Gloria was waiting for Rosa when she arrived at the Forrester mansion. “I forgot to give this to you this morning.” She handed Rosa a single envelope. “I hope it’s not important.”
The envelope had a postage stamp with the image of the Queen on it. Rosa’s heart jumped at the prospect of getting a letter from her parents, but when she saw the handwriting, her heart sank.
“What is it?” Gloria said. “You look pale.”
“It’s nothing,” Rosa said, forcing cheer into her voice. She offered her satchel to her cousin. “Do you mind watching him for a little while?”
Gloria happily took Diego, and Rosa headed upstairs to her room. Thankful for the Long Island iced tea still in her veins, Rosa sat at her desk, took a deep breath, and ripped the envelope with a letter opener.
It was from Winston. Of course, he wouldn’t bother to ring her. She sighed. He probably feared she wouldn’t have accepted his call, and he was probably right.
My dearest Rosa,
I hope this letter finds you well. I’ll keep it short and to the point.
I forgive you. Come home, and we’ll forget about this childish nonsense. You are my betrothed. Since large ceremonies obviously frighten you, we’ll keep it small. A little country church will suffice. I’ve found one in Charlton and have already confirmed a date next month with the vicar. No need to worry about the local gossips. The European Cup Final in Paris is all anyone can talk about now.
I’ve included your return ticket.
See you soon, darling,
Yours, Winston
A second look in the envelope did provide the ticket. How presumptuous! Rosa found a pad of paper in the desk along with a ballpoint pen. An idea had rattled in her head for a couple of days, but it wasn’t until she’d received this letter that she knew what she wanted to do.
Dear Winston,
Thank you for your letter, and I hope this one finds you well. Like you, I’ll get straight to the point. I’m afraid I must decline. I’ve decided I’m going to stay in California for an indeterminate amount of time.
I can’t marry you. My returning to London at this point would make life too difficult for both of us. We must, each of us, move on with our lives.
Please, once again, accept my sincerest apologies.
Sincerely,
Rosa
After delivering her letter to Señora Gomez with instructions to add it to the outgoing mail, Rosa headed to Uncle Harold’s old office to use the telephone.
Pleased to see that Aunt Louisa was absent, Rosa closed the door to ensure privacy. Checking her watch for the time, she saw that it was too late for her to ring London. She had something to tell her parents, but it would have to wait until the morning.
Besides, she had another call to make.
Feeling nervous, Rosa dialed the morgue before she lost her nerve.
“Hello, Larry,” she said when Dr. Rayburn answered. “I hope you don’t mind that I called you. Are you still interested in going on a date?”
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Eager to read the next book in the Rosa Reed Mystery series?
Don’t miss MURDER AT THE BOMB SHELTER.
Murder's a blast!
Rosa Reed's holiday with the Forester Family in Santa Bonita has turned into an extended stay, and Rosa decides to make use of her Metropolitan Police training and sets up a private investigative business ~ just like her mother! But she finds she's not the only one who keeps business in the family, and when one of the members of the prestigious Gainer family is found dead in his bomb shelter, Rosa is invited to take on the case ~ much to Detective Miguel Belmonte's chagrin. If Rosa doesn't find the killer soon, the summer of '56 just might be her last.
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Read on for a sneak peek.
Did you read the PREQUEL?
Rosa & Miguel’s Wartime Romance is a BONUS short story exclusively for Lee’s newsletter subscribers.
How it All Began. . .
Like many British children during World War Two, Rosa Reed’s parents, Ginger and Basil Reed, made the heart-wrenching decision to send their child to a foreign land and out of harm’s way. Fortunately, Ginger’s half-sister Louisa and her family, now settled in the quaint coastal town of Santa Bonita, California, were pleased to take her in.
By the spring of 1945, Rosa Reed had almost made it through American High School unscathed, until the American army decided to station a base there. Until she met the handsome Private Miguel Belmonte and fell in love. . .
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Rosa & Miguel’s Wartime Romance
PREQUEL - excerpt
Rosa Reed first laid eyes on Miguel Belmonte on the fourteenth day of February in 1945. She was a senior attending a high school dance, and he a soldier who played in the band.
She’d been dancing with her date, Tom Hawkins, a short, stalky boy with pink skin and an outbreak of acne, but her gaze continued to latch onto the bronze-skinned singer, with dark crew-cut hair, looking very dapper in a black suit.
In a life-changing moment, their eyes locked. Despite the fact that she stared at the singer over the shoulder of her date, she couldn’t help the bolt of electricity that shot through her, and when the singer smiled—and those dimples appeared—heavens, her knees almost gave out!
“Rosa?”
Tom’s worried voice brought her back to reality. “Are you okay? You went a little limp there. Do you feel faint? It is mighty hot in here.” Tom released Rosa’s hand to tug at his tie. “Do you want to get some air?”
Rosa felt a surge of alarm. Invitations to step outside the gymnasium were often euphemisms to get fresh.
In desperation she searched
