Spy in the Sky (Lack of Luxury #3)

Chapter 1

Liz aimed her binoculars skyward and made an unhappy sound. “He’s at it again.”

Her sister shaded her eyes, gazing up toward the bright sun. “Who is doing what again?”

“The stupid lawnmower in the sky.” Liz handed the binoculars to her. “Don’t tell me you can’t hear that annoying sound.”

Buzzzzz. Buzzzzz.

“See what I mean? Please tell me you can hear it.”

“Yes, I can hear the plane. It does seem a little loud,” Gloria agreed.

“A little loud? You should hear him. Every morning, like clockwork, he’s been buzzing around in circles, waking us up.” Liz and her husband had started noticing the small plane early one morning. The aircraft’s engine was so loud that the couple, who were both early risers, sprang out of bed, thinking it was going to crash into their house.

That morning was the beginning of what had become an everyday, from sunrise to sunset, occurrence. At first, they thought it was a local farmer surveying the fields, but after asking around, the couple quickly ruled it out.

Floyd had become convinced someone was spying on them, which may have seemed a little paranoid except for the fact the couple was sitting on a potential goldmine, courtesy of the natural gas found on their property.

“Maybe they’ll eventually get tired of flying around in circles and stop,” Gloria said.

“I don’t think so.” Liz turned her attention skyward again, watching as the small plane circled overhead once more. She thrust her fist in the air, hoping the pilot was watching, would take the hint and leave.

Instead, the plane looped around again.

Buzzzzz. Buzzzzz.

“It is a little annoying,” Gloria said.

“A little? More like a lot. Not to mention it’s a security concern.”

“If the pilot is after attention, it probably doesn’t help having us standing here watching.” Gloria nudged her sister toward the front door. “Maybe they’re getting their kicks, thinking they’re upsetting you, which makes them circle around even more. Let’s head inside.”

Liz lowered the binoculars and reluctantly trudged toward the house, falling in step with Gloria. “I wish they would go away, at least for today. I want everything to go perfectly and the annoying plane is making me a nervous wreck.”

“The girls should be here any time now. When’s your fancy pants designer and her television crew showing up?” Gloria’s sister had hired local designer, Evie Bloomwell, who also happened to be the host of Elegant Estates by Evie , a local television show, to help put the finishing touches on her newly renovated home .

Liz’s renovation project had gotten off to a rocky start, which was somewhat of an understatement. The original designer had been murdered, with Liz being the chief suspect.

Figuring out who was behind the death had been a team effort, with all the Garden Girls becoming involved. After clearing Liz’s name, Margaret and Lucy had generously offered to help her and had even been the ones to suggest she contact the local celebrity to add designer touches.

Liz discovered not only was the show’s star interested in helping the Rasmussens transform their five-thousand-plus square foot chateau into a showpiece, Evie was eager to feature the home in one of her shows.

Obsessed with the idea, Liz spared no expense in completing her elaborate, extravagant, and expensive home. In other words, she wanted the estate to be a genuine showstopper. And today was the big day.

To set the scene, Evie suggested Liz invite a few close friends over for the taping, to create a cozy and inviting environment.

Liz wasted no time enlisting the help of her sister, along with the Garden Girls—Lucy, Ruth, Margaret, and Dot.

“I see them pulling in now.”

Ruth’s spymobile cruised into the driveway, parking next to Liz’s brand-spanking new Range Rover, a birthday present from Floyd after his wife complained she didn’t have enough room for shopping bags in the expensive convertible she’d upgraded to several months ago.

The doors flew open. The friends emerged carrying boxes of baked goods and bouquets of fresh flowers.

Liz darted down the steps and caught up with them. “What’s all this?”

“Your housewarming gifts.” Lucy beamed, holding an enormous bouquet of pink, purple, and yellow flowers.

“They’re beautiful.” Liz accepted the flowers, her eyes shining brightly.

Dot juggled the boxes of baked goods. “I whipped up a few goodies for the big event.” She lifted the corner of the box, revealing blueberry muffins with crumble topping, thick slices of lemon pound cake drizzled in cream cheese frosting, enormous chocolate chunk cookies, along with raspberry twists coated in a decadent glaze.

“These are so pretty,” Liz gushed. “They’re almost too pretty to eat.”

Ruth balanced two gallon jugs. “And I have the tea and lemonade.”

Margaret slipped past Dot. “The only thing I brought was me.”

“Which is the most important thing of all.” Liz hugged her. “Thank you for being here. All of you. I can’t wait to show you the finishing touches Evie added yesterday. I made sure Floyd didn’t touch a thing, so it’s all perfectly placed for the camera crew.”

Buzzzzz. Buzzzzz.

The small plane reappeared, flying directly over the women who were standing in the driveway. All eyes turned skyward, watching as it circled a second time before slowly drifting away.

“That was loud,” Ruth said.

“Please go away.” Liz begged, clasping her hands. “At least for today.”

“I’ve never noticed small planes flying around here before,” Margaret said. “Who is it?”

“I wish I knew.” Liz briefly filled them in, telling them how the flights had only recently started—from early in the morning until late at night. “I’m sick and tired of it. Whoever it is wakes us up every morning. I think they’re spying on us.”

“Contact the township,” Lucy suggested. “Maybe they have some suggestions about how you can get this person to stop.”

“What a great idea.” Liz motioned them inside. “But for now, it’s time to get set up.”

Working together, the women strategically placed the flowers in areas already staged for the camera crew. Gloria, who contributed to the setup by bringing lavender scented candles, placed one near the front entrance and a second in the cozy and inviting family room.

With minutes to spare, Liz gave them a tour of every square inch, pointing out the touches Evie had added. “Margaret and Lucy did such a great job with the renovations. Floyd and I couldn’t be more thrilled with how everything turned out. Thank you for taking this monstrosity on.”

“It was fun.” Lucy beamed. “I have to admit, the renovations went smoother than I thought they would.”

“We had a lot to tackle,” Margaret added.

Liz would never forget the day Floyd brought her to the property, surprising her with what would be their future home. Or more like shocking her after discovering her husband had purchased a dilapidated farmhouse with French influences, “mishmashed” together, and completely uninhabitable except for the creatures who had taken up residence.

In her opinion, the ramshackle residence needed to be torn down and for them to start over from scratch. But slowly, with input from Margaret and Lucy, she’d embraced their vision.

Looking back, she was glad she’d been open to it. The estate’s end result was reflected in the warmth and charm, enhanced by touches of elegant opulence, giving the home a new look spotlighting Liz’s personality. Floyd, happy to give his wife free rein, had been hands-off in the decision-making, only insisting he wanted her to be happy.

Happy couldn’t even begin to sum up how Liz felt about her home. It was everything she could have dreamed of and more, thanks to her friends and wheelbarrows full of money. Lots and lots of money.

Right on time, Evie and her crew arrived. Working quickly, the crew and star of the show taped several segments, starting with Liz’s opulent entrance, the keeping room—a casual space for friends and family to gather—followed by showcasing the living room, their grand and gorgeous library, the spacious yet cozy family room, ending with a taping of the Rasmussen’s state-of-the-art, high-end kitchen.

“That’s a wrap.” Evie pulled a small compact from her jacket pocket and dabbed at her lipstick. “We’ve finished the room recordings. Now it’s time for you to show us around. We’ll start at the front entrance.”

“Right.” Liz hurried over to the hall mirror. She critiqued her appearance, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“You look chic and classic, just like your home.” Gloria gave her sister a hug. “It’s time to shine. Knock their socks off with your wit, charm, and personality.”

“I’ll try. Hopefully, I don’t freeze from stage fright.” Liz sucked in a breath, squared her shoulders, and strolled out the front door.

Gloria and their friends gathered near the window, watching the interview yet attempting to stay out of sight so they wouldn’t make Liz even more nervous.

Dot quietly unlatched the window and lifted the sash.

“…and Hip Chick House Flips was instrumental in helping turn our vision into an exquisite forever home,” Liz said. “Elegant Estates by Evie arrived after the renovations wrapped up and added the finishing touches. As we step inside, you’ll notice no detail has been overlooked, from the French baroque chintz daybed to the Possini Euro blue table lamps right down to the luxurious Persian rugs.”

Liz continued, “Our piece of paradise will bring years of enjoyment to us and our family.”

“I can’t wait to tour the inside of this magnificent estate,” Evie said. “Our viewers are in for a special treat today.”

Buzzzzz. Buzzzzz.

The plane flew low. The engine was so loud it was hard to hear. Exasperated, Evie stepped off the porch, her eyes toward the sky.

Much to Liz’s horror, it appeared their spy in the sky had tossed something out of the plane. It was too far away to see what it was. The pilot performed a tight loop and tossed another object out, this one landing near the edge of the driveway.