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MURDER SHE WROTE
For Love and Money
Chapter 1
"Care for another one of my oatmeal cookies, Seth?"
Jessica sat in the warmth of her kitchen across from her dear friend, Seth Hazlitt. The room still smelled inviting and delicious, leftovers of the morning's baking. She now was graciously holding out the plate of cookies for Seth to partake.
Dressed in her usual 'Cabot Cove' clothes of khaki skirt, light blue shirt topped with a thick 'home sweet home' cardigan and sensible loafers, she blended in with all the other New Englanders, despite being a world class novelist.
Seth was thinking that this was the look he loved best on her, as he reached out for another one of her trademark fine-tasting oatmeal cookies.
"I'm only taking it because I know you can't eat all of these on your own, Jess," he told her, "after all, waste not, want not is what I always say!"
"Hmmph!" Jessica guffawed, though she still had a smile on her face, "You don't ever have to worry about me stuck with leftover cookies, Seth! I'll have you know my New York friends always look forward to my basket of cookies!"
There it was. Another reminder that Jessica had a life separate from him. There were so many times when he wanted to tell her to write her books but just stay in Cabot Cove, but he also understood that a sense of adventure was intuitive in her. She often said traveling was necessary to promote her books, but Seth knew better.
After all these years, he could read her... like a book!
She was no mystery to him at all! he chuckled to himself.
"What's so funny, Seth?" Jessica interrupted his thoughts as she put the plate of cookies back down.
"Can't I just be jolly just because I want to?" Seth asked, before taking another bite of his cookie.
She brought her teacup up to her lips but didn't drink just yet.
"You, jolly? That's not the Seth Hazlitt, I know!" Jessica teased.
With anyone else, he would resent being known as a grumpy person. With Jessica, he knew there was a lot of love behind that comment. And he loved her back. In fact, lately, he had been thinking of telling her his feelings had begun to run deeper; that maybe he wanted to go beyond them being lifelong friends.
Before he could say anything, however, Jessica had popped up in her seat.
"Looks like you may need some more tea, there," she said, as she went to the stove to retrieve her teapot. She soon returned and automatically began pouring it into Seth's teacup, "and once the cookies are cooled, I'll pack some for you to go."
Seth was getting impatient now. He really wanted to talk to Jessica about a possible romantic future for them.
"Stop fussing over me, Woman, and sit down!"
He hadn't meant to sound so agitated, but he was glad it was at least out there and now he was about to reveal his feelings. Seth watched as Jessica curiously left the teapot on the table and sat down again.
"Why, whatever is it, Seth?" she questioned, "You look like you've got some burden you want to unload!"
"I wouldn't quite put it that way," he acknowledge, "but there is somethin' on my mind."
He now had her full attention.
"Alright, Seth, I'm listening."
He was pleased. Finally!
And just as he opened his mouth-
R-ring!
The sound of the phone buzzed in his ear.
Dang it! It's like trying to talk at Grand Central Station!
Jessica momentarily patted her hand over his in a reassuring manner. Little did she know that it had the effect of making his heart pound harder.
"Now, you just hold that thought, Seth,I'll be right back," she promised, as she went to answer the phone, leaving a frustrated Seth behind.
He could hear everything from her side of the phone conversation.
"Hello?...Oh, hello, Mort!...What?...Yes, Seth is here with me, but why?...oh dear!...Yes, I'll tell him right away!...You want to see both of us?...Alright...sure...good-bye, Mort."
When Jessica hung up the phone, she unconsciously kept her hand still on the receiver.
"Jess? What is it?" Seth asked.
"That was Sheriff Metzger, " she said evenly, turning to face him.
"I figured that was him," Seth said, "since I don't know any other 'Mort' in Cabot Cove! What did he want?"
Jessica sighed and he knew what that meant.
Unfortunately.
"Seth, there's been a murder."
TBC
Thanks for reading! My first FF!
Hope you enjoy it!
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