by Joanne Fluke
“Antique tools!” Delores’s eyes began to gleam. “They’re going for a premium right now. Do you have time for me to take a quick peek?”
“I’ve got time. How about you, Hannah?”
“It’s fine with me.” Hannah handed Delores the apron she’d discovered hanging over the back of a kitchen chair. “You’d better put this on, Mother. It might be dusty down there.”
Delores tied on the apron and headed for the basement stairs. “Aren’t you coming, dear?”
“I can if you need me,” Hannah said, giving her mother an exaggerated wink.
“Of course I…” Delores caught the wink and interpreted it correctly. “Actually, I don’t. I’m perfectly capable of exploring the basement by myself. Stay right here and keep Norman company. You’re both so busy, you don’t get much time to spend together and I know you’d like to discuss your plans for the house.”
“Right,” Hannah said, rolling her eyes at the ceiling. Her mother was about as subtle as a sledgehammer. “Holler if you need us and we’ll come right down.”
Norman waited until Delores had switched on the light and gone down the stairs, and then he turned to Hannah. “What do you think about a picture window in the kitchen? Since it faces the woods, it would be a nice view.”
“Yes, it would.” Hannah could picture herself sitting at the kitchen table in the morning, sipping a freshly brewed cup of coffee and watching the deer emerge from the trees. That thought was dangerous to her preferred single state and she quickly asked another question. “How about the living room? That window will face the lake, won’t it?”
“That’s right, but the master bedroom will have the best view and that’s where I’m building the balcony.”
Hannah didn’t want to think about the master bedroom with its wood-burning fireplace and incredible view. It was just too appealing. She changed the subject again, asking Norman about how he planned to furnish the house. That was interesting and it was only when she glanced up at the old kitchen clock on the wall that she realized almost fifteen minutes had passed and they hadn’t heard a peep out of Delores.
“Maybe I’d better check on Mother. She’s been down there a long time.”
“I’ll go with you.” Norman led the way to the basement doorway. “Delores? Are you all right down there?”
Hannah stood behind Norman, waiting for her mother to respond. When there was no answer, she felt a jolt of fear. “Move over, Norman. I’m going down there.”
“Not without me, you’re not.” Norman had gone down three steps when he stopped abruptly. “Here she comes, now. Back up to give her room.”
Hannah backed up, but she gazed over Norman’s shoulder to watch her mother climb the stairs. Delores didn’t appear to be hurt, but her mouth was set in a tight line. Something had happened in the basement and judging by the way her mother was gripping the handrail, that something wasn’t good.
“Water,” Delores croaked as she reached the top of the stairs, and Norman rushed to get her a glass. She took one sip, handed the glass back to him, and shivered visibly.
“You look like you just saw a ghost,” Hannah commented and immediately wished she hadn’t when her mother’s face turned even paler.
Delores gave a small smile, so small that it could only be classified as a grimace. “Not a ghost. I found…a body!”
KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
850 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Copyright © 2002 by Joanne Fluke
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.
Kensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
ISBN: 0-7582-3787-1
