Veiled in Death
Page 24
“Just like it’s time for you to go, June.”
Horace Overright, knight in shining suspender armor, whipped around a thick tree trunk.
June took one look at him and burst into laughter. “You sniveling little fool—argh!”
June fell to the forest floor as Horace sprayed an inordinate amount of mace into her face. June wildly shot out at us, hoping to catch us even in her newly blinded state. She stopped her game when Baxter the fearless Yorkie sunk his tiny little teeth into her ankle. The little fellow must have followed us into the woods.
“Ouch! Get him off of me!” June grabbed her ankle and Baxter moved to her face, coating her with wet doggie kisses in apology for the bites.
We used Helene’s stretchy coral belt to tie June to a tree, and waited, exhausted, for the police to arrive. I closed my eyes and sent thanks skyward.
I would live another day to spend with my husband and stepdaughter, my family and friends. It was a great day to be alive.
EPILOGUE
Three months later, Garrett and I returned from our honeymoon. We were still in the honeymoon phase, though. We’d waited for the dust to settle from June’s numerous confessions and revelations and had taken a little trip with Summer to Montreal, a healthy distance in time from the melee that had happened in June and July.
When we returned, I was able to thank Horace in person for rescuing us. He’d returned to Port Quincy one last time to personally take possession of the famous veil. He’d had a hunch that June must have been behind the murder of Richard Pierce and the original theft of the veil. He’d been tailing her and followed her to Helene’s house. I was relieved to witness Truman handing over the two pieces of the Betsy Ross veil, hidden once again in June’s store, to Horace for safekeeping at the Smithsonian.
Jesse was nearly finished with our cottage in the woods. He’d taken his time and had properly healed, wed Bev, and started his own married life. Pia and Tabitha were still processing the realization that their mother had murdered Richard Pierce, her own mother Claudia, and had faked her own attempted murder in order to frame her daughters.
Pia had been hesitant to accept my offer of half the property at Thistle Park as her father had wanted. But as soon as the little cottage was complete, she was due to move into the third-floor apartment with Rachel. The three of us fell into an easy rhythm, planning weddings and hanging out during our off hours.
Today my family and friends were gathered to celebrate the official formation of another new little family. Keith and Becca had formally adopted Miri, now a crawling nine-month-old.
I moved through my house with smiles for everyone, including Helene. She’d made her amends and apologies, and it was in her arms that Miri now resided, giggling and practicing her clapping. She gave the little girl a kiss on the cheek and sent me a wink.
I brushed away a tear. I still felt like celebrating my own family each and every day. I’d been silly to obsess over what time was perfect for my nuptials. As the party wound down, I joined Garrett and Summer on the back porch to take in the stars, my heart unbelievably full.
RECIPES
Chocolate Almond Cookies
2 cups flour
½ cup cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon almond extract
½ cup coconut oil
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped almonds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt. Add almond extract and coconut oil, both sugars, and cream together. Form dough into small, teaspoon-sized balls. Roll in chopped almonds. Bake for fifteen to twenty minutes.
Sweet Cherry Whiskey
2 ounces whiskey
1 teaspoon honey
3 maraschino cherries
Ice
Combine whiskey and honey. Shake. Pour over ice. Garnish with cherries.
Sparkling Berry Sangria
1 bottle sparkling rosé wine, chilled
1 liter ginger ale
1 cup mixed raspberries and blueberries
Combine ingredients in a large punch bowl. Serve by the ladle-full.