Lawyers, Liars and Lemon Tarts Read online

  Lawyers, Liars and Lemon Tarts: A Piece of Cake Mystery

  By

  A. R. Winters

  Lawyers, Liars and Lemon Tarts

  Copyright 2017 by A. R. Winters

  www.arwinters.com

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental.

  ***

  Lawyers, Liars and Lemon Tarts (A Piece of Cake Mystery)

  ***

  When Mindy’s much-despised former boyfriend Liam is accused of murder, Mindy and Beth must set aside their prejudices and try to clear Liam’s name.

  However, when the killer decides that Mindy and Beth should be the next ones to disappear, the duo must pull out all stops in an attempt to uncover the truth.

  Join the A.R. Winters Newsletter

  Find out about the latest AR Winters publications, and get access to exclusive free copies of her books:

  CLICK HERE TO JOIN

  Table of Contents

  Lawyers, Liars and Lemon Tarts: A Piece of Cake Mystery

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 1

  “It’s odd,” said Beth, “how everything’s been so quiet recently.”

  I agreed. Normally, I would have a new client every two weeks or so. “I wouldn’t mind some more work. If this dry spell continues, I’m going to have trouble paying my bills soon.”

  It was 7 p.m. on Monday, and my best friend Beth and I had just finished up our slices of delicious lemon tart. My slice had been a bit larger than Beth’s, and I’d relished each mouthful of the silky, lemony filling and the thin, delicate pastry.

  It isn’t easy trying to stay on a diet and count calories when my best friend Beth runs an online bakery called A Piece of Cake. Every time Beth bakes a dessert for a client, she also makes a smaller version for taste-testing purposes, just to make sure that everything’s turned out yummy enough. Beth’s business practices mean that almost every day, I get to try a slice of delicious dessert.

  Beth and I live in near-identical one-bedroom apartments on opposite sides of the hallway in our apartment complex. Our place is a short walk to the beach, and close to a bus stop. Beth’s been living here for a while, but I only moved in about six months ago.

  It was almost Pixie’s bedtime, so as soon as I put our plates away, Beth went and took Pixie out of her cage.

  “Hello,” Pixie said. “Tickle tickle.”

  Pixie is my Hahn’s Macaw, and though she’s only a few months old, she’s smart and loving and has learned to manipulate the silly humans into doing whatever she wants. So Beth and I obliged and scratched the top of her head, or as Pixie calls it, gave her “tickles.”

  We were busy chatting to Pixie and cooing over her birdie replies when there was a knock on the door.

  Beth and I looked at each other.

  “Are you expecting anyone?” Beth said.

  I shook my head. “No. You know my social life’s pretty boring.”

  As I walked over to the door, Pixie ran up Beth’s arm and snuggled into the crook of her neck. When I opened the door and looked out to see who the visitor was, my heart sank.

  “Neve!” I said. “What are you doing here?”

  Neve is my high school nemesis. I know that sounds a bit dramatic, but it’s the truth.

  When we were in high school, Beth and I were shy, nerdy girls who liked to read. Neve was the beautiful, popular high school cheerleader, who liked to make fun of shy, nerdy girls. She had made my life miserable in high school, and I thought I’d seen the last of her once we’d graduated. Alas, that wasn’t the case.

  After high school, Neve tried her hand at acting, but failed to see any success in Hollywood. She had to move back home to Santa Verona a few years later.

  On the other hand, I dropped out of college to move to Hollywood and had my first big break as a screenwriter, just at the time when Neve moved back to Santa Verona. For some reason, Neve thought it was unfair that I had seen success in Hollywood, while someone as glamorous and beautiful as her had failed. Never mind that, after a few years, I left Hollywood and moved back to Santa Verona too.

  It had only been a few months since I had moved back home, and during this time Beth and I had joined forces to become a duo of successful investigators. For some reason, Neve decided that she, too, would become a private investigator and had tried her best to make our lives miserable.

  “Hi, Mindy,” Neve said. “How are you?”

  I glared at her; I knew that Neve didn’t care how I was.

  “Fine,” I growled. Neve didn’t need to know that I was worried about my lack of work. “What are you doing here?” I repeated.

  “I—I just came to talk to you guys.” Neve peered over my shoulder and saw Beth sitting and playing with Pixie. “I’m glad Beth’s here too.”

  I peered at Neve closely.

  Neve is an absolutely gorgeous woman, and the plastic surgery she got just before she tried her luck in Hollywood really did make her look like a movie star. She has beautiful blond hair and blue eyes, and her makeup’s always done impeccably. She’s stylish and knows just how to show off her best features. However, pretty much every time I’ve dealt with her, she’s had an annoying smug look on her face. But tonight, Neve’s eyes looked serious and worried. She still hadn’t told me why she was here.

  Instead, Neve said, “Can I come inside?”

  I shrugged. “Sure.” I stepped to one side and closed the door behind her.

  Before I had time to worry about what she was doing at my apartment, Pixie decided to fly over to Neve’s shoulder. Pixie is a really smart bird, but she doesn’t exactly understand who her friends are. She has a habit of flying over to people I don’t like. Right now, Pixie seemed to be enamored of Neve, and she grabbed Neve’s silky blond hair in her beak and began to chew.

  Neve’s skin paled. She’s scared of Pixie, and I could tell that she thought Pixie was out to destroy her perfect hair.

  It would’ve been fun to watch Pixie freak Neve out for a little while, but I couldn’t let that happen.

  “Pixie! Drop it!”

  Pixie dropped Neve’s hair and looked at me curiously. “Mmm, yum-yum!” Pixie said.

  “No.” I shook my head. “Neve’s hair is dyed, Pixie. You can’t eat it. It’s bad for you.”

  I walked over to Pixie and let her step up onto my hand before putting her away in her cage.

  Normally, Neve would have said something in response to my comment about her hair being dyed. She would have told me that she was a natural blonde, or that she uses only the highest-quality edible dye. But today, Neve didn’t say anything. Instead, Beth, Neve and I sat around the dining table in silence, and I watched Neve closely.

  Beth said, “Neve, can I get you anything to eat or drink? A glass of water? Or a slice of lemon tart?”

  Neve glanced over to the kitchen countertop and noticed the lemon tart sitting there. A large chunk of it had already been eaten.

  I knew that
Neve was obsessed with maintaining her perfect, slim figure and never ate anything sugary or full of carbohydrates, so I was surprised when she glanced at the tart longingly. Finally, she shook her head regretfully and said, “I have a bad habit of eating sugary foods whenever I get stressed out. But I know I need to stop that. So no, thanks. Although it does look delicious.”

  Beth and I exchanged a glance.

  Normally, Neve never missed a chance to be rude to us, or to give us a subtle put-down. It was very unlike her to be so nice. I’m not an unkind person, but I decided that Neve was probably being so nice because she wanted something from us.

  The last time Neve had come over to my apartment, she’d tried to convince Beth and me to let her join our investigations team. Since Neve has always meddled in our investigations, and even tried to frame Beth for murder once, we could never let her join us. Not to mention the fact that Beth and I didn’t like her.

  I looked at Neve curiously. A few seconds went by while I waited for her to say something. Finally, my patience wore out and I said, “Neve. Just tell us why you’re here. You don’t want to work with us again, do you?”

  “No,” Neve said. “I’m not interested in solving homicides. They always involve crazy people. I’m only doing surveillance jobs now. It’s so boring. I can’t believe I ever wanted to be a private investigator.”

  “Okay,” I said. “Then what do you want?”

  Neve glanced off to the side and wound her hair around her fingers. She looked more nervous than I’d ever seen her before. Finally, she said, “How long did you go out with Liam for?”

  I blinked in surprise. “Longer than I should have. Why?”

  “I was just wondering how well you knew him,” said Neve. “You’ve just never seemed to like him much.”

  “That’s how it usually is with your exes.” I watched her closely. She and Liam had been dating for a few weeks now, and though I’d tried to subtly warn her about him, I didn’t want to get involved in someone else’s love life. “You’ve never listened to my warnings before. Why are you asking me now?”

  “I believe Liam’s actually a good person.” Neve examined her fingernails carefully. Her manicure was perfect. “Everyone has their flaws.”

  Beth and I exchanged a glance. During my time with Liam, I’d found him to be controlling, chauvinistic, and not at all trustworthy. “I suppose it depends on how you define ‘a good person.’ But why are we even talking about him—is something wrong?”

  Neve looked from me to Beth. “Actually, something is wrong. But it’s not what you’re expecting. Liam’s being investigated for murder.”

  I sat frozen in shock for a split second, and then I found my voice. “I never thought Liam could kill anyone.”

  “That’s exactly what I think,” said Neve. “I don’t think he’s capable of killing anyone.”

  Realization began to dawn. “Are you sure he’s accused of murder?”

  Beth said, “Perhaps you’ve misunderstood what’s going on.”

  Neve shook her head. “No. In fact, Liam knew you wouldn’t want to talk to him, which is why I’m here. I was wondering if you would investigate this case—and prove that Liam didn’t kill anyone.”

  Chapter 2

  “I don’t want to work for Liam!” The words left my mouth before I even had a chance to think. “Liam is an arrogant, disrespectful, manipulative human being who I’d be happy never to see again! I don’t know what’s going on with him and this murder you’re talking about, but it’s none of my business.”

  Neve pinched her lips and looked at Beth pleadingly, but Beth merely shrugged. So Neve looked back at me and said, “Please. You’re the best private investigator in Santa Verona.”

  While it was flattering to hear Neve finally say something nice about me, it wouldn’t change my decision. “Can you imagine working for any of your exes?” I said. “What about the football player you dated in high school, the one who cheated on you? Would you ever want to spend time with him?”

  “Liam never cheated on you.”

  “I only have his word for that, not that I care about it much. And that’s not even the point. I hate Liam. I’m not about to become his employee.”

  Neve turned to look at Beth again. “Beth,” she said, “you don’t have a history with Liam. Why don’t you work on this case?”

  “Mindy is the brains behind the operation,” Beth said. “Besides, I don’t see any reason to work for Liam.”

  “Liam is the chief suspect in this murder,” Neve said, sounding panicked. “He could go to jail for a crime he never committed. And the actual killer could walk away scot-free. An innocent man’s life is going to be ruined!”

  I’ll admit that her plea did make me feel a little bit guilty. Beth and I looked at each other again, and from her cage, Pixie said, “Hello. Sleepy time.”

  I was glad for the distraction, so I said, “It’s almost Pixie’s bedtime. She needs twelve hours of sleep each night.”

  Neve shook her head. “I don’t want to waste your time. But Liam really needs your help now. Can’t you overlook your history and help out an innocent man?”

  “We’d both feel terrible if justice is miscarried. But I’m sure that’s not going to happen,” said Beth. “I’m sure the police will do a good job, and Liam can get himself a good lawyer if he needs to.”

  “I’m not about to put myself through the drama of dealing with Liam again,” I said. “Liam lost the right to my sympathy after we broke up.”

  “We’ll pay double your usual rates,” Neve said. “If you won’t do it for justice, perhaps the money will make a difference.”

  Beth and I looked at each other, and then I glanced at Pixie. I don’t mind being broke, but Pixie is an expensive bird. She needs special parrot-safe toys that are handmade with expensive leather and chewable plastic beads. She goes through these toys like they’re a dime a dozen, which they’re definitely not. She also needs expensive pellets, and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. And have I mentioned her annual vet checkups and the fact that her nails need to be professionally trimmed every month? No, I couldn’t let Pixie suffer just because I was having a dry spell when it came to work.

  Beth and I exchanged an understanding look, and I turned to Neve. “I’ll take the job,” I said. “Let’s get started.”

  Chapter 3

  Beth and I put Pixie to sleep and then headed out to visit Liam.

  It took us only a few minutes to drive over to the address Neve had given us, and when we knocked on the door, Neve opened it for us.

  We stepped inside into a fancy, modern condo. The small entry lobby was decorated with an antique-looking French hallway table and a gilt-edged mirror. There was an orchid in full bloom on the hallway table and a small bowl next to it for collecting keys.

  We followed Neve into the living area, which was decorated with a plush-looking leather Chesterfield sofa set, with large, bright paintings on the walls. Beyond the living area was an eight-seater dining table, and beyond that a modern kitchen gleaming with white stone countertops, glossy white cabinets, and what looked like high-end appliances.

  Liam was sitting on one of the leather sofas, toying with his smartphone, and he stood up slowly as we approached.

  Liam and I had dated for almost a year when I was in college. I was young and naive, which is the only way I can explain why I had wound up with him.

  Liam’s father was a senator, and his mother came from old money. From an early age, Liam knew that he was destined for high political office. And he had the skills with which to achieve that political success.

  He was handsome in a clean-cut, all-American way. His sandy hair was cut short, and his face was square and angular. He had an air of seriousness about him, and his blue eyes could melt anyone with their sincerity. Just like any other politician, Liam had a way with words. He was charming and persuasive, and he always knew what he wanted. He was always out for what was best for himself, and he didn’t mind manipulating pe
ople into getting whatever he wanted.

  It’s not that I hated Liam. If I hadn’t dated him, I might not have become the independent, self-assured person that I am today. However, during the time we had been together, Liam had been controlling to a degree I had never thought possible. He knew that what he wanted was the perfect senator’s wife—and this, to him, meant a woman who was subservient, obedient, and didn’t have a mind of her own. He wanted a woman who “took care of herself,” which meant she would go to the gym for an hour every day, blow-dry her hair and make sure that her makeup was always immaculate. He didn’t like women who wore jeans or pants; he thought that a lady should always wear skirts or dresses. He especially didn’t like women who talked back to him, or had opinions of their own.

  Liam didn’t seem to think much of women or their intelligence, but he certainly had an easy time charming the pants off them. He never had a shortage of doting women surrounding him.

  By a twist of fate, Liam had become the assistant DA in Santa Verona a few months ago. I’d run into him once in a while, but we never really said more than two words to each other. Even though I knew I would have to see him every now and then, I had always thought that Liam was someone lost in my past, and I liked it that way.

  But now, Liam stood before me, suddenly a very real part of my present.

  “Mindy,” he said. “It’s good to see you again. And Beth, you too.”

  I forced myself to smile, and Beth murmured something polite. Within a few minutes, the four of us were seated opposite each other. I hadn’t asked Neve for any details about the case, so now I watched the two of them carefully. Neve looked slightly pale and worried, and she clasped her hands tightly in her lap. Liam’s eyes looked troubled, but that air of self-assuredness had not yet left him.

  “Your condo is lovely,” said Beth. “It’s very nicely decorated. I had no idea a man could decorate so nicely.”

  Neve’s eyes narrowed, and Liam smiled politely. “Actually,” he said, “Lana was the one who picked out all the furniture and paintings and stuff.”