Old Loves Die Hard (A Mac Faraday Mystery)

by Lauren Carr

  “What?”

  In the reflection from the flames, Mac could see a wicked grin cross his face. “A nice back scratch.” With a hearty laugh, David left.

  Mac continued staring into the flames while he finished his drink.

  Seeming to sense the lateness of the hour, Gnarly eased off the love seat with the gracefulness of a snake and stretched. He dug his snout down between the cushions. When it came back out, he had a teddy bear clutched between his teeth.

  “Where did you get that?” Mac asked him as if he could answer.

  The sound of his voice seeming to act like a gunshot starting a race, Gnarly galloped up the stairs to the bedroom. Before escaping, Mac saw a white price tag flapping from the bear’s toe.

  “Gnarly! I’m going to kill you, you thief!”

  Mac’s eyes rose up to the portrait over the fireplace. He didn’t know if it was the headache or the cognac, but Mickey Forsythe seemed to be smirking at him.

  What do you have to feel so down about? Yesterday is gone. Time to open the door to today and tomorrow. She’s in the cottage at the end of the path.

  Setting the bottle of cognac back on the bar, Mac looked out the window through the trees and saw the light on in the guest cottage. Sucking in his courage, he followed the path down through the rose garden until he came to her door.

  Archie answered on the second knock. “Is Gnarly okay?” She was dressed for bed in her red nightgown and floor-length robe.

  “He’s fine. Why are you asking about Gnarly?”

  “Because he’s not with you,” she replied. “And since you’re standing here in one piece, I assume you’re fine.”

  “I came to see how you were feeling.” He asked, “How’s your headache?”

  “How’s yours?”

  “I asked you first.”

  “Well,” she drawled, “I was going to have a snack before going to bed. Care to join me?”

  “What kind of snack?”

  She held out her hand to him. “Strawberries dipped in chocolate. I’ve been saving them for you.”

  “For me?”

  “For us.” She reached up to kiss his lips. “Care to come in?”

  Before he could answer, an acorn flew out of the tree towering above the cottage to bounce off the top of Mac’s head and strike Archie between the eyes.

  Grabbing her face, she staggered backwards.

  Squinting through the throbbing pain from the blow to his head, Mac called up into the tree, “Otis, I’m going to kill you!”

  The End

  About the Author

  Lauren Carr fell in love with mysteries when her mother read Perry Mason to her at bedtime. The first installment in the Joshua Thornton mysteries, A Small Case of Murder was a finalist for the Independent Publisher Book Award. A Reunion to Die For was released in hardback in June 2007. Both of these books are in re-release.

  Lauren is also the author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. The first two books in her series, It’s Murder, My Son and Old Loves Die Hard have been getting rave reviews from readers and reviewers. The next book in this series will be released in spring 2012. This will be Lauren’s fifth mystery.

  The president of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publisher, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. Visit Acorn’s website at http://acornbookservices.com for more information about these services.

  Lauren is a popular speaker who has made speaking appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions.

  She lives with her husband, son, and two dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

  Visit Lauren at her website: http://mysterylady.net; or blog: http://fromthewritersstudio.blogspot.com for more information.