Dangerous Passage (Southern Crimes Book #1): A Novel by Lisa Harris Page A

the present. “Why don’t you open it later. I promise it will more than make up for my not being there.”
    “All right, but before you leave tonight, I want you to look over the finalized menu as well. It shouldn’t take you too long.”
    Avery forced a smile, wishing she could ignore the familiar feeling of being jerked in yet another direction. But as much as Mama drove her crazy, she was Avery’s mother and Avery loved her.
    Her dad walked into the room. “Let her be, Claire.”
    “Dad’s right, Mom.” Emily was right behind her father, wearing an adorable rose-colored pleated top and skinny jeans. “Hey, sis.”
    Avery mouthed “thank you,” while Emily took the present from Mama and set it on the entrance table before leading her toward the dining room.
    “I don’t need you ganging up against me too, Emily.”
    “Nobody’s ganging up against you, Mama.”
    Avery let out a short sigh. Saved by her sister, she was off the hook. For now.
    Her father hugged Tess before she scrambled off toward the kitchen.
    “She’s hungry. Apparently she forgot her lunch today and had to beg leftovers from her friends.”
    “She’ll enjoy dinner then. Your mother made her favorite.” Her daddy gathered Avery in his arms and kissed the top of her head. “Don’t be such a stranger. I’ve missed you.”
    “Things have been busy at work.”
    Her father let out a low chuckle. “I can’t say the same for here.”
    Avery caught the longing in her father’s eyes behind the laughter. She’d never thought the day would come when he’d actually stop working. He’d been on the force for four decades. How did one simply walk away from their life’s work?
    They walked slowly toward the dining room arm in arm. “How’s that Jane Doe case going that you’re working on?”
    “You know about that?”
    “I still have my connections—I’m not completely out of the loop.”
    “So it would seem. You always did have a knack for getting the information you wanted. Our Jane Doe now has a name, and we were able to get a warrant for a suspect and arrested him yesterday for her murder. We can’t tie him yet to our last Jane Doe case, but I’m hoping we end up closing both cases in the next few days.”
    “So you think he killed both girls?”
    “We’ll see, but the crime scenes are too similar for there not to be a connection.” Avery stopped in the doorway of the dining room where Mama, Emily, and Tess were putting the food on the table. “What about you, though? How are you doing with your retirement?”
    “Is it that obvious?”
    “Yes.”
    “Two weeks, five days, and three hours, give or take.”
    “Don’t tell me it’s that bad.”
    “Your mom has me working on the guest bathroom. Tomorrow we’re hanging wallpaper. It’s gold with a white swirly pattern. You’ll love it.”
    Avery laughed. Her dad always made her laugh. “Sounds like fun.”
    “On the good side, my golf swing has never been better.”
    “We’ll have to play a few holes one of these days.”
    “Since when do you play golf?”
    “Since when do you hang wallpaper?”
    “Touché.”
    In the dining room, the table was set to perfection with Mama’s favorite dishes—the ones that included a reproduction of some famous eighteenth-century flowery design. No doubt the spaghetti, garlic bread, vegetables, and green salad would be just as perfect. Avery slid into her chair next to Tess, then placed the cloth napkin onto her lap. Dinner had always been a formal affair.
    As soon as the prayer ended, the questions began.
    “I’ve been meaning to ask you something, Avery.” Her mother took a spoonful of buttery green beans, then passed the bowl to Tess. “When are you going to bring that boy over I hear you’ve been going out with?”
    Avery silenced a groan. “You sound as if I’m in high school, Mama.”
    “You know that’s not at all how I meant it. I’m just curious, because your father and I haven’t met him.”
    Avery poured