6
“I love what you’ve done with the house; you could give me a few pointers.” Charlotte referred to the decor in Jillian’s living room.
“Thanks, but you don’t need my help. Your home is attractive, and I always feel relaxed there.”
“My place might be a little too casual, but we’re comfortable. So how did your meeting go with the hunky FBI agent yesterday?”
Jillian shrugged off the question. “He asked a few questions and left.”
“And…” Charlotte urged.
“OK, he’s really handsome, but all business.”
“And tall.”
Jillian grinned. “Do you want to check out the new candle shop in Village Square that just opened today?”
“Sounds like fun, but you’re trying to change the subject. I’m good at reading people.”
“Yes, Charlotte, you are.” Jillian had never told Charlotte about her own intuitive skills.
Jillian drove around the parking lot until she found a space vacated by another customer. The sign above the shop’s door read ‘Clarissa’s Candles – Grand Opening’, and it was brimming with customers on the first official day of business. Browsing through the shop, Jillian selected some beeswax candles, and Charlotte chose scented room fresheners.
The young, blonde-haired woman behind the cash register greeted them with a welcoming smile. She totaled their purchases and gave them a discount coupon to use on their next visit. As they exited the shop, a chill swept through Jillian, and she sensed someone was watching her.
“A lot of people showed up for the grand opening today,” Charlotte commented. She started to say more, but stopped. “Jillian, are you OK? You’re awfully pale.”
“I’m getting a headache is all.”
“Why don’t we head home? I need to get started on preparing dinner anyway.”
“Yes, all right.”
Back home, Jillian entered the alarm code and rechecked the locks on the windows and doors. When she sat next to Marcus on the sofa in the den, he opened his eyes just into tiny slits, then went back to sleep. Although the police were patrolling the area, the recent murder and eerie sensation she’d experienced at the candle shop made her uneasy. She retrieved a gun from the bedroom closet, and thinking it was too quiet, turned on the television.