Sealed with a Kill (26 page)

“We’re lucky to have each other,” Tenley corrected.

“Just so,” Tricia said, and she kissed Tenley’s head. Brenna felt a lump well up in her throat.

The bells on the door jangled again and Brenna paused. If it was a customer, she wanted to jump in so Tenley could have her time with her mother.

A tall, silver-haired man entered the shop. It was Tenley’s father, looking more haggard than Brenna had ever seen him.

“Ready to go, Tricia?” he asked.

“Yes.” Tricia gave Tenley one more quick squeeze, and she walked to the door. Mr. Morse held it open and she walked through, patting him on the arm as she went.

Mr. Morse turned to follow, but then he turned back to look at his daughter.

“You are the best of us; you know that, don’t you?” he asked.

Tenley pressed her lips together, looking like she might cry.

“I’m very proud of you, Tenley,” her father said as he glanced around the shop. “Very proud of you.”

The door swung shut behind him, and Brenna watched as Mr. and Mrs. Morse walked down the street arm in arm, bracing against the wind. It was hard to say who was supporting whom, but maybe after so many years of marriage that was just the way of it.

 

It was late when Brenna arrived at her cabin from the shop. The purple cloak of twilight was just covering the trees, as if tucking their leafless limbs in for the night.

The evening air was brisk, and she hurried down the grass hill toward her little house, looking forward to a hot cup of tea. She wished she’d had the presence of mind this morning to prep something for dinner, because the thought of cooking a meal after such a long day in the shop did not appeal.

Her footsteps faltered as she noted that the light was on in her cabin. She was sure she hadn’t left it on. She waited, expecting to feel the old, cold-fingered fist of dread clutch at her insides. That familiar nagging feeling of paranoia that had caused her to leave the hustle and bustle of Boston and move to Morse Point two years ago.

But amazingly, she didn’t feel afraid. She felt merely curious. She thought she may have forgotten to lock her door and perhaps one of her neighbors had popped in to borrow something.

She renewed her walk toward the small house. It was remarkable, really, that she should feel no fear. After all, there had been murders in this little town, and yet she couldn’t help but feel safe here. She wondered why.

And then the answer came as the front door to her cabin was pulled open and out charged a familiar golden coat of fur, Hank, followed by a tall man with a tousled head of brown hair and an intense pair of gray eyes. Nate.

This was why the fear had left her. She reached down and received Hank’s slobbering licks and then stood as Nate pulled her into a crusher hug and planted a warm kiss on her lips that lingered.

“We missed you today,” he said. “Come on, the game is about to start and I made a pot roast.”

“Seriously?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said. “You’re going to need to fortify yourself to withstand the Sox’s defeat.”

Brenna could have argued with him about whose team was going to lose, and judging by the twinkle in his eye, he was expecting as much. Instead, she placed her hand on the side of his face and whispered, “I love you.”

His eyes scanned her face as if savoring the moment, and then he said, “I love you, too.”

He tucked her under his arm, and Hank pressed against her other side. As the three of them made their way into her cabin, Brenna knew she was home.

First apply a thin layer of decoupage medium on the pumpkin. Then position the cutout images on the pumpkin. Apply a thin layer of decoupage medium over the cutouts with the paintbrush. Carefully, with damp fingers or a cloth, smooth out any air bubbles that may have formed under the cutouts while applying the pictures. Let the pumpkin dry completely. Then apply another coat or two of decoupage medium, depending on the thickness of the images. Allow each layer of solution to dry completely before you apply the next.

Clean the tray with hot soapy water and allow the tray to dry completely. Fill any scratches, dents, or holes with wood putty, and use fine sandpaper to sand the tray smooth. Apply a coat of acrylic primer. Set aside to dry. Apply two coats of acrylic paint in the color of your choice, allowing the tray to dry between coats. Once the second coat of paint has dried, spread a thin layer of decoupage medium on the tray and arrange the cutout images as you want them. Make sure there are no wrinkles or air bubbles. Set aside to dry thoroughly. Once dry, brush on two coats of polyurethane, allowing the tray to dry between applications. Use fine sandpaper to smooth the tray after the second coat of polyurethane dries, and wipe the tray with a dry cloth to remove any dust. Apply a final coat of polyurethane. Allow to dry completely. Affix a felt circle to each of the bottom corners to finish your decoupage tray.

 

Tip:
To make your own decoupage solution, simply use equal amounts of plain white school glue and water. Mix until smooth and use as directed.

STUCK ON MURDER
CUT TO THE CORPSE
SEALED WITH A KILL