“The Commodore?” Aden asked.
“No, a Church.”
“But.”
“She desperately wanted the shop and did as he asked.”
“But.”
“But he didn’t stop at one.”
“Payton.”
“What?”
“Are you forgetting? Mamie couldn’t paint.”
She continued, undaunted, “How hard it must have been for Mamie to hide her talent all those years. All the horrible water colors she produced just so no one would catch on if anything came to light about the forgeries.”
Aden kissed Payton’s cheek. “You are a genius.”
“I wonder what pushed her to kill him though. This has been going on for years.”
“When he screwed that empty shop out from under her she snapped.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised. I don’t know what turned her onto the monkshood. Maybe I have to take some of the blame. One day we girls were talking about poisonous plants and maybe it gave her the idea.
“I was at Claire’s last Sunday when Mamie arrived. Claire and I had been talking about Sean and she was crying. Mamie asked what was wrong and Claire lied. Claire’s not a good liar. I bet Mamie’s guilt got the better of her and she assumed I’d just told Claire her whole secret.”
“And she decided to kill you.”
“Then burn the café so Claire couldn’t open Sean’s restaurant.” Payton folded the documents and put them in the box.
“I’d better call the police.”
While Aden dialed, Payton said, her voice very scratchy, “She was so strong. To be able to hide all those years. To not say anything when people so obviously disliked her work. To not protest when I bypassed one of her paintings for Ocaso. To not show her guilt for killing Frank along with Sean.”
Aden hung up the phone. “How do you know she regretted that?”
“Because of something she said the day after the murder. We were in my shop. Of course Sean was the topic of everyone’s conversation. Helen offered to let Mamie have the shop. Since Sean was dead, their contract became void. Mamie said, ‘I don’t think I’d be able to go in there, knowing what I do about this.’ At the time we put it down to stress and sorrow, but…”
Aden nodded and moved the box onto the counter.
“I remembered something else. Amanda once referred to Felicia as Felicia Ann Marie Dawson Featherstone. I bet she’s the Ann on that invoice. I bet her painting is also a forgery.”
“Easy enough to check.” He pulled a chair close and sat with his knees touching her leg. “Now, to happier topics.” He adjusted his chair a little to the right. The heat of his thighs seared into hers.
“Will you marry me?” he asked.
For several moments, the only sound in the place was the crunch of Maggie chewing cat food.
Payton took a breath and let it out very slowly. “I can’t.”
Aden didn’t speak.
So she continued. “Since I met you my head’s been in a turmoil. I recognize there’s something special between us. I don’t know how much of my past you know. I’m sure it’s well documented in that box.” She gestured toward the counter. “I came to Sackets Harbor to escape memories of my husband’s murder—that’s what causes the nightmares. I realized recently that escaping wasn’t what I needed to do.” She fumbled her hands on the table. “I have to come to grips with Cameron’s death before I can commit to another relationship.”
“I understand.”
“No, I don’t think you do. Aden, I’m leaving town. I’m moving home to Virginia, to be with my family. It’s where I need to be right now.”
Sergeant Espinoza’s car turned in Aden’s driveway. Aden rose. “I’ll go let him in.”
She got up and stared out at the water. What if she just dumped the money Cameron left? Gave it all to charity. The old proverb that money didn’t buy happiness was so true. Actually money was the reason for all her problems.
She recalled the first time she’d seen Aden, coming out of the bookstore carrying a bag she later learned held John Grisham and Robert Ludlum’s latest releases. He wore a brushed twill coat and hat. Few people wore hats any more, but he managed it beautifully, setting it at a jaunty angle atop his salt-and-pepper hair. Payton let her mind watch him, distinguished and very sexy, stride down the sidewalk and get into his car. Her insides twitched at the memory.
ABOUT AUTHOR CINDY DAVIS
Besides taking impromptu trips to far-off places like Sackets Harbor, New York, Cindy and her husband enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes in their home state of New Hampshire. From camping in upstate moose country to attending Monarchs hockey and Fisher Cats baseball games, and promoting books at summer fairs, they love it all. Cindy’s computer goes most everywhere, but so far she hasn’t made Bob squeal the motorhome’s tires again.
Visit her books at www.cdavisnh.com and www.desertmagictrilogy.com. And also, the site of her daytime job www.fiction-doctor.com.
Praise for Cindy’s other books
A Page from the Past, nominated for Book of the Year at Champagne Books.
Reviewed by Long and Short of It Reviews: In six words Cindy Davis grabs her reader’s attention in a death-defying situation. “Our van sailed over the embankment…” For anyone who enjoys murder, mystery and suspense this is a book for you. Once you pick it up, you’ll find it hard to put down again, so make sure you give yourself plenty of ‘me’ time and enjoy the way Cindy Davis unfolds her plots and her characters capture your imagination.
Final Masquerade
Reviewed by The Road to Romance Reviews: Cindy Davis creates a fantastic story of betrayal, suspense and intrigue in Final Masquerade. The tension in this novel makes this book hard to put down. The reader suffers along with Paige as she tries to make a new life for herself and feels her pain when she leaves friends behind each time she is found again. Cindy Davis has certainly created a winner with this novel.
A Little Murder—first in the Angie Deacon mystery series.
Reviewed by Midwest Book Review: Davis takes what looks to be a simple murder mystery and adds enough twists and turns to produce a real whodunit readers will be challenged to figure out. Characters are solidly developed and dimensional, the plot fast-paced and peppered with suspense.
Play with Fire—second in the Angie Deacons mystery series.
Reviewed by Long and Short Reviews: Play with Fire is one of those stories that is so beautifully written you forget you are reading it; you must know what happens. It’s engaging and intriguing, the characters seem real, and the backdrop, Alton Bay New Hampshire, is simply perfect. I’d like to sit at the real Shibley’s and read this again, and listen for the MV Mt. Washington’s horns sound in the distance. Kudos to Cindy Davis - can’t wait for the next one.
Hair of the Dog—the third in the Angie Deacon mystery series.
Reviewed by Midwest Book Review: This well-written mystery offers plenty of suspects as Davis takes the reader into two diverse worlds: the dog show venue and the cosmetics industry. Angie and Jarvis are unique in that they are portrayed so realistically, each with their own strengths and weaknesses; a couple trying to work out the kinks of their relationship. The mystery will challenge readers as they follow the clues and filter through suspicious characters and circumstances. Dog lovers will appreciate the presence of Guinness, an Irish Setter, along with a nice dose of information concerning dog shows and breeding.
Watch for the fourth in the Angie Deacon series, Dying to Teach, coming April, 2011.
Table of Contents
Title page
Lethal Dose of Love
PART ONE - ONE
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
PART TWO - S
IXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR
TWENTY-FIVE
TWENTY-SIX
TWENTY-SEVEN
TWENTY-NINE
THIRTY
THIRTY-ONE
THIRTY-TWO
THIRTY-THREE
THIRTY-FOUR
THIRTY-FIVE
THIRTY-SIX
THIRTY-SEVEN
THIRTY-EIGHT
THIRTY-NINE
FORTY
FORTY-ONE
FORTY-TWO
FORTY-THREE
FORTY-FOUR
FORTY-FIVE
FORTY-SIX
FORTY-SEVEN
ABOUT AUTHOR CINDY DAVIS