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BLURB:
Katherine’s wedding day has arrived and she and Lars make their vows. When she notices one of her best friends hasn’t arrived, she begins to worry. Her friend owns a shop where tea and accompaniments are sold. Her friend’s partner is a micromanager. Katherine’s friend has wanted to dissolve the partnership. A call to the New England town brings the dreadful news of a murder. Kate’s protectiveness factor takes hold and she leaves a note for Lars and heads to rescue her friend. Though she has promised to leave murders alone, she feels she has no choice. Lars follows to help her solve another murder.
Editorial Review
Long-time beau Lars has finally convinced Katherine Miller to become Katherine Claybourne. But fans won't be surprised that even on her honeymoon, Kate can't stop herself. She's a magnet for murder. ~ Writer Gail Roughton
Reviews:
I spent
Thursday night at Lars’ home. After dinner we drove there in separate cars
since we were both leaving in the morning. Since my bedroom has two antique
sleigh beds, it makes spending the night at my apartment impossible.
Friday
morning Lars walked me to my car. I turned in his arms and kissed him. “See you
Monday evening.”
“Drive
safely.”
“Always. Have
a good golf weekend.”
He chuckled.
“The boys think you’re wonderful for letting me go away.”
“Then don’t
tell them I’m the fugitive.”
Several
kisses later, I slid behind the wheel and headed for the Tappan Zee Bridge,
Vermont and Herbal Haven. My friend’s shop specialized in mint tea blends, fresh
and dried herbs and spices plus related items.
The drive was
long and tedious but the day was sunny. I had a stack of classical CDs and a
thermos of my favorite beverage. I had thought of bringing Robespierre but the
cat hates riding in a car. That’s one time he yowls and carries on. I think he
suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome caused by trips to the vets for
shots or the repair of assorted damages from fights with other cats.
Six hours
later I pulled into the parking lot beside Herbal Haven. Two pit stops had
refreshed me. My stomach growled and I hoped Joyce could leave early. I never
stop to eat when I’m the driver. Food makes me sleepy.
As I entered the
converted farmhouse, now a shop, a bell clanged. I cringed. The new addition
had me wondering why a nice tinkling sound hadn’t been selected. This one sounded
like one of those on harbor buoys but more brassy. That was new. I inhaled the
aromas of mint, herbs and spices flavoring the air. Joyce came from behind the
counter.
Her light brown
hair had a few streaks of gray. She grasped my hands. “Kate, it’s so good to
see you.” Warmth infused her brown eyes. “Did you really run away?”
“Absolutely.
So did Lars. You have no idea how many people are trying to manage every moment
of my life.”
She laughed.
“Might be better than one micro-manager wanting control.” Her whispered remark
made me glance around the store to focus on the many changes. Everything was
arranged in orderly fashion. The place was less inviting than two years ago. Brenda,
I thought.
Pictures on
the wall hung in such perfect precision I felt sure a level had been used to
hang them. The glaring slashes and blotches of color had no relationship to
herbs and mint tea. They added nothing to the ambiance.
I walked to
one of the shelves where tea sets were arranged in stiff formations. The cups
looked like soldiers standing at attention before the teapot generals. I moved
several to bring from the shadows pottery pots like the one I used at home. They
showed a screaming man or woman hanging from the rim as if trying to escape the
boiling water.
Joyce finger
combed her short hair. “Brave woman. Just wait.”
Moments
later, Brenda, blonde, tall, elegantly clad with enough bling on her arms and
fingers to finance a war, strode toward us. Her smile revealed perfect teeth.
My stomach roiled. The woman headed my least favorite list. “Brenda.”
“Katherine.”
She air kissed my cheek. “Mustn’t disturb the décor. I’ve worked for months to
create the perfect ambiance.” She returned the teapots and moved the cups to
their original place.
“What if I
wanted to buy one of the hidden pots?”
Her lower lip
curled. “Why? Joyce told me you’re marrying Lars Claybourne. Surely a man of
his wealth wouldn’t want one of those ugly things in his house.”
“He has one,
though instead of a man there is a woman escaping. Says the woman is me
climbing out of hot water.”
Her false
laughter disturbed me. “The decorative touches here at Herbal Haven are mine. I’ve
arranged the tea sets so nothing can be broken by accident.” She turned to Joyce.
“Are the mail orders complete?”
Joyce shook
her head. “I stopped when Kate arrived.”
“They must be
ready ASAP. I’ve already called the delivery service. You know how the driver
hates to wait.”
Did she think
she was the sole owner and Joyce her employee? Words I wanted to say remained
unspoken. Why wouldn’t she help pack the boxes? Was she afraid of ruining her
perfect appearance?
“I’ll help.”
“Thanks.”
Joyce hurried to a table in the kitchen where boxes sat. “I’ll call the items
and you hand them to me. I think I found them all."
Brenda
wheeled and returned to the office that had once been a small parlor. Joyce and
I worked steadily and had just sealed and labeled the last box when the
deliveryman arrived. The grandfather’s clock struck five times.
“That’s new,”
I said.
Joyce
grinned. “And keeps perfect time so we’ll remain on schedule.”
Brenda
emerged from her office and paused in the kitchen doorway. “Why don’t you two
run along? I’m sure Katherine is tired from her trip.” She smiled that plastic
one she had perfected.
“I don’t mind
waiting until six,” I said.
“No, no, no.
Go, go., go” Brenda waved her hand as though sweeping us out the door.
Joyce reached
for your purse. “If the deposit’s ready I’ll take it to the bank.”
Brenda shook
her head. “Not finished yet. I’ll take it the way I always do.’
Joyce and I
walked to the door. Was Brenda getting rid of us for some reason? As I stepped
outside I saw her applying lipstick.
“You’ll have
to drive,” Joyce said. “My car’s in the shop. Dana dropped me off on her way to
the college.”
“Why not call
her to meet us?”
“Not today.
She’s teaching an evening class for aspiring writers.”
As we pulled
onto the road a bright red car turned into the lot. A fleeting glimpse of the
driver showed dark hair and youth. “I know why we were dismissed. Is he her
latest?”
“I believe
so.”
“From what I
saw he seems young enough to be her son. College student?”
“Don’t think
so but I haven’t met him. Calls him her teddy bear.”
We reached a
diner just outside town where we’d eaten before. After ordering our meal, Joyce
bombarded me with questions about Lars and the wedding. I regaled her with the
story of the prenuptial meeting with Lars’ attorney. She laughed heartily. Then
I added tales of the other people who wanted to manage my life.
Joyce looked
up. “Might be better having a group. One micro-manager who wants everything her
way can be impossible.”
“Aren’t you
partners?” I had noticed Brenda how had pushed Joyce into following her orders.
“Actually she
only has a third interest.”
“Why do you
let her get away with changing everything?”
“Easier than
fighting for every new idea.” She sighed. “Brenda has a temper. She scares me
sometimes. I know you warned me about having her for a partner and I didn’t
listen. In the beginning things were smooth. The past two years have been
hell.”
“Why don’t
you buy her out? Imagine an offer of cash would interest her.”
“Wish I
could.”
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BUY MARK
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As usual, you leave us on an unanswered question. I admire that ability, Janet. You are very good at writing hooks!
ReplyDeleteAnd now we see and smell the tea of the book's title.
ReplyDeletecould visualize the teapots and soldiers. nice work.
ReplyDelete