by Holly Quinn
Sammy’s stomach began to roll, interrupting her thoughts. It was then she realized she hadn’t had anything to eat. She rushed down the stairs and made a mad dash directly into the kitchen. She rustled through the cabinets to prepare a lunch to bring along to the store. With just the bare minimum in the cabinets, she settled on a peanut butter sandwich. Not her favorite, but it would have to do. She chastised herself for arguing with the detective before snagging something delicious from the brunch. There were so many tasty things she could have chosen to eat. Boy, he made her blood boil. What was it about that guy that pumped her blood pressure? After tossing an apple into a quilted lunch bag along with the sandwich, she slipped on her comfortable sneakers. Her feet were sore from the heels she had worn earlier. The back of one heel was ready to blister, so the Sketchers were a more than welcomed change. She peeked out the window to check the weather before deciding that both she and Bara would make the quick trip to the store by car so Ellie could get home faster.
As she drove, Sammy called Deborah from her Bluetooth to see if she could work the full day of Spring Fling. With Carter in charge of the fundraiser brat-fry for Coach, she could use the extra hands indoors. Plus, it would give Deborah a chance to have a full trial run working at the store. When Deborah agreed, a sense of relief washed over her. This was a wonderful way to ease her in and begin working alongside Carter. She understood Carter’s struggle with leaving the store, especially about losing Kate. He wouldn’t feel pushed out if they were all there working together. In fact, as busy as it would be that day, Sammy thought about asking Ellie to work too. She wolfed down half the sandwich in the parking lot at Community Craft and then stuffed the uneaten half back inside the bag. After finding a loose water bottle on the front passenger seat, she took a swig of the tepid water and rinsed her teeth of peanut butter.
When she walked into the store, Bara in tow, Ellie was standing at the register ringing up items for a customer.
“Good to see you, Margie,” Sammy greeted one of the members of the painting group as she stepped behind the polished wooden counter.
“Hi, Samantha. How are you today? I just found the perfect shelf for my mud room.” She gestured to the bag, which Ellie had tied with a green ribbon. “Hello, pup,” she said as Bara greeted her as well.
“I’m glad you found something today,” Sammy smiled.
“There’s always something new in here to find. It’s like a treasure hunt. I just love it. I never really shop when I’m here for my painting group. It was fun to take the time today.” She removed the sealed bag from the counter. “Must run. You gals have a wonderful day. And you as well puppy.” She patted Bara on the head.
“You too,” the Kane girls said in unison. And then they laughed.
“Having fun?” Sammy turned her attention to her sister.
“Actually, I am! A morning to spend time with adults? I love it. Although I wouldn’t do it full time, I’d miss my Ty-baby too much,” Ellie admitted easily. “I’m sure my morning beat yours hands down.” She raised her eyebrows. “How was it? Did many people from town show up?”
“I really don’t want to relive it, to be honest.” Sammy breathed deep and slowly exhaled. She was thinking more of her run-in with Detective Liam Nash than she was poor deceased Ingrid.
“Totally understand.” Ellie rested her hand on top of her sisters for comfort and then gave a soft pat before removing it.
“I talked to Mom.”
“Oh good. Now she’ll stop pumping me for information.”
“Filling her in on every detail, I heard?” Sammy crossed her arms over her chest and raised one thin eyebrow.
“Give me a break!” Ellie threw her hands in the air in defeat. “If you called her yourself, I wouldn’t have to be consistently interrogated!”
Her sister did make a valid point. Sammy backed off. As she stepped toward the office to stash what was leftover from her lunch and remove her jacket, she almost tripped on something poking out from underneath the counter. “What’s this pile of stuff?”
“My wish list?” Ellie said timidly. “Can you put those items aside for me so when I have the money I can buy them?”
“Ellie!” Sammy scolded. “Randy isn’t going to let you work here if all you do is reinvest in the merchandise!”
“I know.” Ellie bit her lower lip. “I can’t help myself. There are so many cool, unique finds in this store. We really live in a very creative and talented community. Besides, once the living room is done, I’m thinking of redoing the master bedroom. I just can’t help myself,” she shrugged her shoulders in defeat.
“Well you better learn, or you won’t be able to work here. And I need you.” Sammy said before entering the office and dropping her lunch bag on the desk and flinging her coat to the chair.
Ellie trailed behind. “I have to tell you something.” She ducked her head inside the office.
“Please don’t tell me you can’t work here anymore.” Sammy held up one hand to stop her. “I can’t handle that kind of news today.”
“No.” Ellie waved her off as if displacing an annoying insect. “That’s not what I was going to say.” She redirected, “I wanted to tell you that everyone coming in this morning has been buying up Miles’s display. Word must be out that he won’t be around much longer to woodwork if you catch my drift.”
“Wow.” Sammy held her hand to her heart. “That really just hit me.”
“I know, right?” Ellie’s face was crestfallen. “In a way, it’s kind of nice. Hopefully, it’ll help with his legal costs and stuff. That can really take a person out. Of course, that’s an assumption on my part. Thank God I’ve never had to worry about legal costs. But I can only imagine how costly that can be.”
“It seems impossible that he could be capable of this type of heinous crime. I just can’t wrap my head around it. I’ve been working with him ever since I took over the store. You think you know a person, and then they’re accused of something like this? People seem so quick to crucify the guy.”
“What people?” Ellie stepped over the threshold into the office, took her sister’s hand, and gave it a squeeze. “Do you know something you’re not telling me?”
“No … it’s just … the police. It seems my account means nothing to them. Apparently, my input is too emotional.” Sammy threw her hands up in frustration, releasing Ellie’s grip.
“Did you have a run-in with the law? You have to respect their job. It’s not an easy one.” Ellie patted her sister on the shoulder. “Was it Tim or the new guy?” she asked, pressing closer to find out which officer her sister was referencing.
“I know it’s not easy for them. They deal with the stuff none of us wants to even believe people are capable of. The ugliness of humanity.” Sammy bit into one of her fingernails. “I may have been a little harsh on the new detective today.”
“You didn’t.”
“I did.”
“Samantha Kane!” Ellie scolded.
Sammy looked at her sister in agony. “But he’s not listening to me…” she whined.
“You sound like Tyler. I was enjoying my adult time until you came back to the store to act like my two-year-old.” Suddenly, Ellie became distracted by a noise, and she ducked her head out of the office. “We have company,” she said over her shoulder as she retreated behind the cash register.
Sammy could hear a great deal of commotion filling the store, and so she followed her sister to greet the customers. Kendra, the leader of the Beautification of Heartsford volunteers, was standing with a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other like a director for an orchestra. Ladies from the Master Gardners club gathered behind her.
“We are placing the hanging baskets today and came to use your room to organize a quick meeting. We are going for efficiency this year. We’ll see if we can make this happen in one afternoon.” Kendra chuckled as she looked down at the clipboard and eyed the list in front of her.
“My favorite time of year!” Sammy exclai
med as she clasped her hands together in delight. “I love when you gals decorate the downtown for Spring Fling. The town comes alive with pops of color! It’s like the Wizard of Oz when the movie turns from black and white to color!” Sammy gestured to the craft room. “Go ahead and get settled. I’ll be just a moment.”
The group moved like a school of fish into the craft room, talking and laughing as they filed in. Kendra closed the door, and you could still hear the chit-chatting reverberating from the glass space.
Ellie turned to her sister. “I guess that’s my cue to go.” She leaned into Sammy for a quick hug. “Can I put that merchandise in the storeroom on layaway?” she hinted. “Otherwise I’ll have to put everything back.” Her lip protruded with a pout. “I did come in to work for you today.”
“Yeah, but don’t tell anyone else I allowed you that service. Consider it a work-here perk.” Sammy leaned under the counter to see how many ribbons she needed to cut later to prepare for Spring Fling purchases. She pulled out the basket of ribbon and was pleasantly surprised. Ellie must have added to the pile while she was away. “By the way … Any interest in working off the bill? How about during Spring Fling? You know how busy we get in here and Carter will be working the fundraiser brat-fry to help with Coach’s medical bills out in front of the store. And I was hoping Randy could bring the grill over in his truck. Hopefully tomorrow?” Sammy’s mind was working overtime.
“What a wonderful thing to do for Coach!” Ellie said. “Sure, I’ll talk to Randy. I better work this off, or he’ll be ready to cut up my credit cards,” she said under her breath.
Ellie heaved the items that she had stockpiled into her arms and headed quickly to the storeroom before she dropped something or Sammy changed her mind. Ellie wasn’t successful though. Sammy laughed as her sister dropped a trail of quilted pillows behind her like breadcrumbs.
After watching the antics, Sammy stepped back into the office and removed a basket from a locked drawer. With the basket in hand, she walked with purpose into the craft room and, as she entered, a hushed silence ensued. “I just want to take a quick minute of your time to thank you for the work that you’re doing in our community. I had the privilege to walk the river walk the other day, and the perennial flowers from last year’s plantings are flourishing beautifully. To those of you who took part, thank you for working hard on last year’s project. Please allow us here at Community Craft to honor you by giving each of you a gift card for fifty dollars to use toward any item in the store on behalf of our craftsmen and craftswoman who appreciate all you do. Please let this small token of gratitude show we acknowledge your volunteer spirit and appreciate you.”
As soon as she stopped the speech, the room erupted in applause. Sammy placed the gift card basket on the table for each of them to take one. “Now, then. Go beautify our town for our upcoming event!” she shot a fist into the air. And the room cheered.
Kendra moved toward Sammy and shook her hand, and then leaned in for a quick hug. “Ladies, let’s give this fine lady our appreciation for all she does for our community too!”
The ladies stood and clapped. Sammy’s face flushed red. She held her hand to her heart and suddenly felt Kate’s spirit hovering over them. When her eyes felt they could fill with tears at any minute, she waved to the women and backed out of the room. When Ellie saw on her way out that her sister was overcome with emotion, she instead rushed to her side.
“Are you okay?” Ellie placed her hand on Sammy’s shoulder as they walked back toward the cash register.
“Yeah. I’ll be fine.” Sammy wiped a tear from her cheek and moved toward the other who brought her enormous comfort, Bara.
“Sometimes, I just really wish Kate were still with us. She would know exactly what to do. Especially now, with the town of Heartsford in complete chaos. If only the accident never happened, we’d have Kate here to show us the way.
Chapter Seventeen
Sammy admired the colorful hayrack hanging baskets filled with deep-purple, sunshine-yellow, and blaze-red blossoms on her way to work as she walked with Bara along Main Street the next day. Long strings of variegated ivy spilled over the sides of the pots. The hanging baskets were so full, it looked as if they had already been in place for a full season and not just planted the day before. Kendra must have kept the ladies in line as the volunteers carried out their goal in what must have been one very long day. The large banner strung across Main Street from the Heartsford Credit Union to Bob’s Bike Shop said: Swing into Spring … Downtown at Spring Fling. Painted butterfly flags were firmly attached to each garbage receptacle to magnify their location. Several more barrels, Sammy noted, peppered Main Street.
As she walked, Sammy noticed Lynn out in full workout gear getting her morning exercise in before her start at the bank.
“Mornin’.”
Lynn stopped only long enough to give Bara a quick pat on the head before starting off again at a rapid pace. After a quick turn, walking backward she added, “I’m sure I’ll see you tomorrow for Spring Fling! I’ll be one of the ladies in the pink sparkle shirts for the parade. I’m dancing in it with the Jazzercise club! Can you believe it?”
“I’ll look for your dancing club, Lynn! Keep it up! You’re doing great.” Sammy shared a quick wave.
Before Lynn spun back in the direction of her workout she whispered, “Doesn’t seem like the police have anything on Harold. Just letting you know … I saw him at the supermarket the other night. I’m guessing if he was guilty the police would have him in custody.”
Sammy gave a thumbs-up and appreciative smile. “At least you don’t have to concern yourself over that thought anymore. Right?”
Lynn nodded and then was quickly on her way.
Sammy spotted Douglas in front of Liquid Joy waving his hands above his head to gain her attention. He had stopped writing the deals of the day on his outdoor chalkboard and whistled and waved for her to join him across the street. Sammy looked both ways and then she and Bara crossed Main Street to visit with the coffee shop owner.
“What’s up? All set for the big event?” Sammy smiled at Douglas who was looking over his shoulder conspicuously.
“I don’t want anyone to hear what I’m about to tell you.”
“Oh?” Sammy’s interest was instantly peaked.
“Cara said you were wondering who was having coffee with Gary Dixon? I checked the older woman’s credit card the last time she was in. Her name is Charlotte Dunn. Does that name mean anything to you?”
“No.” Sammy shook her head. “It doesn’t. But I appreciate you telling me. She had come into Community Craft, but I don’t know her from around town. I was just curious how her necklace ended up in my store? She doesn’t seem to have any connection to any of my craft groups. It’s a bit perplexing, to be honest.”
“Also, Larry’s wife was here recently with a friend. I swear I overheard her say she was relieved Ingrid had died!”
“Relieved? What? Why?” Sammy couldn’t believe what she’d just heard.
Douglas looked back over his shoulder before continuing, “She told her friend that Ingrid wasn’t only going to try and get Larry kicked off the school board, she was also going to press charges against him. Apparently, Larry was drunk one night and groped Ingrid at a bar! She threatened that if he didn’t resign from the board she would file a report. It didn’t have anything to do with Ingrid wanting to take over his position on the school board at all.”
Sammy took the information in. “Wow. I didn’t see that coming.”
“Well, friend to friend I just had to share these tidbits. You know I’m not much of a gossip, but I know this has been difficult for you with this cloud of suspicion hanging over our town. I don’t know if it helps at all, but I’ve been keeping my ears open.” He patted Bara on the head and smiled at her puppy.
“Thanks, and keep it up, will you? We really need to get to the bottom of this; until we find who killed Ingrid it seems the whole town is on edge.” Sammy added sin
cerely and then jutted a thumb back toward Community Craft. “I better get back to it, I still have lots to do. Have fun with Spring Fling.”
“Yeah, you too. Been looking forward to it all winter. It will be nice to see folks out on Main Street again. Instead of rushing to the next destination and not stopping to chat because of the cold.”
Douglas turned back to writing on his chalkboard as Sammy and Bara made their way across the street. Her mind swirling in possibilities as she went. But she didn’t have much time to think. Not with the preparation of events getting underway.
Kendra passed Lynn, almost bumping her off the sidewalk before calling “excuse me” and rushing toward Sammy. “It’s all coming together!” Kendra readjusted a red and white Heartsford ball cap on her head. Her dark hair poked out of both sides as if it had to escape. It was clear by Kendra’s appearance she hadn’t gotten much sleep before returning to prepare the town for the big day. But what she lacked in appearance she must have gained in caffeine from Liquid Joy because she was practically bopping in the street already. That upcoming caffeine crash was sure to hurt.
Sammy smiled wide. “I’ve been admiring the decorations. It looks great. You guys did an amazing job, as always.”
“I have a few things left to do,” Kendra said excitedly as she ticked off the list on each of her fingers. “I have to find the parade line and mark it, so we know where to start. I must check to see if we have enough garbage bags. I need to call on a couple of our volunteers to help with clean up. I really must get everyone’s cars off Main Street soon.” Kendra waved her hand in one big circle. “This road has to be blocked off for tomorrow.” She stopped and sucked in a much-needed breath.
“Well, you don’t have to worry about me. No car today, just us.” Sammy chuckled as she looked down at Bara sitting obediently by her feet. “Thanks for the reminder. Now that you mention it, I’d better get Randy on the phone and get that grill moved over here before you close the road.”
