Lost Legacy (A Zoe Chambers Mystery Book 2) (33 page)

Confused, Pete gave Zoe a questioning look.

She grinned up at him. “I’m Patsy’s second cousin. That means she’s first cousins with...”

Pete finished the sentence for her. “Kimberly.”

Zoe sat on the cool grass next to the fresh grave, mindlessly picking the thorns from the stem of one peach rose. Overhead, white billowing clouds drifted in a clear blue sky, finally void of humidity. She breathed in the scents around her. Damp earth. Delicate flower. A touch of cedar from the nearby tree.

Almost three weeks had passed since the awful night at the side of the road. That spot where one vindictive, evil man, so desperate to eliminate all witnesses to his chain of crimes had wreaked havoc yet again. At least now his secrets were out. Wilford Engle would never spend another day as a free man as long as he lived, which likely wouldn’t be long. She’d heard he’d been diagnosed with lung cancer.

Behind her, tires crunched on the road that looped through the cemetery. The car stopped. The engine stilled. A door opened and closed.

She laid the rose on the mounded earth, which hadn’t had time to settle yet. “I’m so sorry,” she said to the ground and the heavens, hoping her regrets reached their intended recipient.

The grass rustled as uneven footsteps approached. She didn’t look up. One brown leather shoe and one plastic and Velcro boot stopped next to her.

“I figured I might find you here,” Pete said.

She looked up, squinting into the sun. “I needed to say goodbye. Just him and me.” She shifted onto her knees and reached out to touch the granite plaque set into the ground at the grave’s head. Traced the name.
Gary Chambers
. “I love you, Dad.” Choking back all the emotion of knowing her father really did rest in peace, she climbed to her feet.

Pete caught her hand. “Have you talked to your mom?”

“No. I tried. I’ve called, but just get the machine. I leave messages.” Zoe shrugged. “So far, no one’s called back. Patsy’s been in touch with them, though. She’s planning to fly down there in a couple of weeks.”

One corner of Pete’s mouth tipped up. “That should be an interesting trip.”

“Interesting? Yeah. And did you hear? James Engle left his farm—the Miller farm—to my mom.”

“What’s she going to do with a farm?”

Zoe shrugged. “Beats me.”

They stood in silence, listening to the cicadas in the distant woods. After a few moments, Pete asked, “Are you all right?”

She forced a smile. “No. Yes. I will be.” She studied him. Longer than she used to allow herself to maintain eye contact with him. There was something going on behind those ice blues, but she couldn’t make out what. He seemed...sad. Haunted. “What about you? Are you all right?”

He huffed a laugh and looked down. “The hospital released Harry today.”

“Oh?” Zoe thought he’d be happier about that.

“Nadine picked him up. Took him home.”

“And by home, I gather you don’t mean your house.”

“Nope.”

Zoe intertwined her fingers with his and bumped his shoulder with hers. “I thought you were looking forward to your sister taking him back.”

“I thought I was, too. But I kind of got used to having him around.”

“He’s one tough old buzzard. Took that bullet and bounced back like a superhero.”

“That’s exactly what he is.” Pete grinned. “He saved the girl. I came in after it was all over.”

“You sound like you’re jealous.”

The grin faded. “I almost lost you both.”

“But you didn’t lose either of us. I’m still here.” Zoe looked down at the grave. “You can visit your dad any time you want.”

Pete pressed a warm kiss to her forehead. “And I will. Care to come with me? The orthopedist said I can drive.”

She leaned against him. Inhaled his woodsy fragrance. “I don’t know. What’ll Harry think if we show up together?”

“What he already thinks. That you’re my girl.”

Zoe laughed. She stepped back, but Pete held onto her hand. “I shouldn’t have let him keep thinking that,” she said. “I should’ve convinced him we’re just friends.”

“You should consider yourself lucky he knows who you are at all.” Pete turned to face her squarely. Hooked one finger under her chin. “And now that you mention it, I want to talk to you about this whole
just friends
thing.”

Zoe stared at his mouth, aware of her heart doing the rumba inside her chest. “What about it?”

He leaned down and kissed her lips. She melted against him, closing her fingers around the fabric of his shirt, not trusting her legs to hold her.

When it ended, he said, “I think we need to renegotiate.”

“That can be arranged.”

“How about over dinner?”

“Okay.” Zoe smiled and thought her dad—and Harry—would approve.

About the Author

Annette Dashofy, a Pennsylvania farm gal born and bred, grew up with horses, cattle, and, yes, chickens. After high school, she spent five years as an EMT for the local ambulance service. Since then, she’s worked a variety of jobs, giving her plenty of fodder for her lifelong passion for writing. She, her husband, and their two spoiled cats live on property that was once part of her grandfather’s dairy. Her short fiction, including a 2007 Derringer nominee, has appeared in
Spinetingler
,
Mysterical-e
, and
Fish Tales: the Guppy Anthology
. Her newest short story appears in the
Lucky Charms Anthology.

In Case You Missed the 1
st
Book in the Series

CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE

Annette Dashofy

A Zoe Chambers Mystery (#1)

Zoe Chambers, paramedic and deputy coroner in rural Pennsylvania’s tight-knit Vance Township, has been privy to a number of local secrets over the years, some of them her own. But secrets become explosive when a dead body is found in the Township Board President’s abandoned car.

As a January blizzard rages, Zoe and Police Chief Pete Adams launch a desperate search for the killer, even if it means uncovering secrets that could not only destroy Zoe and Pete, but also those closest to them.

Read all about it and/or grab the book from Amazon

CLICK FOR CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE

Don’t Miss the 3
rd
Book in the Series

BRIDGES BURNED

Annette Dashofy

A Zoe Chambers Mystery (#3)

Paramedic Zoe Chambers is used to saving lives, but when she stops a man from running into a raging inferno in a futile attempt to rescue his wife, Zoe finds herself drawn to him, and even more so to his ten-year-old daughter. She invites them both to live at the farm while the grieving widower picks up the pieces of his life.

Vance Township Police Chief Pete Adams, of course, is not happy with this setup, especially when he finds evidence implicating Zoe’s new houseguest in murder times two. When Zoe ignores Pete’s dire warnings, she runs the very real chance of burning one too many bridges, losing everything—and everyone—she holds dear.

Available April 2015

Visit www.henerypress.com for details

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