So take a back seat, Sara, and bring your friends over here.' 'And I think I've proved that, young lady. 'Oh, but I am,' Antoinette said, making another snip on the rose bush. 'You're not the boss of me!' Sara growled, hands fisted, eyes hooded.

'I don't have the time for your erroneous attempt at explanations.' Antoinette gave them a glance as she cut a russet rose off the bush, placing it into the basket. 'That will be enough, Sara,' Antoinette said over her shoulder. 'We're screwed! Did you know that Necro-Granny can-' Granny clearly wants a word, and 'er bein' a necromancer and all if she wants a word, best it be 'ere instead of the inside of a salt circle, Martin.' 'Godblessyeroverlyconcernedsoul, come along, dear. 'I think I'll just wait right here,' Martin said, hovering over the grass at the edge of the patio, his arms folded around his chest. She put on a pair of garden gloves, and then strutted toward the rose bushes, tools in hand. In the back yard, Antoinette walked over to a plastic work table on the patio, plucked a pair of garden shears out of a Folgers coffee can sitting on the bottom shelf, and pulled a small wicker basket off the top shelf. Ruth and Martin exchanged another concerned look. 'Like that's sooo not going to happen,' Sara said. 'You're so thoughtful,' Toni said, and then whispered, 'I'll wait for you upstairs. 'I was just saying I'd like to pick a few roses for Sara. 'Would you mind taking it up to the guest room for me, sweetheart?' Antoinette asked.

'I really need you to handle the clothes issue with Toni.'

Dead Girls Never Shut Up by Susan Stec