Free A Caffeinated Crunch: A Cozy Mystery (Sweet Home Mystery Series Book 2) by Constance Barker

had a point. Someone that young would stand out in a mostly senior crowd. “I think his wife would have more reason to get rid of him than anyone. And she was the one who found him.”
     
    “You have a point,” Essie grumped.
     
    “You all are giving me a headache,” I said rubbing my temples. “Listen, I’m leaving early to go with Jules to Lucille’s to have her dress rehemmed. Can you two close for me?”
     
    My aunts said no problem as we walked back out into the shop. Mildred had finished her tea and was heading out. “I’m stopping by the police station on the way home to tell them what I know. I’ll see you soon.”
     
    As Mildred walked out Jules came in. “Is Mildred doing okay? I wondered how she was holding up after the other night.”
     
    “She seems to be better now,” Hildie answered. “So your dress came unhemmed?”
     
    Jules nodded as I gathered my bag. “I snagged it on something at the fundraiser, and now it’s unraveling. I thought it best to let an experienced seamstress like Lucille fix it than for me to try to. I’d just make it worse.”
     
    We headed out and over to Lucille’s boutique which was only a few blocks away. When we entered the shop, we were the only ones there. Jules carried the dress to Lucille who was behind the register.
     
    “Here’s the dress I called you about,” Jules said.
     
    Lucille studied the loose hem and said, “I can sew that right up in a jiffy girls, if you want to wait for it.”
     
    “Are you sure Lucille?” Jules asked. “I can always come back and pick it up.”
     
    “No sense in that,” Lucille answered. “I’ll only be about five, ten minutes at the most.”
     
    Lucille headed to the back of the shop and we were left to look around. Jules walked over to me where I was admiring some antique pins. “I thought she looked awfully tired, that’s why I told her I’d pick it up later.”
     
    “Really?” I asked, still looking at the pins. “I didn’t notice.” Jules and I separated as she moved towards the dresses and I walked over towards the gloves. As I browsed through the accessories I saw something familiar out of the corner of my eye. I glanced over, and there they were…the scarves with the paisley blue and gold pattern. I immediately grabbed the paper out of my purse to compare the pattern. It was a dead on match.
     
    “Jules get over here,” I said still looking at the scarves as they hung from a hook.
     
    “What?” She asked still perusing through the dresses.
     
    “Get over here now,” I said with more urgency.
     
    I heard the clip clop of her heels as she walked towards me. I pointed to the scarves when she reached my side. “Oh my gosh! That’s it!” Jules exclaimed.
     
    “Maybe Lucille knows who might have bought this scarf in the last few weeks,” I said. “Let’s go find her.”
     
    We walked towards the back of the shop. Lucille didn’t have a door separating the front and the back of shop. Only a long piece of black fabric separated the two areas. I poked my head around the material. “Lucille?” I looked around but didn’t see anyone. I opened the curtain and walked into the back with Jules following me. “Lucille?” Still no answer.
     
    “Oh, I bet her sewing machine is upstairs in her apartment,” Jules said. “That’s probably where she is.”
     
    Jules was likely right. Lucille owned the building her boutique was in and lived in the apartment above it. We decided to wait downstairs for her.
     
    “Oh look,” Jules said as she walked over to a rack filled with new dresses. “She said there was an order of new dresses coming in.”
     
    I looked over at the counter and noticed a few new jewelry pieces as well. As I walked over to them I stopped short. There, sitting by a bracelet with red baubles, laid the scarf. But this one had been torn. You could see the jagged edge on one end. My heart leapt into my throat and at first I couldn’t find my voice. Finally I croaked,