Altered to Death

by Christina Freeburn

  She ignored me. “Mind if I get a few comments from you, Detective?”

  Ted stood, draped an arm around my shoulders, and tucked me against his side. “No comment as the investigation is still ongoing.”

  “Did you tell Wayne that?” One of Karen’s brows were raised and a smile twitched. “Because he’s planning on having a press conference at the Everton mansion in twenty minutes.”

  I pressed the button for the nurse. I was leaving the hospital, with or without the doctor’s blessing. There was no way I’d miss Wayne’s conference.

  It seemed like half the residents of Eden had shown up for Wayne’s press conference. Snow had started falling again so Wayne moved it inside. The main foyer was stifling and I felt like I might pass out from being overheated. Then again, most people weren’t bundled up in an oversized ski coat, snow boots, scarf, and a ski hat. I thought it was a little much but Garrison said I was more susceptible to the cold, and it was the only way Ted agreed to bring me.

  Now we were inside and I was in danger of sweating to death. I pulled off the ski hat and unwrapped the scarf from my neck. The front door opened and cold air drifted inside. I sighed in contentment. The gloves came off next.

  The house was in the same state of repair and chaos as when I was last inside the Everton mansion. Of course, it had been the scene of a murder investigation, and Wayne and Wyatt had been banned from doing any more improvements. The floors were covered with tarps that were tacked down.

  Residents oohed and aahed over the restored staircase and built in bookcases. The chandeliers gleamed, the glow from the vintage style bulbs warm and inviting. The place would be magnificent when it was done. Would the town be able to enjoy it? I was anxious to hear what Wayne planned on saying.

  There was a sawhorse placed in front of the stairs. To the right of the stairs, a small section was blocked off, and some of Wayne’s construction crew were setting up metal folding chairs.

  “Will you okay by yourself for a minute?” Ted asked, taking my discarded garments from me. “I want to find Wayne and get a rundown of his announcement. Make sure he isn’t about to reveal anything he shouldn’t.”

  “I’ll be fine.” I tilted my face up for a goodbye kiss.

  Ted brushed a kiss across my lips, eyes darting to and fro as if he was sizing everyone up.

  “I’m safe here.” I gave him a gently push away from me. “Go.”

  “I’m not sure about that.” Ted frowned. “I know you’d be totally safe with me.”

  Sighing, I fixed a sultry gaze on him. “That would be a huge disappointment.”

  A wicked gleam overtook the worry in his green eyes.

  Behind us, someone cleared their throat. I blushed.

  Ted turned. One of the guys from Wayne’s and Wyatt’s construction crew was standing there. He pointed to the area where chairs were set up. “Wayne reserved a spot for you and Faith in a special section. After his announcement, he’s going to take you on a tour.”

  “I’d like to speak to him beforehand,” Ted said.

  The guy turned toward the stairway. “Then you’d better be quick, because he and his attorney are at the podium.” Which happened to be the sawhorse placed in front of the stairs.

  Ted rushed over to the duo while the crew member escorted me to a seat. I slipped off the coat and hung it on the back of the chair. My grandmothers, Chief Moore, Karen, and Ruthann were seated in the tour section. There was a short talk between Ted and Wayne. I couldn’t hear anything but saw a lot of nodding from Wayne as he handed Ted some papers. Ted read the sheets. He took out a pen and marked out a few lines before handing them back to Wayne. Steve stood to the side, arms crossed and face devoid of any emotion.

  Patting Ted on the shoulder, Wayne continued down the stairs and stopped when he reached the makeshift podium. It was a lot shorter than him so he had to stoop to place the edited notes on it.

  “My brother and I just recently found out we’re related to the Evertons. The Historical Society has given us the deed to the house. Wyatt and I are going to finish renovating the house and we’ll have an open house for the community and conduct school tours. When school closes for the summer, we’re going to close the house while we make any improvements and alterations necessary for its long-term purpose.”

  Long-term purpose? I didn’t have to ponder long as Karen stood and asked for clarification on that statement.

  “Wyatt is still in the hospital after getting bashed in the head and my mom is there with him. I don’t make any decisions that affect my family by myself.”

  “What options are you considering?” Karen tapped a pen on the pad of paper clenched in her hand. “The community has a right to know.”

  “We’re just not sure yet.” Wayne smiled at Ruthann. “Your grandma had some suggestions we like, but I don’t want to get anyone hopes up and then disappointment them.”

  “The town is going to make assumptions about what you’re doing,” Karen said. “Isn’t it best to have them talking about what you are considering rather than rumoring on what they think you’re considering.”

  Wayne looked over at Steve who shrugged. Wayne sighed and his shoulders slumped forward. “I hate the fact that you’re right. People will talk. If they do, I’d rather it be the truth than something made up. We might reopen it back up as a historical house for the public to visit, or rent it out as venue for events, or a bed-and-breakfast. Or have it reopened as a home for low-income unwed mothers. The last option seems the most fitting, but I can’t tell you right now why without possible ticking off a detective and Chief Moore. Let’s just say that might be what the house wants to be. That’s it. If you’d like to check out what’s been finished so far, some of mine and my brother’s crew is here to show you around.”

  People looked perplexed and a little disappointment. They probably thought there would be talk about what happened, how Wayne came to the information, and Wayne’s feelings on the matter. His speech was matter-of-fact. I’m sure Ted and the Chief loved it.

  Wayne walked around the sawhorse. He handed Karen a blueprint. “We’re planning on putting in a side garden in the back and creating a cobblestone walkaway between the Everton mansion and the Montgomery Estate. I’d like you and Ruthann to take a look at it and see how you feel about it. Wyatt and I would finance the project. We just think it would be nice for the families to have a link between them.”

  Ruthann smiled at him. “I think that’s a lovely idea. But some of your options might not be suited for this choice.” She tapped on the blueprint.

  “We’re kind of leaning toward the last one. My mom told me you were thinking of doing some job skill classes at the Historical Society building. It would be perfect for those gals who don’t have car.”

  “Then you might want something other than cobblestone,” Karen said. “If these young women are pushing strollers, the wheels might get stuck and that’s a bumpy ride for babies.”

  “Good point. We’ll look into some other materials.” Wayne turned to us. “Now, I guess we should talk about your and Ted’s wedding. We’re happy to leave the reception happening here. If you want to change your mind, any deposit you made will be given back.”

  Karen left with her grandmother. Ruthann talked excitedly about the programs she could start at the Historical Society and maybe even some at the possible new home for unwed mothers.

  Wayne let out a huge sigh. “Now that they’re gone, we can go into the sitting room and look over the plans. I think it’s going to work.” He grinned at my grandmothers. They both glanced at the floor, faces beet red.

  “What will work?” I asked.

  “The plans for your and Ted’s house,” Wayne said. “My mother mentioned the problems you were having finding something perfect and I think I have a solution. Your grandmothers like it.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “You talked to my grandmot
hers about a plan you have for a place for me and Ted to live?”

  Ted wrapped an arm around my waist. “Let’s see what they’re up to before you get riled up.”

  I switched my ire to him. “Do you know what’s going on?”

  “Not a clue,” Ted said.

  “My mom said I better speak to Cheryl and Hope before I went babbling about my idea to you. She said what was a brilliant idea in my head might not be so good once it was out of it.” Wayne opened the door to the sitting room.

  That was good a point. I stepped into the room. It was not only renovated but decorated in a style suitable to the time period the mansion was built. A fire was blazing in the fireplace. Three restored arm chairs and a fainting couch were placed around an Oriental rug, making the perfect conversation area near the fireplace. Behind the couch was a sofa table. A blueprint was on it. As I neared, I noticed it was a building plan. A house.

  “This looks like a blueprint for a house. Please don’t tell me there’s more mysteries associated with the Everton mansion.” Ted glared down at it.

  “Nope, it’s your house.” Cheryl and Hope squealed together.

  “Or we’d like it to be,” Cheryl corrected herself.

  Ted and I exchanged a look of confusion. I neared the table. It was the townhouses.

  Wayne leaned across the table. “This wall on the main floor can be taken down, combining units two and three, your and Cheryl’s current houses, into a larger house to accommodate yours and Ted’s needs.”

  “I’ll move into the townhouse we’ve used as a rental,” Cheryl said.

  “This is a major renovation. I don’t know...” Ted trailed off. I could tell he was intrigued by the idea, but the cost concerned him. Could we swing it?

  “We’ll keep the costs low,” Wayne said. “We can use recycled materials.”

  “There’s some money set aside for you, Faith. We figured you’d use it for college and a wedding. This house was always yours. Free and clear.”

  “No. You should use that money for your retirement.”

  “It’s yours,” Hope said, softly. “It was your parents’ life insurance settlement. We were blessed never to have had to touch it. It’s been in the bank all these years.”

  “You never told me.”

  “We had planned on telling you after you graduated, but your grandfathers died so soon after, and then you joined the Army.”

  It was probably a good thing I hadn’t known. I’d have told Adam, and the louse would’ve likely then killed me so he’d get the money. “You both had a lot on your mind.”

  “It’s not a fortune,” Hope said. “But it’ll be enough to pay for most of the renovations.”

  “I’m not sure about this.” Ted excused himself. I heard a door open and close.

  “We didn’t mean to upset him,” Cheryl said.

  “I’m sure you didn’t, Grandma. It’s been a bad day for him. There’s a lot for us to process.”

  “Nothing has to be decided now.” Wayne rolled up the blueprint. “Take all the time you need.

  I went in search of Ted. He stood on the front porch, looking off into the horizon, his arms resting on top of a rocking chair. Snow fell lightly from the sky. The large front yard was a pristine area of white. Cars were inching down the long driveway. People wanted to head out before they got stuck at the mansion or would slip and slid their way down to the main road.

  “It might be our answer.” I stood beside Ted, pressing my arms to my side to hide my shivering.

  He cocooned me in his arms, pulling me close to his side. “It’s freezing out here. You should be inside.”

  “So should you. If you don’t like my grandmothers’ idea, we can say no.”

  “It might be the best solution.”

  “I hear the ‘but’ in your tone. What’s bothering you? Remember we share.”

  “Is it what you really want to do with the money your parents left you?”

  “I can’t think of a better thing to do with it. I didn’t even know I had money. The only other option for me would be to buy my grandmothers out of their share of Scrap This so they can retire. But neither of them would go for that.”

  Ted smiled. “That’s true. But, it’s your future.”

  “It’s our future,” I said. “It’s not like you aren’t going to contribute. You’ll sell your house, and whatever equity you have will go into the house.”

  “There’s not much, sweetheart.”

  “Fine, my parents would put in the financial equity, you put in sweat equity. Seems mostly fair.”

  “Mostly?”

  I wrapped my arms around his waist. “It’s money my parents left. I didn’t earn it. It’s just there. Along with interest.”

  “Honey, you’ll make it a home for me and my daughter, soon to be our daughter. And...” a slow, sexy smile was fixed on me, “...our babies.”

  My insides tingled. I playfully swatted his arm. “You’re the only man who thinks having babies is romantic.”

  “Maybe not the birthing part, and the exhaustion, and spit ups part, but I can guarantee the making one sure will be.”

  “Do we tell Wayne we’re going to build a house?”

  “We’re building a house. God help us, we’re building a house with the Buford brothers’ help.”

  I laughed. Ted grinned down at me. “That’s one of my favorite sounds.”

  Ted’s love for me shone in his green eyes. Heat flared through me. I stood on my toes and kissed my man thoroughly.

  There was no doubt in my mind that this man would love, protect, and cherish me forever. It was funny how life worked out. The man who at one time thought me the most annoying woman on the planet now didn’t want to live without me. And the man I thought wanted to throw me in jail for the rest of my life, wanted to make a life and home with me.

  I was so glad I didn’t write love off for good. It was actually pretty amazing.

  About the Author

  The Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery series brings together Christina Freeburn’s love of mysteries, scrapbooking, and West Virginia. When not writing or reading, she can be found in her scrapbook room or at a crop. Alas, none of the real-life crops have had a sexy male prosecutor or a handsome police officer attending.

  Christina served in the JAG Corps of the US Army and also worked as a paralegal, librarian, and church secretary. She lives in West Virginia with her husband, children, a dog, and a rarely seen cat except by those who are afraid or allergic to felines.

  The Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery Series

  by Christina Freeburn

  CROPPED TO DEATH (#1)

  DESIGNED TO DEATH (#2)

  EMBELLISHED TO DEATH (#3)

  FRAMED TO DEATH (#4)

  MASKED TO DEATH (#5)

  ALTERED TO DEATH (#6)

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