Read Online Creamsicle Murder: A Frosted Love Cozy Mystery - Book 11 (Frosted Love Cozy Mysteries) by Carol Durand, Summer Prescott - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Carol Durand, Summer Prescott
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company of a steady flow of friends, business
acquaintances, family members and attorneys who came to either pay their
respects or take meetings regarding the elder Beckett’s massive fortune, Missy
was glad to have Chas alone for dinner. They’d had the kitchen staff prepare
and serve a simple meal in the privacy of one of the sitting rooms so that they
could simply enjoy each other’s company in peace and quiet.
Missy
sipped her wine, gazing at Chas thoughtfully. “Are you okay, love?” she asked,
her grey eyes warm with concern.
The
handsome detective smiled, his dimples causing Missy’s heart to skip a beat.
“Sweetie, I am more okay right now, in this moment, than I have been in the
last couple of weeks. I’m so glad you’re here,” he leaned across the table to
kiss her.
“Me
too,” she replied dreamily. “Although, I have to admit, I feel a bit like I’ve
entered some sort of surreal Wonderland every time I come here,” she giggled.
“This is definitely not how I grew up,” she looked around at their opulent
surroundings.
“Well,
I did,” he sighed melodramatically. “And somehow I ended up semi-normal,” he
grinned mischievously.
“Says
who?” Missy teased, tilting her face up for another kiss.
Chas
kissed her soundly, with the kind of kiss that made the temperature of the room
rise considerably, only to be interrupted by a soft knock on the door. Missy
blushed and hid her face as servants entered to refill wine glasses, take away
empty plates and announce the impending arrival of dessert and coffee. Once the
staff had quickly cleared the table, leaving discreetly, with no impression
that they’d noticed what had been going on prior to their arrival, Missy burst
into giggles. Chas smiled at her fondly, then took her hand, his expression
turning serious.
“Sweetie,
there’s something that I wanted to talk with you about,” he said, in a manner
that made Missy nervous as well as curious.
“Okay,
I’m listening,” she said, her eyes locked on his.
Chas
sighed, and her heart dropped, wondering what was distressing him.
“As
you know, I’m the executor of my father’s estate,” he began, and she nodded. “I
know we’ve never really talked about my family’s wealth in concrete terms
before, but it’s…extensive.”
“Clearly,”
Missy replied, looking at the room around them. “But, Chas, this is really none
of my…” she began to protest.
He
put a finger to her lips, silencing her. “You are the most important thing in
my life, Missy. I want to share this with you, because it could potentially
affect you too,” he admonished gently. She wasn’t quite certain what Chas meant
by that, but remained quiet, realizing that it was important to him to talk
with her about it. “Reggie, Livvy and I came to an agreement as to how the
estate should be split, according to my father’s will, and its practical
application in our lives,” he said, absently running his fingers back and forth
across the top of her hand.
“Reggie
selected a handful of the most profitable businesses that he wants to continue
to run, and he bought out my shares and Livvy’s for those businesses. All other
holdings have been sold to various other corporations, friends, associates and
the like. The mansion will remain in the family, as it has for generations, and
Reggie will continue to live here. My father’s personal belongings will be sold
at auction, with the exception of certain pieces which have sentimental value,
that he has designated to be given to specific individuals,” the detective
explained.
“Sounds
like you have everything figured out,” Missy smiled.
“Almost,”
Chas had a strange look on his face.
“Almost?”
Missy echoed, puzzled.
“I
walked away from all of this,” he gestured to the room around them. “The social
obligations, the business expectations, the sheer volumes of money…I left it
all behind me because I wanted a simpler life, a more meaningful life,”
acquaintances, family members and attorneys who came to either pay their
respects or take meetings regarding the elder Beckett’s massive fortune, Missy
was glad to have Chas alone for dinner. They’d had the kitchen staff prepare
and serve a simple meal in the privacy of one of the sitting rooms so that they
could simply enjoy each other’s company in peace and quiet.
Missy
sipped her wine, gazing at Chas thoughtfully. “Are you okay, love?” she asked,
her grey eyes warm with concern.
The
handsome detective smiled, his dimples causing Missy’s heart to skip a beat.
“Sweetie, I am more okay right now, in this moment, than I have been in the
last couple of weeks. I’m so glad you’re here,” he leaned across the table to
kiss her.
“Me
too,” she replied dreamily. “Although, I have to admit, I feel a bit like I’ve
entered some sort of surreal Wonderland every time I come here,” she giggled.
“This is definitely not how I grew up,” she looked around at their opulent
surroundings.
“Well,
I did,” he sighed melodramatically. “And somehow I ended up semi-normal,” he
grinned mischievously.
“Says
who?” Missy teased, tilting her face up for another kiss.
Chas
kissed her soundly, with the kind of kiss that made the temperature of the room
rise considerably, only to be interrupted by a soft knock on the door. Missy
blushed and hid her face as servants entered to refill wine glasses, take away
empty plates and announce the impending arrival of dessert and coffee. Once the
staff had quickly cleared the table, leaving discreetly, with no impression
that they’d noticed what had been going on prior to their arrival, Missy burst
into giggles. Chas smiled at her fondly, then took her hand, his expression
turning serious.
“Sweetie,
there’s something that I wanted to talk with you about,” he said, in a manner
that made Missy nervous as well as curious.
“Okay,
I’m listening,” she said, her eyes locked on his.
Chas
sighed, and her heart dropped, wondering what was distressing him.
“As
you know, I’m the executor of my father’s estate,” he began, and she nodded. “I
know we’ve never really talked about my family’s wealth in concrete terms
before, but it’s…extensive.”
“Clearly,”
Missy replied, looking at the room around them. “But, Chas, this is really none
of my…” she began to protest.
He
put a finger to her lips, silencing her. “You are the most important thing in
my life, Missy. I want to share this with you, because it could potentially
affect you too,” he admonished gently. She wasn’t quite certain what Chas meant
by that, but remained quiet, realizing that it was important to him to talk
with her about it. “Reggie, Livvy and I came to an agreement as to how the
estate should be split, according to my father’s will, and its practical
application in our lives,” he said, absently running his fingers back and forth
across the top of her hand.
“Reggie
selected a handful of the most profitable businesses that he wants to continue
to run, and he bought out my shares and Livvy’s for those businesses. All other
holdings have been sold to various other corporations, friends, associates and
the like. The mansion will remain in the family, as it has for generations, and
Reggie will continue to live here. My father’s personal belongings will be sold
at auction, with the exception of certain pieces which have sentimental value,
that he has designated to be given to specific individuals,” the detective
explained.
“Sounds
like you have everything figured out,” Missy smiled.
“Almost,”
Chas had a strange look on his face.
“Almost?”
Missy echoed, puzzled.
“I
walked away from all of this,” he gestured to the room around them. “The social
obligations, the business expectations, the sheer volumes of money…I left it
all behind me because I wanted a simpler life, a more meaningful life,”
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