Aroma With a View, page 1
Aroma With A View
A NORA BLACK MIDLIFE PSYCHIC MYSTERY BOOK FOUR
RENEE GEORGE
BARKSIDE OF THE MOON PRESS
Aroma With A View
A Nora Black Midlife Psychic Mystery Book 4
Copyright © 2021 by Renee George
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the copyright holder.
Any trademarks, service marks, product names or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement by the author of this work.
This is a work of fiction. All characters and storylines in this book are inspired only by the author’s imagination. The characters are based solely in fiction and are in no relation inspired by anyone bearing the same name or names. Any similarities to real persons, situations, or incidents is purely coincidental.
Print: February 2021
ISBN: 978-1-947177-38-3
Publisher: Barkside of the Moon Press
Paranormal Mysteries & Romances
BY RENEE GEORGE
Grimoires of a Middle-aged Witch
https://www.renee-george.com/GMW
Earth Spells Are Easy
Spell On Fire
When the Spells Blows
Spell Over Troubled Water
Ghost in the Spell
* * *
Nora Black Midlife Psychic Mysteries
www.norablackmysteries.com
Sense & Scent Ability (Book 1)
For Whom the Smell Tolls (Book 2)
War of the Noses (Book 3)
Aroma With A View (Book 4)
* * *
Peculiar Mysteries
www.peculiarmysteries.com
You’ve Got Tail (Book 1) FREE Download
My Furry Valentine (Book 2)
Thank You For Not Shifting (Book 3)
My Hairy Halloween (Book 4)
In the Midnight Howl (Book 5)
My Peculiar Road Trip (Magic & Mayhem) (Book 6)
Furred Lines (Book7)
My Wolfy Wedding (Book 8)
Who Let The Wolves Out? (Book 9)
My Thanksgiving Faux Paw (Book 10)
* * *
Witchin’ Impossible Cozy Mysteries
www.witchinimpossible.com
Witchin’ Impossible (Book 1) FREE Download
Rogue Coven (Book 2)
Familiar Protocol (Booke 3)
Mr & Mrs. Shift (Book 4)
* * *
Barkside of the Moon Mysteries
www.barksideofthemoonmysteries.com
Pit Perfect Murder (Book 1) FREE Download
Murder & The Money Pit (Book 2)
The Pit List Murders (Book 3)
Pit & Miss Murder (Book 4)
The Prune Pit Murder (Book 5)
Two Pits and A Little Murder (Book 6)
* * *
Madder Than Hell
www.madder-than-hell.com
Gone With The Minion (Book 1)
Devil On A Hot Tin Roof (Book 2)
A Street Car Named Demonic (Book 3)
* * *
Hex Drive
https://www.renee-george.com/hex-drive-series
Hex Me, Baby, One More Time (Book 1)
Oops, I Hexed It Again (Book 2)
I Want Your Hex (Book 3)
Hex Me With Your Best Shot (Book 4)
* * *
Midnight Shifters
www.midnightshifters.com
Midnight Shift (Book 1)
The Bear Witch Project (Book 2)
A Door to Midnight (Book 3)
A Shade of Midnight (Book 4)
Midnight Before Christmas (Book 5)
Contents
Acknowledgments
Blurb
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
Spice and Prejudice
About the Author
Praise for Renee George
“Sense and Scent Ability by Renee George is a delightfully funny, smart, full of excitement, up-all-night fantastic read! I couldn’t put it down. The latest installment in the Paranormal Women’s Fiction movement, knocks it out of the park. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy today!”
—ROBYN PETERMAN NYT BESTSELLING AUTHOR
* * *
"I'm loving the Paranormal Women's Fiction genre! Renee George's humor shines when a woman of a certain age sniffs out the bad guy and saves her bestie. Funny, strong female friendships rule!"
-- MICHELLE M. PILLOW, NYT & USAT BESTSELLING AUTHOR
"I smell a winner with Renee George's new book, Sense & Scent Ability! The heroine proves that being over fifty doesn't have to stink, even if her psychic visions do."
-- MANDY M. ROTH, NY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR
“Sense & Scent Ability is everything! Nora Black is sassy, smart, and her smell-o-vision is scent-sational. I can’t wait for the next Nora book!
—MICHELE FREEMAN, AUTHOR OF HOMETOWN HOMICIDE, A SHERIFF BLUE HAYES MYSTERY
For My Father-In-Law, Richard.
* * *
His almost 20 years of sobriety from 1986 until he passed away in 2005 was a true inspiration.
* * *
He was my pinochle buddy, my friend, and even after sixteen years, I still miss him.
Acknowledgments
A huge thank you to my “you saved my butt once again” crew of BFFs Robbin, Michele, and Robyn for tirelessly having my back. This story is awesome become of you! Thank you for being my people! I love you guys!
To my editor Kelli Collins. You are a great friend and my rock! I’m sorry I am such a crap client. LOL (The woman is a saint, people!)
To the PWF #13 - Thanks for bringing attention to heroines of a certain age. You ladies are magnificent.
My husband Steve and my son Taylor for taking up the slack around the house, and most of all, leaving me alone to write! I literally couldn’t do this without you.
My BFF Dakota Cassidy for being my one true heart when it comes to all things binge-worthy. I love you, girl!
And finally, to the readers. You are making this midlife writer happier than you can even imagine! Thank you for loving Nora and going on this journey with her and her BFF brigade.
My name is Nora Black. I’m over fifty and loving it. I’ve embraced the aches and pains, hot flashes, and the new odiferous psychic gift that keeps on giving.
My latest smell-o-vision adventure includes a deadly snake, a high-drama baby shower, sibling secrets, and—surprise—a murder.
With my two BFFs, my sweetie cop, and a whole bunch of nutty Garden Covians by my side, we’ll sniff out the killer. But if we’re not careful, we’ll come out smelling like…manure.
Forget roses, honey. This aroma with a view is starting to stink.
Chapter
One
“And I said, just because you drop a pretty penny for a meal doesn’t mean I’m dropping my pretty panties,” said Tippi Davenport. She tossed her long blonde hair behind her shoulder and hooted. “And oh, baby, was he ever livid!”
In the living room, a nervous titter of laughter erupted from our guests. Marjorie Meadows, an old friend of my mother’s and the Field and Meadows’ Art Gallery’s co-owner, clapped her hands. “Hah! You said ‘baby’! I get your pin,” she said.
The shower guests were playing the diaper pin game. You claimed a safety pin from anyone who spoke the word baby during the shower. The person with the most pins at the end of the party would win a gift certificate to my store, Scents & Scentsability.
I watched Tippi hand over her diaper pin as I readied the next baby shower game of Pass the Pacifier in the dining room area. It appeared the girl could care less about the game because she immediately launched into another ribald tale. Hoo, boy.
Gilly Martin walked over to me, holding a glass of orange sherbet, lemon-lime soda, and tropical fruit punch. My BFF since childhood wore a buttery-yellow cashmere sweater that looked lovely against her warm skin tones and dark hair.
“We need to make more of this liquid gold, Nora. That’s the last cup.” She sniffed the drink. “You’d think this stuff was spiked with premium rum the way these ladies are going through it.”
“Nobody sins on a Sunday,” I said. We’d picked a Sunday for Pippa’s shower because that’s when most of the guests were available to attend. “Besides,” I added. “Are you sure it isn’t spiked?” I gestured toward our loudest guest. “I cannot believe that’s Pippa’s younger sister.” Although the sisters shared a similar fine-boned, willowy appearance, they were definitely polar opposites in the personality department.
Gilly, eyes wide, nodded her agreement. “They say an apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, but I’m pretty sure Tippi and Pippa aren’t from the same branch.”
I gave a low whistle. “I don’t think they’ re from the same tree. If our Pippa is an apple, Tippi is a nut.”
Gilly giggled. “Reese looks like she’s trying to come up with a good reason to arrest the nut.”
Reese McKay was a newly promoted detective with the Garden Cove Police Department, but I’d met her when she was a uniformed patrol officer. I’d helped the local PD with a few cases, and she and I had become friends as a result.
I shrugged. “How much worse could it get?”
Tippi guffawed as she tossed her long blonde hair back, then said, “Whatever you do, don’t fall for a married man. I don’t care how ugly, emotionally distant, or frigid he says his wife is, he is never going to leave her.” Tippi turned her bright blue gaze to Leila Rafferty, my ex-husband’s wife, put the back of her hand to her mouth, as if she was going to tell a secret, and added, “I learned that the hard way.” She glanced around at her audience and held up two fingers. “Twice.”
Leila, who was officially in remission from her cancer after a successful bone marrow transplant last summer, laughed so hard I couldn’t help but smile. Leila’s cancer had almost killed her, and even though she was still as thin as a rail, she’d put on a couple of pounds in the last few months. I’d lost my mom to cancer almost two years ago in April. When I found out last year that Leila had lost most of her hair to chemo, I’d given her all of my mom’s lace-front wigs. Today, Leila wore a blonde bob number that my mother had loved, and it made me feel like a piece of Mom was still here with me.
Gilly, who could always read my emotions like a book, nudged me gently. “I miss her, too,” she said quietly.
I put my head on Gilly’s shoulder for the briefest of moments, then used a baby shower napkin to dab my misting eyes.
“I think Dolly is going to implode from embarrassment,” whispered Gilly.
I cut my gaze to Dolly Paris, the owner of Dolly’s Dollhouse Emporium and Museum, and watched her clutch her pearls. Literally. She wore a strand of cultured pearls and earrings to match. Her gaze darted between her twenty-something daughter, Carrie—who seemed enamored with Tippi’s stories—and the door.
Jane Beets of Beets’ Treats, a candy and sweets shop where I bought brownies way too often, snickered.
Tippi’s scandalous behavior proved to be more entertaining for everyone than celebrating my BFF’s pregnancy and upcoming wedding. Pippa was miserable, as evidenced by her taking yet another super-long bathroom break.
When Pippa rejoined the party, she came up behind me and leaned in. Her voice was tight as she spoke through gritted teeth. “Gilly, why did you invite my sister?”
Gilly flushed. “I thought it would be nice for you to have some family at your baby shower.”
“And is it?” Pippa asked. “Is it nice?”
I choked back a laugh. Gilly had extended the invitation to Pippa’s mother. But the woman—who had a problem with her daughter having a relationship with a man of Jordy’s ilk—had summarily declined. I think she might have forgiven Pippa for the pregnancy, but she couldn’t forgive her for getting engaged to Jordy. So much so, she cut Pippa off from her allowance.
Of course, up until all this happened, I’d had no idea Pippa had an allowance. It turns out, her parents own a chain of hotels in Illinois. I mean, I knew Pippa was educated and had excellent taste, but she’d always lived rather modestly. Not like someone who had a lot of cash to burn.
“We’re running out of punch,” I said. “I’ll get some lemon-lime soda from the garage to make more.”
“I’ll help you,” Gilly said.
Pippa grabbed us both. “Oh, no you don’t. You guys will not leave me alone in here with her. Nora, you go distract Tippi while I get the soda.”
“I’m not up for another one of Tippi’s smell-o-vision memories.”
Last January, I’d died for twenty-seven seconds on an operating table. After I was revived, I’d developed a talent for seeing scent-related memories. Just not my own memories. The sweet citrus scent of the punch had invoked Tippi’s memories of a cheerleading camp where she’d gotten caught playing Seven Minutes in Heaven with a friend’s boyfriend. She’d been wearing orange sherbet lip gloss at the time. In the memory, she had been mortified when the closet door had swung open, but today she’d been smiling when she thought of it.
“I think your sister has a thing for guys who are unavailable.”
“Better lock up your men,” Gilly muttered.
Pippa rested her forearms over her basketball-sized belly. “I’m not worried about Jordy.”
“The only thing I’m worried about is getting through this next game.” A tap at the back door window drew my attention. The face peering back at me through the pane glass made my heart flutter. “Speaking of fellas,” I told my besties. “I’ll be right back.”
I put on my teal puffy winter coat before stepping out into the backyard. Ezra Holden, aka my fella, met me on the deck. He wore gray dress pants, a pale blue button-down shirt, and the same black blazer he’d had on the first time we’d met eleven months ago. It had been an official encounter, since he’d been serving me with a restraining order. It felt like ancient history now as Ezra wrapped his arms around me and gave me a kiss.
“Hey, sweetheart.”
I melted. “Hey.”
He grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “How’s the shower going?”
“So far, so good.” I chuckled. “You looking for an easy arrest? Because I think Pippa wants to press charges against her sister for…existing.”
“Existing is a hard charge to make stick.” Ezra slid his hand down my backside and gave my rear a squeeze. “But I might be persuaded to do a twenty-four-hour hold.”
I rose up onto my tiptoes and kissed him until a soft moan escaped his lips. Thanks to Lasik surgery in September, I had the eyes of a teenager now, but the best part was being able to see Ezra’s gorgeous green eyes clearly when we were this close.
I smiled. “I can be very persuasive.”
“You certainly can be,” Ezra agreed.
I heard laughter from inside the house, reminding me of my hosting responsibility. “I love this surprise visit. But I know you wouldn’t have come all the way out here just for a stolen kiss.”
“You’d be surprised at the lengths I’d go to get a kiss from you.”
I let out a giggle that ended on a nervous snort. “All right, then,” I said softly. “You better get going now so I can finish up here. You’re still coming by tonight, right?”
“Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”
Gosh, this man made me giddy. I took a breath to clear my head. “It’s a date.”
“Perfect.” He reluctantly let me go. “Hey, can you tell Reese I’m here? I need to talk to her for a minute.”
I raised a brow. “You could’ve called her.”
“Then I wouldn’t have gotten to see you in the middle of a workday.” He chuckled. “I texted her.”
I narrowed my gaze. “She told you to rescue her, didn’t she?”
Laughter sparkled in his eyes. “I’m actually here to rescue whoever Tippi is. Reese mentioned the words handcuffs and duct tape in her text.”
I gave his chest a quick pat. “Pippa’s sister is…er, a lot.”
“Sister, huh? I always thought Pippa was an only child.”
“She wishes.”
He chuckled. “Tell Reese to meet me out front,” Ezra said, his tone more serious.
“Hey, is something really wrong?”
