Distortion Control (A Makayla Rose Mystery Book 3) Read Free

good at solving mysteries.”
    He offered a half smile that didn’t reflect in his sad eyes. “I’m counting on it.”

Chapter Two
     
    As I walked down Main Street, normally I would enjoy the sights, the smells, and the scents of my new small town home in Briney Creek. I say new, but in fact, I had lived in Briney Creek for six months. The town had become where I belonged. However, with thoughts of Spencer locked away in that jail cell, it was hard to prefer Briney Creek to New York, which was where I had come from.
    Confusion, fear, and a broad range of other emotions jumbled in my mind. I was afraid that here I was again trusting a man who didn’t deserve my trust, let alone my heart. Even as I thought those sentiments, they produced even more uncertainty and fear, because they provoked the question of whether I was in love with Spencer in the short period of time we had been seeing each other.
    I wanted to get out of my own head, at least for a brief while. I knew I had a job to do. I had accepted Spencer’s plea for help to find out who was setting him up, if anyone. I told myself there was a strong possibility that he kidnapped me, and he was the one that murdered Penelope Norwood. However, I wouldn’t be Makayla Rose if I didn’t admit at least to myself that I wanted him to be innocent.
    As I strode along the street, new thoughts interrupted these tumbled ones. I looked to my right down a familiar, narrow road, and realized I passed by the town’s used bookstore. Margie’s Used Books was where Inna had worked.
    Inna was my eighteen-year-old friend and a good person. Yet, she was found to be involved with the last murder. She had run off. Not an hour passed without me wondering and worrying where she was and whether she was safe. I regretted what happened. I longed for the power to go back in the past and change everything and to influence her to not get involved with the man who had been her downfall.
    By that token, I understood exactly what she had gone through with her love. I was there in my past. Funny, here I was again, with a man who might or might not deserve my devotion. Over the years Makayla Rose had grown and matured. I might care about Spencer, and he might not be worthy of that sentiment, but I knew I was strong enough now to serve his bum on a silver platter to the police if he was guilty. With that mindset, I straightened my back, knowing I would see this through to the end.
    I headed on to Edna’s, another friend of mine that I had made since I had lived in the town. Edna was a seventy-something elderly woman, who was sweet, and kind, and funny. She was straightforward and as outspoken as anyone I had ever met.
    I loved Edna, and I knew if anyone could help me to sort through my thoughts and emotions, she could do it. If not, I know what you’re thinking. Edna makes a mean pie. If she can’t help me sort out my thoughts, well darn it, she can at least feed me. I have no shame in admitting her treats were a huge perk to being friends with her.
    I arrived at Edna’s quaint little house on a quiet side street with the fairytale white picket fence and found myself engulfed in a bear size hug from a pint size woman.
    “Makayla, my dear. Come in, come in.”
    “It’s good to see you, Edna. How are you?”
    She took my hand and dragged me past the doorjamb and slammed the door with more vigor than I would have expected from a woman of her age. I already knew that the elderly in this small town were quite energetic, putting most of us younger people to shame.
    Edna’s cute little cat, which we had joked looked so much like Spencer with his silver, staring eyes, came padding into the room to encircle my legs. I reached down and gave him a little pat to the head. “And how are you, Spector?”
    He meowed in response, and I followed Edna to the kitchen.
    “Sit down,” Edna invited me. “Let me pour you a glass of ice tea, and we can have a nice visit.”
    “Thank you, Edna. It’s so good