Death at the Beach House: Cozy Mystery Beach Reads, #1
By Molly Dox
5/5
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About this ebook
Daisy Bexford's tangled in a deadly investigation. After a friend dies and she's found at the scene, things aren't looking very good.
Sure, Vera Madison could be a little salty, but did she deserve to die? Crabby, yes? Insulting? Oh, yeah. But when Daisy lost her parents in a deadly accident, it was Vera who was there for her. She'll never forget that.
Daisy's determined to clear her name and find justice for a dearly departed friend. This family-friendly cozy mystery offers a fun cast of characters and a puzzle to solve.
Read more from Molly Dox
An Annie Addison Cozy Mystery
Related to Death at the Beach House
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Death at the Beach House: Cozy Mystery Beach Reads, #1 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Deadly Beach Read: Cozy Mystery Beach Reads, #2 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
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Book preview
Death at the Beach House - Molly Dox
Chapter 1
Daisy Bexford poured herself a double and set it on the granite bar top. She wasn’t in the habit of tossing one back at work, or even barely past six o’clock unless she was celebrating. And celebrating she was not. It’s just that she knew what the rest of her night entailed.
It would take time, patience, and a couple of strong shots.
Vera Madison was in town, along with her family. She was usually happy to see them. Truly, she was. Unfortunately, there was always some kind of drama that tangled around the Madison clan. Bickering, accusations, and the occasional insults were table fodder. The shots of whiskey she poured over a stack of ice would make the visit easier.
She swirled the amber whiskey in the glass, helping it chill faster.
Pour me one for the road,
Tracy said, bearing the brunt of her frustration. Get through the night, and call me to vent tomorrow. You’ll be golden for another year. You can put it behind you. Obligation finished, old memories revisited. Why you have to go twice is beyond me.
If only it was that easy. You know I have mixed feelings about them,
she lamented. Daisy glanced at the clock one last time and then threw back the double shot of whiskey. She grimaced, wishing she’d chosen something different. Bad call, she should have gone with the Grey Goose. She wasn’t even much of a drinker, but the heavy mood seemed to match something other than a fruit flavored smooth vodka.
Listen, all you have to do is show up, make conversation, count fingers and toes, see everybody is alive and accounted for, and then excuse yourself. Beg off with an upset stomach of something, a headache, anything. We’ve all had them and can relate. Ugh, this migraine has been going all day,
she teased, then fluffed her hair while waiting for her drink.
Daisy re-upped her friend’s martini glass. She’d been on a martini kick. Not any boring martini of the sort, but the playful, girly kind in different flavors. She’d gone through an Appletini phase, and then her Lemon Drop martini phase. Her latest kick was the Watermelon Martini phase.
Daisy groaned playfully. I know, I know, but it’s only once a year. I haven’t seen them in ages, and I always feel like I need to pay my dues. I’m grateful, Tracy, even after all of these years. It’s hard to explain, but I was lost and she helped me. Of all the people in the world, I didn’t expect Vera Madison to be the one to help, but it was her. I can’t forget that. In fact, I don’t want to forget that.
I know, after you lost your parents, she was there. She made sure you were okay, you were lost. Sweetie, I understand your sense of duty, but that was ten years ago.
She shook her head. At what point have you said thank-you enough?
Daisy nodded. It doesn’t change how I feel. Anyway, let me wrap up here. I need to clock out and get going. It’s once a year. I can do this. It won’t even be that bad. I’ll give you a call tomorrow, but I need to head out. Dawdling isn’t going to change anything.
Yeah, because that long walk down the street is going to take hours? They’re like two blocks away!
Tracy laughed, picked off the piece of watermelon that garnished her drink, and took a sip of the freshened concoction. Oh, that was a good one. I should get going too, I suppose. Even though it would be more fun to hang out longer, maybe share a bottle of wine later, do something fun?
Not tonight, but maybe next weekend,
she said. I’ll have to check the schedule. We have a couple people taking vacations through the summer. Ironic twist, people come here to vacation, and people leave here to vacation. The life of a tourist town.
At least their beach rental is convenient, right? Okay, happy walking, have a good night, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.
Tracy finished her drink and then picked up her purse. I better get going. Not a clue what I’m having for dinner. Maybe I’ll stop at the market. Oh, maybe take-out. Anyway, talk to you later. Good luck.
Daisy saw her co-worker, the person filling in for the night shift, come through the front. She made sure everybody was good at the bar, then went back to clock out. Her replacement made their way to the bar and turned on like a light switch, smiling at the patrons.
Daisy had been working at Daddy-Roo’s for three years. If it wasn’t for the busy summer season, she’d be in trouble. Money was great when things were hopping, but once the slow, off-season rolled around, she was out of luck. Off-season barely got her part-time hours, but at least she could take classes in the slower time of the year. The summer, she grabbed as many hours as they had available, knowing she’d need to sock away extra cash if she wanted her money to last longer.
She let herself out of the building and went down the steps that led to the street. The once quiet roads were bustling with cars, everyone on their way to dinner, play miniature golf, catch a movie, or whatever else they were planning on doing. Some people were heading back from the beach with their towels thrown over their shoulders, and their feet covered with sand.
She glanced over at the main drag. The line of traffic screamed summer. With the traffic lights turned back on for the summer, the drive from one place to another took twice as much time. Off-season, the traffic signals blinked and a trip from one place to another was a snap.
While she hadn’t grown up there, she had grown up down the road from the Madison’s. They were family friends. Friends until the end. After her parents died, Vera Madison looked after her. She couldn’t eat, sleep, or function. Vera made sure to help her through the motions each day, and Daisy would never forget her kindness.
Her family didn’t think Vera was all that kind. In fact, growing up, she’d actually held a similar opinion. But when the chips fell and life took a turn for the worse, Vera was there for her. Alone in the world, Daisy was lost. After the car crash that took the lives of her mother and father, she’d never felt so alone. Vera promised her she wasn’t. She always had the Madison family. How do you forget that?
***
Long Beach Island was a place for family vacations. A barrier island off of New Jersey’s coastline. The eighteen-mile playground was dotted with expensive homes, pristine-soft sandy beaches, and a host of entertainment options for the summer crowd.
The swath of land was mostly rental homes. What had once been filled with modest homes in earlier years, had