Chocolate Heart Killer: A Pumpkin Hollow Mystery, book 14 by Kathleen Suzette (guided reading books .TXT) 📗

can look back on twenty years from now and remember how much fun we had and how in love we were.”

“Correction, how much in love we will still be. In twenty years, we will be more in love than we are now. I’m making a prediction.”

He lifted his glass of tea and held it up to me. “Let’s drink to twenty years of love and beyond.”

I lifted up my red plastic glass of iced tea and clinked it against his, then I took a sip of my tea. “Well beyond twenty years.”

Chapter Fifteen

I pulled up to the Pumpkin Hollow garage and parked my car. I’d been in need of an oil change for weeks now and every time I got into my car, the little oil can light on the dashboard glowed and I knew I had better get in here and get it done before disaster struck. My dad assured me it wouldn’t strike, as long as there was oil in the car, but it was best to get it changed regularly. I hated taking my car in to be worked on almost as much as I hated to go to the dentist. But more important than my dislike of taking my car in to be worked on, was that I hoped I might find out something from Fred or Mel that would be useful to the investigation into Logan’s death.

The garage parking lot was free of snow and I was thankful for that as I got out of my car and headed up to the office door. I pushed it open and walked in, inhaling the scent of grease. Mel was leaning against the front counter while Fred sat behind it. Mel turned and looked at me.

“Well Mia, how are you today?”

I let the door close heavily behind me. “I’m great. How are you doing, Mel?”

He nodded. “I’m cold, but what’s new? What brings you to our humble establishment?”

“I am in desperate need of an oil change, and I’m hoping you have time to do it while I wait.”

“I think we can accomplish that. Sometimes during the winter when it’s so cold, people don’t want to bring their cars in unless they absolutely have to, so you’re in luck. There’s no waiting and we have the time.”

“I’m so glad to hear that.” I turned to Fred who was sitting behind the counter on a tall stool. “Hi Fred.”

He nodded. “Hi Mia. I’m glad we can be of assistance to you today.” He picked up a clipboard with blank work orders on it and began filling one out. I gave him my address and phone number and handed my keys to Mel.

Mel took my keys to the other mechanic who was out in the garage while Fred finished filling out the sales ticket. When he was done, he handed me the clipboard and a pen so I could sign for it.

“It’s been awfully cold these days, hasn’t it?” I said absently as I signed for the work to be done.

He nodded. “You better believe it. I tell you, the older I get, the more I think I need to move to the coast. They don’t get snow like this and my bones have been complaining about it.” He winked at me.

“Right? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wondered whether I should move to a warmer climate, but unfortunately, I can’t take the whole town of Pumpkin Hollow with me.”

He chuckled. “I guess there are some drawbacks.”

Mel returned from giving the instructions to the mechanic and he sat down on one of the stools next to his father. “So, how is Ethan coming along with the investigation into Logan’s death?”

I turned to him and sighed, still leaning against the front counter. “You know how it is. He’s been working on it. It’s been so hard on him, with Logan being his friend like he was.”

He nodded, glancing away, then turned back to me. “I still can’t believe it. Logan’s gone. It just doesn’t seem real.”

“It’s one of the hardest things to deal with after someone dies. It just doesn’t seem like they could really be gone,” I agreed.

He stuck his hands in his pockets. “The more I think about it, the more I think that Mariah had to have killed him.” He was somber as he said it.

“Do you think so?” I wondered if he knew something more that he hadn’t mentioned earlier. I hoped so.

He shrugged. “Their relationship was volatile. They had so many problems, and I just think she lost her temper and killed him.”

I nodded. “It does seem like they had their troubles. But I guess a lot of people do.” I watched him, waiting for him to say more.

He was quiet a few moments, and then he said, “I just think she has to be the one. I was talking to Amber about it the other day, and she agreed with me. She thinks Mariah is his killer.”

“Amber? I didn’t realize you were friends,” I said carefully. He had pointed a finger at Amber earlier, but now he was friends with her?

He shrugged. “I guess we aren’t close friends, but I know her. I happened to run into her at the grocery store the other day and we stopped and talked a minute. She thinks it’s probably Mariah, too.”

“Do you have any real reason to think she might have done it though? More than just that they had problems in their relationship?”

He was quiet again and glanced at his father. “Well, I heard the last time they got into an argument, she threatened him. She told people that she was going to make him pay for what he did to her.”

“What did he do to her?” I asked.

“He cheated on her.” He blinked.

I stared at him. “Cheated on