Sentenced to Death Read Online Free PDF

than I was. If you don’t feel like working this morning, I can handle things here in the shop.”
    “Oh, no. I’m fine.”
    Ginny frowned. “Tricia, sometimes I get the feeling you don’t trust me.”
    Tricia’s mouth dropped. “What?”
    “I mean, I’ve been working for you for over two years. The only time you let me open and close for you was when Angelica broke her ankle and you had to take care of her. But since then, you haven’t asked me to open or close once. I’ve never gone to the bank for you. You’ve never even given me a key to the store.”
    Tricia swallowed and felt her face flush. “Oh, Ginny. I . . . I don’t know what to say.”
    Everything Ginny had said was true, but it wasn’t a lack of trust that kept Tricia from giving her more responsibility. “I’m always here,” she explained. “It didn’t seem necessary to—” Excuses, excuses , a little voice inside Tricia said. Ginny had never before voiced a grievance. What had brought this on?
    And then Tricia realized what—or rather who—was behind this.
    Antonio Barbero. As the in-town representative of Nigela Racita Associates, he’d already poached Angelica’s short-order cook for the Brookview Inn—what was he planning now? And then she remembered. He’d already voiced an interest in obtaining the Happy Domestic for his employer. Was he considering installing Ginny as manager? Did he feel she was too loyal to Tricia? Was Ginny more likely to leave Haven’t Got a Clue if she felt unappreciated or undervalued?
    Since Antonio and Ginny were romantically involved, it wouldn’t do for Tricia to criticize him in any way. Instead, she spoke from the heart.
    “I’m sorry, Ginny. It hadn’t occurred to me that you might want more responsibility. You already do so much around here. I’ve been very happy with your work.”
    “And you pay me very well, I’m certainly not complaining about that. It’s just that . . .”
    Tricia tried to ignore her annoyance. Damn that Antonio for filling Ginny’s head with the seeds of dissatisfaction so that he could swoop in and . . .
    Ginny crossed the store and set her purse under the glass display case that served as a cash desk. “I was surprised to see the Happy Domestic is open this morning,” she said, changing the subject.
    “What?” Tricia crossed to the window. Sure enough, the lights were on inside Deborah’s shop, and the CLOSED sign had been turned to OPEN. Tricia bit her lip and considered her options. Stay here with Ginny and continue a conversation that needed resolution, or escape and find out what was going on at the Happy Domestic.
    “I think I’ll head over and see what’s going on across the street. If you don’t mind.”
    “If you trust me to handle things here while you’re gone,” Ginny said, somewhat testily.
    Tricia ignored the remark. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
    Ginny nodded, and Tricia headed out the door, already dreading her return.
    She turned the brass door handle and pushed open the heavy wood and glass door to the Happy Domestic. Cheerful harp music played on the store’s stereo system, belying the sadness she felt at entering the comfortable, eclectic shop she knew so well. Deborah had done a wonderful job with her displays, and the scent of potpourri was never overpowering. Everything was perfect—just the way Deborah had left it the day before.
    Elizabeth stood next to a set of glass display shelves, feather duster in hand. From somewhere in the back of the store, Tricia heard little Davey singing an unintelligible version of the alphabet song.
    “Elizabeth?”
    Deborah’s mother turned, her eyes bloodshot and puffy. She looked as though she hadn’t slept in a week. “Tricia. Thank you for coming over.” She lurched toward Tricia and embraced her in a tight hug. Tricia patted her back, not knowing what else to do.
    At last, Elizabeth pulled back and wiped her eyes.
    “I was surprised to see the open sign,” Tricia