Adventures In Murder Chasing (Funeral Crashing #3) Read online

  Adventures In Murder Chasing

  Funeral Crashing Series #3

  By Milda Harris

  Copyright 2013 by Milda Harris

  http://www.mildaharris.com/

  Discover other titles by Milda Harris:

  Adventures in Funeral Crashing (Funeral Crashing #1)

  Adventures of a Graveyard Girl (Funeral Crashing #2)

  The New Girl Who Found A Dead Body

  Doppelganger (The Doppelgangers #1)

  Connected (A Paranormal Romance)

  Cover Art by Brett Gilbert

  http://www.brettgilbert.com

  Edited by Lauren Cramer

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1: Freaking

  Chapter 2: Ex-BFF Friendship Rekindling

  Chapter 3: Death Investigating

  Chapter 4: Funeral Crashing

  Chapter 5: Pretending

  Chapter 6: Murder Chasing

  Chapter 7: Pie Eating

  Chapter 8: Investigation Restarting

  Chapter 9: Ex-BFF Chatting

  Chapter 10: Not Two-Timing

  Chapter 11: Explaining

  Chapter 12: College Visiting

  Chapter 13: Roommate Interrogating

  Chapter 14: Lunching

  Chapter 15: Psycho Ex-Girlfriend Chatting

  Chapter 16: Hunch Following

  Chapter 17: Regrouping

  Chapter 18: Graveyard Meeting

  Chapter 19: Murder Reconsidering

  Chapter 20: Lead Following

  Chapter 21: Phone Calling

  Chapter 22: Planning

  Chapter 23: Staking Out

  Chapter 24: Murder Solving

  Chapter 25: Singing

  Excerpt - Connected

  Excerpt - The New Girl Who Found A Dead Body

  About the Author: Milda Harris

  Chapter 1: Freaking

  Ethan Ripley was my boyfriend. Officially. The first person I called and told was my ex-best friend, Ariel Walker. I knew she wouldn't be jealous, exactly, but maybe it would impress her a little. Besides, we had to make plans to meet up for peanut butter banana milkshakes.

  I was even more impressed that Ariel agreed to meet me slightly less than two weeks later on a Saturday afternoon. It was prime weekend time and Ariel was making room for me in it. Of course, she did owe me her life. I had just saved it and gotten hurt doing it. I mean, I had only gotten out of the hospital two weeks ago. So, yeah, I had taken a major risk to help my ex-bff. She should make room for me in her crowded social schedule.

  I knew it probably didn't mean too much and that Ariel was probably just being grateful, but I'd take what I could get. Truthfully, I was kind of excited about meeting up with her. We hadn't had peanut butter banana milkshakes since our freshman year of high school. I was a junior now, so it had been at least two years since we had actually hung out as friends. I wondered what it would be like. Then the worries started. Would it be awkward and horrible? Did we have anything to talk about? Well, I had Ethan and she had Troy, but that was kind of complicated. I mean, I had gone on a date with Troy before Ariel did and she had gone after Ethan before we had started going out so getting into detail about them might not be a good thing. At least it was only milkshakes. Worst case, we only had to spend the time it took to drink them together.

  Still, I found myself dressing to impress. I knew Ariel saw me every day at school, even though we mostly didn't talk or acknowledge each other, but I wanted to look nice for meeting up with her. She was popular and I sort of felt like I had to dress to her expectations. Of course, I didn't have tons of designer clothes, but I had at least a couple of cute tops. I had made it a point to go shopping since starting to date Ethan. I wanted to look good for him, so I was starting to exchange some of my T-shirts for cuter, sexier shirts. It was a plus then that I had something to wear to hang out with Ariel.

  It took me over an hour to get ready. I don't know why exactly, but I really felt like I had to look perfect. This was important. I called Ethan on my way there. My nerves were starting to go crazy. Did it mean anything that Ariel and I were having milkshakes together? Did she want to be friends again? Or was this just Ariel's way of saying thank you for saving her life and that was it? Or did almost dying change her view of our friendship? Like maybe it had gone from not important to a regret or something? Maybe I was getting way ahead of myself. Maybe Ariel just wanted a peanut butter banana milkshake and I was the only other person that she knew that liked them. Yeah, my brain was totally going haywire about this whole meeting up with Ariel thing.

  "Hey," Ethan said on the other end of my cellphone, interrupting my rambling train of thought.

  "Hey," I said back, smiling to myself, and automatically relaxing at the sound of his voice.

  I totally like liked my boyfriend. Butterflies exploded in my stomach just hearing his voice. I wished I could kiss him, but he was at his house and I was in the car. Sigh.

  "You on your way?" Ethan asked.

  He knew what a huge day it was in my life, "Yeah."

  "Nervous?" Ethan asked after I didn't say anything else.

  "Totally," I said and found that I felt better simply by telling Ethan about my nerves.

  "Don't be," Ethan said. "Ariel's okay. Really."

  It was easy for Ethan to say. He hadn't been dropped and replaced by Ariel with new bffs freshman year like it was no big deal. Plus, Ethan was popular. Everyone liked him. He had been best friends with his friends Dave and Mike since kindergarten and he had just kept gaining more and more friends along the way. He was super lucky in the friend department. I didn't have that problem. I was known as the funeral crashing graveyard girl teen sleuth. Actually, there were probably even more colorful adjectives added into that by now, but I had stopped keeping track. I was who I was. My boyfriend like liked me either way. That was good enough for me.

  "Do you think..." I started and then stopped, suddenly feeling nervous about asking my question out loud.

  "What?" Ethan asked.

  "Do you think that Ariel and I could ever be friends again? Like really?" I asked.

  It had been the thought running and running through my head ever since Ariel said she wanted to hang out. I just needed another opinion. I knew it was probably stupid, but...

  Ethan paused on the other end of the line and then said, "Yes."

  "Why?" I asked.

  I was kind of surprised at Ethan's response. I mean, in my head I was at war because for some reason, I couldn't seem to decide what exactly I felt about Ariel regarding our friendship or lack thereof. Still, when asked the question I had just posed about me and Ariel ever being friends again, I expected most people to say: "No way!" or "Never!" or "When hell freezes over!"

  "Well, you guys do have a lot in common," Ethan said, as if it was that simple.

  "Like?" I asked.

  I desperately tried to think of anything that Ariel and I had in common anymore. I couldn't think of one thing. Well, besides the fact that it appeared that we both still liked peanut butter banana milkshakes.

  "You're both stubborn," Ethan said.

  "Ha, ha," I said, sarcastically.

  "What? It's true," Ethan said. "And, besides that, we
ll, you both care a lot about each other."

  "What?" I asked.

  Ethan had blindsided me. Ariel cared about me? What? When? In junior high? Sure. Maybe now that I had saved her life? Sure. But before? When she dumped me for a new set of friends and started making fun of me? I didn't think she cared so much about me then.

  "I just think it's more complicated than you think," Ethan said. "She gets mad at you. You get mad at her. Sounds like all that getting mad at each other means that something's still there to get mad about."

  Maybe Ethan was right. I had always thought it was weird that Ariel sought me out. She didn't have to do that. Most of the student body left me alone to do my weird graveyard girl funeral crashing stuff, but Ariel wouldn't. That was kind of interesting. Maybe a part of her missed me. That brought me to a horrifying thought. Did I miss Ariel? Yeah, I couldn't think about that.

  "Are you freaking out?" Ethan asked when I had been lost in my thoughts and quiet for a full minute.

  "Maybe," I hedged, not wanting to admit to it.

  "It is just hanging out and drinking milkshakes. One step at a time," Ethan said. "No pressure. Nothing to lose, you know. And you can call me as soon as you're done."

  "Thanks," I said to Ethan.

  I felt my nerves calm down a little. Okay, just one step at a time. Milkshakes first. Friendship and all that, worry about at a later date. Wow, I so like liked Ethan. He was the best boyfriend ever. He knew just what to say to make me feel better.

  "You're welcome," Ethan said. I heard the strumming of his guitar.

  "Are you working on your music?" I asked.

  "Oh, yeah," Ethan said. "I have a tune in my head and I'm trying to work on it. I'm planning to hit the open mic at Wired next week and I want to be ready. I know it's just an open mic, but yeah, it feels important."

  "I can't wait to see you perform!" I said.

  "Thanks," Ethan said. "I really want the song to be perfect."

  "It will be," I said. "Okay, you go work on that, then. I'm almost there anyway."

  "Okay," Ethan said. "Bye then. And call me after. I'd like to hear how it went."

  I hesitated for a moment, stopping myself from saying something that I suddenly really wanted to say and instead just simply said, "Yeah. Bye."

  I ended the call and took a deep breath. Whoa. I had almost said the words I love you. Whoa. Double whoa. What was wrong with me? We had only been dating a few weeks and it was way too soon to say those words. I mean, I definitely like liked Ethan, but love? That was a big deal. Sure, we had been through a lot, but...whoa. It was a really, really big deal to say those words. I'd have to be careful. I mean, I didn't want to end up in one of those awkward moments where I said it and Ethan looked at me like, "Um, yeah, you're okay. I like you and stuff." That would be the worst thing ever, like mortifying beyond belief and soul crushing. I mean, I love... I mean, I like liked Ethan. Yeah, I just like liked him. What was wrong with me? It had to be Ariel ex-bff nerves. Yeah, that was it.

  I was almost glad to arrive at Wired, so I wouldn't have a chance to think more about Ethan and the big L word. I mean, we had just become boyfriend and girlfriend. It was way too soon to be thinking about that. Right? I almost wanted to ask Ariel, but I wouldn't. I so didn't trust her not to blab my dilemma to Ethan. Ariel and I weren't rekindled bffs yet. It was just milkshakes. Right?

  Chapter 2: Ex-BFF Friendship Rekindling

  I got there first. I wasn't sure if I should go up to the counter and order my peanut butter banana milkshake or wait for Ariel to arrive. I waited a minute. Ariel didn't show and I was about to start pacing. Everyone's drinks looked amazing. Okay, I couldn't wait. The idea of a peanut butter banana milkshake and not having it in my hands was too much for me. Plus I was a little stressed about the Ariel and Ethan dilemmas waging war inside my head. Life used to be so much simpler. I walked up to the counter and was surprised to see quiet girl Suzie Whitsett taking orders.

  "Suzie? What are you doing here?" I asked, stepping up to the register. "It's my new job," Suzie said. "Kyle and I are saving up for prom. I know it's like six months away and it's only junior prom, but we want to do it right, you know? Limos cost a lot of money and I want a really great dress."

  Suzie and Kyle had been snuggling up together just before and right after Chemistry class, so I was a little behind on their couple gossip because I had felt way too awkward to talk to them when they were all googly over each other. It made me think, though - were Ethan and I going to go to prom? Should we be planning and saving up too? If we went to prom, could I say I love you then? Okay, time for me to get back to reality. I couldn't think about that right now. The L word, not to mention prom, required way more thought than I could give them at the moment. I focused all of my attention on Suzie and tried to ignore the thousands of thoughts that were trying to take over my brain instead.

  "Wow, that's cool, about prom and working here. They have the best peanut butter banana milkshakes here, you know," I said.

  Suzie smiled shyly, "I haven't actually tried many drinks here yet."

  "Oh, you definitely have to try it," I said. "Best drink on the menu, although I don't drink that much coffee so maybe I'm a little biased. Still, it's really, really good."

  "I'll have to try it," Suzie said.

  "Can you two stop gossiping and hurry it up?" The guy behind me said.

  My cheeks flamed red and I quickly said, "Sorry. Peanut butter banana milkshake. Large."

  "That'll be four dollars," Suzie said and I noticed her cheeks were pink too.

  I gave Suzie a five and she handed back my change in a hurry.

  "I'll bring you the drink," Suzie said. "It's getting a little crazy behind you. Do you mind?"

  "No," I said and moved away from the counter, gladly.

  The guy behind me started ordering his coffee, a complicated half-caff vanilla soy coffee something or other. I noticed that while Suzie and I were talking, the line had grown to ten people. Wow, that was kind of embarrassing. How had I not noticed that I was holding a ton of people up? Where did they all come from? There was nobody behind me three minutes ago. I ran to the opposite side of the coffee shop. I was mortified and I didn't want to get Suzie in trouble with her manager or anything, especially when she was still new to the job. Plus, it was super cute that she and Kyle were already saving for prom. I didn't want to do anything that would sabotage their plans.

  Ariel was late, like really late. I watched Suzie take order after order and Ariel still hadn't shown up. Speaking of people showing up, wasn't there another employee who could help Suzie out by making some drinks? She was running herself ragged, taking orders and making drinks in between. I didn't see anyone, though. There was a door behind Suzie. Maybe they were in the back office taking stock or something. People were getting upset. I felt bad for Suzie. She was being super polite, but not everyone was being nice back.

  I was also really craving my peanut butter banana milkshake. I hadn't eaten anything for lunch and my stomach was grumbling. I hadn't wanted anything to interrupt me drinking every last gulp of my milkshake. Now, I wished I had eaten. I hoped Suzie hadn't forgotten about me. I didn't want to go over there and interrupt her to ask for it either. She looked crazed trying to do everything at once. Plus her customers were looking scarier and scarier, kind of like they'd bite me if I tried to jump in front of them to talk to Suzie, even if it was about my drink that I had paid for already.

  "Hey, Jeff? Can you come up here and help me?" Suzie called behind her into the back office after she spilled a frozen blended coffee drink all over herself. At least most of it only got on her apron.

  The line just kept getting longer. Wired was a popular place on weekends. Poor Suzie. It was going to be a long day. Her co-worker finally came out and started making drinks, while Suzie tended the register. He must have been the boss. He was dressed too nice to be a barista. I had never noticed him before, but maybe I was just oblivious. He grabbed a Wired apron from the side of the coffe
e bar. Suzie took more orders. Wired was hopping today.

  I really wanted my milkshake. What time was it? I wondered if I should call Ariel. I looked at my cell phone. She was fifteen minutes late. Had she ditched me? Was I being stood up? Should I call her? Wait to see if she called? Leave in ten minutes if I hadn't heard from her? Text? What did I do? In all my worrying, I never thought that Ariel just wouldn't show up. Would she do that to me? Really? I had saved her life!

  I pulled out my cell phone, feeling frustrated. I was trying to decide what to do when I heard the front door jangle go off as someone opened it. I looked up. Ariel was walking in like nothing was wrong. She saw me, smiled brightly, and waved. I put my cell phone down, trying to feel less annoyed. I had to be in a good mood for this meeting. I mean, if we were going to be friends again, I couldn't start out mad at her, could I? Still, Ariel could have at least texted to tell me that she was running late. It was only polite. Right?

  "Hey, Kait!" Ariel said, like everything was great and she wasn't totally late. "Did you order?"

  "Yeah," I said, hoping that Ariel didn't catch on that I was still feeling annoyed at her, even though I was really trying to calm down.

  I just had to remember how great it used to be to have peanut butter banana milkshakes with Ariel. We used to sit in Wired for hours and talk over them in junior high, gossiping about cute boys and complaining about classes and talking about things we wanted to do over the summer or on winter breaks. We used to have a great time just hanging out together.

  "Okay, I'll be right back," Ariel said and joined the line, which had at least for Suzie's sake shortened down to include only three people.

  I took the few minutes that Ariel was in line to refocus. I had to be nice. We were just hanging out. I really couldn't be mad at her already. I had to calm down. Ariel was Ariel and she was going to drive me a little crazy. Ariel had reached the counter. She recognized Suzie. Suzie looked in my direction with questioning eyebrows. I shrugged. Suzie looked back at Ariel and took her order. I knew that Suzie was going to ask me about all of this later. She knew Ariel and I were at opposite ends of the high school totem pole or food chain or whatever. It was weird that we were hanging out and even if Suzie was normally the quiet girl, I knew she'd want all of the details. Then Ariel was walking back to me, sadly, without either of our milkshakes. At least my brain was eager to focus on that instead of being mad at Ariel.