Absence of Alice Read online

  Praise for Sell Low, Sweet Harriet

  “An incredibly enjoyable book.”—Mystery Scene

  “Canny hints for garage-sale success blend nicely with two difficult mysteries for the intrepid heroine to unravel.”—Kirkus Reviews

  “Harris has carved out a name for herself in the cozy mystery world with her engaging, humorous Sarah Winston mysteries.”—Washington Independent Review of Books

  Praise for Let’s Fake a Deal

  “Who knew organizing garage sales could be a dangerous occupation?” —Kirkus Reviews

  “I just love Sherry Harris’s Garage Sale series. It’s provocative, well-written, and always entertaining.”—Suspense Magazine

  Praise for The Gun Also Rises

  “A roller-coaster of a mystery penned by a real pro. This series just gets better and better. More, please!”—Suspense Magazine

  “Author Sherry Harris never disappoints with her strong, witty writing voice and her ability to use the surprise effect just when you think you have it all figured out!”—Chatting About Cozies

  “This series gets better with every book, and The Gun Also Rises continues the trend. If you haven’t started this series yet, do yourself a favor and buy the first one today.”—Carstairs Considers

  Praise for I Know What You Bid Last Summer

  “I Know What You Bid Last Summer is cleverly plotted, with an engaging cast of characters and a clever premise that made me think twice about my shopping habits. Check it out.”—Suspense Magazine

  “Never one to give up, Sarah continues her hunt for the killer in some unlikely and possibly dangerous places. Fans of Harris will appreciate both the clever mystery and the tips for buying and selling at garage sales.”—Kirkus Reviews

  “Each time a new Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery releases, I wonder how amazing author Sherry Harris will top the previous book she wrote for the series. I’m never disappointed, and my hat’s off to Ms. Harris, who consistently raises the bar for her readers’ entertainment.”—Chatting About Cozies

  Praise for A Good Day to Buy

  “Sarah’s life keeps throwing her new curves as the appearance of her estranged brother shakes up her world. This fast-moving mystery starts off with a bang and keeps the twists and turns coming. Sarah is a likable protagonist who sometimes makes bad decisions based on good intentions. This ups the action and drama as she tries to extricate herself from dangerous situations with some amusing results. Toss in a unique cast of secondary characters, an intriguing mystery, and a hot ex-husband, and you’ll find there’s never a dull moment in Sarah’s bargain-hunting world.”—RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

  “Harris’s fourth is a slam dunk for those who love antiques and garage sales. The knotty mystery has an interesting premise and some surprising twists and turns as well.”—Kirkus Reviews

  “The mystery of the murder in A Good Day to Buy, the serious story behind Luke’s reappearance, the funny scenes that lighten the drama, the wonderful cast of characters, and Sarah’s always superb internal dialogue will keep you turning the pages and have you coming back for book #5.”—Nightstand Book Reviews

  Praise for All Murders Final!

  “There’s a lot going on in this charming mystery, and it all works. The dialogue flows effortlessly, and the plot is filled with numerous twists and turns. Sarah is a resourceful and appealing protagonist, supported by a cast of quirky friends. Well written and executed, this is a definite winner. Bargain-hunting has never been so much fun!” —RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

  “A must-read cozy mystery! Don’t wear your socks when you read this story ’cause it’s gonna knock ’em off!”—Chatting About Cozies

  “Just because Sherry Harris’s protagonist Sarah Winston lives in a small town, it doesn’t mean that her problems are small.... Harris fits the puzzle pieces together with a sure hand.”—Sheila Connolly, Agatha- and Anthony-nominated author of the Orchard Mysteries

  “A thrilling mystery. . . . Brilliantly written, each chapter drew me in deeper and deeper, my anticipation mounting with every turn of the page. By the time I reached the last page, all I could say was . . . wow!”—Lisa Ks Book Reviews

  Praise for The Longest Yard Sale

  “I love a complex plot and The Longest Yard Sale fills the bill with mysterious fires, a missing painting, thefts from a thrift shop and, of course, murder. Add an intriguing cast of victims, potential villains and sidekicks, an interesting setting, and two eligible men for the sleuth to choose between and you have a sure winner even before you get to the last page and find yourself laughing out loud.” —Kaitlyn Dunnett, author of The Scottie Barked at Midnight

  “Readers will have a blast following Sarah Winston on her next adventure as she hunts for bargains and bad guys. Sherry Harris’s latest is as delightful as the best garage sale find!”—Liz Mugavero, Agatha-nominated author of the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries

  “Sherry Harris is a gifted storyteller, with plenty of twists and adventures for her smart and stubborn protagonist.”—Beth Kanell, Kingdom Books

  “Once again Sherry Harris entwines small-town life with that of the nearby Air Force base, yard sales with romance, art theft with murder. The story is a bargain, and a priceless one!”—Edith Maxwell, Agatha-nominated author of the Local Foods mystery series

  Praise for Tagged for Death

  “Tagged for Death is skillfully rendered, with expert characterization and depiction of military life. Best of all Sarah is the type of intelligent, resourceful, and appealing person we would all like to get to know better!”—Mystery Scene Magazine

  “Full of garage-sale tips, this amusing cozy debut introduces an unusual protagonist who has overcome some recent tribulations and become stronger.”—Library Journal

  “A terrific find! Engaging and entertaining, this clever cozy is a treasure—charmingly crafted and full of surprises.”—Hank Phillippi Ryan, Agatha-, Anthony- and Mary Higgins Clark–award-winning author

  “Like the treasures Sarah Winston finds at the garage sales she loves, this book is a gem.”—Barbara Ross, Agatha-nominated author of the Maine Clambake Mysteries

  “It was masterfully done. Tagged for Death is a winning debut that will have you turning pages until you reach the final one. I’m already looking forward to Sarah’s next bargain with death.”—Mark Baker, Carstairs Considers

  Mysteries by Sherry Harris

  The Chloe Winston Sea Glass Saloon Mysteries

  FROM BEER TO ETERNITY

  A TIME TO SWILL (Available in 2021!)

  The Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries

  ABSENCE OF ALICE

  SELL LOW, SWEET HARRIET

  LET’S FAKE A DEAL

  THE GUN ALSO RISES

  I KNOW WHAT YOU BID LAST SUMMER

  A GOOD DAY TO BUY

  ALL MURDERS FINAL!

  THE LONGEST YARD SALE

  and

  Agatha-Nominated Best First Novel

  TAGGED FOR DEATH

  ABSENCE OF ALICE

  A Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery

  Sherry Harris

  www.kensingtonbooks.com

  All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

  Table of Contents

  Praise

  Also by

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Four
teen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Acknowledgments

  Teaser chapter

  KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  119 West 40th Street

  New York, NY 10018

  Copyright © 2021 by Sherry Harris

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales, or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.

  If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the Publisher and neither the Author nor the Publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”

  Kensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

  ISBN: 978-1-4967-2253-9

  ISBN-13: 978-1-4967-2254-6 (eBook)

  ISBN-10: 1-4967-2254-X (eBook)

  To Bob

  Thank you for your love, laughter

  and for being my head cheerleader

  Chapter One

  Alice Krandle was breathing down my neck. Literally. I could feel her warm breath on it and smelled the spearmint gum she always chewed. Alice didn’t have a good sense of personal boundaries and stood way too close as I looked at a painting she had of the Old North Bridge in Concord. This is why I loved my job as a garage sale organizer. It never got old working with new people and trying to jolly Alice out of her moods had been fun.

  My friend Carol Carson was here to help me price the art. Carol owned the shop Paint and Wine and was a talented artist herself. The paintings were the last things that needed to be priced before the sale tomorrow.

  “This painting is an oil, and it looks like it was painted using the alla prima or wet-on-wet technique,” Carol said. “That allows the artist to finish a painting in as little as thirty minutes.”

  It was stunning with its vibrant fall colors.

  “I paid five hundred dollars for that. Quite a steal,” Alice said. Alice, though in her late seventies, stood straight as a flag pole. She had hair the color of a stainless steel appliance, and skin as wrinkled as a linen skirt.

  “I’ll be lucky to get two fifty for it at the garage sale,” I said. More like one hundred, and even that was pushing it. I had to lower Alice’s expectations. The painting was two feet by three feet. The artist was local and had a good reputation in New England. But still, this was a garage sale. I twisted the pink ruby ring on my right hand that I’d bought at an estate sale in January to celebrate my upcoming two-year business anniversary. I loved its gold filigree with tiny diamonds set in the swirls. I’d been proud to be able to buy it for myself. I gave it another twist. This whole sale, and Alice’s expectations, was making me nervous.

  “I’m sure that you can do better than that.” She waved a hand around at the paintings in the room. “I know you said people don’t collect things like they used to, but people still love art. This is perfect for a tourist or anyone who loves fall in New England.”

  She had a point. The sale was tomorrow, and this was two weekends before Patriots’ Day—the annual celebration of the start of the Revolutionary War here in Massachusetts—so there were lots of tourists in the area for all of the different events.

  I looked at Carol. She was tall, thin, and, could have been the model for artist Barbie. Today she wore a turtleneck sweater belted at her hips, faux leather leggings, and stacked-heeled boots. “Why don’t you try three hundred,” she suggested.

  Because no one would pay that much? People went to garage sales for the bargains and to bargain—it was part of the game. Garage sale attendees carried cash around like they were Brink’s guards.

  “Make it three twenty-five,” Alice said.

  I did an inward sigh, but made the tag like Alice wanted. The frame was a nice quality walnut, and frames were expensive. They sometimes brought a good price even when what they held wasn’t valuable. I’d keep my fingers crossed. Alice had already turned down a sizeable sum of money from my new competitor, Zoey Whittlesbee. Zoey had wanted to buy the whole lot from her and had offered her cash. Cash! Zoey had worked for me briefly over the winter, soaking up all the lessons I’d learned attending and organizing garage sales. I wondered why Zoey had offered Alice so much and where she had gotten the money to offer to pay such a sum. I’d been in business for two years, and now made enough to support myself, but not enough to throw around that kind of money.

  Part of what puzzled me about the offer was that people don’t collect things like they had in the past. Millennials didn’t want old china sets or silver or Hummel or Lladró figurines like their parents did. God forbid if something didn’t spark joy. Boomers who were downsizing complained a lot about the prices they were getting for their prized possessions. That made me circle back to my original thought. How the heck could Zoey, who had just started her Zoey’s Tag Sales business three months ago, offer to pay Alice that much money with no guarantee of making it back?

  Alice had explained when she hired me that if someone would offer that much for all of her things, individually they must be worth much more. Unfortunately, it didn’t always work that way in the world of garage sales. I’d explained that to her and put it in writing when we signed the contract. Alice said she understood. I just hoped she really did. She might have more confidence in me than I did myself.

  We moved on to the next painting. Thank heavens my assistant Harriet Ballou would be helping me the day of the sale. She was a former FBI hostage negotiator, and I’d seen her in action. One time she’d actually gotten more for a piece than the original asking price. And I’d seen her talk the price of a Tiffany bracelet down at the thrift shop until the woman had almost given it to her for free.

  An hour and much discussion later, it was time for Carol and me to go. We’d finished pricing the last ten paintings. I’d never had a client hover over me while I priced. It was exhausting, and I was starving. Time to do something about both.

  I pulled up to Paint and Wine, or Paint and Whine as I liked to call it, at two forty-five. I called it that because Carol listened to me complain about life when I needed to vent. We had known each other since I was eighteen and had both been military spouses. Our husbands had both been stationed at nearby Fitch Air Force Base. “How did you know the painting Alice had was done using the—what did you call it?—alla prima technique?” I’d read up on the artist, but didn’t remember that bit about him.

  “I’ve met the artist a couple of times at events.”

  “Alice thought you were a genius. So did I for that matter.”

  Carol laughed and opened her door. “I am one.”

  “Thanks for your help.”

  “Anytime. She has some nice pieces. It will be okay.”

  I nodded, but I wasn’t as sure about that.

 
* * *

  I picked the absolutely worst time to walk into DiNapoli’s Roast Beef and Pizza. I looked up from my phone just in time to see a stray round of pizza dough flying through the air. It landed on my head, draping like a doughy wedding veil.

  “I’m sorry,” a deep male voice said. Hint of a Boston accent.

  Someone lifted the front of my pizza veil, and I gazed up at a man with deep brown eyes, a boyish charming face, and a look of horror. I blushed like a bride.

  “I’m the one who’s sorry.” I’d ignored the Closed sign hanging on the front door because DiNapoli’s was never closed to me. In my defense the door was unlocked. But I’d forgotten that Angelo had decided it wasn’t enough for him to cook. He needed to share his talents with the world. Angelo had started giving cooking classes weekday afternoons. Apparently today was pizza dough 101.

  Angelo and Rosalie, the owners of DiNapoli’s and my “so close we were almost family” friends, rushed to my side, as did the other four attendees. All had caught their pizza dough and deposited the rounds on pizza pans before heading over. I could feel a bit of dough on my cheek. Charming guy held the dough off my face with one hand and reached over and swiped the bit off with the other hand, murmuring another apology. I blushed some more, wondering how I would ever get the dough out of my hair before my date with my boyfriend Seth tonight. Maybe the dough would just blend with my blond hair like chunky highlights.