by Liz Turner
The snow had begun falling again early that morning, coating the lawn with smooth, fresh powder. But this time, it had been a proper holiday snowfall, gentle and sweet, rather than the blustery storm of a few days ago. Dana slipped her thick scarf over her shoulders like a shawl as she accepted a mug of coffee from a waiter. Breathing deeply, she took in the scene. Like so many others she remembered from years ago, this Christmas at the Wesley felt, simply, right. Like she was home. As happy as she was, she felt a pang in her stomach. She could almost picture Eileen leaning over the sofa, laughing with some young mother over her son’s antics.
Breaking from her fantasy, she spotted Melissa and Noah lighting pumpkin-scented candles near the bar.
“Merry Christmas!” she said cheerfully, brandishing a small wrapped gift for the couple.
“Oh! Ms. Potter, you really didn’t have to. What you did yesterday….” Melissa’s eyes were wide.
“Don’t mention it.” Dana winked.
“No! I’m serious. That girl had me so completely fooled. I was really rooting for their love,” Melissa said sadly.
“As I’ve said before, once you get to be my age, you realize that, in the end, everything comes down to a few simple things: money, love and passion, or jealousy. In the case, it was the latter two.”
“Well,” Melissa said shyly, “You might be right about that. And I’m just relieved the whole thing is over and done with. Also… we got you something, too.”
“You first!”
Obligingly, Melissa and Noah opened their gift. It was a letter Eileen had written Dana when she had first laid eyes on the Wesley mansion, and it detailed her impression of the place, as well as her grand plans to make it a hotel someday. Uncannily, her words seemed to describe the very mood of the current Wesley Estates Hotel:
I dream of a lodging that people come to escape and to indulge in their deepest desire to fold themselves into a storybook. The big, hot fireplace in the open lobby, comfortable seating, warm textures everywhere. Poster beds in the bedrooms—and a large ballroom with glistening old floors restored for special events. Oh, I can just see it!
Dana had the letter framed tastefully. “I thought you could hang it somewhere. Your grandmother would be so proud of what you’ve done with the place. I have no doubt it will be a success.”
Even Noah’s eyes seemed to be moist as the couple hugged her deeply. “Thank you, Ms. Potter. This is… amazing.” He said.
“Now, yours,” Melissa said. Noah disappeared behind the bar and emerged with a huge rectangular-shaped object.
“Oh my goodness,” Dana exclaimed. She unwrapped it to reveal a painting of the Wesley, one of the first that Eileen had commissioned for the hotel when she had purchased it back in the 1970s. It showed the old mansion in bright sunlight in the springtime, with wildflowers abloom, their vibrant colors spreading out across the whole grassy lawn. Dana gasped.
“Oh, I can’t take this! This is too much.”
“The Wesley means so much to you, and we just wanted you to always have the memory…. Plus, I remember you lamenting you never got to see the place in the springtime!”
Dana stared at the large painting, brimming with joy. In the entrance to the hotel, the painter had included a small, but detailed rendering of Eileen, back when she was just a young woman. Her smile took up nearly her whole face, just as Dana remembered.
*** The End ***
the italian
stranger’s secret
a dana potter cozy mystery
LIZ TURNER
Chapter 1
A Quiet Town
Dana Potter sat on the porch of her old home in the small town of Pippin, Georgia. There was a warm and wet breeze in the air—the perfect weather in Dana’s opinion.
Through the open window of the neighbor’s house, Dana smelled jambalaya cooking.
Wouldn’t be surprised if they knocked on the door this evening to offer me a plate, she thought.
Down the street, a singing choir voices drifted from the old church on the corner.
Dana smiled, loving the Sunday morning sounds, sights, and smells. They were a solid reminder of why she had decided to come back to her hometown in her old age.
“Mornin’, Miss Potter,” Mrs. Cleveland said, stopping before the porch.
“Morning! You’re passing by a little late today. Something hold you up?”
“You know, I was baking these here pies for the gathering we’re having this afternoon, but they just weren’t coming out the way I liked. It took me a little more time than expected, and it sure made me late to church now!”
“Ah, that will do it.”
“How about you? It sure ain’t like you to miss a day of church just to be sitting out on the porch. You got an illness?”
“No, thankfully it’s not that. I’m expecting my niece, Angela, and her ‘travel companion’ as she called him. They’re coming down to spend some time with me while she’s on break from school. They’ll be here soon.”
“Traveling companion?” Mrs. Cleveland blinked. “You mean a man? Sounds like something’s brewing that you haven’t made the plans for yet… You know much about this man to be letting him into your home like that?”
“Well, I know his name’s Roger Lenoir, and he’s studying at the same school as her. He’s from Quebec, so he’s in the U.S. on a study visa, and that reassures me in some ways. He’s been here for two years already. They don’t let you get a study visa if you’ve got a criminal history or bad marks. Besides, I trust my niece’s judgement. And remember—they’re from very different times. This behavior may be odd to us, but it’s normal to them.”
“And yet, here it’s dragged you to miss your morning meetings…”
“On a day like this, I would’ve loved nothing more than to come with you to the meetings, as well as the gathering afterwards. But ya see, I don’t know the man she’s traveling with, and I didn’t ask Angela what faith he practices. I’m sure it would’ve been fine to have all three of us meet there, but I wouldn’t wanna force him to attend a congregation he’s not a part of.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to have the young man stay at the inn rather than in your home?”
Dana shook her head. “Trust is the most important part of a relationship. I wouldn’t want Angela to think I distrust a young man I’ve never even met.”
“I suppose…” Mrs. Cleveland said. “It seems you don’t know much about your niece either though. How is it that in all the years I’ve known you, I never knew you had siblings, let alone a niece?”
“My sister and I were never close. She was a wild child, and she rebelled in her younger days to the point where she left home young and rarely came back around. But her daughter developed a newfound interest in the family members she never knew much about and reached out to me several years ago. We’ve been in touch, and she mentioned that it’s nice to have an aunt now. When she got into college, her relationship with her mother grew a bit strained, so she decided she wanted to come down to visit me when she got a chance.”
“How nice,” Mrs. Cleveland said. “Well, I better get going before I’m any later. I expect to hear more about how this meeting with your mysterious niece goes though!”
“Sure,” Dana said, waving goodbye. “Take care, now.”
“Just remember,” Mrs. Cleveland said, glancing back, “if you’re not careful about this young man—well, you know how this town is. The neighbors will talk, and then their friends will talk, and in no time, the whole town will be filled with gossip and rumors! Wouldn’t want you at the center.”
“I grew up in this town. I know how it is,” Dana said. “As for the gossip and rumors—I’ll be sure you’re the first to hear them when they come!”
Mrs. Cleveland winked and continued down the road to the church. Dana gazed in the opposite direction for a moment and then checked her watch. Unlike what she told Mrs. Cleveland, Dana knew Angela was supposed to be here by now. She didn’t want to worry, but she knew
it was easy to get lost trying to find this place. All the new construction on the east side of town made it quite a hassle to successfully follow GPS.
While Dana stared down the street, she heard a car pull up beside her. Like she suspected, they must have gotten lost and had to double back around. Before the engine fully shut off, Dana heard the car door open and shut. Not before long, Angela bounded toward her, excitedly waving her arms in the air.
“Auntie Dana!” she squealed. “I knew that was you!”
“Hello, how are–” Dana began, but before she could finish her sentence, the wind had been knocked out of her as Angela tackled her into a long and tight hug.
As much as Dana pretended not to be as old as she was, she had to admit, her niece’s enthusiasm hurt her frail bones.
Dana wheezed and chuckled awkwardly. “Hello, Angela. Nice to see you!”
“It’s so good to see you too, Auntie! I can’t believe after all this time, I’ve finally got the chance to see where you and Mom grew up! This is incredible! Wow—I don’t even know what to say! Thank you so much for having us here, and for letting us stay with you.”
“Not a problem at all. I’m just glad you want to be here despite how long it’s been since I’ve talked with your mother.”
“Wow, Auntie—your house is so cute!” Angela grinned. “This is exactly the kind of small town I’ve always wanted to live in. I’ve always wanted a house with a cute little porch!” She turned around to face the young man behind her. “Isn’t it cute, Roger?”
“Yes, it’s lovely,” he said, smiling. “I actually did grow up in a small town though, so I know their dark side…”
Dana chuckled, knowing exactly what Roger meant. Small towns were lovely, but social circles could only be so large in towns so small. When everyone knew everyone else, there were no secrets left untold, and no rumors left unheard.
“Oh my goodness…I totally forgot!” Angela turned back toward Dana. “Auntie, this is Roger. He’s wonderful,” she said, taking him by the arm.
Roger extended his hand to Dana. “Pleasure to meet you.”
Dana smiled warmly and shook his hand, immediately impressed with his character. He was muscular and handsome, yet she could see his genuine and kind nature shining through his blue eyes. His curly blond hair made him appear much younger than he was, and his smile was warm and welcoming.
“No, the pleasure is all mine,” Dana said. “Now, if you’ll follow me, I’ll show you around the house.”
The couple followed Dana into her home, where she immediately showed them around the dining room and kitchen. It had always been the way of the town to show a guest where they could find something to eat before showing them anything else in the house.
After showing them were all the food was, Dana led them up the stairs to their separate bedrooms. “Now Roger, you’ll be in that room there. And you’ll be sleeping in this room here, Angela, right opposite of mine.”
Roger bit his lip and exchanged a wary glance with Angela, who scoffed and burst out laughing so hard, she was practically rolling on the floor. Soon, Roger followed suit, his face almost turning the color of the tomatoes in Dana’s garden as he laughed.
Dana, however, was not amused. She crossed her arms, tapped her foot, and stared sternly at them.
“Auntie,” Angela said, “do you really think we would sleep together under your roof? Mom told me enough about you to at least know better than that!”
“She better have,” Dana said. “And it’s best you don’t try any funny business while you’re here—not just because I still have to live in this town, but because I wouldn’t want the ghost of your mother’s past coming back to haunt you. That’ll ruin a trip, for sure.”
“I can’t say I’m surprised,” Angela said.
Roger wrapped an arm around Angela and rubbed her shoulder.
Watching them, Dana wasn’t sure if she was more curious about the couple’s relationship or more curious about what had happened between Angela and her mom. The way Angela looked at Roger reminded Dana of the way her late boyfriend used to look at her. Hence, she could tell Angela was quite taken with Roger. However, she couldn’t tell how Roger felt toward Angela just yet.
On the other hand, Dana knew how her sister could be about following rules and social pressure, but she also knew she wasn’t one to stray far from the way she was raised for long. Dana knew—or hoped, rather—that her sister had raised Angela to understand the kind risks she could run into with relationships.
Still, she couldn’t help wondering what happened to make Angela so nervous about her mother.
“I’m not saying I don’t trust you to be respectful in my home,” Dana clarified. “I never meant it like that. Heck, I’m about as independent as they come! I know it’s important to be true to yourself and all that, and I’m never gonna force someone to do or be something they don’t wanna do or be… But this town, and to your mother—well, you’ll have to trust me on this.
“Seventy years of history with a place will give you a lot of foresight into what may happen. I wouldn’t necessarily call it wisdom, but there are many stories I could tell and trends I could refer to that would support my advice for you to be careful of certain things. So, from here on out, it’s best if you enjoy yourself as much as you can, but at the same time, assume that every direction I give you is for your benefit just as much as mine.”
“Thanks for your concern, Miss Potter,” Roger said. “Like I mentioned earlier, I come from a small town as well, so I appreciate you watching out for us while we’re here, especially knowing how Angela’s mother can and has been.”
“You got that right.” Angela sighed. “I used to think Mom was exaggerating stories from her childhood to make me hate this town as much as she did, but now I’m starting to think she just didn’t want me to find out she was the real problem.”
“Now, now,” Dana said, “I wouldn’t go calling your mother a problem if I were you. We may not talk much these days, but she’s still my sister, after all. And what’s more, you should have some respect for the woman who gave you life, young lady.”
“Sorry, Auntie.”
Dana furrowed her brow, attempting to interpret Angela’s distant and defiant attitude toward her mother. Knowing her sister, she understood where Angela was coming from. But she wasn’t sure what had changed so drastically that Angela would constantly speak ill of her mother.
Angela sighed and leaned her head against Roger’s shoulder.
Dana observed Roger’s reaction to Angela’s touch to see if she could figure out the kind of relationship this young couple had. Yet, she couldn’t interpret much from such a small gesture.
She chuckled at herself, realizing that she was already falling into the role of an overly protective aunt even though this was a niece she had never been particularly close with.
“Well then, come along,” Dana said. “I’ve got a lot more of the house to show you, and I’d like to give you a little tour of the neighborhood as well. Wouldn’t want you getting stuck in the house all day just because you don’t know where else there is to go!”
“That would be wonderful,” Roger said. “Your house is lovely, and you’ve been more than hospitable, but I’m definitely not one to stay cooped inside all day.”
“Exactly what I thought,” Dana said. “And what’s more—there’s a gathering on the lawn of the church down the street this afternoon. Food and everything. If it’s not over by the time we get to that part of the tour, it would be a great way to introduce you to the heart of this town. I can point you to exactly who you’d most get along with and put a great big warning over who you can’t trust—at least not while sharing personal information.”
“That would be great, Auntie!” Angela said. “I wanna learn all about you and what you do in your day-to-day life. And I hope you’re prepared to entertain me with all the stories about your childhood here. By the time we leave, I wanna know everything about you!”
�
�Why the sudden interest?” Dana asked as she led them back down the stairs.
“No reason,” Angela said. “I just have a lot to catch up on. I never got to know you as a child, and that makes me kind of sad.”
“Honestly, it makes me sad too,” Dana said. “I opened my house up to you for much of the same reason. You might feel like you’ve got a lot to catch up on, but I’m your aunt and I missed your entire childhood—I’m the one who has to catch up!”
“I suppose we both have to catch up then,” Angela said, smiling. “I’m glad I’m able to attend college so close to you. It may feel far from home sometimes, but it allows me to get closer to my roots and the family I never got to know.”
“Atlanta can be a dangerous place,” Dana warned. “I’m glad to know you’ve been safe so far, but promise me you’ll keep being careful.”
“Don’t worry, Auntie. I will. Besides, it’s not any worse than St. Louis,” Angela said. “Why Mom decided to move away from here and go there to raise children, I’ll never understand…”
“If there’s one thing I know about her, it’s that she’s never been one to explain herself,” Dana said. “Sometimes, I used to think it was because even she didn’t know her own reasons for doing things! But she’s my sister and I love her, no matter how oddly she behaves.”
“Yeah, she’s kinda crazy sometimes. But at the end of the day, she’s still my mom.”
Dana smiled. For the next twenty minutes, she showed Angela and Roger around the rest of her house, including the backyard where she’d recently started growing a small garden. Admiring the perfection of a tomato plant, Roger put his arm around Angela and kissed her cheek. Dana laughed quietly as she watched Angela’s face turn bright red while a smile spread across her lips.
Angela glanced to see if her aunt was watching, but Dana looked away just in time. She still had a lot of observing to do before she would approve of Roger, but she liked him so far. Still, she was eager to sit down and talk to Angela. Knowing how her sister could be, Dana knew Angela didn’t have anyone who would sit down with her to talk about the struggles she’d face on the path toward marriage.
