Pumpkins in Paradise (Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mystery Book 1) by Kathi Daley Page A

side.”
    “So how did Dylan end up here and the other guy dead?” Tj wondered.
    “The gang member diverted his attention from the young boy long enough to shoot at Dylan, but Dylan anticipated the shot and fell to the ground. He used the diversion to grab the gun hidden in his pant leg. According to Mom, he shot the guy just as he turned to shoot the kid.”
    “And the kid?”
    “Shaken up but fine,” Jenna assured her . “There was some sort of investigation, but the arguing and gunfire alerted the residents of several nearby apartment buildings, so there were plenty of witnesses to corroborate Dylan’s story.”
    “Wow, that’s some story . How did your mom unearth all that?”
    Jenna shrugged . “You know Mom. If there’s gossip to be had, she wants to be sure she’s the first to have it.”
    “Your mom’s talents are totally wasted on the antique industry . She really should be a reporter, or maybe a private eye.” Tj glanced up as Kurt Brown came into the restaurant with two of his buddies in tow. “Does your mom know anything about Kurt’s new car?”
    “Yeah, the rumor mill’s been abuzz all day. The word around town is that Kurt has hit the wall we most commonly refer to as a midlife crisis . There’s even some talk that Alice isn’t really helping her sister but has up and left Kurt after his recent string of bad luck.”
    “You think Alice would leave Kurt over financial issues?”
    “Doubtful. But still, it’s strange that Kurt would buy a new car on the very day Alice leaves town.” Jenna paused. “Now I’m beginning to sound like my mother.”
    Tj laughed . “You are. Maybe it’s genetic.”
    “God, I hope not.’
    “It looks like the pizza is ready.” Tj nodded toward the waitress carrying over two large cheese pies. “I’ll go to the bar to get refills on our wine, you grab the girls.”
     

Chapter 6
    Later that night Tj sat on her bed staring at the beautifully carved puzzle box that had been Zachary’s gift with a frown. It wasn’t the first time he’d given her such a box. In fact, having to work for her gift by following the clues provided in similar puzzle boxes had become an annual game they’d both enjoyed. The problem was that normally he’d provide a clue to get her started.
    Traditionally the first clue, once solved, revealed a code that would open the box, which usually contained another clue, which would lead to some small trinket he’d hidden for her to find . While the trinket was usually just something Zachary had laying around the house, Tj knew the real gift was the fun of the game they shared.
    Tj remembered the first box Zachary had given her . The riddle had been easily solvable, but the clue inside led to a month-long treasure hunt requiring her to track down additional clues he’d hidden in various places around the house. Prior to that treasure hunt, Tj had viewed Zachary as a lonely old man she’d occasionally visit because she felt sorry for him. But the game had intrigued her, changing their relationship from one based on pity to one based on a common love of games of the mind.
    Zachary had taught her so much over the years: how to play chess and solve games of logic, how to both code and decode secret messages using a variety of techniques, how to look at a scene and notice what was odd or what was missing, how to decipher patterns and create hypotheses based on the limited facts he’d put before her .
    When she’d first met him, Tj had wondered if Zachary weren’t some sort of highly trained spy . He certainly thought like one, and in her imagination she’d created childhood fantasies of a secret agent hiding out from his past. But as she grew older, she realized he was but a damaged man who had the intelligence to know how to use his imagination to fill his long, lonely days.
    Tj sighed as soft jazz played in the background . The pumpkin spice candle on her bedside table filled the room with a seasonal aroma, while a cozy fire danced