William Jarvis - Sky Valley 03 - Mayhem at the Mansion Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Contents

  Chapter 1 A Dark Dream

  Chapter 2 The Invitation

  Chapter 3 Strange Encounters

  Chapter 4 See You At The Mansion

  Chapter 5 She’s Cooking Again

  Chapter 6 Party At The mansion

  Chapter 7 Desserts Prepared By Whom?

  Chapter 8 Everything’s Going To Be Alright

  Chapter 9 Bouquets

  Chapter 10 Dangerous Cakes

  Chapter 11 A Date

  Chapter 12 Be Careful

  Chapter 13 Grocery Shopping

  Chapter 14 The Stalker

  Chapter 15 Back To Business

  Chapter 16 How Well Do You Know Him?

  Chapter 17 This Was In The Pie

  Chapter 18 Allergies

  Chapter 19 She’s My Daughter

  What Happens Next

  About The Author

  Mayhem At The Mansion

  SkyValley Cozy Mystery Series

  Book 3

  By: William Jarvis

  Yap Kee Chong

  8345 NW 66 ST #B7885

  Miami, FL 33166

  Digital Edition

  Copyright 2015

  All Rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any way or form or by any means whether electronic or mechanical, this means that you cannot record or photocopy any material ideas or tips that are provided in this book.

  Get Notice of Our New Releases Here!

  http://eepurl.com/7jbzn

  Part 1 – Coffee, Cupcakes & Murder

  Part 2 – Beaches & Coffee

  Part 4 – Murderous Coffee Crumb

  Check Out Our Other Books

  Wolf In Disguise: Once Bitten

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PH8QGTO

  Wolf In Disguise: Never Forgotten

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PHJSF5Q

  Wolf In Disguise: The Past Bites

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PHJSF10

  Wolf In Disguise Trilogy

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RD4JH1O

  Forbidden Passion

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PHF6YQM

  Second Chance

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PHQ6HO0

  Closure

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PHF6XZY

  Black & White Trilogy

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PHJSF10

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1 A Dark Dream 6

  Chapter 2 The Invitation 10

  Chapter 3 Strange Encounters 14

  Chapter 4 See You At The Mansion 21

  Chapter 5 She’s Cooking Again 26

  Chapter 6 Party At The mansion 32

  Chapter 7 Desserts Prepared By Whom? 39

  Chapter 8 Everything’s Going To Be Alright 44

  Chapter 9 Bouquets 48

  Chapter 10 Dangerous Cakes 55

  Chapter 11 A Date 60

  Chapter 12 Be Careful 65

  Chapter 13 Grocery Shopping 68

  Chapter 14 The Stalker 71

  Chapter 15 Back To Business 75

  Chapter 16 How Well Do You Know Him? 79

  Chapter 17 This Was In The Pie 86

  Chapter 18 Allergies 89

  Chapter 19 She’s My Daughter 91

  What Happens Next 96

  About The Author 97

  CHAPTER 1

  A DARK DREAM

  "I'm sorry for everything I've done. I swear, if I was in the right state of mind and if I was thinking clearly, I would never think of those things. But I'm just this weak person who let other people feed on her weaknesses. And...and I know it's not right but I couldn't help it.

  I was the one who sent myself all of those things. I sent myself those crazy notes and I cut up that dress.

  I was also the one who killed my own husband. And I guess, it's also the reason why my mind cracked and made me realize that I was being insane and that what I was doing was wrong.

  All those things happened because someone asked me to do them. Someone who is mad at your family, Emmy. And I know that sounds like a lame excuse, but I can assure you that it's not. Or yeah, maybe it is and for that, I want to say I'm sorry.

  I want to tell you everything, but I can't tell you in this letter.

  But I want you to know that someone's trying to hurt you. Someone is behind this.

  I'll tell you when we talk. I just have to see the police first."

  Emmy woke up feeling like her heart was just going to get out of her chest. She was sweating and once again, she felt a surge of all these conflicting feelings.

  It's been three months since Ruby died. Ruby was Emmy's client who apparently turned out to be Daniel's ex-girlfriend. She got married at Beaches and Coffee, the branch of Emmy's family's coffee shop at the Sky Valley Resort. A lot of things have happened before and after the wedding, though.

  At first, Ruby pretended to be someone named Scarlet. Then, she fooled everyone by making them think that someone was threatening her and that someone was sending her nasty messages. She even cut up the first wedding dress that Emmy made for her which led Emmy to make another one.

  Then, Ruby's husband Edward died. It was ruled out as an accident but Emmy was questioned because it happened at the resort.

  Things really seemed to be crazy. And then there was that letter.

  For a couple of times now, Emmy had dreamed about it. Well, for her, those dreams were nightmares because they reminded her of how crazy things have been and how she failed yet again.

  Grace, Ruby's sister, gave her the letter after Ruby died. It never left her mind since.

  And you know what else didn't leave her mind? The fact that she and Daniel broke up.

  She couldn't blame him, really. She broke up with him, after all. But of course, it still hurt.

  She broke up with Daniel because she felt like it was all too much already. Audrina was accused of having something to do with Annabeth's death and Ruby, who was Daniel's ex, also died just three months ago. Emmy felt like it was all too much that she didn't know what to do anymore. She always had no idea what to do.

  Sure, she loved Daniel. In fact, she still loves him, but the thing is that she has no idea if their relationship was actually worth anything. All it brought was pain and sadness and all these confusion--and it is already very frustrating.

  She got up from bed and fixed herself before making her way downstairs where the smell of apples and pecan greeted her.

  She went to the dining room and found her father preparing some dishes. There was a platter of pie in the middle of the table.

  "Oh hey!" Troy said. "I tried making this apple and pecan pie which recipe I found online." He smiled, "It's crazy what you find on the internet these days!" He laughed.

  "Awww," Emmy said. "It actually smells good, dad." She then took a knife from one of the plates and cut a piece of pie which she placed on her plate. She dug in with a fork and tasted the soft bit of apples and the crunchiness of pecans in her mouth. The pie was decadent--there was no denying that. "It tastes great, too." She smiled and gave her father a peck on the cheek. It was small moments like this that made her smile.

  After Annabeth died, her father stopped cooking or spending time in the kitchen. He tried to make things work but then again, the tragedy at the resort happened and it shook him, maybe more than it shook Emmy. After all, he was the one who built their empire and it's his credibility that's slowly crumbling to pieces.

  "You know," Emmy said, "I'm happy you're baking again." She also wished the same for herself. After what happened at the res
ort, it was as if this big dark cloud of depression enveloped her and she didn't know how to function anymore. In fact, it has been three months since she put her apron on and cooked, or even made herself a salad. She also steered away coffee and everything that would remind her of how things have been in the past couple of months. She tried hard to escape from herself.

  In fact, she wanted to go back to Paris but she couldn't leave her father just like that. Plus, if she leaves, people would probably think that she really is healthy--and she couldn't let that happen.

  "Well," her father, Troy, spoke. "You got to do what you got to do. And, I think we really should not let them limit ourselves. Didn't you always tell me that people are always going to say something so you just got to do what you want?"

  She laughed."I'm finding it hard to listen to myself right now."

  "Miss Emmy?" The voice of Anja, their maid, resonated across the room. She's fairly new--she just started working for them a month and a half ago but so far, she's done well. She was industrious and determined and she never made any of them feel like she was scared of them.

  "Anja!" Emmy said, “What is it?”

  “Here,” Anja said as she handed her a cream black envelope with white lettering. Emmy’s name was written on it. “This came for you.”

  CHAPTER 2

  THE INVITATION

  “Thanks.” Emmy told Anja as she opened the envelope. She wondered who in the world would send her something like that. Audrina was still in Guatemala and they spoke mostly on the phone and via e-mail, Daniel was not speaking to her, and she basically cut ties with almost all her friends so it makes her wonder who on earth could be sending her a letter or whatever it is that she’s holding right now.

  Her eyes widened when she read what’s written on the letter.

  Dear Emilia Marie Byrne,

  You are cordially invited to my housewarming party on Saturday, the 5th of September, at 55 Cobbler Lane, Sky Valley, Rabun, Georgia.

  Wear black or white—it’s all up to you.

  See you there!

  Frank Alfred Holt

  “Frank Alfred Holt.” Emmy repeated then looked at her father. “Dad, do you know anyone named Frank Alfred Holt?”

  “No idea.” Troy answered. “He’s inviting you for a housewarming party, isn’t he? Maybe he’s new here.”

  “Yeah but I have no idea who he is. And how in god’s name does he know me?” She said.

  “Maybe, he heard about—“

  “About all those deaths?” Emmy said, the pain evident in her voice. “About the fact that our business is now struggling? Maybe, he wants me there so everyone could laugh at me.”

  “Honey, maybe he heard about your online business.”

  “Which is also stale right now, you know.”

  Troy sighed. “Relax, Em.” He said and held her by the shoulders. “I know life has been tough the past couple of months but what could we do? Maybe, he just wants to make friends. You haven’t gone out in so long, darling. Why not try this?”

  “Well, the last time I tried to get out there and rebuild my life after Annabeth’s death, it just came crashing down even more so you really couldn’t blame me, dad.”

  “I know,” he said. “But you also cannot just let yourself be cooped up in here forever.”

  Emmy looked at him and took a deep breath. Her father was the one who’s been cooped up at home all this time and now, he’s speaking like he wants Emmy to see the world again. “Wait,” Emmy said. “You know, I feel like you’ve been talking to Audrina. She’s the one who always talks that way, you know.”

  Emmy saw Troy blush—which doesn’t really happen. “Whoa!” Emmy exclaimed. “It’s true, isn’t it? You’ve been talking to her?”

  “Well…” Troy said.

  Emmy laughed. “I knew it!” She said. At first, it was awkward when she learned about Troy’s relationship with Audrina but when she realized that Audrina made her father happy and she was there for him when he felt so alone, she knew that things could work out between them—if only life wouldn’t be this hard. Audrina left for Guatemala because she became a suspect in Annabeth’s murder and when they all figured out that it really wasn’t her fault, she just decided that it’s best if she leaves. So she did.

  "I'm just saying," Troy continued, "that we couldn't let other people decide the way we should live our lives. I know I've done that for the past couple of months and that's why I don't want you to keep on doing it, too. It's time that you make friends again and that you find people who will appreciate you. Who knows? Maybe, it'll help you get past what happened between you and Daniel."

  Emmy really didn't want to think about Daniel anymore but she knew that it was just impossible. Daniel is still in Sky Valley and it was impossible that they ain't talking about him.

  Troy noticed that Emmy seemed to be distraught at the mere mention of Daniel's name. "Em, I'm sorry."

  "No, dad, it's okay. I mean you're right. It's just that I have no idea how to feel about this. It's just so hard to trust people and...and well, dealing with the break-up isn't exactly easy so..."

  "I know." Troy said. "I am not forcing you to go on a date or anything. Just...go out there and have some fun. You're going, you know. You deserve to have fun."

  Emmy smiled and took a deep breath. "So..." she said, "how are you and Audrina?"

  Troy laughed. "I'm telling you, it's not like that anymore. I just asked her how she is and you know, we've been exchanging e-mails and all that."

  "I never pegged you as a net-savvy guy." She teased.

  Troy laughed. "Well, times are changing..." He said. "Anyway, I have a meeting with the owners of the resort. They're thinking about reopening Beaches and Coffee but with a different name this time."

  "Wow." Emmy said. She just couldn't believe it. Ever since Ruby died, the coffee shop was closed for what seemed like forever. She and her father didn't talk much about it. They didn't want to deal with the pain but now it seemed like things are beginning to look good again. "Wow!" Emmy repeated and hugged Troy. "That sounds great, dad."

  "Thanks." Troy smiled. "There might be a lot of changes but there's always time for a new start, right?"

  Emmy smiled. "I'm proud of you." She said.

  "Thanks, sweetheart." Troy smiled. "So, I'll see you later?"

  Emmy nodded her head and bid her dad goodbye as he walked out of the house. Emmy looked back at the invitation and took a deep breath.

  Maybe I should give it a try. She thought. After all, what else could happen, right?

  CHAPTER 3

  STRANGE ENCOUNTERS

  The following day, Emmy decided to take a walk at the Sky Valley Park. It was a couple of minutes away from their house but she knew that she needed to walk around a bit and clear her head.

  It had been a while since she last went out of there house and had a walk, anyway. She believed that it was good to get some fresh air and maybe see some people spending time in the park so she could remind herself that she's still part of that world and that it's never really too late to try again.

  The smell of pine trees greeted her as she made her way around the park. There were couples and families everywhere. Some were riding canoes by the lake, others were having picnics on the grass, while others were just walking and talking or sitting down on benches.

  And there, in the middle of it all, she noticed that a lot of people were watching what seemed to be a show of sorts. She walked up to the throng of people to see what they were busy with. Some people were cheering while some had tears in their eyes.

  Then Emmy realized why: there was actually a couple who just got engaged and everyone was there to witness it.

  Emmy thought that the woman was beautiful. She had caramel skin, dark brown hair, and the most radiant smile on her face. The man was handsome, too, but in an edgy way. He had shaggy hair, a pierced eyebrow, but had a gentle smile on his face like he was the happiest man in the world right at that moment.

  It reminded
Emmy about that time when she and Daniel finally got back together after several years of being apart. It was a beautiful day that was full of promise. She only wished that they were both strong enough to hold on.

  It was just like a delectable piece of cupcake, she thought. At first, it smells and looks nice and when you taste it, you’ll understand that it’s actually something really good, but before you know it, it’s gone. That’s how she often thinks about her relationship with Daniel.

  She didn’t even know why she was thinking about him right now. Maybe, it was because of the fact that a couple just got engaged and she wished that the couple could be her and Daniel. Maybe, it was because she hasn’t talked to him in a while and it bugs her. Or, maybe, it’s because of the fact that no matter how hard she tried to deny it, she still hasn’t gotten over Daniel—and that’s the whole truth.

  But she didn’t want to think about him right now. There were still a lot of things to think about, such as the fact that there were still no leads about who could be behind everything that happened in the past couple of months, and the fact that Grace, Ruby’s sister was not answering her calls.

  Emmy thought that it maybe because of the fact that Grace was disappointed because it’s like her sister’s death was just in vain, and of course, that’s not a very nice thing to think about. Even if she was Grace, she’d be disappointed, too, because nothing will ever be able to bring Ruby back anymore—just like Annabeth won’t come back anymore and maybe, her relationship with Daniel won’t, too.

  And just like magic, as she turned away from the crowd, she noticed that two of the people who were cheering for the couple were actually Daniel and a blonde-haired woman who was clinging to his arm, her cheeks red, her face full of joy.

  Daniel was momentarily struck as he saw Emmy. Emmy thought that he looked great, his hair a bit longer, his face a bit tanner. Maybe, he and the woman he was with were having fun and at that instant, Emmy felt like running away. She didn’t want to be in the same place as Daniel and this woman that he was with. She wished she didn’t get out of the house at all.