Brush With Death

In a 55+ community, the newest resident is three centuries old.

Penelope Covens does not explain herself, and she does not answer questions about where she was during the war. Any of them. Nine months in a 55+ desert community have suited her nicely-potlucks, the re-roof assessment, a garden club that is not a garden club. A very long life has taught her that the safest thing a woman can be is uninteresting.

Then the community's worst painter is found dead at the foot of his own front steps at ninety-four, and the letter he left behind gets read aloud at his wake. Something hidden in Crimson Canyon is worth a great deal of money. It was never his. Whoever finds it must give it back.

The neighbors reach for their metal detectors. Penelope was listening. Every honest heart in that room jumped at the word murdered. One didn't. One already knew.

The county has closed the file. The only other soul calling it murder is the woman building one on her.

Does the wrong heart surface before the trail gets raked over? Or does a whole community erase a crime while being kind? Grab Brush With Death and find out.