Twillyweed (41 page)

Jenny Rose and Glinty have asked me to work at Twillyweed but, honestly, my days as a hotelier are over. I must say, Glinty bends over backward for Jenny Rose. So you see, you never know, do you? They've only just finished renovations and already have some bookings into next year. They seem to really get a kick out of each other—and laughter floats in bursts from their quarters' open windows. No one could be happier.

Unless, that is, you by chance look in on Morgan and me.

Morgan decided to relinquish some of his money and donate it to Guardian Angel House. Well, we have so much. We've chosen to stay on in the Great White. Neither of us cares much about grandeur. Out of whimsy we've renamed it the Moon Dial. We love the coziness around the fireplace at night, him and me and Jake, the old clocks ticking, two pools of lamplight on our open books. We're not ones for television. Mr. Piet came over and, with Morgan's help, he put on a new roof and remade the deck.

Morgan has an antique clock shop in town now, although you'll find him mostly out sailing. He's more of a pilgrim than a landsman, Morgan is—not to be tied down. I have to ring a big old school bell he's hung on the side of the cottage when I want him for lunch. Sometimes he hears it and sometimes he's too far away. It's Daniel who sits in the shop all day long puttering around with the insides of clocks. You couldn't find a more intent clock fixer. And the thing is, he loves it. Well, Noola taught him. Only sometimes, when I enter the shop, he looks at me with these blue eyes. And I feel like he's got this monopoly on truth. And I don't. And I'm so sorry for all of us.

I have a nice little tomato garden out back. And my
cucuzza
?
Bellissima
. Twice a week I'm Story Lady over at the children's library; they always like the mysteries best, the kids. My days I spend mostly with Jake; he goes where I go, drawing and painting. You'll find me setting up my easel on any little footpath over Sea Cliff. Funny, because when I was small that's what I liked to do, dreamed of doing—and now here I am, imagination my reality. I don't think I ever really expected to find joy, you know? It was always arbitration and accommodation all day long.

Now, when the evening rolls around, Morgan and I head for our little cottage after our walk. And when we long for space, we have the sea before us—all indigo and sapphire, dazzling endless in the moonlight—and the voyage-worthy
Gnomon
fitted out to take us there.

Acknowledgments

Heartfelt thanks to Otto Penzler, whose love of a good mystery puts me back on the page, and to Heather Boak, my careful and brilliant editor. Also to Rob Hart, Lauren Chomiuk, and Laurie McGee.

Thanks to my loving husband, Tommy, who keeps the home fires burning; to my sister, Annie, my hero; and to Michael and Kim, my happy ever afters.

Some of the places in this book no longer exist, but they always shall in my memory.

All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2015 by Mary Anne Kelly

Cover design by Mauricio Díaz

978-1-5040-1665-0

Published in 2015 by MysteriousPress.com/Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.

345 Hudson Street

New York, NY 10014

www.mysteriouspress.com

www.openroadmedia.com

Otto Penzler, owner of the Mysterious Bookshop in Manhattan, founded the Mysterious Press in 1975. Penzler quickly became known for his outstanding selection of mystery, crime, and suspense books, both from his imprint and in his store. The imprint was devoted to printing the best books in these genres, using fine paper and top dust-jacket artists, as well as offering many limited, signed editions.

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