A Murderous Glaze by Melissa Glazer Read Free Book Online Page A

great delight, David walked into the shop a little after one. “Hey, stranger, I wasn’t sure I’d see you today.”
    He looked sheepish. “Sorry about that. You know how Mom can get.”
    “Don’t do that. You know I’m a big fan of your mother’s.”
    He nodded. “I know. I swear, sometimes I think you two are ganging up on me.”
    “Would we do that?” I tried to keep the laughter out of my voice, but it was impossible.
    He laughed right along with me.
    A moment later, I asked, “So, was it a full pardon, are you out for good behavior, or are you going to be on parole for a while?”
    “Mom made sure there was no doubt in my mind about it. It’s parole. Definitely. If I miss another class, I won’t be able to come in for a week.”
    “Then I sincerely hope you go to class.”
    He grinned. “Even if you have to drag me there yourself, huh?”
    I refused to match his smile. “No, I’m not going to get involved. This is between your mother and you.” Then I patted his shoulder. “But I will say it’s good to have you back.”
    “Thanks. I’ve been gone less than a day, and I already feel like it’s been a month.” He glanced around the shop. “Has it been this quiet all day? Maybe I should have stayed away to save you from paying my salary.”
    “Things will never get that tight,” I said, though if the current trend kept up, I wouldn’t be able to promise that forever. We needed customers in Fire at Will, and not just for their money. The business was a living entity, and it needed to be fed on a regular basis with laughter and fun as well as dollars and cents.
    He nodded. “Thanks, I appreciate that. Listen, if you want to take a late lunch, I’ve got this covered.”
    “That’s the best offer I’ve had all day,” I said as I took off my Fire at Will apron. It was fire-engine red; one of my customers had made it especially for me. I’d protested that it was too nice to get muddied with clay, and she’d responded by making me three more. Since the extent of my sewing skill was limited to an errant button replacement now and then, I’d gladly accepted them, then had waived her bill for the month. I’d been trying to get David to wear one, but he’d resisted my attempts so far, opting for a potter’s brown apron instead. The only thing I envied about his apron was that it didn’t show stains.
    “I think I’ll take a walk and grab a bite,” I said. “Just let me wash up.”
    I left the shop, determined to enjoy as much as I could of the nice day. Though it was April, there was still a nice nip in the air. The weatherman had threatened us with snow showers later in the week, but at the moment, the temperature was hovering in the lower fifties. The majority of the skiers had left the nearby Green Mountains, and it was too soon for our summer tourists. While I missed the revenues the other seasons brought, I didn’t miss the crowds. I decided to walk on the sidewalk by the brook, which turned out to be a mistake, something I knew the second I heard Kendra calling my name. The woman was getting to be an absolute pest, and it was time to set her straight.
     
    “Carolyn, there’s something you should know,” Kendra said as I neared her shop. “The police have been here.”
    “Have you been selling fake antiques again?” I said, not caring about her wince.
    “I told you, and everyone else who would listen, my supplier gave me a phony certificate of authenticity. I refunded that man’s money, didn’t I? What else could I do?”
    “You could have been more careful about who you bought your store stock from.”
    I was about to say something else when she cut me off. “The police weren’t here about me. They were asking questions about you. I thought you should know.”
    So the sheriff was serious about coming after me. I’d been hoping he had just been posturing until he stumbled across the real killer, but evidently that hope was for naught. “What did he want to know? More