Mind Over Murder Read Online Free PDF Page A

than enough excitement for one day.”
    “That’s different. Don’t remind me. I’m trying to put it out of my mind for a while.” Stephanie heaved a long sigh. “What about you? Won’t you miss your exciting life in New York? It must be hard coming back to a sleepy little town like Finn’s Harbor.”
    Clara avoided looking at her. “It’s home. Besides, New York isn’t nearly as exciting as you might think.” She glanced across the street. “There’s that guy again.”
    Stephanie turned her head to look. “What guy?”
    “The guy across the street.” Clara jerked her head. “There, outside the hardware store.”
    “Oh, that’s Rick.” Stephanie turned back and studied her cousin. “Rick Sanders. He’s the new owner of Parson’s Hardware. Fairly new, anyway. Come to think about it, he’s been there a few months now. I wonder when he’s going to change the name of the store.”
    Clara watched the man dump a barrel full of brooms, rakes and shovels outside the store. “He’s got muscle power; I’ll give him that.”
    “Clara Quinn! Are you interested? He’s single you know, and he’s certainly tall enough for you. Good looking, too.”
    Clara scowled at her cousin. “No, I’m not interested. I’m done with men for good.”
    Stephanie looked taken aback. “For good? You’re never going to get married and have kids?”
    “Not if I can help it.” Clara decided it was a good time to change the subject. “By the way, I’m only five ten, so you can quit the tall cracks.”
    Stephanie looked repentant. “Sorry, but I’ve spent my entire life literally looking up at you. Seven inches difference between us is hard to ignore. Remember how we got teased in high school? They called us Lofty and Shorty.”
    Clara pulled a face. “How can I forget? You keep reminding me.”
    “Sorry again.” Stephanie jumped as her cell phone sang out its annoying little tune. She answered it, frowning, spoke briefly, then snapped it shut and dropped it in her purse with a resigned expression on her face. “That was my mom. She heard about the murder and she’s freaking out.”
    Clara felt a twinge of uneasiness. “My mom’s probably heard about it by now, too. I imagine the whole town knows. We’d better get home.” She had about three hours before her mother would be home from her job at the local library. She wasn’t looking forward to having to recount the whole horrible experience. She needed those hours to be alone and get herself together again.
    She set off, with Stephanie on her heels, and together they made their way to the parking lot, where they parted company.
    After she let herself into the house, Clara rushed straight to her room and closed the door. She wanted to throw herself on the bed and bury her head under a pillow, but she resisted the urge. She had e-mails to write to the few people she wanted to keep in touch with in New York. It would help keep her mind off the horrible events of the morning.
    It was an hour or so later when Stephanie called. The minute she began to speak, Clara could tell she was upset. “You’re not going to believe this,” Stephanie said, sounding angry and tearful. “Those idiots at the police station are holding Molly for questioning in Ana’s murder.”
    “ What ?” For an instant Clara remembered the soft voice trying to tell her something when Molly was talking. Impatiently brushing the memory aside, she asked sharply, “Have they charged her?”
    “Not yet. She asked Tim Rossi—the officer with Dan this morning—to let me know she might not be at work tomorrow.” Stephanie sounded close to tears. “Oh, Clara, I know Molly didn’t kill Ana. I just know it. We’ve got to help her.”
    Clara blinked. “Us? How can we help her? We’re not lawyers.”
    “We have to find out who did kill Ana. Until we do, everyone will think Molly did it. Even if the cops can’t prove it. It will destroy her.”
    Clara gripped the phone, praying that Stephanie