Death with a Dark Red Rose Read online

  PRAISE FOR THE WRITER’S APPRENTICE MYSTERIES

  “What’s not to love? Writing that flows beautifully, suspense that builds slowly and almost unbearably, and a setting that is perfectly beautiful and mysterious, yet also menacing.”

  —Miranda James, New York Times bestselling author of the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries

  “A traditional mystery reader’s dream. A Dark and Stormy Murder has it all: plenty of action, a dash of romance, and lots of heart.”

  —Julie Hyzy, New York Times bestselling author of the White House Chef Mysteries

  “An engaging cozy with a touch of Gothic, A Dark and Stormy Murder is a not-to-be-missed page-turner. Bring on book two in this charming series!”

  —Terrie Farley Moran, Agatha award–winning author of the Read ’Em and Eat Mysteries

  “Death in Dark Blue is the second wonderfully exciting novel in the Writer’s Apprentice Mystery series. . . . The writing is excellent, the mystery is well planned and executed, and the characters have careers that pique the imagination and invite the reader to come back and stay for another visit.”

  —Open Book Society

  “I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and enjoyed living vicariously through Lena. She lives out every reader or aspiring writer’s dream.”

  —Night Owl Reviews

  Berkley Prime Crime titles by Julia Buckley

  Writer’s Apprentice Mysteries

  A DARK AND STORMY MURDER

  DEATH IN DARK BLUE

  A DARK AND TWISTING PATH

  DEATH WAITS IN THE DARK

  DEATH WITH A DARK RED ROSE

  A Hungarian Tea House Mystery

  DEATH IN A BUDAPEST BUTTERFLY

  Undercover Dish Mysteries

  THE BIG CHILI

  CHEDDAR OFF DEAD

  PUDDING UP WITH MURDER

  BERKLEY PRIME CRIME

  Published by Berkley

  An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

  penguinrandomhouse.com

  Copyright © 2020 by Julia Buckley

  Penguin Random House supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin Random House to continue to publish books for every reader.

  BERKLEY and the BERKLEY & B colophon are registered trademarks and BERKLEY PRIME CRIME is a trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.

  Ebook ISBN: 9780451491947

  First Edition: February 2020

  Cover art by Bob Kayganich

  Cover design by Sarah Oberrender

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Version_1

  For Velda Johnston

  Acknowledgments

  Three wise, wonderful women helped these books exist: Kim Lionetti, Michelle Vega, and Katherine Rohaly. Kim, thank you for sharing my vision and helping it come to fruition. Michelle, thank you for being the enthusiastic champion of the Blue Lake saga. And, Mom—thank you for instilling the love of a good story in me, especially a good Gothic suspense novel. I wish you had been able to read this series, but if the universe is just, then you know, somewhere, how much love for you is inscribed on every page.

  Some other wise women must be thanked here. Lydia Brauer, thank you for being my friend. Cynthia Quam, Elizabeth Diskin, Martha Whitehead—thank you for your writerly support over nearly twenty years. Linda and Claudia, thanks for being my sisters: slightly older but infinitely wiser, and always supportive.

  Finally, thank you to Velda Johnston, unsung hero of Gothic romantic suspense. Your books were among the best in the genre.

  Contents

  Praise for The Writer’s Apprentice Mysteries

  Berkley Prime Crime titles by Julia Buckley

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Bestselling Books by Camilla Graham

  Epigraph

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Bestselling Books by Camilla Graham:

  The Lost Child (1972)

  Castle of Disquiet (1973)

  Snow in Eden (1974)

  Winds of Treachery (1975)

  They Came from Calais (1976)

  In Spite of Thunder (1978)

  Whispers of the Wicked (1979)

  Twilight in Daventry (1980)

  Stars, Hide Your Fires (1981)

  The Torches Burn Bright (1982)

  For the Love of Jane (1983)

  River of Silence (1985)

  A Fine Deceit (1987)

  Fall of a Sparrow (1988)

  Absent Thee from Felicity (1989)

  The Thorny Path (1990)

  Betraying Eve (1991)

  On London Bridge (1992)

  The Silver Birch (1994)

  The Tide Rises (1995)

  What Dreams May Come (1996)

  The Villainous Smile (1998)

  Gone by Midnight (1999)

  Sapphire Sea (2000)

  Beautiful Mankind (2001)

  Frost and Fire (2002)

  Savage Storm (2003)

  The Pen and the Sword (2005)

  The Tenth Muse (2006)

  Death at Seaside (2008)

  Mist of Time (2009)

  He Kindly Stopped for Me (2010)

  (a four-year hiatus)

  Bereft (2015)

  The Salzburg Train (2016)

  Death on the Danube (2017)

  Death at Delphi (2018)

  Danger at Debenham Station (in progress)

  And now, whatever way our stories end,

  I know you have re-written mine

  by being my friend.

  —From “For Good” by Stephen Schwartz

  GROUP CHAT

  Sender: Cliff Blake

  Recipients: Sam West, Lena London, Doug Heller, Belinda Frailey, Allison Branch, John Branch, Camilla Graham, Adam Rayburn, Isabelle Devon

  Hey, gang!

  Do any of you have inside information about that monstrosity that’s going to be blotting out the sun at the
intersection of Green Glass Highway and Route 14? I saw it today while I was driving to work, and I think the architecture must have been inspired by a 19th-century prison. There’s a little sign at the edge of the road that reads “Coming soon: Plasti-Source.” What the heck is Plasti-Source? Does plastic have a source? Doug, have you talked to the mayor about this? Do they have all the proper permits and such?

  I know I just got to this town, but it breaks my heart to see that big ugly thing going up in that gold field that provided my morning Zen experience for the last several months. Lena and I like to jog past it, too. Lena, when you see this you’ll want to change our route. It is truly ugly. Maybe you and I can come up with some Scooby-Doo–inspired plan to drive them out of town.

  Who’s with me?

  Meanwhile, I’m going to do some digging into this company (and by that I mean I asked Belinda to do it); a quick Google search has told me only that “Plasti-Source is your source for polymer materials, for the next century of construction, electronics, aerospace, and transportation.”

  I think I’ll just get my polymer materials at Bick’s Hardware.

  Sender: Doug Heller

  Reply All

  Funny you should ask. I asked to see a permit from someone at the site just yesterday, and I was referred to a “Mr. Randall,” who is so far not answering my calls. Lydia at the town hall says that they have four other locations but decided on Blue Lake as the site for their new and bigger plant, apparently because they realized we had a landscape worth ruining.

  If anyone had obscure “polymer materials” stowed away on some dusty shelf, it would be Horace Bick.

  Sender: Sam West

  Reply All

  I think Cliff’s ties are made of polymer materials. Also, Doug’s various implants (you thought he was naturally good-looking, ladies? Think polymer).

  Sender: Allison Branch

  Reply All

  How did you guys ever live without each other?

  Sender: Lena London

  Reply All

  Within hours they will all be in Sam’s yard, drinking beers and telling lies. John, I’m sure they’ll be trying to lure you in, as well.

  Cliff, I saw that ugly structure yesterday when I drove to the dentist (no cavities!). It looks like something a kid made with an erector set. I hate it. I’m on board for chasing them out of town. I need my big Blue Lake sky!

  Sender: Adam Rayburn

  Reply All

  Camilla and I are enjoying your conversation; she asked me to tell you, because she is off to the hairdresser’s, that you remind her of the three sparring brothers in They Came from Calais. She said Lena would understand. She forgets that her loyal and devoted Adam has also read all of her books. I agree with her, though—the three brothers argue their way into a happy resolution, solving a mystery and fending off evildoers in the process. Perhaps life can imitate art.

  While I have you all here, I will mention that Camilla and I are going away for a couple of days to take in the fall color and do some sightseeing. I know I can count on all of you to keep an eye on the house; Lena and Sam have agreed to be the caretakers of Camilla’s beasts.

  Sender: John Branch

  Reply All

  Just saw this text chain. Cliff, there was a Plasti-Source in Chicago where Allison and I used to live. It was also an ugly building with a chain link fence around it and lots of warning signs. It got shut down twice for breaking EPA laws about whatever toxic smoke was coming out of the plant, or maybe the toxic sludge that came out of some chemical process they were using. It is not a place we want setting up shop in Blue Lake.

  Have a great trip, Adam. You and Camilla deserve a little romantic getaway.

  Sender: Belinda Frailey

  Reply All

  I will start a research file on Plasti-Source. Sounds like we need to have a meeting soon! I’ll bring chips and dip.

  Sender: Isabelle Devon

  Reply All

  I don’t have anything to add; I just wanted to be in on the conversation. Thanks for copying me, Cliff. :)

  1

  A reader wants a heroine she can understand, admire, aspire to be. But a reader also wants to see that main character as an extension of herself. If the heroine confronts a murderer, the reader does so as well, as the heroine’s loyal companion in that story. The average reader is just as good and clever and brave as the person she chooses to follow into a literary adventure, and a good book helps her (or him) come to that realization.

  —From the notebooks of Camilla Graham

  NOSTALGIA ISN’T A phenomenon reserved exclusively for those in later life; it can take a person of any age by surprise, simply by reminding her of what once was, and is no more. Walking through Blue Lake, Indiana, on a crisp October morning made me feel nostalgic for a Lena London of the past, a Lena who would never exist again. That Lena had entered town under a dark cloud, full of fear and wonder at the idea of meeting her new employer (and idol), Camilla Graham. That Lena had been surprised to meet a young police detective on the side of the road, and then later at the site of a murder, and had been initially suspicious of his charm. She had disliked the local recluse, Sam West, on sight, but grew troubled when she learned his tragic story. And she had been glad to know that at least one person in town, her best friend from high school, Allison Branch, would always love and protect her.

  Now, almost a year later, standing on a scenic overlook that let me admire the sun-dappled town and the glorious lake (which did in fact look very blue today), I realized how different my life had become—drastically, irrevocably different. Camilla Graham, my unknown employer, had become my family, my dear friend and confidante. Doug Heller, too, that wonderful police detective who had solved several mysteries in town since my arrival, was like my brother, and his girlfriend, Belinda, a genius of a research librarian who had helped me solve two very personal mysteries, was like a sister. Allison had proven her friendship to me time and again, most recently when I was recovering from a terrible injury; she had nursed me both physically and emotionally. All of my Blue Lake friends had become a sort of family in one way or another. Most significant of all, Sam West, the scowling, unfriendly neighbor of one year ago—the man who had been accused of murdering his own wife, and later of murdering his wife’s friend—was in fact a kind, gentle, generous, and sexy man. He stood beside me now, not as a friend or a neighbor, but as my fiancé. I glanced down at the ring on my left hand, and at the scar on my left arm, partly visible now that I had pushed up the sleeve of my sweatshirt; the scar, white and almost pearlescent, was more than six inches long when totally uncovered. Some memories stayed with you, imprinted on your very skin . . .

  “Are you having one of your deep-thoughts meditations?” asked Sam, studying me with his exquisite blue eyes. “Because you’ve been awfully quiet, and I thought we were going to make some wedding plans while we walked.”

  “Sorry. It’s been almost a year, did you realize that? It struck me this morning when I put Lestrade’s vet appointment on the calendar. Almost a full year in this town, and a lot of turbulent water under the bridge.”

  “Very true.” Sam looked out at the lake but reached out his right arm and pulled me against his side. “But it’s also true that sometimes you can come through adversity and find life even better on the other side. How can I complain when I have you? And Cliff? And all these new friends?”

  “You can’t,” I said.

  “Then I won’t.” He leaned over and kissed the top of my head. “Do you want to get married here? Or in Chicago, where you grew up? Or in Florida, near your dad? Or in Indianapolis, where we’ve escaped for some very romantic dates? Or on some far-flung island, like all those trendy people who have ‘destination weddings’?”

  “How do you know about destination weddings?”

  “I’ve done my research. I’m a very thorough perso
n.” He looked at me, all windblown brown hair and deep smile lines and intense blue eyes, and his second statement seemed somehow suggestive. I blushed, and he smiled.

  I shook my head and looked back at the lake, taking a deep breath of fall air. “Mmm. Someone is burning leaves. I have to tell you—despite everything we’ve been through in this town—I can’t imagine getting married anywhere but here, can you?” I glanced back his way.

  He shrugged. “Not really.”

  “Okay. One wedding plan decided. It will happen in Blue Lake.”

  “Actually, two plans. The first was that we decided who to marry.”

  “That goes without saying.”

  “I just like to say it,” said Sam. “I’m going to marry Lena London.”

  I hugged him and kissed his newly shaven cheek. “I like it when you say it, too.”

  “It’s a good thing Cliff and Doug aren’t here. They would find our dialogue disgusting.”

  “Only because they’re jealous, though God knows why. They both have women in their lives. At least Doug does. Has Cliff finally asked Isabelle to go out with him?”

  “I don’t know. He’s been very closemouthed about it, which is not like Cliff. I know they both work weird shifts, which probably makes it harder.”

  “Love conquers all,” I said.

  “Ours did.”

  I squeezed him more tightly. “That should be in our vows, don’t you think?”

  “Absolutely. Along with something about not believing in first impressions, and the importance of cats and dogs in forming a strong relationship.”

  I giggled. Sam had recently become the adoptive parent of four cats, two of whom he had given to his half brother, Cliff (another new addition to his life). Now, between his two cats, my spoiled feline Lestrade, and Camilla’s two dogs, we made animals a big part of our daily routine.

  Sam’s phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out and answered after kissing my cheek. “This is Sam . . . Hey, Doug, we were just talking about you! What? Okay—yeah, we can do that. No, that’s fine. We’ll be there in ten minutes.” He ended the call, his expression suddenly sober. He stared for a moment at the gold-orange vista before him, thinking his thoughts.