Caught in the Frame (Ponderosa Pines Cozy Mystery Series Book 3) by ReGina Welling (novel24 .TXT) 📕

“We’ll be juuust fine, won’t we, luvvie?” Talia asked Spice; his ears flattened disdainfully in response to the baby talk. Neither kitten seemed thrilled to be shuffled back to Talia’s cat menagerie, but Chloe knew Talia was the only person who wouldn’t mind taking them for the near month-long period she would be away.

“Thanks a mil, Tallie. You’re a life saver.”

“You can thank me by taking as many photos of this shindig as you can manage. The whole town’s jealous we can’t come along. I’m guessing it will be quite the event.”

Chloe grimaced. “That’s what I’m afraid of. And let me know about anything juicy that goes on here. A few months ago, I wouldn’t have bothered asking, but if all hell breaks loose again, I want to know about it.” The request deflected all suspicion of Chloe as the resident gossip columnist, while still keeping her finger on the pulse of current events.

“Will do. Be safe. Have fun.” Talia gave Chloe a friendly hug and sent her on her way. When Luther was alive, Talia had barely given her the time of day, which might have also been due, in part, to Chloe maintaining a slightly standoffish attitude for a time. Things had changed, and for the better, in Chloe’s opinion. She just wished it hadn’t had to come at such a cost.

* * *

Word must have traveled quickly once EV’s neighbor, Celia, spied Nate loading a considerable amount of luggage into the back of the co-op’s conversion van. By the time they had made it the half mile into town, and stopped at The Mudbucket for one last cup of coffee, at least ten townspeople were gathered to bid all three of them farewell. Chloe could imagine the series of texts that had daisy-chained down the block to pinpoint their location.

“Take good care of her.” Horis slapped Nate on the back. Chloe couldn’t help but grin; Horis, with his bottle-bottom glasses and signature Fu-Manchu mustache, was an unlikely, but solid friend. When a pile of firewood showed up on her porch with no note, or her bird feeders went from empty to mysteriously full, she knew it was Horis looking after her. Chloe wrapped her arm around his waist and gave him a quick squeeze while Nate shook his hand and replied with a wide smile of his own. “Of course, man.”

Lottie sidled up to EV, whispering in her ear, “I’ll keep you in the gossip loop while you’re away; wouldn’t want you to miss any of the babble.” EV rolled her eyes and thanked Lottie for the sentiment. That was thinly veiled. She got a kick out of it when certain people assumed EV was the current voice of gossip for ‘Babble & Spin’.

After receiving a dozen requests for photos and videos, Dalton was finally able to corral the group back into the van. “Sheesh, you’d think you all are going off to war. It’s just a couple of weeks.” Something in his voice let EV know that it was going to feel much longer for Dalton, who would have to find another paper football partner to help him pass the time while Nate was away. She felt a twinge of regret at not asking him to come along, but things were complicated enough as it was. She let him curl his warm fingers around her own while Chloe and Nate, cuddled up together on the middle seat, watched with growing satisfaction.

Chapter 3

Neither Chloe nor EV were strangers to international travel; in fact, their carry-on essentials were so similar that when EV pulled out a plush neck pillow covered in bright red fleece, Chloe couldn’t help but reach for her matching hot pink one with a twinkle in her eye. Nate, seated on the aisle next to Chloe, watched with interest until she offered him a navy blue version that had arrived by second-day delivery just in time for the trip. His answering grin was thanks enough for her.

“Great minds think alike.” EV smirked.

The red-eye flight had them leaving Boston at midnight, and arriving in Dublin at 5pm local time. Thankfully, Lila had sprung for a non-stop flight, allowing them time to sleep and avoid excessive jet-lag. Twelve hours in the air was enough to jangle anyone’s nerves, but the first-class accommodations made it much more pleasurable than any flight Nate had ever taken. When the stewardess asked if anyone wanted a hot towel, Nate accepted, although he didn’t know exactly what he was supposed to do with it.

The only thing to tarnish the experience of flying in style was a scene caused by a minor celebrity, who thought his fifteen minutes of boy band fame required him to drink excessively and shout, “Show me your boobs,” at random intervals and to no one in particular. When an aging comedian finally stood up and flashed an impressive set of the male variety, half the cabin cheered while the other half exchanged scandalized glances. EV and Chloe indulged in quiet speculation over whether he was a B or a C-cup. After that, the trip was uneventful.

EV spent the beginning of the flight playing peek-a-boo with the adorable and incredibly well-behaved five-year-old girl, Lizette, who occupied the seat ahead of her. By the time sleep overtook the tot, she had scaled her seat and was firmly ensconced on EV’s lap, where they both snoozed for a good few hours.

In Dublin, the transfer from plane to train almost went off without a hitch. Little Lizette had decided EV was her new best friend, and pitched a tantrum of epic proportions when she discovered they would be parting ways. Screams shriller than a whistling teakettle echoed through baggage claim, while Lizette’s mother, chagrined and apologetic, finally carried her outside.

Twice in the airport—once in customs, and once as they were leaving—EV felt a tingling twitch at the base of