Framed by a Forgery

by Fiona Grace

  “But why?” Lacey exclaimed. There must be a catch. That didn’t sound like the Lord Fairfax she knew!

  “You impressed him,” Hounslow replied, simply. “He values honesty and perseverance.”

  Lacey felt herself swell with pride.

  “Let me give you a hug!” Gina cried.

  As she raced out from behind the counter and locked a shocked-looking Hounslow into one of her over-tight embraces, Lacey felt a sense of peace wash over her. Now, at last, she could truly draw a line under the investigation. It was time to get back on with her life and look forward to the future.

  “The wedding!” Lacey gasped, remembering all the decisions she’d been putting off while she was distracted by the investigation.

  She had a whole lot of planning to do!

  EPILOGUE

  Lacey hurried back to the shop floor, her arms laden with wedding magazines, and dumped them on the counter in front of Gina.

  “Okay,” she said with determination. “It’s time. I promised you I’d make a decision about the arch and now I’m doing it. Right now. No excuses.”

  Gina chuckled. “Too slow, ducky. The arch is all sorted.”

  Lacey frowned. “It is?”

  “I made an executive decision on your behalf.”

  “You did?” Lacey said.

  Her friend grinned fiendishly. “Yes. A very good friend of mine will be crafting one especially for my dried flower arrangement. It will be beautiful. Trust me.”

  “Oh,” Lacey said, surprised. “Is this friend anyone I know?”

  “Actually… it’s your father,” Gina exclaimed, grinning widely. “He’s a trained carpenter.”

  “He is?” Lacey replied. “I thought he was a trained electrician.”

  “He’s both!”

  Lacey exhaled. Her father had lived a whole life without her. It was going to take a long time to catch up on everything. In fact, this was only just the beginning. There were sure to be many more surprises in store.

  “And is it me…” Gina said, pricking up her ears. “Or is that him now?”

  Lacey listened out. She could hear the noisy rattling cattle truck coming from a mile off, as it bumped along the cobblestones. A pang of sadness washed over her as she realized she was actually going to miss it. There were times during her dad’s visit she’d wished for him not to be here, to not be so in her face with his advice and parenting. But as the time of his departure approached, she wanted to delay it.

  As Frank’s truck juddered into view, Lacey swallowed her sadness and turned back to her friend. What better distraction from her emotions than the business of the wedding preparations?

  “So the arch is done,” she said, ticking it off the list. “Does that mean we’re finished with all the wedding prep?”

  “Not quite,” Gina said.

  Lacey frowned. “What’s left?”

  “Oh, just that little thing… the dress.”

  “The dress!” Lacey exclaimed. How could she have forgotten about that mess of satin, tulle, and lace Gina had stowed away in the storeroom? The raggedy old antique that had mysteriously gone missing? “We never did get to the bottom of that mystery, did we?”

  Gina smirked, knowingly. “Didn’t we?”

  Lacey didn’t like the sound of that. Something was afoot. Gina was scheming. Again.

  She frowned at her friend. “What have you done?”

  Gina simply gave her mischievous, one-shouldered shrug.

  “Gina…” Lacey warned, a feeling of dread sweeping through her. Making an executive decision about the arch was one thing, but buying her a wedding dress was quite another. She’d seen Gina’s taste! “Have you bought me another dress?” she asked anxiously. “Please tell me you haven’t bought me another wedding dress…”

  Gina’s grin grew more and more mischievous. She tipped her head to the window. “I think you should find out for yourself.”

  Lacey frowned and turned. Through the window, her dad’s muddy, smelly cattle truck was parked right in the middle of the high street, and he was standing beside the driver’s cabin chatting away with… Taryn. The boutique owner was holding one of those suit cover bags draped over her arms.

  Lacey’s stomach dropped with dread. “Oh no…What’s going on?”

  She raced out into the chilly streets, Gina right on her tail, skipping with excitement, the two dogs bolting out after them.

  “Dad?” Lacey asked as she hurried across the cobbles toward him.

  “Ah, there she is,” Frank said, turning from Taryn to Lacey.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I have a gift for you,” Frank said. “Think of it as my parting gift.”

  At that moment, Taryn turned and presented the bag to Lacey, unzipped the zipper, and pulled out… the most beautiful boutique wedding dress Lacey had ever seen!

  “Ta-da,” Taryn said.

  Lacey gasped. Her eyes roved all over the beautiful dress. Slowly, it began to dawn on her that this was the dream dress from Taryn’s proposal. The extremely expensive, overpriced one Lacey couldn’t afford.

  “You bought this for me?” she stammered, looking at her father. She was absolutely certain he didn’t have the funds to cover it either. “But Dad,” she added under her breath, “it’s too expensive.”

  But Frank was grinning mischievously. Gina was grinning too.

  “Take a closer look at the materials,” Frank said.

  Frowning, Lacey turned back to the dress. Rather than the silk and chiffon of Taryn’s design, this one was made of satin, lace, and tulle. It was the exact same design, only the materials were…

  “The second-hand dress!” Lacey cried.

  Gina and Frank began to chuckle.

  “Finally, she’s cracked the case of the missing dress,” Frank said through his laughter to Gina.

  “Honestly, I can’t believe we got away with it,” Gina added. “Lacey’s better at solving a murder case than she is a stolen wedding dress.”

  “I can’t believe it,” Lacey exclaimed, astonished. She touched the dress with her fingertips. She couldn’t quite believe the ugly second-hand dress Gina had bought her had been remodeled into the beautiful boutique design of Taryn’s that Lacey had been secretly pining for.

  “How did you do it?” Lacey exclaimed.

  “It was the day I came early to fix the security system,” Frank explained. “Me and Gina got to talking.”

  “We knew how much you wanted the dress from Taryn’s proposal,” Gina continued. “So we took the one I’d found and had her make it up for you. Since it was only the work and not the materials, it wasn’t anywhere near as expensive as Taryn’s initial proposal.”

  Gina turned judgy eyes at Taryn, who returned the gesture by flashing her an unimpressed look.

  “I’d never normally work with such poor quality materials,” Taryn said. “But when Frank told me that you secretly loved my design, I figured I’d do it. As a favor. For him.” She patted his arm and gave him her simpering smile. “Honestly, Lacey, hasn’t anyone ever told you that flattery gets you everywhere?”

  Gina guffawed. “You can talk!”

  But Lacey wasn’t listening to their quibble anymore. She was too busy staring with astonishment at her perfect wedding dress, the final piece of the puzzle.

  “I—I don’t know what to say…” she stammered. “Thank you, Taryn. And Gina. And Dad.”

  “Yes well,” Gina said, flapping a dismissive hand. “I still preferred it in its original format, but I’m not the one walking down the aisle in it, am I?”

  “No,” Lacey said, breathlessly. “I am. On my dad’s arm. And it’s going to be absolutely perfect.” She grinned at her father.

  “Well, I’d best get back to work,” Taryn said. She shook Frank’s hand. “It was an honor doing business with you. I’ll see you at the wedding!”

  And with that, she marched away.

  “She doesn’t think she’s coming, does she?” Gina said quietly.


  Lacey grimaced. “I think she does…”

  Gina laughed. “Well. We’ll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it.” She turned to Frank. “Goodbye, dear. It’s been a pleasure.”

  “Goodbye, Gina, my old chum,” he replied. He ruffled Boudica’s head. “And you, old girl.”

  Gina and Boudica returned to the store to leave Lacey and Frank to say their goodbyes.

  Lacey’s stomach dropped. “Are you leaving? Now?”

  He nodded. “I am, sweetheart,” he said, opening his arms wide for an embrace.

  A sense of sadness washed over Lacey. She folded into his arms, breathing in his countryside scent.

  “I’m really sorry about shouting at you,” she said into his chest.

  “I know you are,” he replied into the crown of her head.

  “It’s just, I don’t need a parent anymore,” Lacey continued, needing him to understand. “I’m a grown woman. But I do want you around, to be a presence, a shoulder to lean on. To walk me down the aisle.”

  She felt his arms tighten around her.

  “I want that too,” he replied. “And I’m sorry about… well, about everything, Lacey.” He moved her out of the embrace and took her by the shoulders, gazing down at her with an earnest expression. “I know I let you down big time, and that it’s not fair of me to expect you just to sweep it all under the rug and act like it never happened. We’ll talk about everything. I promise. I’ll explain it all to you. It will be a difficult conversation, but I’ll answer every question you have, honestly. Just as soon as you’re ready.”

  It was the most open he’d been since they’d reconnected. It couldn’t have been easy for him to say that. “Thank you, Dad,” she said, squeezing his arm affectionately. “I appreciate you saying that.”

  He gave her a sad smile. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right with you. And Naomi.” His gaze dropped. “If she’ll ever let me.”

  “She’ll just take a little bit longer to come around,” Lacey reassured him. “But she will, one day.”

  He took a deep breath. “Honestly, I’m not so sure. She was so small when I left, I doubt she even remembers me.”

  Lacey chewed her lip. “Dad, I didn’t tell you this before. But Naomi’s son… his name is Frankie. She pretends it’s a coincidence, but I know it’s not. She named him after you.”

  Emotion flickered in Frank’s eyes. It was a mixture of pain and longing, of deep regret, but, ultimately, of hope.

  “Is that so?” he replied.

  “Yes,” Lacey told him. “It’s just a front with her. It’ll take her longer to break down her walls, but she will. Who knows, maybe the wedding will be a chance for you two to reconnect. We’re serving the same ale they do in the Drawing Room at the Lodge, and that seemed to work miracles for you and Tom!”

  Speaking of the devil, at that moment, Tom emerged from the patisserie and came over to them.

  “Frank? Are you off?”

  “I am,” Frank said. “Don’t want to outstay my welcome.”

  Tom wiped his floury hand on his apron and extended it to Frank.

  But rather than take it, the older man tugged him into a tight embrace. “You take care of her, you hear me!” he exclaimed, before releasing Tom and giving him a big, hearty smack on the back.

  Tom coughed. “I will!” he squeaked.

  Finally, Chester jumped up at Frank and barked his goodbyes.

  Then Frank climbed into the cab of his cattle truck and turned the old, spluttering engine on, before puttering away along the cobblestones, taking his smell of manure with him.

  They watched him go, waving over their heads. Tom slung his arm around Lacey. She wiped a tear from her eye.

  “Lacey, looks like you have a customer,” Tom said gently in her ear.

  Lacey looked over and saw a gray-haired woman heading into the store. She’d been expecting it to take a little bit longer for the news of her innocence to filter its way through the rumor mill. But alas, it appeared her reputation was still intact.

  “In that case,” she said with a smile, “I’d better get back to work.”

  NOW AVAILABLE!

  CATASTROPHE IN A CLOISTER

  (A Lacey Doyle Cozy Mystery—Book 9)

  "Very entertaining. I highly recommend this book to the permanent library of any reader that appreciates a very well written mystery, with some twists and an intelligent plot. You will not be disappointed. Excellent way to spend a cold weekend!"

  --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (regarding Murder in the Manor)

  CATASTROPHE IN A CLOISTER (A LACEY DOYLE COZY MYSTERY—BOOK 9) is book nine in a charming new cozy mystery series which begins with MURDER IN THE MANOR (Book #1), a #1 Bestseller with over 100 five-star reviews—and a free download!

  Lacey Doyle, 39 years old and freshly divorced, has made a drastic change: she has walked away from the fast life of New York City and settled down in the quaint English seaside town of Wilfordshire.

  December has arrived, bringing with it the first touch of Winter and the promise of Christmas. As Wilfordshire comes to life with holiday parties, Lacey is surprised when she receives an unexpected phone call—a mysterious object has been found hidden in the wall of a church. The monks who found it believe it is a rare medieval artifact—one which, if auctioned, can be the Godsend the church needs to save it from looming bankruptcy.

  Lacey is determined to help them.

  But when the artifact is stolen and a dead body is found, Lacey finds herself in the midst of a murder. With her reputation on the line, she may be the only one who can solve it.

  CATASTROPHE IN A CLOISTER

  (A Lacey Doyle Cozy Mystery—Book 9)

  Fiona Grace

  Fiona Grace is author of the LACEY DOYLE COZY MYSTERY series, comprising nine books; of the TUSCAN VINEYARD COZY MYSTERY series, comprising six books (and counting); of the DUBIOUS WITCH COZY MYSTERY series, comprising three books (and counting); of the BEACHFRONT BAKERY COZY MYSTERY series, comprising six books (and counting); and of the CATS AND DOGS COZY MYSTERY series, comprising six books.

  Fiona would love to hear from you, so please visit www.fionagraceauthor.com to receive free ebooks, hear the latest news, and stay in touch.

  BOOKS BY FIONA GRACE

  LACEY DOYLE COZY MYSTERY

  MURDER IN THE MANOR (Book#1)

  DEATH AND A DOG (Book #2)

  CRIME IN THE CAFE (Book #3)

  VEXED ON A VISIT (Book #4)

  KILLED WITH A KISS (Book #5)

  PERISHED BY A PAINTING (Book #6)

  SILENCED BY A SPELL (Book #7)

  FRAMED BY A FORGERY (Book #8)

  CATASTROPHE IN A CLOISTER (Book #9)

  TUSCAN VINEYARD COZY MYSTERY

  AGED FOR MURDER (Book #1)

  AGED FOR DEATH (Book #2)

  AGED FOR MAYHEM (Book #3)

  AGED FOR SEDUCTION (Book #4)

  AGED FOR VENGEANCE (Book #5)

  AGED FOR ACRIMONY (Book #6)

  DUBIOUS WITCH COZY MYSTERY

  SKEPTIC IN SALEM: AN EPISODE OF MURDER (Book #1)

  SKEPTIC IN SALEM: AN EPISODE OF CRIME (Book #2)

  SKEPTIC IN SALEM: AN EPISODE OF DEATH (Book #3)

  BEACHFRONT BAKERY COZY MYSTERY

  BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A KILLER CUPCAKE (Book #1)

  BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A MURDEROUS MACARON (Book #2)

  BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A PERILOUS CAKE POP (Book #3)

  BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A DEADLY DANISH (Book #4)

  BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A TREACHEROUS TART (Book #5)

  BEACHFRONT BAKERY: A CALAMITOUS COOKIE (Book #6)

  CATS AND DOGS COZY MYSTERY

  A VILLA IN SICILY: OLIVE OIL AND MURDER (Book #1)

  A VILLA IN SICILY: FIGS AND A CADAVER (Book #2)

  A VILLA IN SICILY: VINO AND DEATH (Book #3)

  A VILLA IN SICILY: CAPERS AND CALAMITY (Book #4)

  A VILLA IN SICILY: ORANGE GROVES AND VENGEANCE (Book #5)

  A VILLA IN SICILY
: CANNOLI AND A CASUALTY (Book #6)