Lakeside Beauty: A Canadian Cottage Country Mystery: Canadian Cottage Country Mysteries, #1

By Renny deGroot

Shannon Coyne and her cocker spaniel, Dusty, live in the lower flat of a century home in Port Hope, Ontario, with her best friend Piet Van Loo living upstairs. Her career in real estate is taking off. She has friends she loves and is close enough to visit with her family regularly. Everything is exactly as she wants it until it isn't.

Shannon accepts a contract from Jason to sell his mother's cottage. But, when she visits the place, she discovers the dead body of Jason's estranged wife. Everyone knew Brenda was flirtatious and selfish, but according to the police, only Jason had enough reasons to want her dead.

Certain that her friend is innocent, Shannon pokes her nose in where she shouldn't, to get justice for Jason.

When the killer sets their sights on her and her friend, Shannon needs to work quickly before she becomes the skeleton in the closet.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Renny deGroot
• Release date: Nov 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781998891061

Renny deGroot

Renny deGroot was born in Nova Scotia, Canada, a first-generation Canadian of Dutch parents. Her novels have been shortlisted for the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize and a Whistler Independent Book Award. They have been awarded several readers' awards from the U.K., Canada, and the U.S. She has published mystery, historical fiction, short stories and non-fiction Renny has a BA in English Literature from Trent University and studied creative writing at Ryerson University. She lives in rural Ontario with her Great Pyrenees and Golden Retriever, and vacations at her cottage in Nova Scotia.

Book preview

Chapter One

IN THE CONVERTED UPSTAIRS apartment of the red brick century home in Port Hope, Ontario, Shannon Coyne tossed her long copper hair over her shoulder to peer closer at the dendrobium, accidentally flicking her locks into the face of her friend Piet van Loo who hovered behind her. She was there to see his latest acquisition. As one of her closest friends, she gladly came upstairs from her own apartment to his to share in his pleasure.

He stepped back. Watch it.

She glanced over her shoulder. Sorry. Don’t stand so close, then.

Piet adjusted his black-framed glasses and stepped in again to look at his beloved plant. She’s gorgeous, isn’t she?

Shannon tilted her head. "Is this a she?"

Piet shrugged. Not really. Orchids are both she and he, so sometimes I decide one is a she and the next one becomes a he in my mind.

Shannon nodded. Right. Well, I agree. She’s beautiful. I love the fuchsia splotches against the white petals, and then with the yellow centres, it’s almost obscenely lush. The young woman allowed her focus to move from the orchid to the window with its view of the deep backyard, covered in snow. You have a better view than I do downstairs.

Piet stepped up to the window. I do, but you have access to the yard.

You know you can use it anytime you like.

I know, my sweet, but you can just walk straight out through those beautiful French doors.

Shannon turned back and flung herself onto the well-worn brown leather sofa, conceding his point. You’re right, and Dusty and I do love that. But you’ve changed the subject. Tell me when I can come for a tour of the funeral home. She studied her friend Piet. Three years younger than she was, his serious face looked older than his twenty-five years of age. He and his father recently moved their family business into new premises. The mortuary business intrigued Shannon.

He smiled and teased her. You’re a ghoul.

As Shannon returned the smile, she knew her full lips and high cheekbones accentuated the sparkle in her blue-green eyes. I’m not a ghoul. I have a highly developed sense of curiosity and a thirst for knowledge.

He nodded. OK. It’s quiet right now, so it’s probably as good a time as any for you to take a tour. I admit the renovations do look good.

She dazzled him with a smile. Lovely. Thank you. OK, I better go. I’m meeting Emma at the Dreamer’s Café in forty-five minutes, and then I need to go by the office. I’ll come by after that, so it’ll be around four o’clock.

Go on, busy girl. I need to spend my morning catching up on errands.

Shannon gave the grey tabby curled beside her on the sofa a caress. Bye, Caesar. Don’t stir yourself on my account.

The cat blinked sleepily and put his paw over his head as if to block out the interfering sounds that disturbed his nap. Shannon and Piet both laughed, and he saw her to the door.

5

Shannon took her cocker spaniel for a quick walk and then settled the dog in the apartment with a biscuit. No barking now, little lady. Have a nap and I promise I won’t be too late.

The small blond dog wagged her silky tail and trotted off to curl up by the French doors on the pastel green wingback chair.

Shannon hustled her way along the tree-lined streets to reach the main east-west road of Port Hope. The town had cleared the sidewalks of snow, so she made good time clipping along Walton Street to reach the Dreamer’s Café at the corner of Queen Street. Pausing for a moment inside the door to allow her eyes to adjust after the sunshine, she enjoyed the fragrance of freshly baked goods.

Shannon, over here.

She smiled and waved at her friend Emma. Hi. Ooh, I love the new haircut. Shannon sat down at the small café table and studied Emma, admiring her friend’s heart-shaped face framed by a shoulder-length brunette bob. Yes, it really suits you.

Doesn’t make me look too old?

Not at all. You look classy. I probably should consider doing something with this mop of mine. Now that I’m getting my own clients at the real estate agency, it’s time to look more professional.

Don’t you dare cut that gorgeous, long red hair. It suits your Celtic looks. Your mother still wears her hair long, and it looks great, so why shouldn’t you?

Shannon smiled. You’re right. I’m not ready to let it go yet. Mammy believes that our Celtic second sight is somehow connected to our hair. I know that sounds silly, but the visions can be very real.

I’m not sure I’d like that. To see things.

Shrugging, she nodded. Visions aren’t the right word. It’s more like a feeling about something before it happens. Anyway, give me the latest office news, so I’m prepared for the meeting this aft.

The two friends spent an hour gossiping about office politics since they worked together at the local realtor agency.

Did you hear about Jason Elliot?

Shannon raised her eyebrows. That he split up with Brenda, you mean? It’s so sad. They were only married a couple of years. I couldn’t believe it.

Emma nodded. I know. They seemed so good together, but do you remember when we were all in high school, she flirted with so many other guys behind his back? They broke up and got back together again at least three times that I remember.

Shannon bit her bottom lip. I know, but I thought she outgrew all that when they got married. They seemed so happy, and she was such a pretty bride.

Emma sniffed. I think Brenda was more interested in being a bride than she was a wife. But that’s not the news I wanted to tell you. Jason came into the office yesterday when you were out at the open house on Hope Street.

Really? Why? He’s renting a house. Is he thinking of buying? Shannon scanned the available properties in her mind’s eye that might suit a newly separated young man and came up short.

No, no. He is going to list his mother’s old cottage. You know she’s got dementia and now lives in care over in Cobourg?

I had heard that all right. So sad. She’s only in her seventies.

The women were quiet for a moment, recalling their high school friend’s mother who used to be vibrant and active. Emma then spoke up. So, Jason came in to start the process of selling the old cottage.

Shannon nodded. I want that listing. I know the property. Remember the long July weekends when we all went out there for Canada Day? I haven’t been there for a few years now, but still, I’m the best one for the listing.

Emma nodded. "I’m sure it’s yours. After all, doesn’t your business card proclaim you as Your Cottage Country Expert?"

Exactly.

Emma looked at her watch. Speaking of work, we should get going.

They paid the bill and walked together to the realty office ten minutes away on a small side road off Port Hope’s main street.

As they walked along, they chatted about their families. Emma had recently run into Shannon’s uncle, Bob Miller, at a charity event, and she commented how much she loved his Irish accent. He always intimidates me just a little. I know he’s a Staff Sergeant with the Northumberland County Police Service, but when he starts talking, that accent puts a person right at ease.

Shannon laughed. He’s been in Canada since I was three, and you can still cut that Belfast accent with a knife. I think he cultivates it. My mum, who is his sister, doesn’t have nearly such an accent.

Emma laughed. She does. You just don’t hear hers.

Shannon stared at her. Emma Anderson. Are you saying I’m not observant?

Emma held up her hands in a defensive motion. Heaven forbid. You’re just more accustomed to her accent.

The women stopped talking when they got to their destination. They went to their desks to get ready for the staff meeting.

5

Shannon itched to get going on the new listing. Right after the meeting, having the listing confirmed as assigned to her, she called her new client.

Jason, it’s Shannon Coyne. You dropped by our office yesterday to get the process started to list your mother’s old cottage. They have given me the listing, and I’d love to meet with you and get all the paperwork going.

She listened to his exclamation of surprise, and then they set up a date for the next morning.

Yes, I have your address here and know where your place is.. Looking forward to seeing you at ten o’clock tomorrow morning then, and you can catch me up on everything that’s been going on. I haven’t seen your mother for ages, but remember her well.

She hung up the phone and spent the next hour filling in the information she already knew and printing the paperwork off, ready for Jason’s signature the next day. Shannon tucked the papers into her briefcase and took a last look at her checklist to make sure she had everything she needed for the morning. After she slipped on her jacket, she walked over to Emma’s desk.

I’m off now. I’m seeing Jason Elliot at ten tomorrow morning. After that, I’ll probably go right out to the property to see what state it’s in. I imagine it will need some cleaning and preparation before I get the photos taken.

Emma nodded. I’m sure you’re right. Hopefully, he’ll be open to clearing out some stuff. From what I remember, the place was stuffed full of furniture.

Shannon laughed. For which we were all glad when there were ten of us crushed into the cottage looking for a place to sit, but yes, it won’t show well.

Emma waved as her friend went on her way.

Shannon left the building and turned left to walk along Walden Street the few blocks to Piet’s funeral home. Her mind was full of thoughts of how to make the most of her new listing, and she arrived at Van Loo and Son Funeral Home before she knew it.

She sent Piet a text message to let him know she was there, and he came to meet her in the front foyer. The floor in the reception area was a medium dark hardwood. Piet led the way into the first room, and Shannon marvelled at the deep rose colour of the thick carpet.

She oohed and aahed while her friend led her through the arrangement room, display area, and other public rooms. Piet turned to go back to the front reception area.

Shannon stopped him. Wait. What about the back room?

Seriously?

You promised a tour.

He shrugged and then turned to lead her through a heavy white door with a sign that declared Absolutely No Admittance. Staff Only.

Chapter Two

JASON FINISHED SIGNING THE pages and watched as Shannon separated them into two piles; one for him and the other for her to file at the office.

Fishing a key ring out of his pocket, he laid it on the table in front of her. I haven’t been out there for months. I hope it’s still standing.

Shannon smiled. I’m sure it is, although it may need some basic repairs before we list it. Are you open to spending a bit of money before we list the cottage, or do you just want to leave it and sell it ‘as is, where is’?

I’m prepared to spend a bit, but let’s talk about it after you go out and see it.

Sure. Is there anything you don’t want to sell with the property?

No, nothing. Get rid of everything. Hopefully, whoever buys the place will take it furnished.

So, you don’t mind if I clear some of the older, worn stuff out?

Go ahead. To be honest, Brenda spent more time out there than I did. Before we were married, she loved going there, but I worked, so she’d go with my mother, or with a girlfriend.

He frowned while speaking, and Shannon felt he might have been thinking the same as her that the weekends away might not be with a girlfriend.

Jason shrugged. I guess my memories of the place are tainted.

She rested her hand on his arm for a moment. That’s a shame. Emma and I were talking about the good times we had there when we were in high school.

He nodded. I remember. Even then, Brenda spoiled some of those times with her attention-seeking performances. I wish I had learned my lesson back then.

Shannon hesitated before folding her hands on top of her stack of pages. What went wrong, Jason? I thought that after everything you two went through, you had it all figured out.

He blinked several times rapidly. I thought so too, but I guess I’m just not enough for her.

I’m sorry to hear that.

Yeah. I don’t know who she’s with, but I have my suspicions.

She sighed and gathered her papers, not wanting to cause her friend more pain by asking further questions. "All right. I’ll go out there this afternoon and take lots of pictures and then we can talk about what should be done. I’ll put up a Coming Soon sign to see if we can generate some excitement. She picked up the key ring and frowned. Two keys?"

Oh, the other one’s for the back door here. Just leave them both on there for now.

Shannon nodded. I’ll get a copy of the one for the cottage made, and that will go into a lockbox when we start showing it. When I get the duplicate made, I’ll give this back to you. She tucked the ring into her purse.

He walked her to the door and hugged her. I’m glad it’s you that’s selling Mom’s cottage. I should have just called you. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it.

You have a lot on your mind. Let’s do our best to banish the bad memories and highlight all the good times that the cottage has hosted. A new family will love it.

5

Shannon made a brief stop at the office and left the agreement documents with Emma to file. I’m going out to the location of this cottage this afternoon to take a preliminary look at the place. The cell phone service can be sketchy in places out there, but if you need me, you can try me and just leave a message if you don’t get through.

Emma nodded, her newly bobbed hairstyle bouncing. No problem. Looks like decent weather anyway, so you shouldn’t run into any snow squalls.

Looking forward to the drive out to the cottage, Shannon went home first to change into jeans before heading north. She heard Dusty bark the moment she put her key in the door, the dog greeting her mistress with her usual enthusiasm.

Come on outside for a minute and have a pee, you little scamp. You know I won’t talk to you until you have. Otherwise, we’ll be sure to have an accident. Shannon led the way out through the French doors into the backyard. She stood smiling as Dusty raced around the deep yard, bouncing through the layer of mushy snow until she found a place that suited her for her business.

Come on, then. You can come with me this afternoon.

The blond cocker spaniel seemed to understand that a treat was in store for her, and she raced back in through the door Shannon held open.

After a quick lunch of whole-grain toast with peanut butter and banana, she leashed up Dusty and went out to the car. The small dog immediately curled up on the blanket laid out on the back seat of Shannon’s cherry red Toyota Rav4 and settled in for a snooze.

Shannon loved her car. It had a four-wheel drive, which was ideal for some of the back roads she drove out in the country. It never let her down, so she set off on her journey, not worrying about the rough snow-covered road into the cottage area.

She tuned the radio to Country 105 and navigated her way through the back streets of Port Hope to the eastbound ramp for Highway 401. Picking up speed, she travelled the two exits to Highway 45 and then slowed down as she headed north. The cottage was in an area some called Dunnette Landing, some called Little Germany, and others simply called Roseneath. It was on a narrow dirt road running parallel to Rice Lake. There were two or three new modern, full-time residences on the road, so these days they kept it plowed in winter. Most were still small cabins and cottages ranging in age from thirty to a hundred years old. Generally, the cabins had simple tracks leading to them from the actual road. The deep, well-treed properties offered lots of privacy for summertime getaways.

As Shannon drove, she thought about her long friendship with Jason. They first met early in high school when they both signed up to volunteer at a local facility for senior citizens. They completed their 40 hours and decided to stay for the summer to help with activities when the regular staff was away. Jason left for the school swim team in the fall, but Shannon stayed until she got a part-time job. She still visited the staff occasionally. Jason was such a caring person and when he first started dating Brenda, none of their friends understood the attraction. Of course, she is beautiful. While Shannon and her circle of girlfriends worried about acne, braces, and a less-than-voluptuous figure, Brenda seemed to bypass those teenage problems. By Grade Ten, she already knew how to make the most out of her long glossy dark hair and youthful attractions. By the time she set her sights on Jason, the captain of the swim team and grade-A student, she was the belle of the school. He didn’t stand a chance. Shannon shook her head as she recalled how Brenda just had to crook her little finger and Jason came running. Brenda was smart enough, but wouldn’t even have passed math if Jason hadn’t done her homework for her. She sighed and smiled into the rear-view mirror as Dusty lifted her head and tipped it to one side quizzically.

No, nothing’s wrong, sweetie. Just me remembering how I used to try to get Jason to stand up for himself. The dog put her head back down and gave her own sigh, as if in sympathy.

She rejoiced in secret when they broke up, not because she was interested in him, but because she knew he could do better for himself. When they got back together again, Shannon decided maybe there was something there she couldn’t see and tried to be happy for them as a couple. And now here we are. Split up after only a couple of years of marriage. So sad.

Images of Brenda flirting with other guys, even at her own wedding, popped into Shannon’s memory. She had looked spectacular with her hair in a complicated updo with just the right amount of wispy tendrils framing her heart-shaped face. Her lips, always a little pouty, were plump and full, and several men seemed mesmerized by her. Angry words overheard between Jason and his wife echoed in her mind now until finally, as she arrived in Roseneath, she forced herself to put all those negative thoughts aside to concentrate on the road. Shannon wound through the forest until she reached a long, snow-covered driveway. She put the car in four-wheel and turned into the lane, surprised to see tire tracks pressed into the mushy snow. She rounded the bend and braked harder than she intended to. In the back seat, Dusty tumbled to the floor and yelped in protest.

Shannon turned and cast an apologetic glance as the cocker spaniel scrambled back up to the seat. Sorry, sweetie.

She sat and blinked a couple of times as if unsure she really saw the tan-coloured Jeep parked just around the bend of the laneway. What the heck?

Rooting through her briefcase, she dug out the paperwork with