Read To Catch a Leaf for Free Online Page A

“You’d think it took a mental giant to operate an oven. Thank you so much for taking the time to drive out here. It was a pleasure to meet you, Abby.”
    â€œYou’re welcome, Dot. Enjoy the flowers.”
    I hummed as I headed to the car. Lottie sure had called this situation wrong. There was nothing fishy about Dot or the thoughtful bouquets she was getting. I was satisfied that whoever was sending them, whether son or lover, wasn’t a stalker. I couldn’t wait to tease Lottie about it.
    As I backed the Corvette out of the driveway, I caught sight of a man walking from the house to the old garage.
    Interesting. At least one of Dot’s sons was black. And had gray hair.
    I was a block away from the Donnelly place when I glanced in my rearview mirror and spotted a faded black minivan with darkly tinted windows pulling out of her driveway. It turned in the opposite direction and headed away. A black van with tinted windows. Hmm.
    Maybe I wouldn’t tease Lottie just yet.

    I parked in the public lot, dashed the block and a half back to Bloomers, and stepped inside the shop, the familiar jingle of the bell over the door such a happy sound. It still gave me tingles to know that the lovely little flower shop was mine, and sometimes I had to stand there for a moment taking it all in.
    With its high, tin ceiling, mellow wood floors, exposed brick walls, charming Victorian-inspired tea parlor, big bay windows on either side of the door—one in the parlor and one in the main shop—the entire space abounded with the colors and scents of fresh blossoms, freshly baked scones, and invigorating coffee. It didn’t get any better than that.
    I heard a meow and glanced up see Simon watching me from the top of the open armoire that we used for displaying silk arrangements and other gift items. “Hey, Simon. How are you?”
    He meowed again, then began to wash his ears. He’d found the perfect perch.
    I filled my assistants in on Dot and her sons, then grabbed a quick sandwich in the kitchen so I could work the shop while Lottie took the noon lunch break. Simon decided to help with the entertainment and became an instant hit with the customers. When he wasn’t supervising from his lofty perch, he was racing around after a stray leaf, leaping into the air, rubbing against people’s legs, and generally showing off. He ate up the attention.
    Speaking of someone who ate up attention, I thought briefly of calling Jillian to find out what she’d wanted. But then I came to my senses, concluding that whatever had prompted my cousin’s call had resolved itself. Please?
    At just past two o’clock in the afternoon, members of the Monday Afternoon Ladies’ Poetry Society arrived and made straight for the parlor, where Grace was supposed to be waiting to serve up scones and tea. The only problem was that Grace hadn’t returned from her one o’clock lunch date, so Lottie had to work the parlor while I stayed up front in the shop.
    By two thirty, Grace still hadn’t returned, and we were getting concerned. It wasn’t like her to be gone so long without calling. I tried to reach her on her cell phone, but it rang six times, then went to voice mail. After I tried calling her home phone repeatedly, Lottie urged me to contact the police, but I phoned Marco instead and asked him what to do.
    â€œI’ll call Sean,” he said of his buddy Sergeant Sean Reilly of the New Chapel PD. “He’ll know if there’ve been any reports of accidents. But I’ll bet Grace just got busy helping her friend and forgot to check the time.”
    â€œGrace is too conscientious to forget about her responsibilities, Marco. I wish I knew where her friend Connie lives.”
    â€œDon’t fret, Sunshine. Who is more levelheaded than Grace? If she were in trouble, you’d know about it. I’ll call you after I hear from Sean.”
    The other line began to blink,