LITMIR.BIZ

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didn’t know this kid and didn’t believe he’d come into a Christmas shop because he liked the decor.

      “Well, thanks for coming in to blow time.” She smiled as she tallied up his purchases.

      After a while, the boy asked, “You’re that lady who called that famous detective agency, aren’t you?”

      Ah, there it was. The real reason. “Word travels all the way across town, huh?”

      “My mom comes this way a lot. She grew up on this side.”

      She wouldn’t get into that. The kid sounded like this side wasn’t the better side but he was pretty young. This side had the most history in Chesterville, and the town center, which had been maintained wonderfully.

      “I did go to Dark Alley Investigations.”

      “I see that man on TV a lot.”

      He meant Kadin Tandy. He and his agency frequently made the news. She waited for him to get to what he really wanted to know.

      “Do you think your sister was really murdered?”

      She could understand how the boy would take interest in a local hiring a private detective agency to look into her sister’s suicide. Murder in a small town didn’t go unnoticed. But this boy seemed more focused on the fame of DAI, a morbid hero worship. She’d better not encourage him.

      She handed him a bag and pushed the plant toward him. “Thanks for coming in today.”

      The boy took the bag and cradled the plant in one arm. “Do you think I could meet the detective?”

      “I don’t know who they’re going to send.” If they sent anyone. She hadn’t heard from them.

      Seeing a car drive up in front, she said to the boy, “Looks like your mother is all finished.”

      The boy looked back and then, with one last look at her, reluctantly headed toward the exit.

      With the last ring of the storefront door, Kendra clicked on her computer to close out the day. Elegant, upbeat modern classical music still played softly, and now that the sun had set, Christmas tree lights glittered beautifully. Matching bows and ribbons drew the eye. Accessories, bouquets and plants popped multiple colors from shopping counters. Customers could meander through the artful displays. This was her favorite time of day. Evening, all alone in her dream come true. If only her sister was alive to share this. Kendra had moved from Chicago after her death. She felt closer to her here.

      Closing down the computer, she left the counter to tidy up and lock the front door. She never tired of seeing the creativity that filled the ample space of her flower shop. Not a typical flower shop, hers specialized in Christmas. She did generate enough business in the off-season to stay profitable, though. Being located in a prime section of Main Street did help.

      Nothing in her shop disappointed. Color and texture flowed. Aroma charmed the senses. Music relaxed. A cleaning service kept everything looking fresh and new. She took great pains to maintain flawless presentation.

      At one side of the shop, attractive pendant lighting spotlighted small round tables in the coffee and pastry section, a corner wall of shelves filled with books and magazines covering topics ranging from home improvement to gardening added to the inviting coziness. She put books and magazines back in their place, and then headed for the display counters, righting a fallen stuffed bear and turning vases for the best angle. On the other side of the shop, slide-open refrigerators took up most of the wall. Nothing looked out of place in there.

      Her best friend in college called her tenacious. Kendra called it ambition. Drive. Maybe even survival.

      Winding her way through decorated Christmas trees, she went to the front door and inserted the key to turn the lock. Outside, streetlights lit the sidewalk. No cars drove by at nearly nine-thirty and no one walked the street. The pub at the corner across the street always had someone coming in or out. A man stood near the door, leaning on a lamppost, one black-booted foot crossed over the other. He seemed to be looking at her.

      She couldn’t see him clearly. Lean rather than noticeably muscular, he towered over others passing on the way to the pub. He had dark, wavy short hair and wore a black short-sleeved golf shirt with light blue jeans. With his face still directed toward her, she had the feeling he wasn’t bothered that she saw him.

      Apprehension crept over her. Most believed Kaelyn Johnston had committed suicide as the coroner had ruled. No one had questioned that until Kendra had called Dark Alley Investigations. While Kaelyn had died in a small, off-the-map town in Michigan, she had spent her adopted years in Chesterville, West Virginia.

      If Kaelyn had been murdered, her killer wouldn’t want anyone exposing him, least of all an infamous investigations agency. She always grew nervous when she spotted suspicious strangers. The one across the street didn’t approach, only stayed where he was, watching. Maybe she had nothing to worry about. And why would the killer take an interest in her now, after all this time she’d been here? Hiring DAI could provoke a killer, but DAI hadn’t taken the case yet.

      Leaving the front windows, Kendra let the music, lights and ambience take her away. They didn’t take her far enough. She went to the back of the shop, through a wooden door into her office, and sat behind the desk to close out the day. The man watching her disturbed her. He might have nothing to do with her sister’s murder, but how would she know that?

      She looked down at the notes she’d made over the last several months. Before her sister had died, they had been in contact. Kaelyn had found her after months of searching. They had just begun to get to know each other again, filling in the gap from when they were six. Kendra had loved every phone call and meeting. Kaelyn had always arranged for them to meet in Chesterville. A few times, she’d gone to Chicago to see Kendra. She was thrilled to have some semblance of a family again. But toward the end, Kaelyn had hinted at some darkness. While she had told her many good things about her life, she’d touched on some others that weren’t. Her husband abused her. Kaelyn hadn’t come out and said the word abused but Kendra could read between the lines.

      Then Kaelyn had killed herself. Or so everyone thought.

      At first, Kendra had believed her sister had committed suicide. The devastation had overwhelmed her. Why would Kaelyn do such a thing? Her sister ending her life didn’t make sense. The Kaelyn she’d met hadn’t seemed to have reached that point. She’d seemed to have been keeping something troubling from Kendra, but she’d had too much life in her and far too much excitement over reuniting with her twin sister.

      Only after her sister’s death had she realized Kaelyn had told no one about her. When she’d shown up at the funeral, no one recognized her, not by name or appearance. They were fraternal twins, not identical, so it hadn’t been surprising that no one had identified her. What she did find surprising was that she and Kaelyn had been corresponding for months. They’d even talked about the possibility of moving to Chesterville. Kaelyn said she would leave her husband and asked if Kendra would relocate. That had been a big request and Kendra had needed time to think on it. Kaelyn had died before she could agree to the fabulous idea. Kaelyn’s parents were in Chesterville. Her daughter had still been in high school so Kaelyn would have taken her with her. Kendra would have a family again. But then Kaelyn had died.

      Why had Kaelyn kept her twin a secret from those in her life? There could be only one explanation. Kaelyn must had intended to use Kendra as an escape route. She would build a new life in Chesterville that didn’t include her abusive husband. Plus, if he’d known his wife was talking to her twin, he may have felt threatened enough to stop her from corresponding, especially if he knew Kendra planned to move to Chesterville, where the two of them could see each other much more often.

      She’d confirmed her own suspicions when she’d learned Kaelyn’s husband had been abusing her and Kaelyn’s plans to leave weren’t just talk. Kaelyn would have moved back to Chesterville. Kendra had no proof, only a certainty that her twin would not have committed suicide.

      After learning Kaelyn’s daughter, Raelyn, had moved to Chesterville after

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