Deadly Greetings (Book 2 in the Cardmaking Mysteries) by Tim Myers

tried to look stern, but she
couldn’t manage it. “Let’s go eat, unless you’ve got other
plans.”
    “ If you’re buying, I’m all
yours,” I said.
    “ I’m inviting you, so of
course I’ll pick up the check,” Sara Lynn said sternly.
    “ Can Lillian come too? She’s
working in back.”
    After she glanced around the shop, Sara Lynn
asked, “Are you planning to leave your store untended again?”
    I knew my sister meant well, but it was my
shop, and my decision alone whether we closed it or not. “Honestly,
I doubt we’ll miss a single customer.”
    Sara Lynn shook her head. “If you don’t
mind, I’d like it to be just the two of us.”
    “ I don’t mind, but who knows
how Lillian’s going to react?”
    Sara Lynn said, “Don’t worry. I’ll take care
of her.” She called out, “Lillian, I need some time with my sister.
Would you mind watching the store?”
    Our aunt came out smiling. “I’d be
delighted. You two have fun.”
    I was feeling guilty just abandoning her
like that. “Can we bring you back something?”
    “ No, I’m fine. Just be back
by two if you could.”
    “ Why, do you have a hot
date?” I asked.
    “ Wouldn’t you like to know,”
Lillian replied.
    Once Sara Lynn and I were outside, she said,
“Is she serious? Is that woman ever going to slow down?”
    “ If she does, I for one will
be disappointed in her. She gives me fresh hope every day. So,
where are we going?”
    Sara Lynn appeared to think about it for a
moment, then said, “I haven’t been to Hurley’s in a while. How does
that sound?”
    “ Outstanding. Now I’m glad I
skipped breakfast.”
    “ Jennifer, you really should
. . . oh, never mind, you won’t listen to me anyway.”
    “ That’s one of things I love
about you, Sara Lynn. You know how to choose your
battles.”

Chapter 7

    After we’d placed our orders, Sara Lynn
smiled at me. “What is it?” I asked her.
    “ We’ve been together ten
minutes and you haven’t once asked me what we’re doing
here.”
    “ I figured you’d tell me
when you were ready,” I said as I ate one of the warm rolls with
some honey butter Jack Hurley had brought us personally. Jack owns
Hurley’s, and he’s a longtime friend of the family’s. In fact, he
dated Sara Lynn at one time, and I wondered if the special
treatment was for me or for my big sister. Sara Lynn had been
married to Bailey for what must have felt like forever, while Jack
seemed like he had more kids than Baskin-Robbins had flavors.
Still, there was a secret smile the two of them had shared when
he’d brought the rolls, and I felt like I was twelve years old
again—in other words, completely invisible.
    Sara Lynn reached for another roll, then
pulled her hand back. “I’d better not if I’m going to have room for
my lunch.”
    I grabbed the one she’d ignored. “I’ll find
a way to make room. These are too good to just leave.”
    As I ate, Sara Lynn asked, “So how’s
business?”
    “ It’s fine. How’s
yours?”
    “ Forever Memories is on
stable ground, as always.” She took a deep breath, let half of it
out, then said, “I’ve been hearing rumors that you’re not doing as
well.”
    I dropped the half-eaten roll on my plate.
“And who did you hear these rumors from?”
    “ That’s not important,” Sara
Lynn said. “What matters is—”
    I rarely interrupt my sister, but I wasn’t
about to let that go. “It might not matter to you, but it does to
me. Now tell me who’s saying I’m in trouble.”
    She looked primly at me as she said,
“Jennifer, I’m not going to betray a confidence.”
    “ Then you shouldn’t have
brought it up. Sara Lynn, nobody knows how I’m doing, and that
includes Lillian.”
    Sara Lynn’s gaze dropped down for just a
moment, but it was enough. “Oh my word. You’re saying that our aunt
is telling the world I’m failing?” I couldn’t believe it. Lillian
was more than just my aunt, more than my only employee. In a very
real way, I