The incident with the sleigh in the Christmas store had finally given me an idea of what to get for the man who had everything. I rented a horse and sleigh for two days and had it delivered the afternoon before Christmas Eve. To say that Zak was shocked would be putting it mildly. The entire Dono...
It was both a café that served breakfast and lunch and an antique store that sold treasures collected by Helen. One of the things Tj liked the most about visiting the Antiquery was that it always smelled amazing. Today the scent of cinnamon and pumpkin lingered in the air. ...
Alyson read. “I’m beginning to see a pattern here. We know Mario was a marine and Bruce Long had a marine ring in his possession. Someone seems to be killing Marines.” “Or maybe specific Marines,” Mac added. “My guess is that the victims are all linked based on some type o...
Ingredients: 1 cup dried cranberries ¼ cup orange juice 2 cups flour 10 tsp. granulated sugar, divided (7 tsp., 3 tsp.) 1 tbs. orange peel 2 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. baking soda ½ cup cold butter ¼ cup half and half (or cream) 1 tsp. vanilla 1 egg 1 tbs. milk Glaze: ½ cup con...
Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Copyright © 2014 by Katherine Daley Version 1.0 All ri...
I fed the cats while Zak let the dogs out, and then we both fell into his big bed and a restless slumber. When we got up the next morning, we filled Mom in as best we could and headed into town. Jeremy had called asking for help, so Zak went to speak to Moses to see, what,...
If they were going to find anything they didn’t have much time; it would be dark in less than half of an hour. “Does anyone know what we’re looking for?” Eli asked as they pulled up in front. “Not really,” Devon answered. “Just anything that doesn’t...
Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Copyright © 2014 by Katherine Daley Version 1.0 All ri...
But tonight was the Christmas special, and we both found ourselves with open evenings. The doctor wanted to keep Destiny in the hospital overnight because her blood pressure was a little high, and Cody had called to say he had several stories to write for the paper’s midweek edition and was going...
Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Copyright © 2014 by Katherine Daley Version 1.0 All ri...
Tj commented as she walked through the back door of The Antiquery several hours later. “I’m experimenting with a new recipe for the cookie exchange,” Jenna explained. “The cookie exchange as in the Christmas cookie exchange, which is still like six weeks away?” “I know it seems ridiculous, but I ...
I didn’t know her well, but in a small town like Ashton Falls, everyone knows everyone else to a certain degree. I decided to just pop in rather than call ahead for an appointment. She was the best friend of Doug’s wife, Cleo, and I wasn’t certain she’d be amenable to answering my questions. Perh...
As an intentionally isolated individual who had spent the past sixty-two years avoiding the complicated emotional entanglements that seem to come standard with interpersonal relationships, I found that I was a lot more nervous than I wanted to admit. I guess the first time I really let the effect...
They get wet. Don’t get me wrong: I spend half of my life wet, but when the moisture is pelting your body from above it isn’t quite the same rush as when it embraces and surrounds you as you slip into its depths. “Mitch, are you there? It’s Lani. Over.” &...
Over the course of the past year, it has evolved into a much smaller group that meets in the home of one of our members. This week it was Hazel Hampton’s turn to host the event. Hazel is single and serves our community as both librarian and as a member of the Events Committee I belong to. There h...
I can’t tell you how excited I was to be spending Valentine’s Day at a real Irish castle. Talk about a dream come true. And the best part: the castle was purported to be haunted by not one but several distinct ghosts. “This is so exciting,” I said to Piper Belmont, the wom...
After talking it over we agreed there wasn’t much more we could do that afternoon, so we headed home. By the time we got there the rain was coming down in a steady downpour. Ellie was drinking hot cocoa with Alex, who she’d brought home after they’d finished her costume for the dance. “Is Scooter...
Zak was God knew where with his beautiful and manipulative assistant. (I actually didn’t know if she was manipulative, but she looked like she would be.) The highly anticipated opening of Zoe’s Zoo would be delayed at least a month, maybe more. Maggie was gone from my life forever, even though a ...
“Lucie, I assume,” I greeted the cat, figuring it was the second feline sleuthing partner Tansy had mentioned to me. I twisted the knob, opened the door, and let us both inside. Max trotted over to greet me while Sydney hissed at the new arrival. Lucie hunched her back and...
Tara said as we watched him attempt to master the ring toss. “Oh, at least.” “It was really sweet of him to offer to win stuffed toys for Serenity and Trinity after Jake won a bear for Destiny.” “It was nice. It’s too bad he’...
The previous evening, after I’d gotten all the cats settled in at the Zoo, I’d called Zak. Originally, he wasn’t supposed to be home until the following week but, given the circumstances, he’d promised to do everything he could to cut his trip short and come home as soon as he was able to arrange...
Being a parent is hard and time-consuming. I’d been running all day and still had metaphorical miles to cover. Luckily, Zak had prepared dinner, so all I had to do was get Digger settled in and then sit down with my family for a wonderful meal. “How was your first day of s...
Alyson groaned, rubbing the back of her neck with her fingertips. “It’s no wonder. We had quite a night. Did you ever in your wildest dreams imagine it would end like this?” Mac took a huge bite of her pancake. “I pictured us meeting with Caleb and his mom this afternoon. ...
Things had changed since Zak and I had gotten married and taken on the Academy and the kids. I won’t say things are better or worse than they were, but they’re definitely different. For one thing, I spend a lot more time being a wife and surrogate mother than I do being a best friend. Maybe that ...