Savage Sourdough

by Mildred Abbott

  Katie’s expression fell, and I could see guilt and annoyance battle across her expression. “I don’t know. On the one hand she’s wonderful. An amazing baker and a hard worker. But sometimes it feels like she thinks the bakery is more hers than mine already. She’s even started telling me how I should change recipes and that some of my baking is pedestrian.” She shrugged. “Part of that’s normal. She just got out of culinary school, and she’s young. We all thought we knew better than everyone else at that age. But there’s something….” She tapped her nails on the countertop. “Can’t quite put my finger on it. But I almost feel unsafe with her.”

  That I hadn’t heard before. “Unsafe? You think she might hurt you?”

  “No, not at all.” Katie grimaced. “More like she’ll try to find a way to steal the shop away from me. I know that sounds crazy. But I’ve been replaying what Carla was screaming since this morning. That Sammy had been trying to take her business for years. I knew Carla was in a state, and at any other time I wouldn’t have even thought about it, but given that I, for some reason, had been feeling the same thing lately, it stuck out.”

  I hadn’t given any thought to what Carla had said, at least not specifically. Although, she did have the right to be angry at us. While not intentional, we were stealing some of her business. Katie’s baked goods were in a class of their own, and the ones Carla offered at Black Bear Roaster were a few steps up from cardboard with icing. “Did you know Sammy and Carla had a connection?”

  “Yes, but no details really. When Sammy was in high school she worked for Carla during summer break. Nothing since, at least as far as I know.”

  “Maybe it’s just a phase. It would be a shame to lose her. I feel like I have two Katies for the price of one.”

  “Right. If only I looked twenty-two again.” Katie rolled her eyes and pulled a lock of her curly brown hair behind her ear.

  “Well, maybe you’re not twins exactly, but she could be your nearly identical younger sister. Though, not that much younger. You could pass for twenty-five.”

  “It’s my Sicilian blood. We age well.” Katie shimmied her shoulders and popped in another bite of lemon bar.

  Before I could agree, a cold breeze rushed in as the front door opened again. I looked over to see a good-looking couple I didn’t recognize, glancing around the store. I always loved that expression. The one that said I’d been successful in creating a book-filled haven from the rest of the world. “Welcome to the Cozy Corgi. First time in?”

  The woman, who seemed several years younger than the man I supposed was her husband, managed to quit inspecting the shop and looked our way. “Yes. We’re in town visiting my grandparents and just drove by. I don’t remember a bookshop here. Wasn’t it a… what’s the word?” She shuddered.

  “Yes. That’s exactly what it was.” I chuckled. “It was a taxidermy shop, filled with horrible dead animals. I promise you won’t find any of that in here. Although, I should warn you”—I pointed toward my feet, which couldn’t be seen behind the gleaming wooden counter—“as soon as he’s done begging for treats, you’ll probably encounter the cutest corgi in the world. He’s grumpy, but he doesn’t bite.”

  The man eyed the lemon bar. “Dogs are great, but I could use a treat of my own.”

  “You’re in luck,” Katie piped up. “I’ve got a whole bakery upstairs filled with anything you could possibly desire. The smells aren’t piped in for ambience. Pick up a book that looks good to you, bring it upstairs, and have yourself a treat. There’ll be a free latte on the house for both of you since this is your first visit.”

  Katie was often a better salesperson than I was, and there she was again, the most low-pressure reminder to buy a book I’d ever seen, complete with free drinks at the end.

  “We’ll do that. Thank you.” The man took his wife’s hand as they began to browse.

  Katie squeezed my arm and gave an affectionate pat to Watson. “I should get back upstairs. We’ll talk later.” She shoved the remaining lemon bar in my direction. “You finish this. There’s plenty more where that came from. Plus, I’m craving savory all of a sudden.”

  In less than ten minutes, the couple was at the register, the husband buying a cookbook and the wife a collection of ghost stories. “This really is so much better than what was here before.” She smiled at me. “I think it’s the cutest bookshop I’ve ever seen. Though, I’m sorry your little dog won’t come out from behind the counter.”

  “Sorry about that. Sometimes he gets that way. He’s a little… shy.” Persnickety was more apt but didn’t sound as nice.

  “That’s okay. Dogs are cute and all, but as long as the baked goods are friendly upstairs, we’ll be in good shape.” The man signed the credit card receipt and handed back my pen. He had a heart-shaped tattoo on the back of his hand.

  “Oh, I love your—” At the last second, I noticed a flaw in the design and realized it wasn’t a tattoo at all, but a birthmark. I searched for any other way to end that sentence. My gaze landed on the wife’s mustard-yellow scarf. “—outfit. That scarf is wonderful, one of my favorite colors.”

  She fingered the heavenly woven fabric gently. “Oh, thank you. Mine too. I just got this over at Knit Witt’s up the street. The owner makes them himself.”

  “I might have to go get one.” I gestured toward the stairs. “Enjoy your books as you indulge in Katie’s baking. You won’t be able to stop at just one, I promise you.”

  As they walked away, I was relieved. Chances were, if we kept talking, I’d find some way to stick my foot in my mouth about his birthmark tattoo. As their and Katie’s voices drifted down, I suddenly realized Watson and I were alone. I lowered myself to give him a quick kiss on the forehead, my pea-green broomstick skirt forming a cloud around us.

  “Well, for being a small town, there’s never a dull moment around here. Now, as long as there are no more outbursts or births, how about you go take a nap, and I’ll cozy up by the fire and read about your namesake.”

  The following day I didn’t get to spend any time in my favorite portion of the Cozy Corgi, other than to take a customer into the mystery room to introduce her to Angela Pepper’s writing. She’d been looking for books about witches that wouldn’t make her feel like she was taking lessons in the occult. Even as I explained the Wisteria Witches series, I couldn’t keep from gazing at the spot by the fire, and then at Watson, snoring softly in the bright sunlight pouring through the window. He got to enjoy his favorite spot. Totally unfair. Oh, to be a dog. Although, he didn’t get to read, and I couldn’t imagine life without that. Not to mention, the customer ended up buying the first three books in the series, so that helped a little as well.

  The rest of the morning continued in much the same fashion. Never an onslaught, but a fairly constant stream of customers. Nearly a fourth of them made purchases. It was my best day of business yet, and it wasn’t even spring break—I’d heard when mid-March hit, we got our first taste of tourist season. I supposed it was good to get a little practice to remind me that I was here to work, not to begrudge customers for taking me away from my reading time.

  The flow of customers began to slow a little around two in the afternoon, and just when I picked up Sherlock Holmes, the door opened again in another gust of snow. I was going to have to get a larger doormat so I could quit rushing over with paper towels to protect the hardwood.

  I hesitated, hoping the women were headed up to the bakery, but they both brightened as they noticed me, and I offered a friendly smile and wave. “Welcome to the Cozy Corgi.” I placed my book on the arm of the sofa, left the mystery room, and passed through the fantasy and science fiction section as I walked toward them. “Looking for any book in particular or just wanting to browse?”

  The women glanced at each other, looking nervous. They both appeared to be in their forties and were stylishly dressed. Though I was certain I’d never seen them before, they seemed familiar somehow. The one nearer to me closed the distance and stretched out her
hand. “I’m Regina, and this is my sister, Penelope.” She smiled as we shook hands, again seeming nervous. “We’re looking for Winifred Page. We were told to look for a tall woman with long auburn hair. So I suppose we’ve found her?” She motioned toward Watson, who hadn’t bothered to wake. “And that must be Webster?”

  “Watson.” I released her hand and figured I probably looked nervous as well, though I couldn’t place my finger on why. “And yes, I’m Fred. I own the bookshop.”

  Again the women exchanged glances before smiling at me again. “Penelope and I were wondering if we might have a little of your time? It doesn’t have to be now, but we’re in town for a couple of days, and would like to sit down with you at some point. Even over dinner.”

  Penelope lightly elbowed Regina’s arm, and though I was no more than three feet from her, I barely caught her whisper. “You skipped a step.”

  Regina flinched. “Oh, goodness, yes. I’m sorry, Winfred, I must sound very strange.”

  That she did. Granted, I had a habit of sticking my foot in my mouth whenever possible, but still, my unease continued to grow. “No problem. But I am a little confused. What is it you’re needing from me?”

  Regina’s lips move silently for several moments, and then she gave a sharp shake of her head and straightened her shoulders. “I suppose I might as well just spit it out.” She leveled her brown gaze on mine. “Penelope and I are Opal and Lois’s cousins. Five times removed.”

  My blood chilled.

  “Opal and Lois Garble?” Penelope whispered a clarification, as if there was any chance in the world I could ever forget the two sisters, one of whom I’d found dead in my shop the day after I moved into town.

  “Yes.” I swallowed, my brain rushing several steps ahead, trying to figure out why they were here. “I remember.” Surely they didn’t want to see where Opal had been killed. Or maybe they held me responsible for what happened somehow. Suddenly it hit me. Relief flooded in, but then a new anxiety arrived as I realized why they had to be in town. “Oh, did you inherit their properties?” Opal and Lois had each operated their own candy stores, one on either side of the Cozy Corgi. Both shops had remained empty in the months since.

  Regina looked relieved. “Yes, we were their closest relatives, though we only met them a few times. They were a little… odd.”

  I nodded. “You can say that again. I don’t think I’ve ever—” My words reached my ears and made their way to my brain several seconds too late. It was one thing to say that a member of your own family was strange; it was an entirely different matter to have someone else agree. “Um, I… ah… I’m sorry for your loss.”

  The sisters nodded. “Thank you.” Regina gestured back and forth with her hand toward either side of the bookshop. “We saw the properties for the first time last night. We’re considering taking them over.” She gave a sour expression. “Not candy stores, but Penelope and I are both what we like to call dumpster healers.”

  I was certain I’d heard wrong. I wasn’t about to repeat the phrase lest I cause offense. “Excuse me?”

  “Dumpster healers.” In a fluid motion, Regina pulled her cell from her purse, came close to me, and began thumbing through images. “We find items in dumpsters and refinish them. Tables, dressers, cabinets, toys, anything really that’s not electrical.”

  Most of the items she showed me in the before and after montage looked only slightly… healed. Though a couple were charming, I supposed.

  “We’re thinking such a store could be a cute addition to Estes Park. We’ve never been here before, and the town is simply charming. As we were looking at the properties last night, a herd of elk strode right down the middle of Main Street.”

  “Yes, they do that. It’s rather wonderful.” I couldn’t imagine a store centered around dumpster healing going over well anywhere, much less in Estes. And then I realized what I’d heard and why my anxiety had spiked. Somehow I’d known. Had probably expected it, since the candy shops had been closed down. “Did you say store? As in singular?”

  Regina nodded, and Penelope looked relieved.

  Though I knew better, I tried some positivity. “As in you would have the same store in each building, or simply open it in one of them and sell the other?”

  Regina shook her head, and the relief left Penelope’s expression. “No, we were thinking one big store. We have some rather large pieces, and both candy shops are rather narrow. We were thinking we could make an offer on your property and combine the three into one large showroom.”

  Yep. Exactly what I’d figured. “I don’t want to crush your dreams or anything, but I quite literally only opened the Cozy Corgi two months ago. And this is the shop of my dreams. Unfortunately I won’t be selling.” There was a noise behind us, and I glanced over to see Katie walking down the stairs. Perfect timing. I turned back to the sisters. “And the bakery above our heads is my business partner’s dream as well.”

  “We’ll make it worth your while. I promise you. We’re not trying to get a bargain.” Regina’s gaze grew slightly colder, and as Penelope studied Katie nervously, it was clear why they had felt familiar. They might not have spent time with their relatives, but Regina had a bit of Opal in her, while Penelope trembled in a fashion that brought Lois to mind. And if they had other similarities to their distant cousins, I knew I shouldn’t underestimate them like I had the Garble sisters.

  I took a step back, shaking my head. “I’m sorry. There isn’t a price you can offer. I’m settled here. Katie and I both. We won’t be selling.” Something brushed against the hem of my skirt, and I glanced down to see Watson plopping down beside me. He was a lazy, grumpy little man, but he was always by my side when I needed him.

  “Well, I’m sorry to hear that.” All friendliness left Regina’s expression, and she lifted her chin. “I’ll have our lawyer contact you with an official offer nevertheless. And if that doesn’t suit, we’ll discuss what happens next.”

  Before I could think of a response, Regina pivoted, motioned to her sister, and the two of them disappeared into the snowy afternoon.

  I stared after them for a moment, feeling somewhat shell-shocked and like I’d just been visited by ghosts. “Can you believe that? Didn’t you feel like you were with Opal and Lois all over—” My words broke off as I turned toward Katie only to see Sammy studying me as she stood by the counter. “Oh, Sammy. I’m sorry. I thought you were…. With such a quick glance, you and Katie really are nearly identical.”

  “It’s okay.” Sammy shrugged and lifted her eyebrows. “I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help but hear. It seems to me you’re playing the part of a fool not to at least hear their offer. They seemed rather adamant that they want this place. They also sounded like they probably have the resources. You might be able to make twice what the property is worth.”

  She most definitely wasn’t Katie. “No, it doesn’t matter. The bookshop is stable. It was never the plan to get rich. And Katie is doing wonderfully in her bakery. With your help, of course.” No sense offending Sammy if I could keep from it, even if I was feeling offended myself. I knew that wasn’t really a fair emotion. I was certain anyone outside my family would express the same sentiment.

  “I’d sell. With the money they might offer, you could build somewhere bigger or better.” Sammy gestured toward the ceiling. “I was just telling Katie earlier that she and I might want to go look for a bigger bakery somewhere. We’re staying crazy busy all the time, and this is before tourist season even gets here.” She winced and spoke the next words like they were in apology. “Your bookshop is charming, but if anything, it’s going to hold the bakery back. If you sold, the two of you could get a bigger place, and the bakery could be on the main floor, and you could open something smaller up top this time.”

  Though her friendly expression never wavered, I felt myself bristle. So this was what Katie had been experiencing. I wouldn’t have predicted that. “Thank you for your input, Sammy. I’ll let Katie know about the
Garble’s offer. However, the entire building is mine. The bookshop and the bakery portion. Selling or not is my decision. Even so, I’m certain Katie will feel the same as I do.”

  “That just proves—”

  “It’s not up for debate, Sammy.” I cut her off, though I tried to keep the anger I felt out of my tone. “And just like the building is mine, the bakery business is Katie’s. We both appreciate all that you do, but you need to remember that. Every time you walk into that bakery, you’re stepping into Katie’s dream. One that she worked long and hard for. Respect that, please.”

  Sammy bristled, and in that moment, she looked nothing like my best friend. She appeared ready to argue again but then gave a shake of her curly brown hair and a sharp nod. “That’s your choice, then. Have a good rest of your day.” Without waiting for a response, she too disappeared into the snow.

  I looked down at Watson, ready to commiserate, when another customer walked in the door. I took a second to compartmentalize my irritation, reminded myself that the shopper had just stepped into my dream, and acted accordingly.

  “I can’t believe you didn’t come get me. To think there’s another set of Garble sisters out there in the world. In Estes Park, more specifically.” Katie gave an involuntary shudder. “Never mind. I spent more than enough time with Opal and Lois. I don’t need any more.”

  “In my defense, I thought you were with me. I glanced around and saw Sammy walking down the stairs, but I thought it was you.” I let out a shudder of my own. “You’re right. I don’t think either one of us is relishing spending more time with any of the Garbles.”

  “You gotta admit, Katie, it’s a fair mistake.” Leo Lopez paused, the tortilla he was using as a spoon, filled with green chili, held in midair. “You and Sammy truly look alike.”

  Katie scowled at him from the other side of the table. “Sure, if all you’re looking at is our curly brown hair, similar facial features, or comparing our nearly identical heights and body stature, maybe.” She leaned back in her chair so she could pull at the bottom of her sweatshirt to better display the image over the chest. “But does Sammy have the world’s best hippo-unicorn hoodie?” She shook her brown curls. “I think not.”