A New Beginning: A Millie the Miracle Cat Cozy Mystery by Courtney McFarlin

Author:Courtney McFarlin [McFarlin, Courtney]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-02-14T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Nathan Blackmere’s Bentley should’ve clued me in that he wasn’t afraid of being ostentatious, but his house still surprised me. As we drove down Blackmere’s long driveway, my mouth fell open as I looked up, and up, to the top of the concrete facade of his house.

“Wow.”

Pardon my lack of eloquence, but there wasn’t a better word to describe the three-story concrete block that towered over us. Hints of red from the fading sunset broke up the white structure, appearing as though parts of the house had been washed in blood. I shivered as I pulled my SUV into a long line of cars.

“Valet parking? Oh my, he’s really trying to impress, isn’t he?” Sandy said, frowning as she looked at the rows of cars in the adjacent field. “That used to be all forest. When we were kids, this was the best spot to find wild berries.”

Naomi shook her head.

“Change is necessary, but the way he goes about it feels so brutal.”

Brutal was a good way to describe Blackmere’s property. There wasn’t a tree or any greenery to soften the harsh architecture. Just yards of concrete and rock everywhere you looked.

“I’m glad Al didn’t come. This was one of our favorite spots when we were in high school. I haven’t been up here in years,” Emma said, catching my eye in the rearview mirror.

A somber mood threatened to derail our evening, and I tried desperately to find a more cheerful subject.

“Oh, there’s Jo! She’s two cars ahead of us. I can’t wait to meet her husband.”

“Eddie’s the lamb to Jo’s lion. You’ll love him. We all do,” Emma said as we moved forward in line. “I think most of the town turned up. This is going to be an interesting night.”

By the time the valet appeared, I wished I’d taken a pit stop. I handed over the keys and shepherded my charges towards the entryway, where two young men were collecting coats. I let the ladies go first, still uncertain over the dress they’d unanimously chosen for me. It wasn’t my typical style, and I hugged my coat closer to me, wondering if it would be weird to keep it on. At least for a little while.

Naomi shrugged out of her wool coat, revealing a flapper-style silver dress that highlighted her tiny figure. The beaded fringe sparkled under the massive chandelier hanging above us in the entryway.

“Oh, you look darling,” Emma said, handing over her coat. “I’ve always loved that dress on you.”

Naomi blushed, her cheeks almost as bright as her hair as Emma and Sandy handed over their coats. Sandy’s dress was a beautiful forest green chiffon that suited her hippie vibe, while Emma went for a conservative navy coat dress with military style epaulets. They looked gorgeous, and I hugged my coat a little tighter.

“Ma’am?”

I forced a smile at the coat checker and slowly peeled myself free of the coat, feeling nearly naked. My fairy godmothers had insisted I buy the deep plum dress with a

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