anything.
Ashley’s face broke into a devilish smile. “Why, that’s nice for you, isn’t it Lizzie? And extra good for me because I’m going to be spending time in your little town over the next while and it will be fun to have someone to play with.”
Lizzie gritted her teeth.
Here we go again.
Chapter Six
I suddenly felt cold all over. I forced myself to take a couple of deep breaths.
FILE M FOR MURDER
—MIRANDA JAMES
W henever Lizzie Turner thought about Picton Hall, her memories went straight to a place that included her daddy and her at a much younger age, maybe seven or so, taking part in a square dance at the annual Pins and Cushions Fair put on by the Ashton Corners Sewing Society. Her mama had been a member, just as her mama beforehand, and the dance remained a highlight of the Ashton Corners social season for decades.
Lizzie could still hear the music, something she couldn’t name, but the beat allowed her to allemande left and back around to the waiting arms of her daddy. She’d been so proud, being part of that pattern usually done by the adults. But her daddy had insisted she join in. That was just like him. He had wanted Lizzie to be included, to learn new things, to have fun.
She shook her head and guided her thoughts back to the present, to present-day Picton Hall and what Sally-Jo was saying.
“Wasn’t that a whole lot of fun last night?” Sally-Jo asked Lizzie.
They were putting the finishing touches on the registration table just inside the door to Picton Hall. Bob and Jacob had already been busy that morning setting up the chairs theater-style as Sally-Jo had requested, along with the casual seating for the panel members at the front of the stage. The bookselling tables were on the far side of the room, where Stephanie and Andie were busy laying out their displays.
“I noticed you seemed to have something on your mind, though,” Sally-Jo continued. “You still don’t seem your perky self this morning. What gives?”
“Perky? Since when am I the perky one? That’s usually reserved for you.”
“Uh, sorry. To rephrase, you’re not your usual cheerful self but you are feisty.”
“My turn to say sorry, Sally-Jo.”
Lizzie sighed as she looked around the room, wondering if anything else needed to be done. “I’m probably being silly. Mark thinks I’m being silly.” In fact, she’d had a devil of a time trying to explain to Mark why she’d chosen to describe their relationship as being “just friends.” She’d played it down, feeling embarrassed to tell him she was worried Ashley would make a play for him. It would have sounded almost like she didn’t trust Mark not to give in to Ashley’s charms. She wasn’t really sure if Mark bought her watered-down explanation. “But you know that publicist, Ashley Dixon?”
“Your former roommate?” Sally-Jo asked, shaking Lizzie out of her reverie.
“That’s the one. There’s a reason our arrangement lasted for only one semester.”
Sally-Jo stopped her task of placing the name tags in alphabetical order on the table and gave Lizzie her full attention.
“She had to have it all, be the one getting all the attention all the time, which led to some tricky situations. Things were getting really awkward, so I asked to be moved for the winter semester but there was no one to switch with and no free rooms. And then she left Auburn, never came back from Christmas break. I was so relieved.”
“And now she shows up here. Ouch. What did she do? Borrow your clothes, swipe your answers?”
“None of the above.” Lizzie hesitated, wondering how much of the story she should share. She realized, even though she’d come to terms with what had happened, she hadn’t totally forgotten nor forgiven. In fact, seeing Ashley had thrown Lizzie for a loop. Maybe the best way to get over old demons was to talk about them. “It started out real friendly and then this competitive streak took over. She didn’t like it one bit that I
Ashley’s face broke into a devilish smile. “Why, that’s nice for you, isn’t it Lizzie? And extra good for me because I’m going to be spending time in your little town over the next while and it will be fun to have someone to play with.”
Lizzie gritted her teeth.
Here we go again.
Chapter Six
I suddenly felt cold all over. I forced myself to take a couple of deep breaths.
FILE M FOR MURDER
—MIRANDA JAMES
W henever Lizzie Turner thought about Picton Hall, her memories went straight to a place that included her daddy and her at a much younger age, maybe seven or so, taking part in a square dance at the annual Pins and Cushions Fair put on by the Ashton Corners Sewing Society. Her mama had been a member, just as her mama beforehand, and the dance remained a highlight of the Ashton Corners social season for decades.
Lizzie could still hear the music, something she couldn’t name, but the beat allowed her to allemande left and back around to the waiting arms of her daddy. She’d been so proud, being part of that pattern usually done by the adults. But her daddy had insisted she join in. That was just like him. He had wanted Lizzie to be included, to learn new things, to have fun.
She shook her head and guided her thoughts back to the present, to present-day Picton Hall and what Sally-Jo was saying.
“Wasn’t that a whole lot of fun last night?” Sally-Jo asked Lizzie.
They were putting the finishing touches on the registration table just inside the door to Picton Hall. Bob and Jacob had already been busy that morning setting up the chairs theater-style as Sally-Jo had requested, along with the casual seating for the panel members at the front of the stage. The bookselling tables were on the far side of the room, where Stephanie and Andie were busy laying out their displays.
“I noticed you seemed to have something on your mind, though,” Sally-Jo continued. “You still don’t seem your perky self this morning. What gives?”
“Perky? Since when am I the perky one? That’s usually reserved for you.”
“Uh, sorry. To rephrase, you’re not your usual cheerful self but you are feisty.”
“My turn to say sorry, Sally-Jo.”
Lizzie sighed as she looked around the room, wondering if anything else needed to be done. “I’m probably being silly. Mark thinks I’m being silly.” In fact, she’d had a devil of a time trying to explain to Mark why she’d chosen to describe their relationship as being “just friends.” She’d played it down, feeling embarrassed to tell him she was worried Ashley would make a play for him. It would have sounded almost like she didn’t trust Mark not to give in to Ashley’s charms. She wasn’t really sure if Mark bought her watered-down explanation. “But you know that publicist, Ashley Dixon?”
“Your former roommate?” Sally-Jo asked, shaking Lizzie out of her reverie.
“That’s the one. There’s a reason our arrangement lasted for only one semester.”
Sally-Jo stopped her task of placing the name tags in alphabetical order on the table and gave Lizzie her full attention.
“She had to have it all, be the one getting all the attention all the time, which led to some tricky situations. Things were getting really awkward, so I asked to be moved for the winter semester but there was no one to switch with and no free rooms. And then she left Auburn, never came back from Christmas break. I was so relieved.”
“And now she shows up here. Ouch. What did she do? Borrow your clothes, swipe your answers?”
“None of the above.” Lizzie hesitated, wondering how much of the story she should share. She realized, even though she’d come to terms with what had happened, she hadn’t totally forgotten nor forgiven. In fact, seeing Ashley had thrown Lizzie for a loop. Maybe the best way to get over old demons was to talk about them. “It started out real friendly and then this competitive streak took over. She didn’t like it one bit that I
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