“She was a con artist, Mom. Her job was making people like and trust her. We all fell for it, I think.” Annie thought about the way that her mother had been taken in by the woman. “Did she tell you that she could talk to dad?” Annie remembered the way her mother had been holding her father’s binoculars that day on the veranda, as though she were embarrassed to have brought them out after so long.
Bessie pursed her lips. “I didn’t ask her,” she said quietly. “I wanted to, but I didn’t want to, if that makes sense.”
Annie nodded. “It does.” She felt the same way, if she was completely honest with herself. Of course, she’d love to think that her father waited for them beyond the veil of everyday life, a shadow who watched over them and was always present. But if someone had faked that presence, or even completely debunked the possibility of it, she thought it would be just like losing him all over again.
“Kizzy and Rob are leaving today,” Bessie said, out of the blue. “And I think Mr. George is going, too.”
Annie smiled as she thought of Rob and Kizzy leaving together. Apparently the pretty actress had offered to give Rob a lift home, since he’d been dropped off by his cameraman when he first arrived. She hoped that they would continue to spend time together. They seemed to really enjoy each other’s company and they were quite a cute young couple.
“Frank and Doris will be here for another day, maybe two,” Annie replied, trying to look on the bright side. “You’ll be able to visit without having so many people to cook for,” she suggested. “And we have new guests coming next week. We’ll be busy,” she mused.
“Oh, I think so,” Bessie agreed, though Annie sensed that she’d be sad to see their first guests leave. “What a week this has been,” Bessie exclaimed. “A little more excitement than I would have liked…” She trailed off and hugged her coffee mug to her lips.
They sat in silence again for a few minutes. Annie was thinking of everything that needed to be done at the house that day, and Bessie was lost in her own thoughts. A flutter of wings nearby drew their eyes up to a pretty little red bird. It landed gracefully in the low branches of a nearby oak tree, and both women found themselves smiling.
“Our visitor is back,” Annie noted.
“I’m not sure he ever left.” Bessie smiled, and closed her eyes. “I don’t need anyone to tell me that your father is still with us,” she said quietly. “He’s here, I’m sure of it.”
Annie watched the little bird for a minute. “I’m sure you’re right, Mama.” I’m sure you’re right.
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The Rosewood Place Mysteries
Bodies & Buried Secrets
When Annie Richards finds herself widowed at the age of 40, she leaves her home in New York City and returns to the small South Carolina town she grew up in. Hoping to create a new life for herself and her teenaged son, Annie teams up with her mother, Bessie, to buy a run down old plantation which they plan on turning into a beautiful bed and breakfast.
When an old enemy of Annie's turns up on her doorstep demanding that she sell her new home, Annie is determined to keep the woman from destroying her new dream. When the woman winds up dead in Annie's kitchen, it looks like the dream has become a nightmare as the police begin to suspect not only Annie but her contractor, Rory, as well.
Rory has a past that involves a stay in prison for assault and a high school romance with Annie. Will she let her old feelings for him cloud her judgment, or is he actually capable of murder? And why do people seem to think that there's some sort of buried treasure on the plantation's overgrown, long-vacant grounds?
Annie finds herself in the middle of a deadly treasure hunt that could end up costing her more than just her new bed and breakfast--it could cost her her life, too.
The Carly Keene Cozy Mysteries
Dead Before the Wedding
Gravely Dead
Love, Death & Christmas Cookies
Can't Beat a Dead Horse
Table of Contents
Anxiously Awaiting
The First Guests Arrive
Wining, Dining, And A Nosy Reporter
More Permanent Quarters
A Missing Guest Is Found
Questions, Alibis, and Answers
Business, As Usual
Murder, Maybe
Angry Guests and Pie
Suspicions, Spirits, and Skeptics
Barking Up Trees
Where There’s Smoke
Fishing For Information
Tired and Sick
A Dead Man’s Forwarding Address
Dark Horses, Dark Houses
Tears, Fears, and Chocolate Bars
Discussing Death at the Dinner Table
Birdwatching and Boxes
Annie Makes a Plan
Planning a Seance
A Dead Man’s Face
Speaking With the Spirits
A Killer Takes the Bait
All’s Well and Farewells
If you enjoyed this book...
Corpses & Conmen (Rosewood Place Mysteries Book 2) Page 20