over to where she was. The expression he wore was that of a young child about to be punished. “You’re not in trouble, you big oaf”, she said, toweling him off. He immediately started to wag his tail and attempted to play tug of war with the towel. She laughed. “Inside the house if you want breakfast,” she said to him as she opened the door. Scrambling to his feet, he gave a happy bark, shook more water from his coat and bounded inside the house ahead of her.
After a quick breakfast and shower, Rachel and Brutus were in the truck driving in to town. “You made me forget my list,” she said to the dog as they arrived in front of Potter’s Hardware. “I’m blaming you, if I forget things. Now stay here and be good.”
Scanning the store for her friend, she remembered Jessica had classes all day. Making quick time down the aisles, she added more items to her cart. She knew she needed more sanding pads, some light bulbs, two sets of curtain rods and more cleaning supplies. Unable to remember what else she needed, she made her way to the register. There she saw Josie from Canyon Grocery in line as well.
Josie smiled, “Good morning, Ms. Hardy. I’m kind of surprised to see you out and about today. I figured you would lay low from the press.”
“Good morning to you too, Josie, and please call me Rachel.” Frowning now, she continued, “I’m afraid I don’t understand. Why would I hide from the press?” All of a sudden, it dawned on her. Jessica told her the news media was aware of her involvement with the recovered art pieces.
“Don’t you read the paper or watch television?” Josie asked. “All the local channels are talking about you. There’s a big article in today’s paper too. You made the front page,” she said as she handed the paper to Rachel.
Rachel stared at the newspaper in her hands. There on the front page was her smiling face. She recognized it as a promotional shot that had been taken about a year ago. Above it, the headline read:
LOCAL NOVELIST FINDS CANYON CAT BURGLAR’S STASH
She scanned the article. It contained quotes from Mrs. Johannesberg, Mrs. Coffman and Mrs. Riley. She noticed the sheriff’s office had refused to comment on which pieces had been recovered but the reporter writing the story had made it clear that the necklace was still missing. A small blurb further down in the article included a description of the missing necklace.
Rachel gave the paper back to Josie and shrugged her shoulders. “No one has come by to interview me. I don’t have anything to tell them anyway.”
Josie finished her purchase, but didn’t leave. Her face lit up and her green eyes flashed with excitement. “Hey, I’ve got a great idea. You should write a book about this. You could add in a romance like you do and make us all famous.”
“I write fictional romance novels, Josie. I don’t see a happily ever after in this scenario.”
“Well you could write it that way. Make everything work out in the end, just like you do in all your books,” she said, patting the back of Rachel’s hand. “I need to get going. That grocery store can’t run for an hour without me.” She cackled as she headed out the door.
“Good bye, Josie,” Rachel replied as she waited for the clerk to ring up her purchases.
“How nice to see you again, Ms. Hardy.”
Rachel turned around to see Ed Templeton standing behind her. “Hello, Mr. Templeton,” she replied stiffly. The man made her very uncomfortable.
“I’m glad I ran in to you. I would like to apologize for yesterday. Perhaps I could make it up to you, say at dinner together this evening?”
Her skin was crawling. Call it a sixth sense, women’s intuition or whatever. But warning sirens were ringing in her head. She offered him a weak smile. “That is a very kind offer, Mr. Templeton, and yesterday has already been forgotten, really. But I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline your offer. It was nice to see you again though.”
After a quick breakfast and shower, Rachel and Brutus were in the truck driving in to town. “You made me forget my list,” she said to the dog as they arrived in front of Potter’s Hardware. “I’m blaming you, if I forget things. Now stay here and be good.”
Scanning the store for her friend, she remembered Jessica had classes all day. Making quick time down the aisles, she added more items to her cart. She knew she needed more sanding pads, some light bulbs, two sets of curtain rods and more cleaning supplies. Unable to remember what else she needed, she made her way to the register. There she saw Josie from Canyon Grocery in line as well.
Josie smiled, “Good morning, Ms. Hardy. I’m kind of surprised to see you out and about today. I figured you would lay low from the press.”
“Good morning to you too, Josie, and please call me Rachel.” Frowning now, she continued, “I’m afraid I don’t understand. Why would I hide from the press?” All of a sudden, it dawned on her. Jessica told her the news media was aware of her involvement with the recovered art pieces.
“Don’t you read the paper or watch television?” Josie asked. “All the local channels are talking about you. There’s a big article in today’s paper too. You made the front page,” she said as she handed the paper to Rachel.
Rachel stared at the newspaper in her hands. There on the front page was her smiling face. She recognized it as a promotional shot that had been taken about a year ago. Above it, the headline read:
LOCAL NOVELIST FINDS CANYON CAT BURGLAR’S STASH
She scanned the article. It contained quotes from Mrs. Johannesberg, Mrs. Coffman and Mrs. Riley. She noticed the sheriff’s office had refused to comment on which pieces had been recovered but the reporter writing the story had made it clear that the necklace was still missing. A small blurb further down in the article included a description of the missing necklace.
Rachel gave the paper back to Josie and shrugged her shoulders. “No one has come by to interview me. I don’t have anything to tell them anyway.”
Josie finished her purchase, but didn’t leave. Her face lit up and her green eyes flashed with excitement. “Hey, I’ve got a great idea. You should write a book about this. You could add in a romance like you do and make us all famous.”
“I write fictional romance novels, Josie. I don’t see a happily ever after in this scenario.”
“Well you could write it that way. Make everything work out in the end, just like you do in all your books,” she said, patting the back of Rachel’s hand. “I need to get going. That grocery store can’t run for an hour without me.” She cackled as she headed out the door.
“Good bye, Josie,” Rachel replied as she waited for the clerk to ring up her purchases.
“How nice to see you again, Ms. Hardy.”
Rachel turned around to see Ed Templeton standing behind her. “Hello, Mr. Templeton,” she replied stiffly. The man made her very uncomfortable.
“I’m glad I ran in to you. I would like to apologize for yesterday. Perhaps I could make it up to you, say at dinner together this evening?”
Her skin was crawling. Call it a sixth sense, women’s intuition or whatever. But warning sirens were ringing in her head. She offered him a weak smile. “That is a very kind offer, Mr. Templeton, and yesterday has already been forgotten, really. But I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline your offer. It was nice to see you again though.”