“No, and I am as curious as you are. I know it has something to do with this house; though what, I can’t say. I can tell you this. I did contact the great-great nephew of the original owner. He’s some hotshot financial guru. He’s out of the country right now, but I e-mailed him in hopes that he will have some background on this old place. It was in his family for more years than I can count. Maybe he knows about something that might’ve happened in this house.” He looked at Sophie. “Something she knows and doesn’t feel it’s safe for the rest of us to know.” Goebel was only guessing, but he knew his wife. She rarely kept things to herself when it came to her psychic abilities. She wanted to help others, to share her experiences, to offer comfort to those who sought out her services. Sophie was a giver, despite the hard-ass exterior she displayed to the world. “I’m surprised you don’t know anything about the property. You owned it yourself for years. As much as you enjoy decorating, learning the histories of all the antiques you’ve bought, I would have thought you of all people would know if something . . . bad happened in this house.”
Goebel was right, Toots thought. And normally she would, but she’d purchased this house when she and her friends were in California and had been so occupied with running the Informer and trying to keep her daughter Abby from discovering that she was the new owner of the paper, that she hadn’t thought too much about the history of the old house when she’d purchased it. Now, she wished she had taken the time to hire a professional to research that history, though she knew this wasn’t as hard as she was making it. The historical society would know, and she was a member. Indeed, her own home was on the national historical register, too. She was sure all she needed to do was make a few phone calls and she could find out anything she wanted about the house’s past. Though she wasn’t sure if she should. If Sophie refused to divulge her fears, then Toots might want to listen to her and stay out of it.
“What?” Sophie asked Toots. “I know you and that evil mind of yours. Go on, spit it out.”
Taking another deep breath, Toots nodded. She would not deceive Sophie, not now. For once, she was truly going to listen to her and stay out of things until she was told otherwise. “I never bothered researching the history when I bought the place. I was thinking I could call the historical society, and they might know what, if anything, untoward happened in this house. But then I changed my mind. That’s all.”
“You’re sure?” Sophie asked.
Toots had to resist the urge to cross her fingers, but she remembered her twin grandchildren and kept both hands splayed out on the table in front of her just in case she was tempted. “One hundred percent.”
Sophie gave her the eagle eye.
“I swear I won’t call anyone or do anything that would put Jonathan or Amy, or any of us, in harm’s way. I’ll leave the ghost stuff to the pros.”
“Well then, it’s settled. You won’t do anything until I say it’s clear. Tell Abby . . . tell her—shit, I hate to lie to her, but right now I think it’s for her and the twins’ protection. Tell her we found a . . . a carbon monoxide leak in the house. Yes! I’ll tell her that’s why I acted so strange—I’d breathed in too much carbon monoxide, and it affected my thinking. I can say I just found out the day she brought the twins over. It will at least keep her away, plus it will give me time to, uh, work on the problem.” Sophie didn’t dare voice what she knew. Not yet.
“I don’t like lying to Abby,” Toots stated.
“Oh for Pete’s sakes! You lied to her for years about owning the Informer! Why in the world would you even question telling an itty-bitty lie that’s for her safety and the safety of her children?”
Goebel laughed. “She does have a point, Toots.”
“I know.”
“So, are you going to tell her, or do you want me to tell her?” Sophie demanded. “We need to do this as soon as possible so we can put her worries aside and get on with . . . with whatever it is I need to do.”
Toots pondered the question. It was probably best if she let Sophie handle things. “You tell her. Go to her house today. Explain that you were . . . embarrassed or something. Tell her you felt like an idiot for not having the old place checked for carbon monoxide leaks before moving in. Make it sound sincere and grovel a bit. Abby always gives in when groveling is involved. At least that’s what Chris has told me. I’ve never seen it from her personally, but as her husband, he knows a side of her that we don’t. I hope that he does not see it too often.”
“I can’t see Chris groveling for any reason, but if you think this will get me off the hook, then I’m willing to do whatever is necessary to keep her and those babies out of this house.”
“And what about the rest of us?” Toots asked. “Should we stay away, too?”
“Yes, I think it’s best that you and the gang stay put until I think it’s safe. Tell the others the same story. I was always told when you have to lie, to keep it simple, so tell them I was stupid and simply neglected to have the place checked out. Ida won’t have any trouble believing you. She lives for any opportunity to throw me under the bus. This will make her day. Now, I have to go to Abby’s, and you, my dearest and oldest friend, have to make damned sure no one comes over here. Can you do that?”
Toots shot her an icy look, but nodded. “Yes, yes, I can keep everyone at bay, though I would really like to tell them you have syphilis of the face, but they wouldn’t believe me.”
They all laughed, but beneath their laughter were ominous and foreboding undertones. They went their separate ways with thoughts that were too dark to share.
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Dabney House Peach Jam
Ingredients
8 to 10 pounds fresh peaches
8 pounds sugar
Directions
Bring water to a boil. Put peaches in the boiling water for one minute or less, just long enough to loosen the skins. Take them out with a slotted spoon and place them in cold water. Peel and slice peaches, discarding the pits. Put peaches into a large, wide, open, heavy-bottomed pot and add the sugar. Bring to a boil. Continue to boil mixture, stirring frequently. Mixture will thicken in approximately 45 minutes to an hour. As mixture thickens, stir more frequently to ensure that it does not stick to the bottom of the pot. To test whether the jam is ready, place a cold metal spoon in the mixture and tilt. The jam should form a single stream.
Let cool. Pour jam in glass jars with lids. Refrigerate and use within two weeks.
FERN MICHAELS is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of the Sisterhood, Men of the Sisterhood, and Godmothers series and dozens of other novels and novellas. There are over seventy-five million copies of her books in print. Fern Michaels has built and funded several large day-care centers in her hometown, and is a passionate animal lover who has outfitted police dogs across the country with special bulletproof vests. She shares her home in South Carolina with her four dogs and a resident ghost named Mary Margaret.
Visit her website at fernmichaels.com.
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ONE STEP AT A TIME
In a city built on dreams, Trisha Holiday makes her living moving like one. But out of her dancer’s costume, she’s as down-to-earth as they come. That’s why she ignores the admiring note that arrives backstage after one of her ethereal performances. Yet the sender, a wealthy foreign prince, isn’t easily dissuaded. An American education has made Malik long for the freedom to choose his own bride—and the woman he wants is Trisha.
After a breathtaking visit to Malik’s kingdom culminates in a marriage proposal, Trish attempts to adjust to an opulent new lifestyle. In the midst of these dizzying changes, she vows to help her sister, Emma, whose marriage has ended in a bitter breakup. And through it all, she strives to stay true to what matters most—love, true friendship, and the ties that hold family together across the miles and the years—and embrace the everlasting dance of life.
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“Fern Michaels never fails to deliver a heartfelt and wrenching story . . . A wonderful and powerful read.”
—Fresh Fiction on A Family Affair
“Michaels’ latest is sure to capture the hearts of its readers, even while tickling their funny bones.”
—Booklist on The Blossom Sisters
“Michaels just keeps getting better and better with each book . . . She never disappoints.”
—RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars on Forget Me Not
LEAVING LA LA LAND
Teresa “Toots” Loudenberry has a knack for finding adventure, even when she’s not looking for it. But ever since her friend Sophie convinced her to start holding regular séances, life in Los Angeles is getting a little too dramatic even for Toots’s tastes. When their friend Ida receives a message from the beyond suggesting that her late husband was murdered, a spooked Toots decides it’s time the Godmothers left LA for her hometown of Charleston…
Meanwhile, Mavis, the final member of their group, has been acting suspiciously, mailing packages in bulk and refusing to divulge what she’s up to. She should know by now that Ida, Toots, and Sophie will never let secrets rest or ignore a friend in need. And when the Godmothers discover that whoever killed Ida’s husband has plans for Ida too, they’ll do what they do best—rally together, concoct a daring plan, and show the world there is no match for these four formidable friends . . .
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“A thrilling read ripped from today’s headlines. Michaels mixes humor and good old-fashioned cop drama in an endearing way.”—RT Book Reviews
“A page-turner . . . the perfect blend of mystery, adventure and romance.”
—The Charleston Mercury
The Sisterhood: a group of women from all walks of life bound by friendship and a quest for justice. Armed with vast resources, top-notch expertise, and a loyal network of allies around the globe, the Sisterhood will not rest until every wrong is made right.
The women of the Sisterhood are united by their mission to help those unable to help themselves. But now they’ve encountered opponents who share a unique bond of their own. The law firm of Queen, King, Bishop & Rook—the Chessmen—has been a formidable force in Washington, D.C., for decades. And Sisterhood member Nikki Quinn’s new case has made her their prime target.
Nikki has agreed to represent Livinia Lambert as she files for divorce from her domineering, greedy husband, Wilson “Buzz” Lambert. Buzz, currently Speaker of the House, fears the scandal will scupper his presidential plans, and intends to make life extremely difficult for Livinia—with the Chessmen’s help. The Chessmen may play dirty, but the Sisterhood play smart. For too long, the Chessmen have believed themselves above the law they pretend to serve, but there’s no statute of limitations on the Sisterhood’s particular brand of justice—or their loyalty . . .
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“Michaels listens to fans and delivers one hell of a punch.”
—RT Book Reviews on Double Down
“Michaels just keeps getting better and better with each book . . . She never disappoints.”
—RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars on Forget Me Not
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