Flared Stiff by Julie Anne Lindsey

Author:Julie Anne Lindsey [Lindsey, Julie Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cozy Queen Publishing LLC

Chapter Eleven

I smiled through the rush at work the next day. Another shop with a big event had the sidewalks packed for several hours, and the extra foot traffic had meant a lot more shoppers buzzing through Bless Her Heart. I owed the other store owner a big thank you and needed to up my event game so I could return the favor.

I took advantage of a lull to straighten shelves and check on the outdoor plants my folks had delivered. The cart and display outside my window looked great and went perfectly with the town-wide floral explosion. And by the looks of the gathering clouds, all the upgraded flower beds were going to get a little rain water very soon.

Then my car would be white again, instead of a dingy dirt-dusted tan.

I tested the soil in the row of smaller plants on my checkout counter for signs they needed a drink. The interior plants were doing just fine as well.

One of the darlings was mine, Sutton had gifted me the succulent named Judy, who stood alone in a hot-pink pot. She’d possibly saved my life at one time, but I didn’t try to make sense of that. And Peanut, the dinky cactus in a shallow orange pot, had assisted in the capture of a killer running lose in Cromwell. Together, the pint-sized pair made a strong argument for not taking everything at face value.

The thought triggered memories of a young, petite Kelsey Cahill and her butcher of a lover. Was it possible he was a teddy bear, and she was more dangerous than she appeared?

The bell above my door dinged, and I put the investigative thoughts aside. “Welcome to Bless Her Heart,” I called, raising my eyes to the newcomer with a smile.

Aces, the blonde from the diner’s gambling night, walked inside. She wore capri jeans and a black t-shirt with white stripes around the sleeves and scoop collar. A black ball cap rode low on her forehead, shading her eyes. She’d pulled a narrow ponytail through the back of her hat and looked like an overall different person. The change was so drastically different from the overdone makeup and glittering dress I’d last seen her wearing that it took a moment for recognition to take hold. If she hadn’t been staring so intently as she made a beeline in my direction, I might not have recognized her at all.

“Hi,” I said cautiously, concerned by the hard expression on her makeup-free face.

“Hey.” Her gaze darted around the empty store. “I hoped I’d catch you here. Do you have a minute?”

“Sure.” I smiled, attempting to appear calm and inviting, when everything about her screamed something was wrong. “What’s up?”

She checked over both shoulders, then angled her body to keep an eye on the shop window and door. “I wanted to say some things that I couldn’t the other night. Too many people. Prying eyes. Listening ears. All of that.” She waved a hand between us and shook her head, as if pulling herself back on track.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.