Synopsis: Lily Brighton was widowed the same day her husband delivered the divorce papers. Tom Chambers ex-wife is an alcoholic who doesn’t understand the concept of divorce means she is on her own. Plus something suspicious is happening out in the bay that may be related to the theft and graffiti happening up and down the coast.
CHAPTER PREVIEW
CHAPTER 1
Lilly Brighton pulled in behind the moving truck stopped in front of her new residence. It wasn’t a new house, but it was new to her. The quaint, two-story cottage style, typical of southern coastal Maine, was a far cry from the rambling ranch house she sold when she left Arlington, Texas. The movers rolled up the large door at the rear of the truck, pulling out rolling carts and dollies and began unloading. It didn’t take long for them to fill the front yard with boxes and furniture staged for moving inside. She eased out of the car and stretched her arms and legs, watching the flurry of activity, happy she had arrived at the same time as the moving truck.
“Ma’am, you have the house keys?” one of the men asked as he walked toward her.
“Oh, yes, right here,” Lilly replied. She grabbed her purse and hurried through the gate to the front door. Opening it, she glanced back at the movers. “The boxes are marked for where they go. Bedrooms and baths upstairs.” She pulled up a box and propped the front door open.
“Yes ma’am.”
Lilly walked into the empty living room, then over to the kitchen and dropped her purse on the counter. She flipped the light switch in the kitchen located by the back door. “Good, the electric is on.” She leaned against the counter running the water, and checked the gas stove, and watched as the movers brought her things into her new home. She opened each cabinet above and below, and the pantry under the stairs, pleased everything was so clean.
“Where do you want the couch, ma’am?”
“Across from the fireplace.” She walked over and gestured to the spot for the couch. She figured it would be cozy on those cold Maine nights to be near the heat it would offer. “Put that chair here,” she instructed. “Near the window. There is a dark brown table that will go next to it.”
“Ok.”
She worked with the men as they brought in her dining table and chairs and then the beds. Compared to packing the truck unloading it took a fraction of the time. All her stuff was deposited in the appropriate rooms and the movers were gone by 11am. She decided to start unpacking the kitchen boxes when there was a knock on the front door.
“Coming!” She called, wiping her hands on her jeans. Swinging the door open she smiled at the visitor. “Yes?” she said to the grinning brown-haired woman holding a foil covered dish.
“Hi! I’m your next-door neighbor!” Then she thrust the dish toward Lilly.
“Hi, and thanks.” Lilly chuckled as she took the dish. “It’s a mess but please come on in.”
“Oh, I know how it is, but I just wanted to make sure I was the first one to say hi. I’m Jeannie.”
“I’m Lilly,” she replied. “What is this?”
“Brownies. I figured everybody loves brownies,” Jeannie laughed. “I love this house and I was so sad that it was empty for so many months. I’m glad someone is living in it now.”
Lilly took the foil off the dish and set it on the table. “Mmm, smells wonderful.”
“My husband Wes is really handy so if you need any stuff done let me know. Let’s exchange numbers just in case.”
“Good to know,” Lilly replied. “Coffee?”
“Perfect,” Jeannie said brightly.
“Let me find the right box,” Lilly replied, with a laugh.
Cheers!
-N