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Book: The Path of the Crooked (Hope Street Church Mysteries Book 1) by Ellery Adams
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Authors: Ellery Adams
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immediately an image of Brooke’s face appeared in her mind. Cooper looked back at Psalm 121. “I hear what you’re trying to tell me. You have a job for me to do. Don’t worry. I’m on it.”
• • •
The moment Cooper got home she retrieved the rag containing the remnants of Brooke’s document from her toolbox. After taking a refreshing sip of cold sweet tea, she steeled herself and unfolded the rag. Just as she feared, there were dozens of paper scraps lying inside.
“Good thing I love puzzles.” Cooper cleared a space on her kitchen table. She then placed two sheets of black construction paper side by side and dumped the bits of paper onto the sheet on the right. Her plan was to reconstruct the document and secure the pieces to the sheet on the left using clear tape.
She began by sifting through the litter and pulling out the biggest scraps. She examined each one through a magnifying glass and then laid it out on the black paper. Unfortunately, many of the pieces were covered by smeared ink, but she could see legible, typewritten letters here and there too.
“This is going to take a miracle,” she said, staring forlornly at the seemingly impossible task, but she was determined to succeed in re-creating the document. Somehow, she felt that Brooke was looking over her shoulder, willing her to solve the riddle of her death.
“Yoo-hoo!” Ashley’s voice interrupted Cooper’s work. Her sister swept into the room with a stuffed Nordstrom bag in each hand. “Here you are, hiding up in your tower like Rapunzel!” she exclaimed and deposited the bags on the empty chair across from Cooper.
The action caused several tiny fragments of paper to flutter off the table and onto the floor. “Ashley!” Cooper held out a hand to prevent her sister from moving again. “Watch out.”
Ashley pouted. “Well, that’s a fine way to greet me, especially when I brought goodies.”
Cooper eyed the bags warily. “Are you going to try and gussy me up again? I’m busy right now.”
“Doing what?” Ashley put her hands on her hips. “You’re going to that new church and you’ve joined a Bible study. Next on your list is to meet a nice man with a big heart and a career that will make him an excellent provider.” She gave Cooper an appraising look. “But first you really need to get a haircut. Your hair has hung long and straight to your shoulders since you were ten. And how about just a little makeup? I know you’ve got that natural look going on and you can pull it off better than most, but you could enhance that pretty skin of yours and those nice, symmetrical lips with a bit of color. I’m not talking anything rash—”
“Speaking of rashes,” Cooper interrupted, trying not to think about how Drew had liked her to wear her hair long and straight or how he had always insisted that she looked better without makeup. “Why is your face so splotchy?”
Ashley gave a little squeak as she touched her cheek and then rushed to examine her reflection in the toaster oven. “Oh! I had a glycolic peel at the Red Door Spa this afternoon. They told me I might have some discoloration for a few hours, but that my skin would be smooth as a baby’s butt afterward. Wanna feel?” Ashley rushed back over to Cooper’s side and held her face out to be touched.
Curious, Cooper reached out and stroked her sister’s cheek with her index finger. “You’re right. It feels like velvet.”
“I hope Lincoln notices,” Ashley said with a slight frown. “I do all this stuff to make myself pretty for him and half the time he doesn’t even notice.”
“I’m sure he’s very much aware of it when the mailman delivers your credit card bills,” Cooper said caustically.
Ignoring the jibe, Ashley removed the shopping bags and sat down at the table. “Mama told me about the murder.” Her sapphire eyes sparkled. “That must have been some first day at church for you! Go on now, give me the dirt.”
“It’s not
• • •
The moment Cooper got home she retrieved the rag containing the remnants of Brooke’s document from her toolbox. After taking a refreshing sip of cold sweet tea, she steeled herself and unfolded the rag. Just as she feared, there were dozens of paper scraps lying inside.
“Good thing I love puzzles.” Cooper cleared a space on her kitchen table. She then placed two sheets of black construction paper side by side and dumped the bits of paper onto the sheet on the right. Her plan was to reconstruct the document and secure the pieces to the sheet on the left using clear tape.
She began by sifting through the litter and pulling out the biggest scraps. She examined each one through a magnifying glass and then laid it out on the black paper. Unfortunately, many of the pieces were covered by smeared ink, but she could see legible, typewritten letters here and there too.
“This is going to take a miracle,” she said, staring forlornly at the seemingly impossible task, but she was determined to succeed in re-creating the document. Somehow, she felt that Brooke was looking over her shoulder, willing her to solve the riddle of her death.
“Yoo-hoo!” Ashley’s voice interrupted Cooper’s work. Her sister swept into the room with a stuffed Nordstrom bag in each hand. “Here you are, hiding up in your tower like Rapunzel!” she exclaimed and deposited the bags on the empty chair across from Cooper.
The action caused several tiny fragments of paper to flutter off the table and onto the floor. “Ashley!” Cooper held out a hand to prevent her sister from moving again. “Watch out.”
Ashley pouted. “Well, that’s a fine way to greet me, especially when I brought goodies.”
Cooper eyed the bags warily. “Are you going to try and gussy me up again? I’m busy right now.”
“Doing what?” Ashley put her hands on her hips. “You’re going to that new church and you’ve joined a Bible study. Next on your list is to meet a nice man with a big heart and a career that will make him an excellent provider.” She gave Cooper an appraising look. “But first you really need to get a haircut. Your hair has hung long and straight to your shoulders since you were ten. And how about just a little makeup? I know you’ve got that natural look going on and you can pull it off better than most, but you could enhance that pretty skin of yours and those nice, symmetrical lips with a bit of color. I’m not talking anything rash—”
“Speaking of rashes,” Cooper interrupted, trying not to think about how Drew had liked her to wear her hair long and straight or how he had always insisted that she looked better without makeup. “Why is your face so splotchy?”
Ashley gave a little squeak as she touched her cheek and then rushed to examine her reflection in the toaster oven. “Oh! I had a glycolic peel at the Red Door Spa this afternoon. They told me I might have some discoloration for a few hours, but that my skin would be smooth as a baby’s butt afterward. Wanna feel?” Ashley rushed back over to Cooper’s side and held her face out to be touched.
Curious, Cooper reached out and stroked her sister’s cheek with her index finger. “You’re right. It feels like velvet.”
“I hope Lincoln notices,” Ashley said with a slight frown. “I do all this stuff to make myself pretty for him and half the time he doesn’t even notice.”
“I’m sure he’s very much aware of it when the mailman delivers your credit card bills,” Cooper said caustically.
Ignoring the jibe, Ashley removed the shopping bags and sat down at the table. “Mama told me about the murder.” Her sapphire eyes sparkled. “That must have been some first day at church for you! Go on now, give me the dirt.”
“It’s not
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