Free Murder in Aruba: An Anna Winters Cozy Mystery (Murder in Paradise Book 5) by Penelope Sotheby

joy. He mouthed the words, "I love you."
    She returned the gesture and mouthed them back. He was her rock, her soul, her other half. The one person she knew she could call on when the chips were down. Love like theirs was legendary and sacred. She couldn't wait until the day they would be wed.
    In a way, Anna thought perhaps life does give you everything you need when the time is right. She had to go through so many different trials and make so many sacrifices. But eventually, happiness did come. She realized that even if she could, she wouldn't have changed the journey she had taken to this point. Instead, she cherished the thought that she went through everything to finally make it to the place where she belonged. A place that she could call home with a man she could call her husband.
    Anna realized that since the incident on the roof she stopped having her attacks of anxiety as well. Overcoming that ordeal made her realize that she was stonger than she thought she was and she stopped reliving in her mind the abuse that her father put her through. She had accepted her past which allowed her to move on.
    Will returned and sat the pizza down in front of everyone. Pauline and Jack each took a slice and started eating, smiles crossed both their faces.
    "This is so good," Pauline said.
    "Really good pizza," Jack agreed.
    "Have a slice, sweetheart," Will urged and kissed Anna on the lips.
    "I suppose one slice isn't going to hurt anyone," Anna consented.
    They each took a slice of pizza and savored the first bite. Anna was impressed with the freshness of the dough, the zest of the tomato sauce and the savory melting cheese that topped it. Even the pepperoni on it was incredible.
    Looking outside, Anna thought how interesting it was that everything seemed better now than it had in months. Perhaps she had been miserable for quite some time. In a way, it made sense. Mr. Puccio and Cassandra had gone out of their way to make her life a living hell. Now, she was free of them and the life they were attached to. This was the first day as Anna Winters, Private Investigator. A new start with a new man and a friend that was near and dear to her heart.
    "Let's go see a play! I hear there is a good one that still has a few tickets in the box office," Will exclaimed.
    “Alright," Anna agreed.
    "I'm in!" Pauline nodded.
    "Sounds boring." Jack sighed. "But if it makes Pauline happy…well, then it makes me happy too."
    Everyone let out a laugh. The group finished their pizza and took off for the west end. As Will wrapped his arms around her, Anna closed her eyes for a moment and thanked God for the blessings in her life. It was the first time in a very long time that she truly felt loved.

Murder at the Inn - Chapter 1
     
     
    On a beautiful summer morning, at the far southwest corner of Graham Island, Mrs. Maureen Bennett tended her exquisitely maintained gardens and patios at The Last Chance Inn. The Tudor-style house cuddled against the flank of a rocky hill, and the grounds expanded for several acres of beautiful scenery, a golf course, and two private cottages behind the house. Maureen and her husband Daniel welcomed dozens of visitors every year. They enjoyed their retirement running the inn, and often said a quiet prayer of thanks to Maureen's Uncle George for leaving it to her when he passed ten years ago.
     
    * * *
     
    In the summer season, Maureen rose with the sun. That particular morning, after pruning the central topiary in the front garden, she knelt near the front door and transplanted some blooming pansies in festive colors on either side of the entrance. A shrill scream from the house startled her, and she dropped her trowel, threw off her gloves and ran into the house. For a woman in her 60's, Maureen kept herself in good shape, and she ran through the guest lounge, up the stairs, and around the corner to Agatha Thompson's room and hardly lost a breath.
    "Agatha!" Maureen rapped on the door's heavy wooden panels. "Agatha!