by Libby Howard
“Yes, I caught a murderer. Although I had some help from a detective and from Olive.”
We moved into Warrior Pose. “You’ll need to tell J.T. all about it when you get in,” Daisy said. “Don’t say I told you, but he was worried sick about his business the whole time we were in the Keys. I get the idea that man doesn’t take many vacations. I’ll give him credit though, he trusted you enough to not call and check up on you even once while we were gone.”
“Good. Although he’ll have to wait for my updates because I’m going in late today. I’ve got to be here for the dishwasher installation.”
“You finally got a new dishwasher!” Daisy exclaimed. “Tell me about it. Has it got all the features you wanted? Does it match your cabinetry? I’m so glad you were able to buy a new one.”
I smiled serenely as we moved to a tree pose. “It’s a basic dishwasher. It’s reliable and has a warranty through the appliance store. It’s white with a little dent on one side and a tiny bit of rust on the bottom. And I got a very good deal on it.”
I did. There was a bit of money left in my savings account and I’d add to that each paycheck to build up my safety net once more. I’d realized that having that cushion of savings was far more important to me than fancy features on a dishwasher or avoiding any embarrassment over my ability to afford fancy, expensive appliances. It cleaned the dishes. It was reliable and functional. And at the end of the day, that’s what mattered the most.
“Sounds a whole lot better than doing dishes by hand,” Daisy said, absolutely confirming that I’d made the right choice.
“It is. And it’s a lot better than having to rewash dishes because the kids missed a spot and there’s old coffee around the rim of my mug.”
Daisy laughed, and the sound was so infectious that I laughed as well.
“It’s good to have you back,” I told my best friend as we finished up our yoga.
“It’s good to be back.” She gave me a big hug and we went inside to enjoy apple spice muffins and coffee, and to wait for the dishwasher installation.
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Lyndsey Lewellen for cover design and typography, and to both Erin Zarro and Kimberly Cannon for copyediting.
About the Author
Libby Howard lives in a little house in the woods with her sons and two exuberant bloodhounds. She occasionally knits, occasionally bakes, and occasionally manages to do a load of laundry. Most of her writing is done in a bar where she can combine work with people-watching, a decent micro-brew, and a plate of Old Bay wings.
For more information:
libbyhowardbooks.com/
Also by Libby Howard
Locust Point Mystery Series:
The Tell All
Junkyard Man
Antique Secrets
Hometown Hero
A Literary Scandal
Root of All Evil
A Grave Situation
Last Supper (February 2019)