A Freaky Family Murder in a Quiet English Village: Clean Cozy Mystery (Lily McGee Cozy Mysteries Book 3)

A FREAKY FAMILY MURDER IN A QUIET ENGLISH VILLAGE LILY MCGEE COZY MYSTERIES BOOK THREE DONNA DOYLE PUREREAD.COM CONTENTS Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Epilogue Other Books In This Series Our Gift To You CHAPTER ONE It was another beautiful day in Didlington St. Wilfrid. The sky was azure, and it looked idyllic as Lily tried to swallow her nerves. She told herself that she was being silly because there was no reason to be nervous at all, and yet as she approached the church she had to consciously ignore the feelings that were swimming in the pit of her stomach. The church was centuries old, with an impressive spire reaching high into the sky, while the vast roof came sweeping down. Fragments of stained glass made up the windows, while in the distance Lily could see rows of tombstones standing like dominos, each one of them marking the grave of someone she would never know. There was an aura in the air as she walked into the church, a sense of power and majesty that she hadn’t experienced anywhere else, not even on the movie sets where millionaires and geniuses played around with the hopes and dreams of a generation. The wide pews were wooden, and the church was filled with almost everyone in the village. Lily offered a weak smile to people she had seen out and about, while other faces she had not become acquainted with yet. Marjorie was near the front of the church, surrounded by her friends. She beckoned for Lily to join her, but Lily preferred to sit in the back. Her gaze darted around, rising up to the impossible high ceiling, drifting over the artwork and religious symbology. It had been a long time since she had been in a church, and although she had never fully stepped away from her faith over the years, it had definitely been neglected in the whirlwind that was Hollywood. Lily slunk into a wooden pew and settled down, holding the hymn book in her hands. The cover was faded and the pages were thick and discolored, but the words that were printed on them were eternal. She wished that Joanie had accompanied her, but Joanie hadn’t been interested at all. It was another adjustment to make after moving here from Los Angeles. Where that community had been fragmented this one was close knit, and the fulcrum was the church. The vicar, Donald Brown, was a trim man with soft features and honey brown hair that was thinning over his scalp. His white robe seemed a size too big for him, but when he spoke his blessed words filled the vast space within the church, as though they had a power entirely their own. But just before he started speaking, something caught Lily’s attention. Footsteps pattered the old stone floor and someone came to stand next to her. She stiffened with tension when she realized it was Blake Huntingdon, the man who made her tremble, and her stomach curdle. Her cheeks flushed red as he smiled, whispering a greeting to her. She managed to mumble something in reply as the vicar began his sermon, and Lily was grateful for the distraction. There was something about Blake that was unlike any man she had ever seen before. She supposed it helped that he was a part of the English nobility; the son of a Lord with all the distinguished heritage that came with that. He was impossibly handsome as well, with slick hair, smooth features, and eyes that were as deep as the ocean. The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of his cologne too, and it took Lily a few moments to realize that her heart was beating a little more rapidly than usual. The vicar’s sermon was about trust and faith. He read some passages from the Bible and the congregation rose a few times during the sermon to sing hymns. Lily’s voice was hesitant at first and she mostly just mouthed the words, unsure if it was respectful or not to sing when she had not made a point of visiting church for such a long time. However, by the last hymn her voice was full and it swirled around with the chorus of the others, creating a beautiful sound that reached the heavens. It felt good to be a part of something that was bigger than herself again, to feel that swell of faith that was as warm as honey and strong as steel. It lanced through her with all the shock of lightning, and she was quite taken aback by its power. When the service was over, Blake turned to her and spoke in a low voice. “I have to admit that I wasn’t sure I’d see you here,” Blake said. “Why?” “Well, most people from big cities don’t seem to have time for God in their lives anymore.” Lily blushed. “I have to admit that I haven’t attended church as much as I should have in the past, so I thought I would make amends. Besides… with all that has happened recently I thought it was the right thing to do.” Blake nodded in understanding. “It has been a horrible time. But as long as there are good people like you in the world there’s still hope for us all.” Lily beamed at the compliment, and became lost in Blake’s eyes. It took everything she had to be able to keep her mind straight and focus on speaking. “I’m a little surprised that you’re here as well. I would have thought someone like you would have been too busy for a place like this.” “I don’t think you can ever be too busy for church. I make a point to come here every time I’m back. I used to come here every week when I was a child. It was a good time, although I used to be a terror. I always hated sitting still, and