I gestured at the blond-haired, blue-eyed shepherd. “That guy is just some Renaissance hottie. Even worse, he looks like my ex-boyfriend.” Cringing like I meant it, I said, “My ex with a halo. I just can’t.”
At that, Dylan snickered. “God, Tiffany, you’re funny, aren’t you?”
I laughed along with him. Whatever kept me from getting staked.
To change topics and steer them away from the fireplace, I hazarded a request. “Would you mind helping me board up some of these windows?” I just couldn’t sleep in the bathtub for a second night.
“No problem,” Dylan said. “But you know, you really shouldn’t be staying here.”
“Thanks, but I’m fine, and I want to start cleaning bright and early tomorrow.”
“No more fires, okay?” Dylan said.
“I promise.”
After he nailed a few boards over the bedroom windows, Dylan walked back in with a piece of paper covered in bold red and black lettering. Even damp from the snow, it still looked official. “Bad news,” Dylan said, with the look of a doctor delivering a terminal diagnosis.
TOWN OF VALENTINE BOARD OF HEALTH NOTICE OF ORDER TO VACATE
In accordance with the Vermont Code of Health and the Valentine Rules of Incorporation, the City of Valentine performed an inspection of the premises at 623 Maple Lane, the Valentine Bed-and-Breakfast, on November 8, 2024. Based on reasonable information and belief, the inspector found the condition of the premises to be a clear and imminent threat to the health and well-being of the occupants and potential guests.
Under the authority granted us by the above-referenced rules, theCity of Valentine is condemning the property and ordering occupants to vacate immediately.
I read the notice with growing horror.
“It must have blown off during the storm,” Dylan said with a frown. “You might want to pop down and talk to someone soon. I probably shouldn’t even let you stay.”
“I’ll be fine,” I said, with a confidence I didn’t feel. Like a woman in command of my destiny, I walked to the fireplace and tossed the paper in. It floated down gently like a feather in the wind and landed atop a sign that had previously saidLet your Faith be bigger than your fear.
“Well, all right then.” He shrugged. “Good luck.”
“Don’t worry about me. It’s just paperwork.” To Pete, I called, “Let me know if you enjoy that book I gave you.”
Dylan stopped on his way out. “Oh, if you’re going to be in town, you should join the holiday decorating committee.”
Hell no.
“Actually, I’ll just tell Jessica you’re coming. She’d kill me if she knew I saw you and didn’t pressure you into joining.” Dylan grinned.
I laughed like it was funny. “Sure,” I said.
“They’re meeting at the tavern tomorrow night at 8:30. I’ll give you my number in case you decide to go.”
I had no choice but to exchange numbers with this hot, religious fireman.
This night had gone sideways in so many ways that I had lost count.
The house was condemned. Worse yet, everyone knew Tiffany Amanda Blair. My first two encounters with locals had been on a dark roadway and in an unlit house, but I needed to be ready and able to impersonate Tiffany with a -ywith the lights on. Also, I needed to charge my phone.
When the firefighters left, I tucked the Valentine High yearbook from the attic under my arm and headed out to the car to charge my phone and do some research. The trucks had done a number on the yard, thethin veneer of Hallmark worn away with one crisis. It was all tire tracks and churned-up dirt. Where I had seen a winter wonderland before, I now saw a light dusting of snow barely covering the advanced decay of fall, leaves frozen for a moment before they could return to the earth. Much like the house itself.
Maybe I was just being dramatic. It had been a long day.
In the full dark of 4:30 a.m., in an idling hearse, I flipped on the car’s dome light and pored over the yearbook of a normal teenage girl. Tiffany played the flute, was in the school play, and delivered meals to the elderly. In the senior superlatives section, she was listed underBest smile.
My most charitable activity was not murdering people. At least, I tried not to murder people.
With a heavy sigh and a sense that I was about to lift a burden I might not be able to carry, I traced handwritten notes on the inside cover. At least three people had written “Never change.”
