Cappuccinos, Cupcakes, and a Corpse (A Cape Bay Cafe Mystery Book 1) Read Free Page A

my purse so I could call for help.
    I lurked at a distance while I waited for the police and ambulance to arrive. I knew I couldn’t leave, and really, I didn’t want to just abandon poor Mr. Cardosi, but I didn’t want to hover too closely either. I didn’t know how he’d died, but I knew the police would want to look around, and I didn’t want to mess with things. Besides, being so close to a dead body was a little unsettling.
    I wasn’t too surprised that the police car arrived first—it’s a small town, and the police station is just across the street from the café. The ambulances have to come all the way from the next town over. I heard the cruiser pull up, and I poked my head around the house and waved. The officer climbed out of the car and approached the house. He was a big, imposing man. Not overweight, just very tall and broad.
    “You the one who requested police?” he called when he spotted me.
    “Yup, that’s me!” I yelled.
    He strolled a little bit closer then motioned me toward him. “How ‘bout you come over this way for me?”
    He sounded suspicious. His brow was furrowed as I walked toward him. He was clearly trying to figure out who I was and what I was doing there. While everyone pretty much knew everyone else in town during the off-season, the summer brought a lot of tourists, and the officer seemed to think I had wandered off the beach and into trouble. We recognized each other simultaneously.
    “Mike!” I exclaimed.
    “Francesca!” he said at the same time.
    He held out his arms, and I hurried to give him a hug. Mike was another former classmate of mine. It wasn’t really surprising to run into him, but it was pleasant all the same. I hadn’t seen him since I’d gotten back.
    He held me out at arm’s length. “You look great!” Then a shadow passed over his face. I knew he’d remembered why I’d moved back. “I’m really sorry about your mom. She was such a great lady. Sandy and I would have come to the funeral, but we had booked a trip to Disney with the kids…” He seemed to realize how awkward it was to go from talking about my mother’s death to his trip to Disney. He grimaced and looked at his shiny cop shoes.
    “It’s fine, Mike, really. You have your life to live.”
    Mike smiled, grateful for the out. “So I heard you’re sticking around for a while?”
    “That’s the plan. I was kind of in a rut in New York, and I figured coming home would be a good change of pace.”
    “That’s great! That’s really great. We’re happy to have you back in town.” He chuckled. “I’m sure you’ll see it hasn’t really changed all that much over the years.”
    I laughed with him. “I’ve noticed! It’s like stepping right back into high school! All the old neighbors are living in the same places—”
    All of a sudden, I remembered the neighbor who had prompted the call that had brought Mike out here. The look on Mike’s face told me he had just remembered too. He rubbed a hand back and forth across his high-and-tight hair.
    “So, uh, you were concerned about Mr. Cardosi?” he asked.
    I nodded. “Yeah, I was walking home, and I took the old shortcut through the back. When I was coming across the yard, I yelled to say hello, but he didn’t move, so I went over to check on him, and, well…” I gestured toward the back of the house.
    “He’s around back?” Mike asked, starting in that direction.
    “On the patio.”
    Mike took a wide path toward the back of the house, I guessed so he could get a good look before he got close. When he got to where he could see Mr. Cardosi sitting in his lawn chair, he held a hand out to me, motioning for me to stop. He glanced back. “You check his pulse or anything?”
    I shook my head. “No. I just nudged him, and he—he kind of slumped.”
    Mike nodded and continued across the back of the house toward Mr. Cardosi. He rested his right hand on his gun. A cop habit, I assumed.
    “Mr. Cardosi?” he called softly. He