing down the stairs. Whatever it was, it was short, brown and making barking noises. I’d just met the new man in my life.

  *****

  After flying expletives and racing around we finally caught the little stinker. His hair was matted and his nails needed trimmed, but otherwise the dog seemed in good health and spirits. Once we corralled him, he leaped into my arms as if to say, “I’m yours!”

  Bruce locked the building as the rest of us took the dog into the back of my shoppe. I let him down and he sniffed around the assorted boxes and freezers. “I wonder how he got in there.”

  At that moment, Bruce entered the back door. “There’s a broken window around back. I bet he jumped in that way.” Bruce bent down to make the dog’s acquaintance. “Isn’t that so…who’s a good boy…you’re a good boy aren’t you?” Bruce said in his most annoying baby voice. As if to answer, the dog gave him a playful ‘woof.’ Bruce ruffled the dog’s head and ears and continued to regale him with baby sounds.

  Paige wasn’t impressed. “How much longer is this display going to go on?”

  “Awww honey, just look at that face,” Bruce said pointing to the dog’s scroungy muzzle.

  I knew a little about dogs. My family owned various dogs through the years, usually labs or German shepherds. I wasn’t use to small dogs however, but I could tell this one was what they called Westies, or West Highland Terrier. He was supposed to be white, but you could barely tell from the dungy brown matted hair.

  “He needs groomed stat!” Stormi announced. “Let me give Lucy’s Pet Spa a call and see if we can get him in right away.”

  Paige studied the dog. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

  Stormi held the phone in mid air. “Oh yes, I’ll ask for a pedicure as well.”

  Paige rolled her eyes. “No….Bruce is he wearing a collar under that matted hair?”

  Bruce looked and shook his head. “Nooo, he doesn’t, does he.” Bruce took to snuggling the dog while Paige scowled.

  “Don’t get any bright ideas big guy.”

  “I know you didn’t want to deal with a pet when I was on the road, but now that I’ll be home. Come on…look at that face.”

  As if on cue, the dog looked imploringly at Paige. Of course, he didn’t know Paige like we did. “I have nothing against the little guy, but I simply don’t want a pet in the house. And this guy is definitely a house dog.”

  Paige grew up with hunting dogs that stayed outside and roamed the hills around her parent’s property. Dogs in the house were forbidden and most of their dogs didn’t want to be inside anyways, preferring the outdoors with all the wild smells and wide-open spaces to run.

  “I’ll take him.” Did that just come out of my mouth? Everyone turned to look at me.

  “That works for me,” Paige answered quickly. “But after we get him groomed we need to take him to the vet’s office and see if he’s micro chipped.”

  Paige looked at Bruce who was still nuzzling with the dog. “And you need to stop making out with the dog and get ready for your trip.”

  Bruce whispered in the dog’s ear. “Just remember, stay on her good side stiff tail.”

  I looked at Bruce. “Stiff tail?”

  “Yes, I christen him ‘Stiff Tail.’ Don’t you agree?” He asked pointing to the dog’s little stub of a tail sticking straight up.

  “Surely we can come up with something better than that,” Paige answered.

  Bruce started for the back door. “You call him what you want ladies and I’ll do the same.”

  Bruce and Paige were headed home so I asked if they would drop ‘Stiff Tail’ off at the pet spa. It was almost time to open my ice cream shoppe and I didn’t have the front ice cream case filled yet. Paige called later in the day to say she picked up Stiff Tail and was headed to the vet to check for a microchip. That evening she and Sammy brought him back to the shoppe. I barely recognized him.

  “That can’t be the same dog,” Stormi exclaimed.

  I bent down to ruffle his head. “Oh my, he’s so handsome.” Now he looked like a regal Westie. The spa cut off the matted hair, groomed him, gave him a bath, conditioned his hair, and trimmed his toenails.

  “He’s all yours if you still want him,” Sam announced as she played with the spunky pup. Sam tossed a small ball her and her mother must have purchased at the pet spa. He chased it and promptly brought it back to her to throw again.

  Paige sat down at a table near the counter. “He’s not micro chipped. The vet gave him a quick once over and seemed to think he’s in good health, but he may need up-to-date shots.”

  I called him over to me and squatted down so we’d be on an eye-to-eye level. “Would you like for me to adopt you?” I asked. Not expecting an answer, I was shocked when he answered with a single ‘woof.’

  “I guess that answers your question,” Stormi stated. “So what are you going to name him?”

  I petted his head as I thought. “He looks like a Winchester.”

  “Awfully big name for such a small dog,” Paige replied. “But I agree…the name suits him.”

  After stop
ping at the pet store and allowing Winchester to pick out his new doggie bed, collar, leash, bowls and food, we headed home. He sprang through the door and promptly smelled every corner of the house. Once I changed into my PJs and he ate, we curled up on the couch together where he laid his head on my lap and quickly fell asleep.

  I wasn’t looking to add a dog into my life, it just happened. Perhaps that’s how people or events occur in your life. You may think it was a haphazard incident like a new job landing in your lap or the happenstance meeting of your future husband or wife. But I tend to think these occurrences are prearranged. I could be wrong, and that happens a lot, but finding Winchester and immediately adopting him was out of character for me. Normally I need to mull things over before jumping into the fire, even adopting a small dog. However, this felt right. I had no qualms about it.