by CoCo, Nancy
“Grandpa, are you scaring away customers?” A woman about my age stepped out of the back room. She had dark black hair, a heart-shaped face, and soft blue eyes. She wore cargo pants and boots and a pale blue tank top under a red, white, and blue plaid shirt.
“She’s not a customer.” He glanced at me. “She’s a crazy woman who won’t leave the door. She has some ridiculous notion that holding the door will keep a wild animal from bursting in and killing us.”
“Don’t be silly.” She buzzed a kiss on his grizzled cheek. “It’s more likely she’s afraid to get near you.” She stepped around the desk. “Hi, I’m Elizabeth MacElroy. Everyone calls me Liz.”
I shook her hand. She had a nice firm grip. “Allie.”
“Hi Allie, who’s this sweet puppy?” She leaned in and Mal jumped into her arms and kissed her. Liz laughed and stood holding Mal. “Aren’t you the sweetest?”
“Oh, no.” I tried not to panic. “Don’t let her kiss you.”
“Why not? I love doggies.” Her blue eyes twinkled in delight as Mal proceeded to wash her face.
I winced. “She may have dead body breath.”
“What?” Liz froze.
“That’s what I told you.” Angus leaned back with a smug smile. “Ms. McMurphy seems to think she found a murder victim hidden in the lilacs. Anyone you know missing?”
KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by
Copyright © 2013 by Nancy J. Parra
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the Publisher and neither the Author nor the Publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
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ISBN: 978-0-7582-8710-6
First Kensington Mass Market Edition: November 2013
eISBN-13: 978-0-7582-8711-3
eISBN-10: 0-7582-8711-9
First Kensington Electronic Edition: November 2013
