Chapter Text
Of all the places Nancy thought she'd return to for a case, Arizona was not high on the list.
Not because she didn't want to. In fact, she rather enjoyed her first time in Arizona with the romantic history, attractive ranch hands and near-death situations--who doesn't enjoy those? But she never thought she'd have another reason to go back.
But then she received a call from her cousin Maddie. Maddie, who had grown up near Nancy and was a childhood friend of hers, was now married and living in Sedona, Arizona, a town Nancy had vaguely heard of for a reason she couldn't remember. She owned a store there which had just be robbed. In fact, so many stores in Sedona had been robbed that the local police were overwhelmed. Maddie's robbery had been small, which, while still quite an inconvenience for her, put her near the bottom of the police's priorities. But who needs the police when you have a detective in the family?
Nancy took little time saying yes. She not only wanted to help out her dear cousin, but it had been a few months since her last case, which meant she was going stir-crazy in River Heights.
So she once again boarded a flight from Chicago to Phoenix. But instead of catching a ride south with a handsome cowboy, she rented a car and made the two-hour drive north to the small town of Sedona.
Sitting at a very long red light on the outskirts of town, Nancy inputted Maddie's address into her car's GPS. When she looked up from the screen, she was struck by the breathtaking landscape outside. The town was surrounded by mountains, like much of Arizona, but none looked quite like these. In the light of the setting sun, the rocks seemed to glow gold and red, while the shadows were a gorgeous deep violet. Note to self, Nancy thought. Bring Bess and George here for a vacation, and bring some hiking shoes.
About 10 minutes later, Nancy had arrived at her destination--as the car's chipper GPS would not stop saying--and pulled into a parking lot between two buildings. The air was cool and crisp as Nancy got out of the car, which was a welcome relief after the drive. The only problem, she realized, was that she didn't know which of the many shops around her was her cousin's. Maddie hadn't told her the name of it over the phone, or at least, Nancy hoped she didn't because if she did, Nancy had definitely forgotten.
She started glancing in store windows, trying not to look too odd or creepy. Finally, in a store called "Treasures of the Earth," Nancy could see her cousin behind the counter, helping a blue-haired customer. She looked up and caught Nancy's eye, then waved her into the shop.
The girl detective walked in and was immediately met by the strong aroma of incense. Her eye was caught by a flash of light in the corner, and looking around, the whole store seemed to be lit up, as crystals and gemstones reflected the sun and lamps. Now she remembered why she had heard of Sedona: it was a "hippie haven," New Age sort of town, and her cousin seemed to be a part of it, judging by her collection. Unexpected, but cool.
"Hi Nancy!" Maddie's familiar voice rang out. Nancy turned away from the merchandise and smiled warmly. "It's so great to see you again! I'll be with you in just a sec."
"Nancy?" Another voice, also familiar, but male. Nancy turned to the only other person in the store, the customer. Her eyes widened instantly with recognition.
"Sonny Joon?!"