A Whale of a Murder (A Cape Cod Cozy Mystery, Book 5), Ebook

A Whale of a Murder is Book Five in the Cape Cod Cozy Mysteries.

Prefer paperbacks? Click here.

A whale guide’s final voyage becomes Cassie’s next case.

When Cassie settles onto the porch of her new beach house to paint a sunrise, the last thing she expects is to witness a boat drifting aimlessly along the horizon. Curiosity turns to dread when she kayaks out to investigate and discovers the body of beloved whale-watching guide Eli Wethersfield.

A personal connection to Eli pulls her into the investigation, sharpening her resolve to uncover the truth.

But Eli’s death isn’t the only mystery weighing on Cassie. She and Jake are still racing to uncover the truth behind the art thief who framed her friend and stole the final years of his life. As new evidence surfaces, Red’s true identity comes into focus.

If you love seaside settings, intriguing mysteries, and endearing characters, you’ll love A Whale of a Murder, a charming and suspenseful addition to the Cape Cod Cozy Mysteries!

"Always interesting with many suspects, a red herring or two, and many motives, this well-plotted book kept me reading into the wee hours!"
~ Bernie  

"A great plot and story with an interesting group of friends who band together to investigate a murder. The motive for murder seems clear, but is it? Are the murdered victim's intentions being misjudged? Some twists and turns lead to a fascinating conclusion."
~ msdjhall

"I have thoroughly enjoyed this series, but this latest book is a roller coaster ride. There is so much information that is discovered by Anna and her friends, concerning 3 murders that they think may be related, that the storylines keep you glued to the book."
~ Debi P.

Prefer paperbacks? Click here.

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Cassie sipped her morning coffee from an Adirondack chair on the deck of her Cape Cod beach house and watched the sun rise over the Nantucket Sound. It was still early June, so it would be a couple of weeks until the high tourist season began, but the population of the seaside town had already begun to swell. 

Her gaze settled on a young couple strolling along the seashore. They passed a man casting a fishing rod from a folding chair near the water’s edge.

Cassie drained her coffee mug and stepped down three wooden stairs and onto the thick, cool sand. A breeze blew gently through the sand grass on the dune to her left. She stood in front of her deck breathing in the fresh, crisp air and couldn’t wait for her first summer in Sand Dune Shores.

She returned the friendly wave of the couple as they passed, and her eyes settled on a boat gently gliding along the horizon. Even from a distance, she recognized it as the Tail Chaser, a local whale-watching boat owned by Eli Wethersfield. Cassie smiled when she recalled his boisterous personality. The last time she saw him was when her brother and father visited a couple of weeks ago and the three of them indulged in one of Eli’s whale watching tours.

Her mind drifted to the empty canvas waiting for her in her home studio, and she couldn’t resist the chance to paint on such a beautiful morning. Since moving into her new beach house a couple of months earlier, she had been painting prolifically, filling her workshop with new pieces. Once she solved the case that had brought her to Cape Cod in the first place, she planned to sell her work in local galleries.

For now, though, she needed to stay under the radar. She didn’t want Red, the man she believed had framed her friend John Seewald for art theft, to learn she was on the Cape. She’d been helping John investigate the case when the car accident happened, the one that took his life and temporarily stole her memory.

Walking into her workshop, which was the other half of the duplex connected to her living space, she gathered everything she needed to set up on the porch and capture the scene before her:  a drop cloth to protect the boards, paints and brushes, and a canvas on the easel. Then she began painting the exquisite sunrise.

About an hour later, she put aside her partially finished painting, strolled to the water’s edge, and stood next to the fisherman, who was now looking out onto the water towards the Tail Chaser.

“That boat has just been drifting around out there for the past hour,” the fisherman said. “It doesn’t look like anyone is at the helm.”

Cassie observed the boat for a few seconds. It was now much closer to the shore than when she had begun painting. She estimated about fifty yards out.

“You’re right. Why do you suppose Eli is out there just drifting?” 

The fisherman shrugged. “Don’t know. But I’ve been here since shortly before sunrise. At first I thought he might be doing some sort of sunrise whaling expedition, but the boat hasn’t gone anywhere.”

Cassie extended her hand to the man, who had a slight pot belly, thick, dark hair, and the beginnings of a beard. “I’m Cassie, by the way. I’ve seen you out here fishing some mornings at sunrise. I just moved to the neighborhood.”

“I’m Jed,” he said, shaking her hand.

The young couple who had been walking the beach approached them. 

“Excuse me,” the man said. “We couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. I’m Mike, and this is my wife, Beth. We’ve been watching that boat, too. It’s as if there’s nobody on board.”

“I wonder if we should call the Coast Guard,” Beth said.

“I know Eli, and he would be furious if we made a big deal over nothing,” Jed said. 

Cassie glanced back at the boat. “It’s not that far away. Why don’t I grab my kayak and take a paddle out there before we call the police.”

“Do you have a second kayak?” Jed asked. “I’d be happy to go out there with you. Eli is a friend, and I’d feel better seeing for myself if he’s okay.”

“I do. Come on,” Cassie said, gesturing for Jed to follow her.

They went to Cassie’s beach house, where two kayaks, life vests, and oars were stored beneath the porch. She and Jed pulled them out, dragged them to the ocean, and climbed into the kayaks. Cassie slipped her cell phone into a plastic bag and dropped it into the kayak’s front hatch to keep it dry. Within moments, they were paddling steadily toward the Tail Chaser.

The Tail Chaser continued to drift toward the shore, so it only took about ten minutes to arrive at the boat. Jed was breathing so heavily that Cassie said a silent prayer that he didn’t have a heart attack. 

“Eli!” Cassie called out. 

There was no response. 

She called him again. “Hello? Eli?” 

Jed called out next in a low, barreling voice, but there was still no response. “Should we climb aboard?” he asked. “It’s going to be tricky, but I think we can make it by way of that swim platform.”  

Cassie glanced at his pot belly and decided she was their best bet. “Let me see if I can get up there first.” 

Jed seemed pleased with her suggestion.

She paddled toward the stern, where the swim platform was located. Her kayak nudged the fiberglass with a soft thud. She reached for the metal rail, which was slippery against her wet palms. 

Jed followed behind her in his kayak. 

She tossed the painter line of her kayak to Jed, pulled her phone from the hatch, and stuffed it in her pocket. Then she hauled herself up. Her bare foot slipped when she caught the edge of the boat, but she managed to catch the hull and pull herself aboard.

“Nice job!” Jed called from the kayak below. 

“Thanks. I’ll take a look around first.”

But she didn’t have to go far before she realized why the boat had been adrift. When she walked toward the cabin, she saw Eli lying on the edge of the bow, still and unresponsive, with a thick rope wrapped around his neck.

She raced over to him as best she could, while ensuring that she wouldn’t slip, and felt for a pulse, but his blue lips and pale skin told her that she wouldn’t find one.

“What’s going on up there?” Jed asked. 

She had nearly forgotten that he was with her.

She slowly stood up and walked toward the edge of the hull. “You’d better come up here, Jed. It’s not good.”

Jed hastily tied his kayak to the back of Cassie’s, then tossed her the line from hers so she could secure it to the side of the Tail Chaser. Once it was fastened, she grabbed his arms and did her best to steady him as he clumsily climbed aboard.

She led him to Eli’s body. Jed gasped, then put his face in his hands. Once he composed himself, he bent down to check his pulse.

“It’s no use. I already checked. He’s gone.”