Oh, no. No, no, no. That was not going to happen. I promised Ma I’d do this for her and I’ll be damned if I didn’t do it right. Especially since she was haunting me. There was no way I would to spend the rest of my waking days with the ghost of my mother pissed off because we didn’t honor her final wish. No way.
“It’s okay,” I blurted out before Paul agreed with John. “Ma was worried about the same thing, so we called the cemetery a few weeks ago and found out that it’s fine.” I took a quick breath and hoped God wouldn’t strike me dead for lying.
“They told me that as long as we’re not getting a stone, the plots are ours to do with as we please. Except for digging up our grandparents, that is.” I checked the sky, but still no lightning. Phew.
My brothers nodded. “Okay.”
Dodged that bullet. What’s wrong with a few little lies? This was what Ma wanted and eventually I’d tell them the truth, once she was buried and we were on our way home. Or maybe next year. What’s the saying? Ask for forgiveness, not permission. That’s what I’d do, eventually.
I offered to make the memorial arrangements even though we all knew they’d have asked me to do it anyway.
I filled them in on my call to our cousin. “I already called Roxanne, who said she’d make the rounds of calls, and since the funeral home here said they would put the obituary in the Chicago papers, that’s covered. Does the weekend after next work? That gives us all time to plan accordingly.”
“I don’t see a problem with that, but I’ll have to check with Elizabeth and see what her schedule is,” John said.
Jake nodded in agreement with his eyes still glued to the screen of his iPhone.
Paul nodded too. “Let’s go through all of our pictures of Mom. I can make a video with music, and we can show it at her memorial.”
We all agreed that was a great idea and made plans to confirm the date over email by tonight. My brothers left Jake and me there to share our addiction to the warm, smooth taste of coffee. We got refills before we headed home, too.
The rest of the day I was on autopilot and truth be told I couldn’t remember much of it. One minute Jake and I were getting coffee and the next it was after ten p.m. I kissed Jake goodnight and went upstairs and checked on the kids, who were already blissfully sound asleep.
“It’s done,” I texted Mel after I settled under the covers.
“I’m sorry,” she texted back. “Do you need anything?”
“No, I’m okay. Going to bed. I’m tired.”
“K. I’m here if you need me. (HUGS).”
BY CAROLYN
RIDDER ASPENSON
Unfinished Business
An Angela Panther Mystery
Unbreakable Bonds
An Angela Panther Mystery
Uncharted Territory
An Angela Panther Mystery
The Christmas Elf
An Angela Panther Holiday Short
Santa’s Gift
A Cumming Christmas Novella
8 to Lose the Weight
For more information visit
carolynridderaspenson.com
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
So many people continue to play a part in the Angela Panther mysteries. Jenn Nahrstadt for her proofing excellence and much valued opinion. Stephanie Konat for her marketing know-how and attention to detail and Tatiana Vila for her fabulous book covers.
Of course I can’t leave out the much-appreciated help of Ara Baronian and Nick Sotor, both incredibly patient professionals in law enforcement. Thank God they each understand I really am writing a book when I text them with ridiculous questions at all hours of the day.
As always, a big dose of love to my husband Jack, for his love, support, patience, and most importantly, his incredibly selling skills. I wish he’d be my agent but alas, he has a job already.
To be notified of future releases
and receive a free copy of Carolyn's holiday novella,
Santa's Gift, A Cumming Christmas Novella,
Carolynridderaspenson.com
MORE GREAT READS
FROM
CAROLYN RIDDER ASPENSON
Unfinished Business An Angela Panther Mystery
In UNFINISHED BUSINESS AN ANGELA PANTHER MYSTERY, #1 AMAZON bestselling author Carolyn Ridder Aspenson introduces her now trademark blend of witty dialog and hilarious banter in the first book of her hilarious and heartwarming paranormal chick lit, cozy mystery, Angela Panther series.
When Angela Panther's mother Fran Richter wakes her up in the middle of the night ranting about stolen Hershey Bars, Angela thinks her mother's got a screw loose. And then it hits her. Her mother is dead. Just a few hours before, Angela watched as the funeral home staff nearly dropped her mother's body off the gurney while sliding her into the hearse. So maybe she's the one that's nuttier than a fruitcake?
But Fran keeps popping in and with a volcano full of drama already brewing at home—crazy or not—Angela's grateful for her mother's presence.
It's the other ghosts Angela can do without.
Seems Fran's return opened a portal between Angela and the other side and ghosts are hitting up the reluctant psychic medium for help. From the naked British guy juggling balls in the coffee shop parking lot to the woman desperately trying to save her sick child, Angela must find a way to balance her own life with the unfinished business of the dead.
Unbreakable Bonds An Angela Panther Mystery
"Be careful what you wish for because karma has a way of biting you in the butt." That's what Angela Panther's mother always said.
And boy was she was right.
When Angela first discovered her gift to gab with ghosts, she fought it tooth and nail. But the second she decided it wasn't so bad, tragedy hit and the universe decided to teach her a lesson.
Now she's unable to chat with the other side and is crying out for a re-do.
When her best friend Mel suspects her husband of cheating, she asks Angela to help her prove it. They concoct the perfect plan to get the goods on him, but to make it work they'll need help from Angela's mother, Fran.
There's just one tiny little problem--Fran's dead.
As the two best friends set out on a cheater-catching adventure, they hope Fran can use her celestial super powers to help, and prove that the bond between those who've crossed over with the ones they've left behind is never broken.
In UNBREAKABLE BONDS, AN ANGELA PANTHER MYSTERY, AMAZON and Barnes & Noble bestselling author Carolyn Ridder Aspenson’s snarky dialog and hilarious banter between psychic medium Angela and her best friend Mel will leave you laughing in tears, and the touching scenes between the living dead will tug at your heart strings.
Uncharted Territory An Angela Panther Mystery
Just when psychic medium Angela Panther thinks she's got her gift figured out, the universe smacks her in the head with a curve ball, or three.
When an unidentified fourteen-year-old boy takes a dive off an interstate overpass, Detective Aaron Banner asks Angela to find out what really happened, and to whom. Only, the boy’s spirit has other plans for her—help another lost soul and forget about him.
But Angela's never been good at taking orders.
With the help of her dead-but-not-gone mother, Fran, and her best friend, Mel, who’s now newly single and on the prowl, Angela sets out to discover the truth about both the jumper and the girl he wants to help.
And boy, is she out of her league.
Armed with little more than their double lattes and a tiny pink bottle of wannabe pepper spray, Angela and Mel must venture far out of their comfort zone to solve two mysteries. But will it be enough to protect them from the dark side of Atlanta and its gun-toting teens and child abductors, so they can help the dead to finally rest in peace?
To be notified of future releases and receive a free copy of Carolyn's holiday novella, Santa's Gift, A Cumming Christmas Novella, visit
Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
> Carolyn Ridder Aspenson, Unbinding Love: An Angela Panther Mystery Novella (The Angela Panther Mystery Series)
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