The Language of Death (A Darcy Sweet Coy Mystery) Read Free

the question, pursing her lips and staring at Darcy.  "I'm not dead, I'm pregnant.   I can handle being alone with mom for a few days."
    "You're s ix months pregnant, sis," Darcy reminded her.  "I know you're tough.  I'm not saying you aren't.  I'm just being cautious for my future little niece."
    "Or nephew," Grace added.  She didn't know the sex of her baby.  She and her husband Aaron had opted not to have the doctor tell them.  They wanted to be surprised, a custom that had sort of fallen by the wayside for most couples.
    "Right .  Niece or nephew," Darcy conceded, although she had a feeling Grace was definitely going to have a girl.  When she felt something this strongly, she was usually right.  "Anyway.  I'm real sorry to dump all this on you but I have to go."
    Grace had met her in Helen's café after several phone calls had confirmed for Darcy what she already knew.  Chloe was dead.  She had died last night, in bed , and the service was in three days.  Chloe's mother had been surprised to hear from Darcy, surprised that the news of Chloe's death had reached that far so fast.  Darcy couldn't very well tell her that her daughter's ghost had left her a cryptic message in her bathroom mirror asking for help.
    If she was going to get out to where Chloe had been living, a small town called Smithsville that was three states away, she had to leave now.  Today.  Twisting the antique silver ring on her right hand Darcy tried to make a list of all the things she needed to do yet.  She'd need to borrow a car and she'd need to make sure her friend Izzy would be all right to watch the store for this week and oh, someone would have to take care of Smudge while she was gone…
    Grace suddenly reached across the table where they sat inside the Bean There Bakery and Café and took Darcy's hand in hers.  "It's all right.  Go be there for your friend's service.  Misty Hollow won't fall apart if you're gone for a few days."
    They sat in silence for a little while.  Darcy was grateful for her sister's gentle encouragement.  Grace might try to act rough and tough, but she had a very tender side a lot of people didn't ever see.  She was going to make a wonderful mother.
    Their own mother was at one of the other tables in the café, sitting with Helen, testing flavors of wedding cake.  Darcy looked over at them now, as they chatted away like old friends.  "I can't remember when I've seen her this happy," she said, meaning her mother.
    "I know," Grace agreed.  "I can't wait to meet this man of hers.  Speaking of men.  Have you, uh, told Jon?  About your friend Chloe, I mean."
    "Grace.  Why would I do that?  Jon hardly speaks to me now as it is.  He's finding his own way.  Or something."  She tried not to sound bitter about it.
    "And you're giving him space to do it?"
    Darcy shrugged.  "Yes."
    Grace pulled at the hem of her maternity shirt, trying to make it not sit like a tent hanging off her shoulders.   "Did you ever consider, sis, that maybe instead of giving him space what you really need to do is go after him and show him that he still has feelings for you?"
    "And just how do you think I should do that?"
    "I can think of several ways," Grace answered her with a wink.  "Do I need to draw you a picture?"
    "Grace!" Darcy protested, although she was laughing as she said it.  "Look, Jon was the one who decided to leave me.  There's a lot of things he and I need to talk about, to work out, but I can't think about that right now.  I just need to go say goodbye to Chloe."
    Say good bye, and figure out why she needed Darcy's help so badly.
    ***
    Darcy had never liked driving.  She kept her license up to date because she never knew when she might need it.  Like now.  A day and a half driving in her sister's purple Honda was definitely not her idea of fun, though.  She had already gone through every CD her sister had and for the last forty miles she had driven in silence.
    In that silence, her thoughts