“I’m sorry about Hugh,” he said. “I’ll miss him terribly.”
She pulled away. “It’s not the same without him, even though we spent so much time apart. I talked to him every day, you know?” Her eyes brimmed.
“I know.” Hardison clasped her upper arm until she patted his hand and sat down again. Then he made the rounds, meeting everyone and getting a glass of wine. I could see why he had risen so high in politics. Each person he talked to got his complete attention. When Mother introduced him to Nat, she suggested they discuss Nat’s candidacy for Senate.
Nat looked as if he’d gotten caught in his own joke. “I—”
“Oh, stop,” Mother said. “You know you want it. You’ve been reading books on campaign finance for months.” She went back to her hard chair across the room, the queen orchestrating her court. Hardison settled onto the ottoman, looking as at home as a polar bear on his favorite iceberg.
“So Clara,” Bailey practically squeaked in her excitement. “Are you sticking around or what?”
“I’m going to Paris,” I teased her. “I leave in early January.” I paused, then decided I was being too mean. “Want to come? I’ve got tickets for Fashion Week.” She looked unsure, so I smiled. “When I get back, I’m going to work with Ernie at father’s company. Well, my company. And Richard has agreed to work for us as our new IT chief.”
Bailey fell on me in a giant hug. “Yes, I’ll go to Fashion Week! Are you kidding? Oh, I’m so so happy. So-so-so happy.” She curled in next to me.
“Where will you live?” Mother refused to meet my eyes.
I took a deep breath. I’d rehearsed this, but it was never the same when you had to say it, especially not when a lifetime of difficulty weighted the words. I knew what I wanted, but I didn’t know if Mother felt the way I did: that we had come to some kind of accord, a place from which we might be able to move forward as adults, flaws and all.
Everyone was waiting, watching me expectantly. I said, “That depends on you. I can find a place, if that’s more convenient, but I would prefer to stay here, with you, for now—until the divorce is final and while I learn the business.”
The room held its breath.
“You can stay here as long as you like.” She shrugged in that offhanded way she had that indicated it didn’t matter one way or the other what I chose. She wouldn’t meet my eyes.
“I’d like that very much,” I said.
When Mother looked up, her eyes were filled with tears.
Clara Montague will return in:
The Fallen
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the following people, who have been instrumental in this book coming to life, and I thank them with all my heart:
Carol Randel, for multiple draft readings and friendship. Rebecca Hussey and Rick Magee, for encouragement and reading at an early stage, and Rick for keeping me straight with the bike stuff. Mat Johnson, for putting on a great workshop that helped me focus Clara’s motivations.
Steve Waldinger, Shapiro, Gettinger and Waldinger, Mount Kisco, New York, for legal advice. All law errors are my deliberate and willful twisting of the legal system to fit my own devious ends. Ross Seyfried, for saying thirty years ago, “Figure out what the end is; then work your way back,” and for answering all the gun questions. Rosemary Harris, Joanne Dobson, and Reed Farrel Coleman for giving feedback on parts or all of the manuscript. Donna Miele for the name of a charity when I needed one. The MFA program at Manhattanville College, for reconnecting me with a community of writers and reminding me to keep at it, no matter what.
Ti Locke, for being a thoughtful editor, and my publisher, Barking Rain Press, for inviting me into their community of writers.
And to my husband Van, without whom the world just wouldn’t exist.
Also from Laurel Peterson
Talking to the Mirror
That’s the Way the Music Sounds
(Re)Interpretations: The Shapes of Justice
in Women’s Experience (Co-Editor)
Coming Soon from Laurel Peterson
The Fallen: Clara Montague Mysteries, Book 2
www.LaurelPeterson.com
About Laurel Peterson
Before Laurel Peterson became an English professor, she sold housewares, catered, managed advertising accounts, and worked as a tree company secretary. Her writing career has included a column on local history, serving as the editor of the literary journal, Inkwell, and two poetry chapbooks, That’s the Way the Music Sounds and Talking to the Mirror. She co-edited a collection of essays on women’s justice titled (Re)Interpretations: The Shapes of Justice in Women’s Experience. She and her husband live in Connecticut and Vermont. Find out more at her website or on Facebook.
www.LaurelPeterson.com
About Barking Rain Press
Did you know that five media conglomerates publish eighty percent of the books in the United States? As the publishing industry continues to contract, opportunities for emerging and mid-career authors are drying up. Who will write the literature of the twenty-first century if just a handful of profit-focused corporations are left to decide who—and what—is worthy of publication?
Barking Rain Press is dedicated to the creation and promotion of thoughtful and imaginative contemporary literature, which we believe is essential to a vital and diverse culture. As a nonprofit organization, Barking Rain Press is an independent publisher that seeks to cultivate relationships with new and mid-career writers over time, to be thorough in the editorial process, and to make the publishing process an experience that will add to an author’s development—and ultimately enhance our literary heritage.
In selecting new titles for publication, Barking Rain Press considers authors at all points in their careers. Our goal is to support the development of emerging and mid-career authors—not just single books—as we know from experience that a writer’s audience is cultivated over the course of several books.
Support for these efforts comes primarily from the sale of our publications; we also hope to attract grant funding and private donations. Whether you are a reader or a writer, we invite you to take a stand for independent publishing and become more involved with Barking Rain Press. With your support, we can make sure that talented writers thrive, and that their books reach the hands of spirited, curious readers. Find out more at our website.
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Other Titles Available from Barking Rain Press
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Bluffing is Murder
Lauren Rousseau Mysteries, Book 2
by Tace Baker
Print ISBN: 978-1-941295-07-6
eBook ISBN: 978-1-941295-08-3
Summer promises to be anything but easy for Quaker linguistics professor Lauren Rousseau in this thrilling sequel to Speaking of Murder. With her boyfriend Zac returning to Haiti to visit his family, Lauren is on her own in Ashford, Massachusetts—and danger is never far behind.
Still reeling from an attack by her student’s murderer, Lauren decides to brush up on her karate and finds herself drawn to handsome sensei Dan Talbot. During a run near the sea bluffs, she discovers the corpse of her insurance agent, Charles Heard, who is also a Trustee for one of the oldest land trusts in the country. Earlier that day, Lauren had a public argument with Heard over her policy— and is now a suspect in the case.
Determined to clear her name, Lauren sets out to discover the real story behind the mismanaged land trust, the dead man’s volatile sister—and a possible link to her own father’s mysterious death more than a decade ago. But a near miss with a car, snippets of strange conversations in French and Farsi, slashed tires, and finding yet another attack victim on the beach make it clear that Lauren is also a target—and the killer is closing in.
Can Lau
ren discover the killer before she becomes the next victim?
“In this page-turner of a mystery, linguistics professor Lauren Rousseau uses her smarts, her Quaker faith, and her summer vacation to bring a vicious murderer—and a secret from her own past—into the light.” — Barbara Ross, Agatha-nominated author of the Maine Clambake Mysteries and co-editor of Level Best Books
“Starts with a bang and doesn’t let up. Who knew Quakers could be so exciting! A wonderful addition to the Lauren Rousseau series!” —Philip Gulley, author, Harmony and Hope series and Living the Quaker Way
“No bluffing, you’ll love Lauren Rousseau’s second adventure. This is a smooth read with a lovely setting, appealing characters, lots of satisfying plot tangles, and a deep secret from Lauren’s past to keep you turning these pages.” —Kaye George, author, Cressa Carraway Mysteries and the Fat Cat Mysteries
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Dangerous Denial
by Amy Ray
Print ISBN: 978-1-935460-96-1
eBook ISBN: 978-1-935460-04-6
Denying the past proves deadly for BK Hartshaw and Trevor Mayhew in this gripping noir novel where nothing is as it seems.
BK is a rising star at a public relations firm, and tonight’s charity ball should be a high point in her career. But a closely guarded secret threatens to destroy her chance for happiness with the only man she’s ever loved… a man who is also hiding a deadly secret.
Trevor has tried to put the past behind him, pretending it never happened. But the conniving father he’s been running from for years has finally found him—and is determined to settle the score once and for all.
BK and Trevor’s hidden secrets are about to catch up with them—and everyone they know and love. Who will pay the ultimate price for their dangerous denials?
“The sins of the parents are visited upon their children in this entertaining thriller. BK’s (short for Beatrice Karen) and Trevor’s lives collide when a charity ball erupts into violence. Tightly plotted suspenseful moments and a deftly-executed plot twist combine to keep readers holding onto this novel until the wee hours.” — Publisher’s Weekly
“In Ray’s debut thriller, lives converge at a charity ball, where someone has planned a deadly act of vengeance. The prologue adds suspense to the story as it slowly builds, particularly in the latter half, to this scene and even includes a bit of mystery, when BK considers what a psychic, hired for the event, has warned her of. Ray takes her time establishing her characters, including the bad guys, and with a rousing, indelible payoff, it’s well worth it.” — Kirkus Reviews
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Frostbite
Kevin Markinson series, Book 3
by J.E. Seymour
Print ISBN: 978-1-941295-41-0
eBook ISBN: 978-1-941295-42-7
Former mob “troubleshooter” Kevin Markinson returns for a thrilling game of cat and mouse in Book 3 of the Kevin Markinson series. Markinson has finally settled back into prison life, hoping to serve out his sentence and return home to his family. Unfortunately for Markinson, fate has other plans.
Mob boss Jerry Remora has decided that it’s time for his ex-wife, Lucy Remora, to go… preferably before she can testify against him in a federal racketeering trial. When he orders his right-hand man to hire the best hitman in the business to take her out, a plan is hatched to break Duke Markinson out of prison to do the job—whether he wants to or not.
U.S. Marshal Sally Barnard has tracked Markinson down before, and when she learns that he has escaped from prison again, she immediately volunteers to bring him in. Lucy Remora also hears about Duke’s escape and panics, running away from protective custody to escape what she knows will be certain death from Markinson’s gun.
In the cold and snow of a New Hampshire winter, the deadly chase begins. Can reluctant hitman Markinson find a way to get out of the contract and avoid a return trip to prison?
“A solid, captivating thriller. The reluctant hitman with a past is the kind of bad guy you can’t help but pull for, but he’s only one of a cast of fully-realized, fleshed-out characters that pull you in and keep you reading to find out what happens next. A definite winner.” — J.D. Rhoades, bestselling author, attorney, and award-winning newspaper columnist
“In her third novel involving Kevin Markinson, a hitman with a troubled and challenging past, the talented J.E. Seymour revisits a hard-boiled time when the burdens of family are ever-present, and when violence or a fired gun can break out at any moment. The writing is crisp and clear, the characters are achingly three-dimensional. This series deserves praise and wide-spread recognition.” — Brendan DuBois, author and multiple award-winning and three-time Edgar nominee, Lewis Cole series
“Take one ex-Marine/CIA assassin turned mob hitman, add an inept crime boss who wants his wife dead, stir in a U.S. Marshal who plans to stop it, and sit back for a New England Fargo. Kevin Markinson is back for a third installment of J.E. Seymour’s series and the last thing he wants another mob job. He reluctantly agrees and soon finds himself on the run; dodging bullets, his old nemesis U.S. Deputy Sally Barnard, and double crossing criminals, all the while trying draw a bead on his target.” — Ricky Bush, Author, Crime Fighting Bluesmen series
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The Hanged Man’s Noose
Glass Dolphin Mysteries, Book 1
by Judy Penz Sheluk
Print ISBN: 978-1-941295-24-3
eBook ISBN: 978-1-941295-25-0
Small-town secrets and subterfuge lead to murder in this fast-moving, deftly written tale of high-stakes real estate wrangling gone amok.
Journalist Emily Garland lands a plum assignment as the editor of a niche magazine based in Lount’s Landing, a small town named after a colorful 19th century Canadian traitor. As she interviews the local business owners for the magazine, Emily quickly learns that many people are unhappy with real estate mogul Garrett Stonehaven’s plans to convert an old schoolhouse into a mega-box store. At the top of that list is Arabella Carpenter, the outspoken owner of an antiques shop, who will do just about anything to preserve the integrity of the town’s historic Main Street.
But Arabella is not alone in her opposition. Before long, a vocal dissenter at a town hall meeting about the proposed project dies. A few days later, another body is discovered, and although both deaths are ruled accidental, Emily’s journalistic suspicions are aroused.
Putting her reporting skills to the ultimate test, Emily teams up with Arabella to discover the truth behind Stonehaven’s latest scheme before the murderer strikes again.
“A well-crafted mystery in the classic tradition. A small town with a dark past, inhabitants full of secrets, a ruthless developer, and an intrepid reporter with secrets of her own come together to create a can’t-put-down read. I look forward to the further adventures of Emily Garland and Lount’s Landing.” —Vicki Delany, author, Constable Molly Smith series
“In her debut thriller, Judy Penz Sheluk introduces us to Emily Garland, a feisty reporter sent to a small town to uncover the fraudulent schemes of a big city developer. But everyone, including Emily’s boss, has a secret agenda. And some of those secrets are deadly.” —Janet Bolin, author, the Threadville Mysteries
“Compelling characters with hidden connections and a good, old-fashioned amateur sleuth getting in over her head without the distraction of cats, spirits, or recipes makes Judy Penz Sheluk’s Glass Dolphin series one to read.” —James M. Jackson, author, Seamus McCree series
“A thoroughly engaging debut mystery… well-plotted, well-paced and just plain well done!” —Elizabeth J. Duncan, author, the Penny Brannigan and Shakespeare in the Catskills mystery series
“Emily Gar
land is sent to a small Canadian town about to be invaded by a mega-store to work on a magazine. She has reason to dislike the developer—and apparently, so do many others in town. As the body count rises, Emily needs to figure out who killed who, and why. Replete with twists and turns, the story keeps the reader guessing right up to the end. Highly recommended!” —J.E. Seymour, author, Kevin Markinson series
“Dedicated journalist Emily Garland arrives in Lount’s Landing to find that long-buried secrets are threatening her new friends–and her own life. The story won’t let you go until you’ve raced through the pages and unraveled all the mysteries.” —Kaye George, author, the Fat Cat and Cressa Carraway Musical Mystery series
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The Immaculate
by Marian McMahon Stanley
Print ISBN: 978-1-941295-47-2
eBook ISBN: 978-1-941295-48-9
When Sister Mary Aurelius is murdered in front of the shuttered Immaculate Conception school outside of Boston, former student Rosaria O’Reilly is determined to find justice for her mentor.
Shadow Notes Page 29
