Chapter 1

The department store reeked of expensive perfume samples and cosmetics. Between that and the heat outside, it was positively stifling.

Still, the overpowering fragrances should have stopped bothering Tracey now that she’d moved on, but they were still making their way through her olfactory senses. Her allergies were the very devil. Easily influenced by minor changes in her environment—and these were not minor.

For Pete’s sake, they must have used a thousand civets to make one stinking bottle!

Tracey had tried to dodge the pushy women trying to sell the bottle of high end French perfume at $350 an ounce, but she got her with two generous squirts. It was all Tracey could do not to sneeze all over her.

Luckily, there was a tissue box nearby. Her mother was not at all amused. Really, she should have been better prepared, but who knew you needed tactical defense lessons before visiting a mall?

Oh well.