Lost Legacy (A Zoe Chambers Mystery Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

in the world were her mother and Tom doing here so early? Had she misunderstood their arrival time? And now she was going to greet them, not only late, but looking like she’d been toiling in a barn. Which she had. Much to her mother’s chagrin. Kimberly had never appreciated Zoe’s passion for the outdoors or her love of animals.
    Zoe arrived at the small stoop outside her kitchen door and kicked out of her grungy sneakers. She patted the dust from her Wranglers as best she could and slipped inside.
    Her kitchen, long and narrow with appliances that would have been considered retro except for the fact they actually were that old, ran along the back side of the house.
    In stocking feet, she padded across the floor to the swinging door leading into one of the two huge downstairs rooms she called home. Summoning her courage, she plunged in.
    Kimberly Chambers Jackson, wearing a cream suit with some kind of glitter on the lapels and honey blond hair done up in a curly cascade that even a hurricane wouldn’t have budged, spun toward Zoe with a smile that froze into a look of horror.
    “Hi, Mom.” Even if Zoe’d had the urge to hug her mother, the thought of transferring sawdust and sweat onto that spotless suit—not to mention Kimberly’s horrified reaction—stopped her cold. Then again, it might be amusing to see Kimberly bolt for the door after only a fifteen minute stay.
    However, Tom Jackson, tall and still ruggedly handsome even though well into his sixties, strode across the room to her without hesitation. “Hiya, Sweet Pea,” he said. A big grin beneath his graying mustache kicked up a ripple of creases that Zoe remembered as dimples.
    “Hey, Tom.” She surrendered to being caught up in a bear hug that lifted her off her feet. A rush of affection for the man who had been her late father’s dearest friend, and who had stepped in to raise the distraught eight year old and comfort the grieving widow, swept through her.
    He set her down and planted a kiss on her cheek. “It’s good to see you, Zoe.”
    She brushed some transferred dirt from his blue polo shirt. “You, too. But what are you two doing here? I thought I was supposed to pick you up at ten.”
    Kimberly clasped her hands in front of her as if afraid to touch anything. Especially Zoe. “We caught an earlier flight and decided to rent a car. We didn’t want you to have to drive us everywhere, after all.”
    Zoe kept her relief to herself.
    “So this is where you live?” Kimberly did a slow pivot, taking in the room.
    Zoe imagined her mother’s thoughts as she inspected the furniture. The lumpy couch, the set of worn easy chairs—one of which was currently occupied by a pair of sleepy orange tabbies—and the wobbly end table had come with the house. The small dining table and chairs were products of a shopping trip to IKEA. Other odds and ends had been garage sale and flea market finds. Any other day, Zoe loved the lived-in atmosphere. Comfortable chic, she called it. But through her mother’s eyes, she realized it could also be considered dilapidated and cheap. “Be it ever so humble—”
    “It’s charming,” Tom said, giving his wife a look that said be nice .
    “Where will we be sleeping?” Kimberly leaned a little to peer into the other downstairs room without moving her feet.
    “Not there. That’s my office. You can have my bedroom on the second floor.” Zoe reached for a pair of the suitcases stacked at the foot of the stairs.
    Tom intercepted her. “I’ll get those. And we really don’t want to put you out of your own bed.”
    Zoe caught the look her mother gave him. Clearly, displacing Zoe didn’t bother Kimberly.
    “It’s okay.” Zoe motioned to the lumpy couch. “That’s a sleeper sofa. It’s pretty comfortable, actually.” If you liked having springs poking you in the back. “I don’t mind. Really.”
    “See.” Kimberly smiled at her husband. “She doesn’t mind. And goodness knows there isn’t a decent