On Borrowed Time Read online

  PRAISE FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING LIBRARY LOVER’S MYSTERIES

  Read It and Weep

  “Jenn McKinlay never disappoints. Each story is better than the last. She creates awesome characters and plots an engaging story around them that just keeps those pages flying . . . [A] wonderfully plotted mystery full of twists and turns.”

  —Escape with Dollycas into a Good Book

  “Read It and Weep will have Jenn McKinlay fans enthralled. This is a great example of what a cozy mystery should be . . . Written to perfection . . . McKinlay is one of the best in the genre.”

  —Debbie’s Book Bag

  “With a strong cast of characters added, it’s no wonder this series has landed on the New York Times bestseller list . . . [McKinlay] brings together the best elements of a small-town mystery in this latest enjoyable entry in the series.”

  —Lesa’s Book Critiques

  “Any time a writer can surprise a reader, it’s a good thing. The surprise in this book is a dandy and caught me totally off guard.”

  —Kings River Life Magazine

  Book, Line, and Sinker

  “Jenn McKinlay skillfully mixes libraries and small-town life in her . . . entertaining series. Book, Line, and Sinker is an outstanding cozy mystery . . . featuring engaging characters and an intriguing story.”

  —Lesa’s Book Critiques

  “[A] quickly paced, tightly plotted, intricately crafted mystery that is action-packed and will keep you guessing until you’ve reached the final chapters.”

  —The Season

  “Oh man, what a great book, and that ending, wow . . . A great read that I wish could have gone on forever, and now I look forward to the next book in this delightfully charming series.”

  —Dru’s Book Musings

  Due or Die

  “[A] terrific addition to an intelligent, fun, and lively series.”

  —Miranda James, New York Times bestselling author of the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries

  “What a great read! I can’t wait to go back to the first title in this cozy, library-centered series. McKinlay has been a librarian, and her snappy story line, fun characters, and young library director with backbone make for a winning formula. Add a dog named Heathcliff and library programming suggestions—well, it’s quite a value-added package!”

  —Library Journal

  “McKinlay’s writing is well paced, her dialogue feels very authentic, and I found Due or Die almost impossible to put down.”

  —CrimeSpree

  Books Can Be Deceiving

  “When murder disturbs the quiet community of Briar Creek on the ocean’s edge, librarian Lindsey Norris springs into action to keep her best friend from being charged with the crime. A sparkling setting, lovely characters, books, knitting, and chowder! What more could any reader ask?”

  —Lorna Barrett, New York Times bestselling author of the Booktown Mysteries

  “With a remote coastal setting as memorable as Manderley and a kindhearted, loyal librarian as the novel’s heroine, Books Can Be Deceiving is sure to charm cozy readers everywhere.”

  —Ellery Adams, New York Times bestselling author of the Books by the Bay Mysteries

  “Fast-paced and fun, Books Can Be Deceiving is the first in Jenn McKinlay’s appealing new mystery series featuring an endearing protagonist, delightful characters, a lovely New England setting, and a fascinating murder. Don’t miss this charming new addition to the world of traditional mysteries.”

  —Kate Carlisle, New York Times bestselling author of the Bibliophile Mysteries

  Berkley Prime Crime titles by Jenn McKinlay

  Cupcake Bakery Mysteries

  SPRINKLE WITH MURDER

  BUTTERCREAM BUMP OFF

  DEATH BY THE DOZEN

  RED VELVET REVENGE

  GOING, GOING, GANACHE

  SUGAR AND ICED

  Library Lover’s Mysteries

  BOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING

  DUE OR DIE

  BOOK, LINE, AND SINKER

  READ IT AND WEEP

  ON BORROWED TIME

  Hat Shop Mysteries

  CLOCHE AND DAGGER

  DEATH OF A MAD HATTER

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) LLC

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014

  USA • Canada • UK • Ireland • Australia • New Zealand • India • South Africa • China

  penguin.com

  A Penguin Random House Company

  ON BORROWED TIME

  A Berkley Prime Crime Book / published by arrangement with the author

  Copyright © 2014 by Jennifer McKinlay Orf.

  “Readers Guide” by Jenn McKinlay copyright © 2014 by Jennifer McKinlay Orf.

  Excerpt from At the Drop of a Hat by Jenn McKinlay copyright © 2014 by Jennifer McKinlay Orf.

  Excerpt from Dark Chocolate Demise by Jenn McKinlay copyright © 2014 by Jennifer McKinlay Orf.

  Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

  Berkley Prime Crime Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,

  BERKLEY® PRIME CRIME and the PRIME CRIME logo are registered trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.

  For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) LLC,

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-101-63760-9

  PUBLISHING HISTORY

  Berkley Prime Crime mass-market edition / November 2014

  Cover illustration by Julia Green.

  Cover design by Rita Frangie.

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

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The recipes contained in this book are to be followed exactly as written. The publisher is not responsible for your specific health or allergy needs that may require medical supervision. The publisher is not responsible for any adverse reactions to the recipes contained in this book.

  Version_1

  This book is dedicated to my first best friend, my brother, Jon (Jed) McKinlay. Through all of our misguided adventures, major mishaps, and big life moments, you have been the one constant in my life. You even taught me how to drive! You understand me better than anyone else and you love me anyway. I owe you for that. You are without a doubt the best brother a girl could ever have and I’m so glad you’re mine. May the invisible cord between us never be broken. I love you always!

  Contents

  Praise for the Library Lover’s Mysteries

  Berkley Prime Crime titles by Jenn McKinlay

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11 />
  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  The Briar Creek Library Guide to Crafternoons

  Readers Guide for The Woman in White

  Craft: Recycling Candles

  Recipes

  Preview of At the Drop of a Hat

  Preview of Dark Chocolate Demise

  Lindsey Norris, director of the Briar Creek Public Library, strode across the library with her keys in hand. It was lunch hour on Thursday, which meant book talk, crafts and snacks, as their weekly crafternoon book club gathered in a meeting room on the far side of the building.

  Out of all the activities the library hosted, this was by far Lindsey’s favorite. She figured it was the book nerd in her that loved it so, but truthfully, these ladies had become her dearest friends since she’d moved to Briar Creek, Connecticut, a few years ago, and any afternoon she shared with them was time well spent.

  “Lindsey, wait up!” a voice called to her from the children’s department. She spun around to see an old-fashioned aviator charging toward her.

  Lindsey squinted. Beneath the leather cap and goggles, she couldn’t make out much, but she was pretty sure she recognized the upturned nose and stubborn chin as belonging to her children’s librarian, Beth Stanley. But it was hard to say, as the rest of her was dressed in a white scarf, leather bomber jacket, black pants and boots. Not the typical wardrobe for a woman who spent most of her time doing finger plays, felt boards and story times.

  “What do you think?” the aviator asked. She planted her hands on her hips and stood as if she were posing for a photo.

  “I’m not sure,” Lindsey said. “Who are you?”

  “What? Oh!” The woman wrestled her goggles up onto her head. “It’s me—Beth. What do you think of my steampunk outfit?”

  “It’s the bomb,” Lindsey said with a laugh. Beth looked positively delighted with herself and with good reason. “You look like you could have stepped right out of Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan.”

  “Yes!” Beth pumped a fist in the air. “That’s exactly what I was going for. My teen group worked on these at our meeting last night. You should see some of the stuff they made. We’re all getting together at the Blue Anchor tonight to have our holiday blowout and show off our outfits.”

  “I love it,” Lindsey said. Not for the first time, she thought how lucky the community was to have Beth, who truly brought reading to life for kids and teens.

  “I think you look ridiculous,” a voice said from the circulation desk. “Mr. Tupper never let his staff run around in costume, and certainly not out in public.”

  “No one asked you—” Beth began, but Lindsey cut her off.

  “That will do, Ms. Cole,” she said. “Beth has done amazing things to get our teens reading.”

  Ms. Cole sniffed but didn’t argue, which Lindsey felt was a big improvement. Known as the lemon to the rest of the staff, Ms. Cole was an old-school librarian who longed for the days of shushing loud patrons and shunning late borrowers.

  “Walk and talk,” Lindsey said to Beth. “Crafternoon is starting soon, and I need to set up the meeting room.”

  “Who’s bringing the food this week?” Beth asked.

  “Nancy.”

  “Oh, I hope she baked cookies,” Beth said. Nancy Peyton, who was also Lindsey’s landlord, was known throughout Briar Creek for her exceptional cookie-baking skills. Since it was December and the holidays were just weeks away, Lindsey knew that Nancy had been giving her oven a workout.

  “I think that’s a safe bet,” Lindsey said.

  She glanced out the window as they turned down the short hallway that led to the crafternoon room. The town maintenance crew had been decorating the old-fashioned lampposts that lined Main Street with garlands of silver and gold tinsel, and hanging green wreaths with red ribbons just below the lamps.

  The decorations added just the right amount of festive energy to the air and helped ward off the gloom that seemed to be descending upon them in the form of menacing, steel gray clouds, which were reflected by the water in the bay, giving everything a cold, hard and unforgiving appearance.

  The crafternoon room had a small gas fireplace, and Lindsey had a feeling that they were going to need it today to fight off the wintery chill in the air.

  “So I was thinking you should come and meet up with me and the teens at the Blue Anchor tonight,” Beth said. “It’ll be fun. I even have enough steampunk gear for you to wear.”

  Lindsey glanced at her friend. She could not picture herself looking like a souped-up Amelia Earhart; still Beth had spray-painted the goggles copper and stuck all sorts of knobs and gear and even a dragonfly on them. They were pretty cool.

  “I don’t like to leave Heathcliff alone for that long,” she said.

  “What alone?” Beth asked. “He’s been mooching cookies off of Nancy all day.”

  “No doubt,” Lindsey said. Nancy liked to have Lindsey’s dog, Heathcliff, with her during the day. “Which is why he’s going to need an even longer walk than usual tonight.”

  “Aw, come on,” Beth said. “It’ll be fun. Charlie’s band is playing, and who knows? You might run into one of your admirers.”

  Lindsey gave her a bland look. “I have no idea to whom you could be referring.”

  “Sully or Robbie,” Beth said. “You know they’re both hovering around waiting for you to give any hint of encouragement.”

  “Did you finish the book for this week?” Lindsey asked.

  “Nice conversational segue—not,” Beth said. “Yes, I finished The Woman in White, but you didn’t answer—”

  “Did you know that the novel was so popular that Wilkie Collins had ‘AUTHOR OF “THE WOMAN IN WHITE”’ inscribed on his tombstone?”

  “Fascinating, but you might want to save that tidbit for when the other crafternooners start to grill you about your love life,” Beth said.

  Lindsey turned the key in the lock and pushed it open.

  The room was dark, and she flipped the switch to the left of the door before stepping into the room.

  Her gaze moved past the door to where she saw a man standing perfectly still. She felt a thrill of recognition surge through her, but the man shook his head from side to side and then put his finger to his lips. Lindsey knew immediately that he didn’t want anyone to know he was there.

  She quickly stepped back out of the room, bumping into Beth as she went.

  “What’s the matter?” Beth asked.

  “It’s freezing in there,” Lindsey said. She shivered as if to prove it. “Even with the fireplace, there’s no way this room will be warm enough to meet in. The heat must have been turned off, or maybe a window was left open. I’ll check it out. In the meantime, could you set up one of the other meeting rooms for us?”

  “On it,” Beth said, and she hustled back down the hallway in the direction of the main library.

  As soon as she was gone, Lindsey opened the door and hurried inside. She quickly shut and locked it behind her.

  “Jack!” she cried.

  “Linds!” he said in return.

  The ruggedly handsome man met her halfway across the room with his arms open wide. Lindsey leapt at him, and he caught her in a hug that almost, but not quite, crushed her.

  When he released her, Lindsey stepped back and stared at the face so similar to her own. She had many p
eople in her life whom she considered close friends, but the bond between siblings was one that could not be surpassed.

  “Okay, brother of mine,” she said as she crossed her arms over her chest in a fair imitation of their mother when she was irritated. “Start explaining.”

  Where Lindsey was all long blond curls and a face that was handsome more than pretty, Jack was short-cropped honey-colored curls with a face that was almost too pretty for a man. He had hit the genetic lottery with full lips and rich caramel-colored eyes, and Lindsey thought, not for the first time, how unfair it was. Paired with his muscular shoulders, lean hips and formidable height, Jack could have been a male model as easily as an economist, but where Lindsey’s world revolved around words, Jack’s passion had always been for numbers.

  “What?” he asked, raising his hands in the air in a questioning gesture. “A brother can’t surprise his favorite sister for the holidays?”

  “I’m your only sister, but nice try,” she said. “Of course, you can surprise me but why are you hiding in here?”

  “Hiding? What hiding?” he asked. He turned away from her and surveyed the room. “I’m just trying to keep my arrival on the down low for a while.”

  “What aren’t you telling me, Jack?” she asked. He could try and fool her all he wanted, but she knew that whenever he was hiding something, he started to pace just like he was doing now.

  “Nothing,” he said. He crossed over to the bookshelves and then the fireplace. “I’ve just been doing the usual, you know, solving the business troubles of companies around the world.”

  “Then how come I haven’t heard from you in a month, and why didn’t you tell me you were coming? Do Mom and Dad know you’re here? Where have you been anyway? Last I heard, you were in the Fiji Islands,” she said.

  “Ugh, so many questions.” Jack groaned. “Can we do the catch-up thing later? Hey, is this a gas fireplace? Can I fire it up? It’s chilly in here. I thought maybe I could catch a nap since I had almost no sleep last night.” As if to prove his statement, he let out a jaw-popping yawn.

  Lindsey fretted her lower lip between her teeth. There was only one person on the entire earth that she could never say no to, and that was Jack.