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Love stories from the heart...

       Come Back To Me
          At Christmas​​

Blurb:
His Stetson still sat on the table next to his keys by the back door and his boots, brushed clean and polished, stood next to hers. Some things never change.

Patty misses her husband dearly and dreams of him coming home for Christmas. When she shares her dream with her children, they become increasingly worried as their mother’s present day life and her cherished memories begin to blur.

Her children gather to decide how to help her handle her disappointment and comfort her when he doesn't show up—after all, it was only a dream.

Convinced she was losing her grip on reality and shouldn't live alone any longer, they decide to wait until after the holidays before making any major changes in her life.

But Christmas Day brings a shocking surprise—to everyone but Patty. This is a funny, heartwarming, and touching story that will have you believing in miracles.

Excerpt:

Before heading back to the house, Patty stopped at the tree next to the fence and leaned against it. Her frail fingers traced the lines in the bark and she remembered the beautiful spring day Michael came home from work early.
He rushed into the kitchen and grabbed her hand.  Hurrying her out of the house and down the path to the tree, he lifted her, sat her in the crook of it.  He smiled up at her. His boots kicked the dirt under his feet, his hands sunk into his pockets, and he clearly was struggling to find the right words to say to her.
“I don’t tell you near enough how much I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she answered, wondering where this conversation was going.
“No, I mean I love you more than I ever believed I could love anyone.  I love our family and this farm.  Of all the places I’ve been in my life, I finally feel like I’m home.  Darlin’, I just want you to know I’ve never been happy with my life until now…until you.  Come here.”
He reached up and lifted her down into his arms.  The kiss...it came from his soul and she knew it.  It was like no other and one she would never forget.  There were no words to describe it; it spoke without words—from his heart and his soul—and anyone who had ever been kissed that way would know exactly what she was talking about.
The tree had grown and the bark was rough, sort of like Michael.  Not in a bad way.  He was always gentle with her and the children, but he was not a man to be messed with.  He wasn’t tall, but his muscular body was evident even through his clothes.  His smile and his laugh would light up a room.  He and he alone lit up Patty’s heart.  He was truly the love of her life.
Patty was coming in from the barn and the phone was ringing.  It was Carrie, their youngest daughter, calling as she usually did every day to check up on her mother.
“Hi Mom.  I’ve been ringing the phone off the hook.  Where were you?”
“Hi honey.  I was down at the barn. How are you and how are the children?”
“You mean the garage?”
“Yes, that too.  Carrie, I had to go through the garage to bring the turkey in from the freezer.”  
“Mom, you know we don’t like you going out to the garage by yourself.”
“Yes, I know.  I wasn’t alone; I took Shar with me.  How are the children?”
“We’re all fine; Mom where is the turkey now?”
“In the old fridge in the basement, why?”
“Just curious.” Carrie sighed as she slumped down into her chair.
“I’m almost ready for Christmas.  I’ve got a few more gifts to wrap and lots of cookies to bake.”
“Mom, you don’t have to bake.  Remember, we are all bringing something. You don’t need to worry about a thing.”
“Thanks honey, for putting this all together.  I know it hasn’t been easy.  We can set up the tables and chairs down in the rec room.  That’s where your father and I had our wedding reception.  Lots of room down there. Oh, and before I forget, make sure to bring your father a bottle of Jim Beam.”
“Should I bring a big bottle?” she asked as her mouth fell open.  She wasn’t sure what to say but thought she’d pursue the topic a bit further.  This was the first year her mother brought up bringing a bottle of Beam, like her father was going to be there.  While her mom had said they’d eat in the rec room, maybe she really meant the dining room.
“Well yes, I think you should.  He hasn’t seen you in years and there are so many of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren he hasn’t met.  There will be toasts all around, don’t you think?”
“Yes, that’s a wonderful idea.  I have to run but I’ll talk to you again tomorrow.  Bye, Mom.”
 
Carrie didn’t wait for her mother to say Good-bye before she pressed disconnect on her cell phone.  She immediately dialed her brother, Jesse. 
“Jesse, we’ve got a problem.  I think we need to get everyone together and meet at my house tonight.”
“Now, hold on and calm down,” Jesse said.  “What’s wrong?”
“I just got off the phone with Mom.  We were talking about Christmas and she said Dad was going to be there.”
“Dad’s been gone for years.  You must have misunderstood her,” he answered, hoping that was the case.
“No, I didn’t misunderstand her.  She told me to be sure to bring a big bottle of Beam for him.  She thought she was cooking Christmas dinner and I had to remind her again of what everyone was bringing.”
“Well, Carrie, it is a lot to remem...”
“Jess, I’m really worried about her.” Carrie’s voice cracked as she wiped a tear from her face.
“Now, settle down and don’t panic.  I’m sure there’s a simple explanation.  We’ll talk about it tonight. What time should we come over?”
“I’ll call everyone and see if we can get together about six.  I’ll order pizza.”
“Good idea.  In the meantime, don’t worry.  I’ll see you tonight,” Jesse said as he disconnected the call.
Around six o’clock that night, everyone showed up at Carrie’s.  They sat around the dining room table as Carrie began to relate the conversation she had with their mother earlier in the day.
“Now, let’s be calm about this,” Kiera told a nearly hysterical Carrie.
“How can I be calm about Mom telling me to bring a bottle of Jim Beam because dad is coming to Christmas dinner?  I rang her phone for over an hour and when she finally answered, I asked where she was.  She told me she’d been down to the barn.”
“Maybe she meant the garage,” Maren interjected.
“I asked her that and she said she had to go into the garage to get the turkey out of the freezer.  When I reminded her we didn’t want her going into the garage alone, she said she wasn’t alone, she took Shar with her.”
“Okay, so she said barn when she meant garage, and then she called her dog Shar.  People get a little confused as they age. 

AmazonUS: https://www.amazon.com/Come-Back-Me-At-Christmas-ebook/dp/B01MQTY0EP/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512618468&sr=8-1&keywords=patty+macfarlane
AmazonUK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Come-Back-Me-At-Christmas-ebook/dp/B01MQTY0EP/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1512618835&sr=8-2&keywords=patty+macfarlane
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A Gift for Elizabeth 

Blurb:​
Miranda Becket, amateur sleuth with mystery books stacked floor to ceiling, is good at solving crimes; she just doesn’t have the credentials to be doing it. She had been Mrs. Masterson’s housekeeper for years, and after finding her dead, she managed to set her grief aside and begin her own investigation while she waited for the authorities.

When Detective Jonathan Wyndham arrives, the last person he expects to answer the door is the woman he almost married—until she nearly got him fired. He couldn’t keep her from interfering with his crime scenes, and his job was on the line when their relationship ended. Seeing Miranda again, his heart skipped a beat. He never stopped loving her.

Jonathan concludes the elderly woman died of natural causes, but Miranda disagrees and sets out to uncover the truth. As twists and turns complicate the case, old feelings they both thought long buried resurface. Will he stop dismissing her and the little notebook she carries around? Or, will Miranda be one step ahead of him, causing the same unhappy ending they had years ago?

Excerpt:

Detective Jonathan Wyndham parked in front of the Masterson mansion and slowly walked up the steps. He wasn’t sure why he was here; a couple of officers and the coroner could have easily handled the investigation, but the housekeeper believed foul play was involved in the death of her employer. The last person he expected to answer the door was Miranda Becket, the love of his life for many years.When he first joined the force, they had been a serious item but it didn’t work out and Miranda married someone else out of spite. But, Jonathan had never stopped loving her.
“Miranda?” She was just as beautiful as he remembered.
“Jonathan?” Miranda swallowed the lump in her throat as she stared long and hard at an older version of the man she once loved. He hadn’t aged a bit, not a sign of grey in his black hair, and his body...
“May I come in?” he asked. “I’m here to investigate Mrs. Masterson’s death.”
“Oh, yes. It’s cold out there, please come in. I’m sorry.” The words stumbled out once she managed to close to close her mouth.
“I’m not; it’s a pleasure to see you again,” he said and smiled when her cheeks flushed as she led him into the parlor.
Jonathan carefully surveyed the entire room, not looking for anything in particular as it appeared to be a death by natural causes. Mrs. Masterson was an elderly woman, and in spite of Miranda’s concern, he couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to harm her. Checking the doors and windows, he found there was no evidence of breaking and entering or robbery. “Is anything missing? Have you checked all the rooms, particularly Mrs. Masterson’s bedroom where she may have kept her jewelry?”
“Nothing is missing. I checked carefully while I was waiting for someone to arrive,” she replied while checking a little notebook she retrieved from her pocket. “Elizabeth keeps all her jewelry in the safe, well with the exception of her wedding rings which she was wearing, and I do not have the combination.”
A warm smile reached Jonathan’s eyes. Of course she checked everything and wrote it down. Wanna-be detective that she always was, he was sure she hadn’t overlooked a darn thing, but he would put it to the test.
In the parlor, he saw Miranda’s signature artwork—a chalk line around the body. Shaking his head, he did the best he could to stifle a laugh. Still, he had to assess the situation before the coroner arrived. “Miranda, from the position of the body as it is now, how do you know she was wearing her wedding rings?”
“Well, when I approached her while she was sitting in her chair, she was completely wrapped in the afghan, except for her left arm which was not covered and sort of just sticking out. I thought it odd at the time because her tea cup was on the table and Elizabeth is right handed. It may not mean anything, but she would have used her right hand to reach for and hold the cup.”
From the look on Jonathan’s face, he clearly didn’t think any of what she’d just said was important. He walked into the dining room and spoke to Miranda who followed him. “Is everything just as you found it this morning? You’ve touched nothing?” he asked, raising his eyebrows and looking down at her.
Miranda knew that look well, and just as she had years ago, she decided to give him a run for his money. “Jonathan, I’ve read enough detective books to know better. I expect you’ll dust for fingerprints. Everything is just as I found it, and I haven’t touched a thing… well, except the phone. Her son, Roger, is a prominent psychiatrist and I telephoned him right away, but he had already left town for a conference. Oh, and the afghan wrapped around Elizabeth, I touched that, too. I know you can’t pull prints from the afghan, but you did ask what I touched. I don’t see why it matters. I work here and I’ve touched everything in this house. My prints will be all over the place.”
“I’m well aware of your detective books, Miranda,” he said, and a smile met his eyes.
“Oh yes, I touched the drapes as they were partially drawn when I entered the room and before that I adjusted the brass pull on the buffet drawer.” The very idea that he would ask her if she’d disturbed anything irritated her, so she didn’t feel one bit sorry for giving him every little detail—even the things she knew, from past experience, he would dismiss.
He continued questioning her for some time; his forehead furrowed at most of her answers.
“What time did you go to bed, Miranda? Was Mrs. Masterson still awake?”
“I went to bed at ten o’clock last night and Mrs. Masterson retired at eight o’clock. She is not one to keep late hours and I always stay up awhile after she retires and read. I like my mystery books you know. Sometimes I watch a little TV if I can find a good mystery program or movie, but I keep the sound low.”
“Yes, I know. It sounds as though nothing unusual happened last night,” he stated.
“Not exactly, Jonathan; Elizabeth Masterson doesn’t usually die.” Her blue eyes flashed him a look he remembered well.
“I meant…”
​“I know what you meant,” she snapped, determined not to cry in front of him. “There was one exception. She keeps more chickens than she needs in a coop not far from the back of the house. Since she was a young girl she has preferred fresh eggs—we all should eat them because they are better for us, health wise. Elizabeth only eats one or two a week; the rest she gives to the orphanage. Her birds are well taken care of; in fact she is quite fond of them.”
“That’s very nice, Miranda, and I’m sure the birds are fond of Mrs. Masterson as well,” he added.
“Yes, I’m sure they are…were…well, I guess the birds don’t know she’s dead, do they? My point is…”
“And I’m sure you have a couple,” he remarked, giving her upper body a quick look.
“Jonathan, really? It’s been years.”
“Too many, but go on.”
“Once the snow began to fall like someone opened the sky, she asked me to check on the birds and be certain that all the warming lights were turned on. So, I put on my boots and raincoat and went out with my flashlight to take care of the birds. Other than that, the evening was as any other, aside from the storm.”
“Did the storm or any other noises disturb you or Mrs. Masterson during the night?” Jonathan waited patiently for her answer. Although he failed to see why chickens mattered, he knew from past experience Miranda was very detail oriented—it drove him nuts, sometimes to the point of distraction, and now was one of those times.
“Oh, no. I slept like a baby. If Elizabeth was up during the night, and she must have been, I didn’t hear her. I’ve always been a sound sleeper,” she said, looking up at him.
“Yes, I remember.” A wink accompanied his smile. When her knees weakened, he bent down to sweep an errant curl from her face, their lips inches apart.
“Would you please take this seriously?”
“I am very serious,” he replied as his arm slid around her waist.
“I mean serious about Elizabeth. She’s in the other room.”
“I’m sure she died of natural causes.”
“I am not! Now, please be professional about this,” she said, removing his arm from her waist.
“Like the detectives in your mystery books?”
“Yes, exactly. You should listen to me; I’ve done some good work.”
He put up his hands in mock surrender. “Yes, you have and I apologize. Please go on; you have my undivided attention.”
He had to admit she was right; she had solved a twelve year old cold case that no one had been able to solve. When they were first together, she almost got him fired. She showed up at his crime scenes with her camera, tried to pick up little pieces of evidence with her eyebrow tweezers, and constantly distracted other officers so she could duck under the crime scene tape.  She was, then and still was, actually very good at what she did, but she didn't have any credentials.  When crime took a break, she researched cold cases and drove him crazy. He couldn't rein in her need to find justice and after he was nearly fired, he broke off the relationship hoping she’d come crawling back, professing to have changed, and agreeing to stay out of his work. She didn’t. She quickly married someone else. He passed away several years ago, but Jonathan didn’t attend the funeral. Somehow, it didn’t feel like the right thing to do. 
AmazonUS: https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Elizabeth-Patty-MacFarlane-ebook/dp/B0771VHQSM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1512618468&sr=8-2&keywords=patty+macfarlane
AmazonUK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gift-Elizabeth-Patty-MacFarlane-ebook/dp/B0771VHQSM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512618835&sr=8-1&keywords=patty+macfarlane​

Universal buy link for A Gift for Elizabeth for all vendors except Amazon:
https://www.books2read.com/u/mZ50dR
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