I knocked on my parents’ door twice before stepping inside. I could hear my parents arguing from the kitchen, no big surprise there. It was a civil disagreement, but their voices were raised. I couldn’t tell what it was about, and I didn’t care—as long as it wasn’t about me.
As soon as they noticed my presence, both of their tongues stilled. They rushed to me, enveloping me in their embrace and making a Sunshine sandwich.
“We were so scared!” the words finally burst out of my mother’s mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“You’re about to squeeze the stuffing out of me!” I joked, stepping back to see the relief on both of their faces.
“Sorry, sorry!” my mother apologized as she pulled away. “Do you want some cake?”
“I just ate at Angelo’s,” I explained, and both parents heaved an empathetic sigh. It was impossible to leave that place in any other condition besides stuffed. “How was the baseball game?”
“Well,” my father began, “the game was great, and the twins won, but that’s not really the best part of the night.”
My eyebrow arched as I looked at my dad. “What do you mean?”
“Chief James’s niece plays on the same team as the twins, and he was there cheering her on,” my dad said.
As soon as the words left his mouth, I had a feeling I knew what came next.
“I was chatting him up between innings,” my mother took over the story, “you know, the neighborly thing to do. And I asked him how the library case was going. And he said, ‘Now that you mention it, I left work early today, so I better check in and see if I have any messages.’ That’s when he listened to his voicemail and realized you were in trouble.”
“Wow.” All I could do is get the one word out. God works in mysterious ways, doesn’t He?
“I still can’t believe Susan would do such a thing,” my father said, cutting himself a slice of cake and pressing his fork into the moist, chocolatey goodness. Why couldn’t I have inherited my mother’s baking skills?
“I know,” my mother agreed—yes, the excitement of them agreeing on something was not lost on me. “She always seemed so reasonable. So…sane.”
“Definitely not sane,” I blurted out. “If you could have heard her little soliloquy at Jada’s house earlier. Whew! There were some serious mental health issues going on there. She actually thought she was entitled to that money! She’d spent two years plotting how to steal it.”
“Wow,” now my father was limited to a one-word vocabulary.
“Was Susan ever married?” my mother changed the subject. I could see her wheels were turning, and I didn’t like the direction they were going.
“Never married,” I retorted. “And don’t even think of saying it—”
“I just don’t want you to end up jaded and alone like her,” my mother said. “You’re forty now…”
“Forty-two,” I reminded her.
It had been a long time since my mother had butted into my love life—or lack thereof. I supposed she thought it was fair game now that I’d endured a traumatic event. I still didn’t think that gave her the right, but…I did understand her concern.
“I would just feel so much safer if…”
She didn’t finish the phrase because she knew I wasn’t going to like where she was going with that comment.
“Speaking of which,” my father butted in, realizing it was time for yet another subject change—frequent subject changes were the norm in our family.
“What?” Both of us planted our gazes on him.
“The church hired a new interim pastor,” he revealed, “since Pastor Marks retired last month.”
“Oh, well, that’s good news!” my mother exclaimed with genuine joy in her eyes. “What’s he like?”
“Well, he’s in his late thirties, and he’s never been married…”
Oh no.
Not much of a subject change after all, it seemed.
Eighteen
For the first time in over a week, it rained.
When I woke up Sunday morning, it was to the pitter-patter of raindrops on my roof. My bleary eyes finally able to focus on the world outside my window, I took in the layers of gray clouds looming from the top of the sky to the horizon. And there were puddles in my backyard too. Ugh.
A glance at the alarm clock on my nightstand revealed it was already eight o’clock. Time to get up and get ready for church. Every fiber of my being wanted to pull the cover over my head and drift back to sleep, but then I remembered that going to worship my Creator, who had quite literally saved my butt just two days before, would probably be a good idea.
I dressed in the sunny yellow and pink dress I’d worn earlier in the week to work, now that it was clean and pressed. I added a fuchsia cardigan to ward off the chill from the rain and patted Bond and Paige goodbye before heading out to my car. Church was only a few blocks away, but I couldn’t be expected to walk in this downpour.
As I pulled into a parking space, I drew in a deep breath. This is my family, I reminded myself. My brothers and sisters in Christ. My gaze trailed over to the Bryce Beach Community Church sign in front of the stone building, which was only a few streets over from the boardwalk. It was an ancient building—though not the original church the Founding Fathers built back in the 1600s. That building had succumbed to fire, and so had the two erected on the same ground in the next two centuries. This particular church was built in the early 1900s and seemed to be standing the test of time.
Walking toward the building, I reveled in the miracle that the Founders’ Bible had been recovered in good shape and was now safely ensconced in its new glass display case, complete with state-of-the-art security. Willa Bryce Monroe had seen to that. They’d had an official unveiling ceremony yesterday, in fact, but I was tired from my ordeal the night before, so I chose to stay home with my kitties and read. I’m a librarian, after all. I can’t be expected to people all the time!
“Hey, you!” I heard a voice call out from behind me.
I whipped around to find Molly walking toward me with Evangeline and Jada trailing closely behind. Our other two colleagues weren’t usually churchgoers, at least not at this church, so I was rather shocked to see them. But in a happy way, of course.
“Hey, ladies!” I called back, mustering a smile despite the drops of rain that were soaking into my sweater.
“Come on!” Molly encouraged everyone. “I’m getting soaked.”
We all rushed up the stairs and through the two huge wood doors that formed an arch in the center of the stone edifice. And even though it was stark and gray outside, with no hint of the sun, the stained-glass windows in the sanctuary still looked vibrant with their rich colors and details. It was such classic architecture, it always instilled an instant sense of reverence when I crossed the threshold, like being transported to a different dimension.
“There she is, my Sunny Bunny!” my father bellowed from the entry to the sanctuary, where he and my mother were apparently serving as the greeters that morning. “Pastor Bethany!”
A tall man in a dark suit turned toward my father, and I got my first glimpse of our interim minister. He had short brown hair, a little thin on top; large, expressive hazel eyes with a thick brow; full lips and a healthy ruddy glow to his creamy skin. When he smiled, I saw his straight, white teeth.
He reached out to shake my hand. “Hello! I’m Pastor Paul Bethany.”
“Hi, I’m Sunshine Baker.” I felt the warmth from his hand seep into my skin. “Nice to meet you, and welcome to Bryce Beach.”
“Sunshine Baker, what a wonderful name! I bet you like to bake, huh, Sunny?” He laughed and glanced at my father, looking for his approval.
My mother simply rolled her eyes. She knew his first impression left a lot to be desired when it came to sparking a romantic connection between us. He’d taken my name and stomped all over it. Sigh.
After he introduced himself to Molly, Jada and Evangeline, and my parents properly greeted them as
well, my entourage and I made our way down the aisle to the pew where my family normally sat. My brother River and his wife Izzy were already there. My nephews were no doubt in children’s church, which took place in another part of the building.
Then something happened I wasn’t prepared for.
It started with a few people coming up to me and thanking me for solving the mystery of the stolen town treasure as well as recovering the library funds. Next thing I knew, there was a whole line of people waiting to shake my hand and congratulate me on a job well done.
As someone who had only ever lurked in the background—despite this red hair, big body, copious freckles, and the burden of an unforgettable name—I was in no way used to this amount of attention.
“Sunshine! We’re so glad you were on the case, dearie,” Willa Bryce Monroe said when it was her turn to pump my hand up and down enthusiastically.
She turned to Evangeline. “I’m still not so sure about you, but I’m glad you’re okay and here with us today.”
We all had a good laugh. Then Chief James’s dark eyes pierced into me from the pew in front of us as he and his parents made their way to their seats. At first I didn’t think he was going to acknowledge me, but then, right before Pastor Bethany made his way to the pulpit, Vincent James turned around and grasped both of my hands in his.
“Happy Sunday, Sunshine,” he said. “It’s good to see you.”
I was in no way used to this amount of attention…
But it was definitely growing on me!
When I got home from church, I spotted Bond sitting in his spot in the window, soaking up the sunshine. I was so anxious to get inside and give my kitties some attention, I almost stepped right on a little envelope resting on my welcome mat.
I picked it up, examining it for clues. I just couldn’t seem to shake this amateur sleuth thing! The envelope was plain white and had my first name neatly printed on the outside.
Opening it up, my breath hitched, panicking a little about what it could be. Susan had that nasty virus she’d infected my colleagues with. What if she had an accomplice drop this by to exact revenge for the way I’d foiled her scheme to abscond with the money and retire in a tropical paradise?
My fingers grazed over the smooth card, which had a watercolor print of delicate flowers on the outside. I opened it up to find the same neat printing:
Great job solving the case, Sunshine. You returned our Founders’ Bible to its rightful place, and you saved the library. Thank you.
Wishing you well,
An Admirer
The word “admirer” was thicker than the others, like it had been outlined. What in the world was this about? Was it a trick? A trap?
Forty-two-year-old librarians who’d never been married and were—like Willa Bryce Monroe claimed—too pudgy to find a husband, didn’t receive letters from secret admirers. I couldn’t believe there was anything but a sick and twisted joke behind that card. I walked inside, stuck it in a drawer, and didn’t think another thing of it.
Instead, I curled up on my sofa with Bond and Paige, and cracked open a brand-new book.
THE END
Collect all the clues at the end of each book to help Sunshine solve the mystery of her secret admirer.
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No one fell asleep. No one left in the middle. I’m going to chalk that up as a win!
“Thank you all for coming!” I called across the room as my patrons gathered up their things and began their mass exodus from the YA area. My eyes followed the pack of teens, their low rumble of chatter fading away as they crossed the lobby and headed out the library doors.
“Make a wish on the Founders’ Bible before you leave!” my voice carried into the lobby.
I witnessed several of them stop to examine the ancient relic that was a vital part of our town’s history. Having them make a wish was partially a ploy to help them appreciate that the priceless artifact had been returned to its former place of glory in our town library’s lobby.
Whew! That’s over! I wiped the figurative sweat off my brow, though I wouldn’t have been surprised if there were a few drops of real sweat too. Planning and running YA programming was exhausting! I felt like a one-woman circus up here trying to keep everyone engaged. But I think I succeeded?
“Great job!” Anna Cooper clapped as she came around the wall of bookcases that separated the YA area from the adult area.
“You think it went okay?” It wasn’t that I needed validation from my favorite patron, but… Well, validation is nice, isn’t it?
“I had a lot of fun!” She set a stack of books on one of the wooden tables we’d used during the program and looked around. “Everyone leave already?”
“Yeah. They seemed happy, though? I think?” It was hard to tell sometimes with teens.
She nodded enthusiastically. And then: “Can I check these out? I know you’re getting ready to close in a few minutes.” Her big brown pleading eyes looked up at me. How was I supposed to say no to that face? Especially after she and her sister helped save the library just over a month ago.
“Of course, dear. C’mon over to my desk.” She followed me, and I sat down, wielding my trusty scanner to zap the barcode on each one of the mysteries she’d picked up.
“Mysteries, huh?” My eyebrow arched as I peered up at her.
She flashed me a sheepish smile. “Yeah, honestly, solving the Bryce Beach Bandit mystery was so much fun, I thought it would be fun to read a few.”
I had to laugh at her use of my phrase “Bryce Beach Bandit.” I’d coined it long before the newspaper interviewed me about my work to bust the thief of the Founders’ Bible and the proceeds of the library’s annual fundraising gala. Now the culprit was getting her just desserts.
Mmm…desserts. I couldn’t bake them worth a darn, but I sure enjoyed eating them!
“I don’t know what I would have done without you and your sister. She’s all ready to start her new job, right?” I had hired Anna’s older sister Liz to do some website and other tech work for the library this summer. I was anxious to see how it went, because if Evangeline, my friend and our interim library director, liked what Liz did with the YA pages, she was considering hiring her to redesign the entire library site—and we needed it. Susan, our former director, was always stingy when it came to technology.
“Yes, she’s really excited to get started,” Anna confirmed. The precocious thirteen-year-old smoothed her long braids over her shoulder as she waited for me to print out her due date slip.
“You about done?” my best friend Molly, the children’s librarian, asked as she peeked around the corner.
“Yup! Just let me finish checking these out to Anna.” I printed out the slip and stuck it inside the top book, my usual routine. And then Anna stuffed the books in her canvas bag—her usual routine.
“Have a good night, Anna. Tell Liz I’ll see her bright and early on Monday morning!”
Anna waved as she headed toward the lobby with her full bag slung over her shoulder. Books made her so happy that I could see the joy radiating off her as she bounced along in her cut-off jean shorts and sandals.
I turned to Molly, who looked like she was ready to burst with excitement, even after a long day of librarianing. Not a word, but should be. Her blonde hair was pulled up in a smooth bun on top of her head, and her summery sundress looked just perfect with a matching knit shrug over it.
“You look really nice today!” I gushed. “I was so busy getting my program together, I forgot to tell you.”
Molly’s cheeks flushed pink, and I knew right then that something was up with her.
“You look like you’re excited about something more than dinn
er…” My voice trailed off as I studied her face, trying to figure out what was going on.
“I am excited about dinner!” she insisted. “But I have some other news too. I’ll share it when we get there.”
“Well, then maybe we all have something to celebrate?” I suggested, and she pumped her head up and down in agreement.
We were going to the new restaurant at the marina. It was called Josie’s Seafood Shack, and apparently “shack” was quite a misnomer. It was rumored to have taken over the coveted title of Most Elegant Restaurant in town, and it was perched right on the water with a stunning view of the docks at the marina as well as Bryce Cove.
I followed Molly out to the parking lot, and when we exited the building, we both looked over our shoulders to see Evangeline coming down the front steps with Jada Booker, the head of technical services, falling in step behind her. The two were already friends before last month’s Bryce Beach Bandit incident, but now they were thick as thieves.
Hmmm, maybe that’s a poor choice of words considering what happened…
“Hey, wait up!” Jada called. She was quite a bit younger than us, still in her twenties, but Bryce Beach was a small town, and she probably hadn’t found a clique to run around with. She’d latched on to Evangeline, who was in her late thirties, and Molly and I were the two old ladies at forty-one and forty-two.
“Are you guys hungry?” I asked as we convened in the parking lot. I was hoping we weren’t going to stand there and chit chat when we could save the discussion for the dinner table.
Dangerous Curves Boxed Set 1: 3 Cozy Christian Mysteries Page 16