Designed to Death (A Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery) (29 page)

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Authors: Christina Freeburn

Tags: #Mystery, #christian fiction, #christian mystery, #mystery books, #christian suspense, #british mysteries, #mystery series, #humorous mystery, #amateur sleuth, #murder mysteries, #craft mystery, #cozy mystery, #english mysteries, #women sleuths, #crafts, #scrapbooking, #female sleuth, #southern fiction, #southern mystery

BOOK: Designed to Death (A Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery)

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Maybe?
I marched over to declare my intentions. There was no maybe about it. Ted flashed into my mind. I tightened my hold on Steve. No. I wanted Steve. I cared about Steve. I could count on Steve and knew he wouldn’t hurt me. He stood beside me. Behind me. Whatever I needed and whenever I needed it. He never argued against me, always for me.

Steve untangled himself from my arms. His eyes locked on mine. “Faith...”

“Kiss me.” A slow and sexy smile curved his lips. Steve obliged, happily and quite heartily with my request.

TWENTY-EIGHT

A golden-yellow ray of sunshine dipped down from the sky and highlighted the church. Hazel stood by the front door and tipped her head up, a soft serene smile on her face. The perfect day she planned happened. Sadly, it wasn’t the wedding she envisioned for her beloved daughter but a funeral.

I gulped down a lump knotting my throat.

Steve and Ted headed up the stairs. They walked side-by-side and looked almost like twins in their dark suits and dress shoes. They had offered to act as pall bearers for Belinda’s funeral along with Gussie’s sons, Wyatt and Wayne. Neither Belinda nor her mom had many true friends in Eden. I knew everyone, yet didn’t know anyone.

Almost like me.

Moisture built in my eyes. I blinked the tears away and shut off my pity-party.

This day wasn’t about me or my woes. My self-created heartache. There were two decent and honorable men in my life. A handful of friends who stood beside me even when I annoyed the ever-loving daylights out of them and kept them walled off from parts of my life. My adoring grandmothers loved me in spite, despite, and because of who I was and yearned to be.

“Aunt Hazel is going all out isn’t she?” Darlene stood beside me. She wore a vintage style black dress paired with a black birdcage style hat. A black veil stuck straight up into the air.

My eyebrows rose.

Darlene smiled sadly. “Belinda had a matching outfit. We planned on wearing them to the other’s wedding.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I remained quiet.

“It’s our family’s nature. The way we bond. We compete with each other. Belinda would’ve loved me showing up in this getup. Just like I would’ve loved it if she did when I got married. Nothing more heartwarming than knowing you caused your cousin to feel a whole lot of green.”

I guess jealously worked for some relationships. In a strange way, the sisters and daughters had been happy with their lives. They fought, supported, plotted, and loved each other. Who could ask for more?

No one did, until Leonard stepped into the picture and wanted more for Belinda. He gave her confidence to want more for herself. While admirable and understandable, their way of achieving the goal was horrific.

The motive for Belinda’s murder, that it was supposed to have been Hazel’s, weaved around me. Belinda meant to kill her mother.

My gaze rested on Karen staring at Hazel and Eliza. She had the truth in the palm of her hand, ready to launch at Hazel. The truth was the end all in her world of needing to expose ugliness for sales. I loved that my job now was about preserving the preciousness of memories. Some people wrote the good and bad in their albums.

Like Darlene. If someone was going to reveal the devastating news, it should be Darlene. At least she’d have the best interest of her aunt in mind.

“Are you going to tell Hazel what Leonard said?” I whispered.

Darlene looked up the stairs. Her mother enveloped her grieving sister in an embrace and led her into the sanctuary. Darlene motioned for Oliver to follow after her family. “Aunt Hazel’s heart already broke once. I don’t see any need to break it again.”

“Belinda was trying to frame you for Hazel’s murder with that necklace. They stole the hammer and planned to use it to frame you.”

“She’s dead. It doesn’t matter now. I have to live with it, why should Aunt Hazel.”

“She’ll find out when the trial takes place.” I knew Hazel would take up a front seat vigil when her daughter’s murderer stood before the court. She’d hear the truth.

“I’ll tell her I don’t believe a word that man is saying. He’s a murderer. A low life. Of course he doesn’t want to take full responsibility for his actions. He’s just the kind of man to blame a woman. We know all about those types of men.”

I sure did. “Won’t you be lying?”

“Not every truth needs documentation in a scrapbook.” Darlene tugged the black veil over her face.

Or to be kept in a locked box on the top shelf of a closet.

Faith’s Scrapbooking Tips

How to Tweak a Scraplift to Fit Your Style

When scraplifting a design, remember pages are to showcase your memories for you and your loved ones’ enjoyment, not to submit to contests or as a means to get on a design team.

Scraplifting helps croppers find a way out of the too familiar scenario of scrapbooker’s block. That frustrating place where you have stunning photos, galore of fantastic supplies, but no idea on how to use any of the awesomeness at your fingertips. Designers, and hobbyists who post their layouts, love to see how their designs inspired others so feel free to share your pages on messages boards. Just remember to credit the scrapper who inspired you or at least mention the design is a scraplift.

1. Play with the elements of the design. Instead of placing all the embellishments, pattern paper, cardstock, and photos in the exact position as in the inspiration layout, move them around. Place the title at the bottom of the page. Line the strip of photos on the opposite side or place it horizontal instead of vertical.

2. Add a twist. Instead of following the design down to the last brad, substitute a product you love for one the designer used. Add in an extra photo or a larger photo than on the inspiration page. Exchange the strips of pattern paper for cardstock. Washi tape instead of ribbon.

3. Don’t be afraid to eliminate. If your style is more minimalist, don’t think you have to keep embellishment clusters or use all the techniques showed on the page. Remove some of the clusters. Take out one or two of the techniques from the inspiration page. Strip the layout down to the basic design. Only use the parts that help you create a page pleasing to your eye.

4. Control the Chaos. If you like a linear style, and would love to incorporate some element from a less structured design, use the technique in a more “organized” method. Do your splatter in a line instead of free form. Make embellishment clusters with lines, squares, rectangles, and any other shapes that have strong lines.

5. Shop your stash. An inspiration layout is not a recipe that has to be followed. Use what you have on hand, product that caught
your
eye, instead of purchasing the exact products the designer used. Using the items you love will show your style. Do you have a preference for bold colors over pastels? Whimsical designs instead of geometric shapes? Let your layouts showcase your inner designer by using the scrapping goodies already filling your scrapbooking studio and cropping totes. (I can’t believe I’m sharing this one.)

And remember every page you make is beautiful, a work of heart. Don’t worry about following trends, what is deemed hot by the scrapbooking Divas, and compare your page as lacking if it doesn’t look like the layouts published. Your love of scrapbooking makes them beautiful. Each and every one. Enjoy your hobby! No matter what Darlene says, it’s not a competition.

About Christina Freeburn

The Faith Hunter Scrap This Mystery series brings together Christina Freeburn’s love of mysteries, scrapbooking, and West Virginia. When not writing or reading, she can be found in her scrapbook room or at a crop. Alas, none of the real-life crops have had a sexy male prosecutor or a handsome police officer attending.

Christina served in the JAG Corps of the US Army and also worked as a paralegal, librarian, and church secretary. She lives in West Virginia with her husband, children, a dog, and a rarely seen cat except by those who are afraid or allergic to felines.

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