After a long day of baking pies and rolls on Wednesday and an equally long morning of preparing the meal, everything had turned out perfectly. Rick was in the process of working out a deal that would allow Candy to take responsibility for her part in Trey’s death while continuing with her life. Dexter hadn’t really done anything wrong other than cover up the fact that he knew Candy had inadvertently slipped Trey the drug that made him sick. He’d offered the energy mix to Trey, but there was nothing illegal in it, and Trey had taken it voluntarily. Dexter had warned Trey to take just one and Trey had made the choice to take more than he’d recommended.
It had been a tough week. Finding out that Francine had been murdered had affected me more than I’d expected. I’d talked to Jack about it, and he’d agreed to help me look in to the fifty-year-old case after Thanksgiving. The likelihood that the man who’d killed those young women was even still alive wasn’t all that great, but the Silk Stocking Strangler hadn’t been caught, and I wanted to bring Frannie’s killer to justice if I could. Jack had warned me that it was going to be all but impossible, but I’d mentioned it to Vikki and Clara, who felt as I did, and we were going to bring the mystery to the entire group when we met next week.
“Looks like we did okay,” Gertie, who was sitting to my right, whispered.
I looked around the table. Everyone was eating and chatting. “Yeah, it looks like we did at that. When you told me how much food you planned to make, I figured we’d be eating leftovers for months, but now that I see how much everyone is eating, I’m not sure we’ll have enough for even one meal.”
“We’ll have enough. I kept some back, just to be sure.”
“I think that might have been a good idea; almost everyone is on seconds and even thirds.” I put my hand on my stomach and sat back. “I couldn’t eat another bite.”
“Don’t forget about the pies.”
Oh yeah, the pies. They did look good. Gertie had made pumpkin, pecan, chocolate, and apple, something for everyone.
“I guess I could make room for a small piece of pumpkin pie when everyone is ready. It’s Thanksgiving, after all.”
After everyone had finished eating, Jack, Alex, and George cleared the table while Vikki and Brit put away the leftovers. Quentin chatted with Rick and Garrett while Gertie made the fresh whipped cream and Clara and I sliced the pies.
“Are these the plates you want to use?” Meg asked as she took a pile out of the cupboard.
“Yes. Those are perfect. There are coffee cups in the next cupboard over. We may as well set them out as well.”
“I really appreciate you inviting me,” Meg said as she opened the drawers, looking for forks. “I usually go to my daughter’s, but she went to her in-laws this year. When George asked me to come, I was so very grateful to have a place to go.”
“You’re welcome any time.”
“You’ve put together a real nice family here.”
I smiled.
Contentment settled in as I closed my eyes and listened for a moment to the chatter around me. I’d never had family holidays growing up, but I’d always dreamed of them. I’d longed for the sound of people talking and laughing as they worked side by side to put together a meal that would be enjoyed by all. I hadn’t been entirely sure what to expect when I’d decided to host Thanksgiving dinner, but for the first time in my life, I knew exactly how magical a holiday meal with those you cared for the most could be.
http://amzn.to/2eLFowu
During the course of the remodel on one of the cabins at the writers retreat, the contractor finds a box hidden in a wall. Jill opens the box to find love letters writing to a woman named Francine more than fifty years ago. Jill decides to track down the woman to return the letters only to find that she was the fourth victim of the Silk Stalking Stranger, a serial killer who killed thirteen women in the mid 1960's. The strangler was never caught so Jill and the gang decide to dig into the mystery only to find that the fourth victim of the Silk Stalking Strangler may not have been killed by the Strangler after all.
Books by Kathi Daley
Come for the murder, stay for the romance.
Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery:
Halloween Hijinks
The Trouble With Turkeys
Christmas Crazy
Cupid’s Curse
Big Bunny Bump-off
Beach Blanket Barbie
Maui Madness
Derby Divas
Turkeys, Tuxes, and Tabbies
Christmas Cozy
Alaskan Alliance
Matrimony Meltdown
Soul Surrender
Heavenly Honeymoon
Hopscotch Homicide
Ghostly Graveyard
Santa Sleuth
Shamrock Shenanigans
Kitten Kaboodle
Costume Catastrophe
Candy Cane Caper
Holiday Hangover
Easter Escapade
Camp Carter
Trick or Treason – September 2017
Reindeer Roundup – December 2017
Zimmerman Academy The New Normal
Ashton Falls Cozy Cookbook
Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mysteries by Henery Press
Pumpkins in Paradise
Snowmen in Paradise
Bikinis in Paradise
Christmas in Paradise
Puppies in Paradise
Halloween in Paradise
Treasure in Paradise
Fireworks in Paradise – October 2017
Romeow and Juliet
The Mad Catter
Grimm’s Furry Tail
Much Ado About Felines
Legend of Tabby Hollow
Cat of Christmas Past
A Tale of Two Tabbies
The Great Catsby
Count Catula
The Cat of Christmas Present
A Winter’s Tail
The Taming of the Tabby
Frankencat – August 2017
The Cat of Christmas Future – November 2017
Seacliff High Mystery:
The Secret
The Curse
The Relic
The Conspiracy
The Grudge
The Shadow
The Haunting – September 2017
Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mystery:
Murder at Dolphin Bay
Murder at Sunrise Beach
Murder at the Witching Hour
Murder at Christmas
Murder at Turtle Cove
Murder at Water’s Edge
Road to Christmas Romance:
Road to Christmas Past
Writers’ Retreat Southern Seashore Mystery:
First Case
Second Look
Third Strike
Fourth Victim – October 2017
Rescue Alaska Paranormal Mystery
Finding Justice – November 2017
USA Today bestselling author, Kathi Daley, lives in beautiful Lake Tahoe with her husband Ken. When she isn’t writing, she likes spend time hiking the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home. She has authored more than seventy five books in eight series including: Zoe Donovan Cozy Mysteries, Whales and Tails Island Mysteries, Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mysteries, Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Series, Writer’s Retreat Southern Seashore Mysteries, Rescue Alaska Paranormal Mysteries, and Seacliff High Teen Mysteries. Find out more about her books at www.kathidaley.com
Giveaway:
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