Free Scrapbook of the Dead by Mollie Cox Bryan

back straightened out, I’m going over to have a look for myself.”
    â€œNow, I don’t think that would be a good idea,” Sheila said. “Annie is not easily intimidated and she was so upset that she went to the police station right after.”
    â€œHumph. She needs a bodyguard.” DeeAnn laughed.
    Sheila laughed, too. “That would be you.”
    â€œYep. So, see you in a bit?”
    â€œComing right over.”
    Gangs in Cumberland Creek? Surely not , DeeAnn thought as she looked at the clock. She felt a twinge of pain shoot through her spine. It was almost time for another pill, so she might as well take it now. She picked up the bottle and looked over the instructions and saw that yes, she could take two if the pain worsened. She shrugged and took two. She’d be very comfortable by the time Sheila came over for a visit.
    DeeAnn next dialed Jill over at her bakery. “How’s everything going?” she asked when Jill picked up.
    â€œWell for the third time today, I’ll answer that everything is running very smoothly,” Jill said, sounding exhausted and stressed. “You’ve got a good crew here, DeeAnn. It’s okay. You take care of yourself and don’t worry.”
    â€œHave you thought about what to do for Halloween? I think we should do the Harry Potter theme again this year. I’m not sure I’ll be back on my feet in time.”
    â€œWe will take care of it, I promise.”
    â€œWe should be getting some flour in tomorrow,” DeeAnn said.
    â€œYes, it’s on the schedule.” Jill paused. “Anything else?”
    â€œI’m sorry to be such a pain,” DeeAnn said after a moment. “But it is my shop. At least for the time being.”
    â€œWhat’s that supposed to mean?” an exasperated Jill said.
    â€œOh nothing. It’s . . . my back. I’m not sure . . .” DeeAnn said, holding back tears. Oh Lord, what is wrong with me? Am I going to cry over the phone to Jill? “I better go.” She clicked off her phone. Things were going well without her. Maybe it was a good time to step back from the business. If not sell it, then let Jill take over the day-to-day.
    But what would DeeAnn do with herself? The boredom of lying on the couch all the time was driving her mad. What if she didn’t have the bakery to go to everyday? What would she do with herself?
    She reached over for a tissue and blew her nose.
    DeeAnn was a person who needed to keep busy. She didn’t like to sit around and think. It was no good. No good at all.
    The doorbell rang.
    â€œCome on in,” she called.
    â€œWell hello there,” Sheila said, not looking at her yet, but reaching for the laptop. “That’s a nice laptop! Wow, you can do some cool stuff with this.”
    â€œWell, that’s good,” DeeAnn managed to say.
    Sheila took a look at her. “Have you been crying?” She sat down in the chair next to the couch. “Oh, DeeAnn.” She said it with so much pity in her voice that it made DeeAnn cringe.
    â€œListen,” Sheila said after a few minutes. “We’ll get you squared away with this digital scrapbooking and the next thing you know you are going to be completely caught up before you go back to work.”
    â€œWell, now,” DeeAnn said, feeling a little better. “That would be a minor miracle.”

Chapter 16
    Annie looked over Sam’s homework. “Looks like you’ve gotten it all right.” Her eyes were burning. She had thought she’d get some research done this evening but she was tired. Or maybe it was stress.
    After all, one of the reasons they had moved to Cumberland Creek was because it was safer.
    â€œBath and bed,” Annie said to Sam.
    He sniffed.
    â€œAre you okay, sweetie?”
    He nodded. “I hate math.”
    â€œI know. But remember what I said. It’s one of those things you just have to get