The Heart of Teaberry by R. A. Wallace

Author:R. A. Wallace [Wallace, R. A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-02-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Harriet saved the file on her computer and let out a sigh of satisfaction. Fridays were typically a busy day for her and today was no different. Of course, her bookkeeping business was always swamped as they came ever closer to tax day. The rest of the year she was kept busy at a more consistent pace handling things like payroll for small businesses in the area.

It was a nice steady income for her and one that offered a fairly typical routine. She always knew when she had to have payrolls calculated and she always knew when tax day was coming. She glanced at her clock and realized that she had finished the last calculations right on time. She would be through with work for the week soon.

The thought brought back a tension that she had been feeling ever since the chance encounter with Miles at the college branch. For reasons she couldn’t explain, she’d been very upset ever since that day. Although, she had to admit to herself, maybe the reasons weren’t completely unexplained. She knew in her heart that she was very fond of Miles. The ringing bells on her front door startled her out of her thoughts.

“It’s that time of the year again,” Irlene said with a smile. She stopped when she saw the look of despair on Harriet’s face. “Are you okay?”

Harriet forced a smile as she stood.

“Of course. Just wishing the weekend was already here.” Harriet nodded toward the expandable file organizer that Irlene was carrying. She assumed it was the yearly tax information for Irlene’s hair salon.

Irlene held the file organizer up. “Where would you like this?”

Harriet held out her hands. “I’ll take it.” She set the organizer on her desk.

“Do you have plans for the weekend?” Irlene asked politely.

“Oh, not really, no. Though I do have a writing assignment for a class I’m taking.” She smiled to show it wasn’t drudge work.

Irlene frowned. “That’s a coincidence. My customers have all been talking about a writing instructor today. That’s just horrible about Miles, isn’t it?”

Harriet felt her heart skip a beat. “What?”

“You haven’t heard?” Irlene leaned against a bookcase and crossed her arms. “They say Miles murdered some professor from the college branch.”

***

Jennifer dropped her head into her hands as she ran several scenarios through her brain. None of them turned out the way she hoped they would. She lifted her head and opened the folder in front of her. Flipping through the notes she took when she’d spoken to Miles, she zeroed in on a specific question. She was reading the answer to it when she heard the front door of her shop being opened with some force.

She stood quickly and moved out of her office and into the front room where she found a terrified-looking Harriet. Jennifer immediately moved toward the other woman.

“Harriet, are you alright? Did something happen?” Jennifer looked behind Harriet, expecting to see a knife-wielding maniac appear behind her. She couldn’t think of any other reason for Harriet to come rushing into her office in such a panic.

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