Page 1 of Mystery in the Mountains

Chapter

One

SUNNY

Aching dread filled Sunny as she rounded the bend in the road and read the sign: Hecate’s Hollow 5 miles.

She took a slow breath, having not been back to Hecate’s Hollow for almost four years. Leaving this place wasn’t easy. It was her home her entire life—until everything fell apart. Many happy years were spent here in her little mountain town. But after everything happened, she hit the road without even a goodbye.

She’d hurt people when she left and knew she’d to have to make amends for that.

You did the best you could, she tried to remind herself.

Maybe leaving in the dark night was not the best option, but she was twenty-one, and life in the Hollow had gotten rough. Everything there was decided for her. Not only that, but walls started closing in. She couldn’t breathe. It was time to make things right . . . no matter how painful it would be.

Anxiety threatened to crush her as the main street came into view. Pulling up to the one stop light in town, she decided to turn left, away from home. She knew of at least one friendly face.

Ruby’s Diner was the sole welcoming beacon for her in this town. Before getting out, she examined the windows and familiar faces but not the one she was dreading to see. She steeled herself and opened the door.

She could do this.

A bell jingled overhead. It was three o’clock. So, it wasn’t packed, which she was thankful for.

“Sit anywhere ya like,” said a new face.

“Thanks. Is Betty working today?” she asked.

“Yeah, she’s in back. I can go grab her. Who should I tell her is here?”

“Tell her Sunny’s here.”

“Okay.”

A gentle smile turned the corners of her mouth before she headed into the back.

Sunny crossed over the black-and-white tiled floor to sit in one of the booths from where she could keep an eye on the parking lot. Her foot tapped nervously as she waited.

“Well, look at what the cat dragged in. Sunshine, is that you?” Betty said as she rounded the corner, drying her hands on her apron.

Sunny barely had time to stand before being pulled into a big hug from her aunt. The comforting smell of baby powder and Aqua Net enveloped her as she melted into her aunt’s embrace. Betty pushed her back, held her at arm’s length, then brought her into a hug.

“It is so good to see you,” she said in her ear, holding her close.

Tension fell away from her shoulders as she enjoyed this. Sadly, this was the only hug she could count on.

“What brought you back?”

“I got a letter from a lawyer. He told me if I didn’t come back and deal with the house, it would run the risk of being deemed abandoned.” Sunny ran her hands through her long blonde hair. “Plus . . . I couldn’t run forever.”

“Well, I’m so glad you’re back,” she said, giving her another smile. “Hey, Julie, I’m going to take my break. Can you put in an order for two cheeseburgers for us?”

“Sure thing,” she said, smiling.

“Now, let’s catch up.”

They slipped back into the booth.

The bell above the door chimed in a new customer.

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