“Yeah, I’ve heard.”
Annie’s real name was Anandalla, and she was the daughter that my mentor Abraham Karastovsky never knew. Her mother never told him she was pregnant after she moved back to her hometown of Seattle, where Annie was raised. It wasn’t until her mother was dying that Annie had learned the truth. Her father was alive and well and living in Dharma. She and Abraham met for the first time only days before he was murdered.
Annie was petite, adorable, and in her midtwenties, all qualities I’d held against her when we first met. She’d been a goth princess back then, all kohl-rimmed eyes, skull earrings, and black leather vests. These days, however, she was clean-scrubbed and tie-dyed, pure Dharma right down to her Birkenstocks.
Several months after she’d moved to town, she’d opened her kitchenware store and named the shop Anandalla! The exclamation point fitted Annie’s personality and the Hindu-inspired name suited Dharma perfectly. The store was very popular with locals and visitors alike.
She sat down in the chair opposite me and took her time looking me over. Taking in my disheveled appearance, she said, “You know, you didn’t have to go to all this trouble just to avoid me.”
I chuckled. “Very funny.”
“Seriously, though, I’m sorry. I heard about Amelia and Trudy.” She shook her head in sadness and disbelief. “Amelia was in the shop just three days ago. She used to come in at least once a week, and she could easily spend an entire afternoon in one aisle. I can’t believe she’s gone.”
“It’s sad, isn’t it?” I was surprised to hear that Amelia had taken such an interest in kitchenware, but it made sense since the kitchen seemed to be her realm at Trudy’s.
“She was a sweet lady,” Annie said.
“Was she? I’m glad to hear it, because she didn’t seem to like me at all.”
Annie grinned. “Did I mention she had good taste?”
“Ha ha.” I bit back a smile. “I forget how funny you are when I don’t see you for a while.”
“It’s a gift.” But then she frowned. “I know Amelia was an oddball, but she loved to cook and bake, so we got along well.”
“I think you and Trudy might’ve been the closest thing she had to friends.”
“That’s entirely possible. She wasn’t exactly the most outgoing woman in the world.” Annie stood and asked for some water. I told her to help herself, pointing the way to the kitchen. She walked out of the living room and was back in her chair a minute later, gulping down a glass of water. “Ah, much better, thanks. So how are you feeling, really?”
I sighed. “The pain comes and goes, but mainly I’m going crazy here. I need to be doing something.”
She got up, came over to the couch, and peered more closely at my head where the wound was still healing. “It doesn’t look too bad, but I guess they nailed you good.”
“Yeah. I’m lucky to be alive.”
“I’d say so.” She sat down, and I scooted back so I could sit up straighter.
“So, what’s new with you, Annie?” I asked, anxious to change the subject away from head wound. “I haven’t seen you in at least two months. How’s business? Do you still love it here? Do you have a boyfriend?”
She thought for a moment. “Um, nothing much. Great. Yes. And none of your business.”
I laughed. “None of my business? You know this is a small town, right? All I have to do is ask my mother. She’ll tell me everything about your love life.”
Annie rolled her eyes. “Unfortunately, that’s not a joke. That woman knows everything about everyone in town.”
“Yeah, we’ve all given up trying to keep secrets from her.”
She smiled fondly. “Your mom is the best.”
“She loves you, too.”
She stared out the window at the beautiful blue sky and the line of pine and oak trees that covered the ridge. “I was so lucky to find this place.”
“Lucky?” I said. “If memory serves, I was the one who introduced you to Dharma.”
It was her turn to laugh. “You just keep believing that.”
I gave her a smile. “It’s really good to see you.”
“You, too.” She glanced at her watch. “But I’d better leave you to rest. I’ve got to go meet someone in a little while.”
“Hot date?”
She shot me a suspicious glare. “Since you’ll find out anyway, I might as well tell you that I’m meeting that reporter for coffee. Your sister set me up.”
“Reporter?” I frowned before remembering my conversation with China. “You mean Josh Atherton?”
“Yeah. Oh, I guess you must’ve met him since he’s here to research the caves. China wouldn’t tell me anything about him. Well, only that he’s nice and cute.”
“He’s perfectly pleasant and very cute,” I agreed with a nod. I hesitated, then added, “Just please don’t forget that he’s a, you know, a reporter. Watch what you tell him.”
“Don’t worry,” she said. “He won’t get anything out of me.”