Masquerade Party Murder (Juniper Holiday Cozy Mystery Book 4)

MASQUERADE PARTY MURDER JUNIPER HOLIDAY BOOK 4 LEIGHANN DOBBS CONTENTS 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 More Books By Leighann Dobbs: About the Author CHAPTER ONE “Madam, the DJ wants to know where you would like her to set up her equipment in the ballroom.” Juniper, hip deep in feather boas of every color, looked over her shoulder in surprise at her ghost butler, Lionel. “She can see you?” “No, madam. I overheard her talking to Terrence.” “Ah,” Juniper said and went back to sorting through the mess of feathers. “Did he tell her where to set up? He already knows. I told him earlier today.” “I was not aware of this, mum,” Lionel intoned. “Well, I didn’t tell you, Lionel, because you can’t exactly relay my instructions to anyone,” Juniper remarked distractedly. “Of course not, mum.” Juniper stopped flinging feathery strangle scarves around, her shoulders lifting and lowering quickly in a short sigh. That was Lionel’s miffed tone. She’d said something to upset him. Dang it. “Lionel, I didn’t mean—” “It’s quite all right, madam. You simply spoke the truth. I am dead. There is no denying the fact.” He gave a slight bow, hands behind his back. “If you will excuse me, I must go see how Jacobi and Felicity are faring.” Instead of slowly sinking through the floor or floating across to the wall, Lionel vanished, and with his disappearance, Juniper leaned her head back and gave a great big sigh that she felt to her spinal cord. They were mere weeks out from Christmas, and she was feeling a bit weary. All this celebrating was her idea, yes, but lord, she could really use a rest. And now she had a ghost with hurt feelings to deal with—on top of getting everything ready to go before tonight’s big New Year’s party. It was moments like this when she wished someone else could communicate with her ghostly staff. Well… there was someone, but she’d rather not have to deal with old Quackers right now. She had to see him too much as it was. Of course, half of it wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t like she could keep people from falling dead or being found dead on her property. Desmond Mallard (or Quackers, as she sometimes referred to him) was a detective on the Crescent Cove police force, and he took his job seriously. Juni helped him out, though, on occasion. She figured it was the least she could do, considering how often he found himself out here when he clearly didn’t want to be. He didn’t want her help, but she gave it anyway. It was her way of giving back. Whether he liked it or not. “Sometimes you just can’t win,” Juniper said to the housecats, Ludo, Loki, and Finn. All three of them ignored her. Ludo was busy sniffing at the feathers, her dainty pink nose twitching. Loki had managed to get tangled in a fuchsia boa that looked striking against his black fur. Finn was too serious to play with feathers, so he lay atop the bed, watching the others with a detached air of slight disdain. “June, you ready? Your guests are going to be here any minute,” Juniper’s goddaughter, Victoria, announced as she waltzed into Juniper’s room without knocking. Following closely behind was Barclay, her beloved Jack Russell-and-Chihuahua mix. Barclay’s eyes lit up when he saw the cats playing with the boas, and he raced over. Ludo hissed and ran under the bed. Loki jumped up onto a bureau. Finn snuggled deeper into the pillows on the bed. Barclay simply looked around as if wondering why everyone had run away. Shooting a glare over her shoulder at her goddaughter, Juniper said, hands spread out before her, “Does it look like I’m ready?” Tori blinked, looking around at the stacks of clothes lying scattered about the room. “Whoa. You having trouble picking out an outfit? I thought you had already decided what you were going to wear.” “This is from days ago,” Juniper said. “Well, most of it. And I did. It’s on the bed. I’m trying to untangle this pile of feathery horrors I’ve collected over the years. There’s a specific one I need, and I think it’s in the middle of the knot.” “Give it here,” Tori said, waving her hands. Juniper tossed it over without hesitation and got to her feet. “Thanks, Tor. I’ve gotta go talk to Lion-o. I hurt his feelings earlier and need to apologize. Let me know when you’re done!” “Juniper Holiday, you are not about to leave me to sort this mess myself!” “I’ll be back!” Juniper said cheerily, giving Tori a big smile before she closed the door behind her. Tori’s irate voice followed her as she escaped down the stairs. “Juniper!” She power walked barefoot across the marble floors, ducking into one room after another in search of her long-dead butler, calling his name and getting no response. Her search garnered more than a few looks from the decorators and serving staff as they went about their tasks setting up for the party, but Juniper ignored them. They knew the place was “rumored” to be haunted and that she had been caught talking to thin air more than once. If they hadn’t caught on by now that it wasn’t an act, then whatever. “Juniper Holiday, tell me I haven’t missed my chance.” Skidding to a halt in the middle of the hall leading to one of the many living rooms, Juniper turned and stared in wide-eyed astonishment at her unannounced guest, not quite believing what she was seeing. Tall and dark-haired with a boyish face and a mischievous grin, Chalis McGregor stood with his shoulder propped against the wall. Juniper smiled. Her