A Timely Vision

Table of Contents

 

 

PRAISE FOR
A Timely Vision

“A Timely Vision
grabbed my attention on page one . . . Puzzles are unraveled and secrets spilled in a fast-paced paranormal mystery full of quirky characters you’ll want as friends.”

—Elizabeth Spann Craig, author of
Pretty Is as Pretty Dies

“A delightful yarn! Few amateur sleuths are as charming as this psychic-mayor sleuth in a small coastal town where murder stalks the dunes and ghosts roam the Outer Banks.”

—Patricia Sprinkle, author of
What Are You Wearing to Die?

 

PRAISE FOR
Wicked Weaves

“Offers a vibrant background for the mysterious goings-on and the colorful cast of characters.”

—Kaye Morgan, author of
Ghost Sudoku

“[A] new, exciting . . . series . . . Part of the fun of this solid whodunit is the vivid description of the Renaissance Village; anyone who has not been to one will want to go . . . Cleverly developed.”

“Joyce and Jim Lavene have teamed up for yet another terrific mystery series . . . A feast for the reader . . . Character development in this new series is energetic and eloquent; Jessie is charming and intelligent, with . . . saucy strength.”

—
MyShelf.com

“A promising new series set at a Renaissance faire . . . Interesting juxtaposition between the present and the past and the real and the fantastic . . . Entertaining and vivacious characters.”

“I cannot imagine a cozier setting than Renaissance Faire Village, a closed community of rather eccentric—and very interesting—characters, [with] lots of potential . . . A great start to a new series by a veteran duo of mystery authors.”

 

PRAISE FOR THE PEGGY LEE GARDEN MYSTERIES
Perfect Poison

“A fabulous whodunit that will keep readers guessing and happily turning pages to the unexpected end. Peggy Less is a most entertaining sleuth and her Southern gentility is like a breath of fresh air . . . A keeper!”

“A fascinating whodunit with unusual but plausible twists and plenty of red herrings.”

“The book [has] so much . . . going for it . . . A feisty widow who exudes confidence . . . The plotting and pacing are cozy perfect.”

 

“A delightful botany mystery.”

“A top-notch, over-the-fence mystery read with beloved characters, a fast-paced story line, and a wallop of an ending.”

“Enjoy this pleasurable read!”

 

“I cannot recommend this work highly enough. It has everything: mystery, wonderful characters, sinister plot, humor, and even romance.”

“Well crafted with a satisfying end that will leave readers wanting more!”

 

“With a touch of romance added to this delightful mystery, one can only hope many more Peggy Lee Mysteries will be hitting shelves soon!”

“A fantastic amateur-sleuth mystery.”

“For anyone with even a modicum of interest in gardening, this book is a lot of fun.”

“The perfect book if you’re looking for a great suspense.”

“Joyce and Jim Lavene have crafted an outstanding whodunit in
Pretty Poison
, with plenty of twists and turns that will keep the reader entranced to the final page.”

“Complete with gardening tips, this is a smartly penned, charming cozy, the first book in a new series. The mystery is intricate and well plotted. Green thumbs and nongardeners alike will enjoy this book.”

Peggy Lee Garden Mysteries
PRETTY POISON
FRUIT OF THE POISONED TREE
POISONED PETALS
PERFECT POISON
A CORPSE FOR YEW

 

Renaissance Faire Mysteries
WICKED WEAVES
GHASTLY GLASS

 

Missing Pieces Mysteries
A TIMELY VISION

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

 

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

 

A TIMELY VISION

 

A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the authors

 

PRINTING HISTORY Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / May 2010

Copyright © 2010 by Joyce Lavene and Jim Lavene.

 

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors’ rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

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375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

 

eISBN : 978-1-101-18745-6

 

BERKLEY® PRIME CRIME
Berkley Prime Crime Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
BERKLEY® PRIME CRIME and the PRIME CRIME logo are trademarks of Penguin Group
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It was right after the Fourth of July parade that follows the crowning of the new Miss Duck when Mildred Mason tapped me on the shoulder and sighed. I
knew
that sigh. It meant she’d lost something again. Usually, it was her purse or house keys. Nothing of earthshaking proportions to anyone else, but something important to her.

“Miss Mildred!” I pretended I hadn’t seen the town’s oldest citizen behind me on the boardwalk. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m missing something real important, Dae. I was hoping you could help me find it. You’ve always been so good at finding things that are lost. I remember when your mama was alive, bless her soul. She was always so proud of your gift.”

I didn’t mind Miss Mildred reminiscing about the past usually, but the hot July sun was beating down on us. I was wearing a heavy, old-fashioned coat that was a gift from the town to their first mayor since incorporation in 2002. It was hot and uncomfortable, not to mention tacky. Covered with red sashes and gold medallions, it was kind of something our pirate forefathers might have worn. Exactly what every mayor needed in ninety-eight-degree weather.

“Let’s step inside.” I invited her into my shop, Missing Pieces, as I grabbed two packages left out on the boardwalk for me. I’d recently become the sole agent for UPS in Duck. “I think I have some lemonade in the refrigerator. Would you like some?”

Miss Mildred wandered in as she always did, taking a few minutes to look around. I think she liked looking at the odds and ends that filled the thrift shop, even though she didn’t come to visit very often. “No, thanks, dear. But you go right ahead. I love this shop, you know. It reminds me of people and places that are gone forever.”

She admired a heart-shaped pin I’d found the day before, at a spot right off the edge of the boardwalk where it led into the Currituck Sound. The sunlight had glinted off of it as I’d walked by. It was fashioned from pink rhinestones. It took me an hour to get it cleaned up, but it was in good shape after being out there in the mud and sand for who knew how long.

Something about it told me it was an important find. I didn’t know why yet, but my instinct for that kind of thing was never wrong. Sometimes it took me a while, years for some items, to figure it out. But I had time. It wasn’t going anywhere.

I removed the heavy wool coat, revealing my white shorts and a patriotic red, white and blue tank top as she rambled on about her life. She could be a cantankerous old lady, but her many contributions to various charities around town had earned her a soft spot in everyone’s hearts. She’d taught school here for many years, which meant at least half of the people still alive had her for one grade or another. They all remembered her as strict but fair.