by J A Whiting
Someone brought a glass of water and handed it to Courtney to pass to Angie. Angie put her trembling hand to her head. A blush of embarrassment tinged her cheeks pink.
“Here. Have a sip of water and then we’ll help you into a chair.” Courtney handed Angie the glass.
“I’m so sorry. I was just so….” Angie took a sip from the glass.
“It’s okay,” Chief Martin said. He helped Angie stand and maneuvered her back onto her chair. “It’s all very surprising.”
Attorney Ford made an announcement. “Probate information will be filed with the courts immediately and I expect everything will be settled in about sixty to ninety days. At that time, checks will be going out to all of you. Thank you for coming. Miss Roseland, a word please?”
Attorney Ford stepped to the side of the room. Angie stood shakily and walked over to join him. Ford said, “Professor Linden indicated in her will that she would like you to have immediate access to the house, moving in right away if you so wished. During the probate period, you may live here in the house free of charge. I will designate you as caretaker. That is, if these arrangements are acceptable to you.”
Angie nodded. Her vision was still blurry.
Attorney Ford continued, “Of course, any changes you choose to make to the dwelling will have to wait until the deed to the house is in your possession.” He handed Angie the keys to the house. “Enjoy your new home. The deed to the house will be enclosed with the check that you receive in a couple of months.” Ford paused for a moment as if there might be more he wanted to say. A jolt of unease washed over Angie as something passed between them. Attorney Ford gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head, wheeled towards the door, and left.
The remaining people in attendance chatted for a few minutes and then slowly made their way out of the Victorian leaving Angie and Courtney alone in the house. They sat side by side next to the window in matching antique chairs.
A wide grin spread over Courtney’s face. “This is all yours. It’s your house, Angie. No mortgage. It belongs to you, free and clear. You’ll be the official owner in two or three months.” She let out a whoop.
Angie rubbed her forehead. “I’m in a state of shock. Is this a dream? Why would she leave the house to me?”
“She knew how you always admired the house. She knew you were losing the shop and that you wanted to stay in Sweet Cove.” Courtney put her hand on her sister’s arm. “You were always kind to her.”
Angie shook her head in disbelief. Out of nowhere, Euclid jumped onto Angie’s lap and trilled. Angie chuckled and patted the huge, orange cat. “Where did you come from, Euclid?” He settled in Angie’s lap, purring. “Looks like you’re stuck with me, buddy.”
“I think Euclid is pleased,” Courtney told her sister. They sat for a few moments listening to the cat’s loud, calming purrs.
Courtney sat up. “Angie, you can move the café here. The house is only a block away from where the café is now. You’d get all the foot traffic from people going to the beach. And all your regulars only have to walk around the corner. It’s perfect.”
Angie’s eyes sparkled. “That’s a fantastic idea. Professor Linden left me the money. I could do renovations to outfit a café.” Angie thought of their other two sisters and shifted a little in her seat being careful not to disturb Euclid who was snoozing in her lap. She faced Courtney. “Jenna and Ellie. We could all move in here together. There’s more than enough room and there’s the carriage house out back too.”
Courtney’s eyes went wide with excitement. “All of us together again. Jenna could move her jewelry shop here. She’d only need one room on the first floor for a shop. Oh, and Ellie has always wanted to run a bed and breakfast. You could set aside some rooms for guests. There’s so much space. You could do all that and still have plenty of rooms left over for private quarters for all of us. You know how Jenna and Ellie both love Sweet Cove. They’d love to live here.”
“It’s perfect,” Angie whispered as gratitude rose in her chest and tears welled in her eyes. “The wrap around porch would be a wonderful place to put some café seating out there. People love to sit outdoors and have coffee. I can’t believe this.” Some tears spilled down her cheeks. “Someone needs to pinch me.”
“Meow,” Euclid said, and then he went back to purring in Angie’s lap.
“Euclid thinks it’s a great idea, too.” The two young women laughed. Courtney scratched the cat’s cheek and his purring grew louder.
Angie ran her hand over Euclid’s soft, orange coat. “We need to call Jenna and Ellie. We need to tell them the good news.”
Chapter 6
When they got the call from Angie, Jenna and Ellie each packed a bag, jumped in Jenna’s car and headed for Sweet Cove. Jenna was an independent jewelry maker who worked out of her apartment and sold her designs online. She filled a suitcase with her beads and tools so that she could continue to work while she was with her sisters. Ellie had graduated from college three years ago with a degree in business and was working in a Boston hotel in a junior management position. She notified her supervisor that she would be away for a few days in regards to a family emergency. She stretched the truth a bit with that, but she considered that all emergencies didn’t have to fall into a negative category.
When they pulled into the Victorian’s driveway, Angie and Courtney were sitting on the front porch in rocking chairs waiting for their sisters to arrive. They jumped up out of the rockers and hurried down the porch steps to welcome the girls.
“I can’t believe that you own the Victorian.” Jenna hugged Angie. “It’s a dream come true.”
“Well, it’s not official. I don’t own it yet, but in about two or three months I will,” Angie said.
Jenna waved her hand in the air. “It’s as good as done.”
Ellie hugged Courtney and they pulled suitcases from the trunk. Staring up at the beautiful Victorian house, Ellie had a wide grin on her face. “How is this possible? I feel like I’m in a dream.”
The four sisters went into the mansion and greeted Euclid. Angie gave the girls a tour with the cat following behind them. Wandering from room to room, Ellie and Jenna ooh-ed and aah-ed over the space, the furnishings, and the paintings on the walls.
“I’m still learning my way around the house,” Angie said. “The amount of space is ridiculous. And there are more furniture pieces, artwork, and boxes in the attic that will take the rest of our lives to go through.” She showed them where she wanted to open her café and where she thought Jenna would like to set up her jewelry shop.
She told Ellie all about her ideas for the bed and breakfast spaces which would use the first floor living room, dining room, kitchen and bath and five bedrooms and baths on the second floor. Angie said, “The third floor could serve as our private space. It has a central room that we could use as our living room and then there are two baths and six other rooms. We can split it up any way we want and there’s the carriage house out back, too. That’s set up as two separate apartments each with two bedrooms.”
Jenna plopped into a chair. “I’m stunned.”
Tears ran down Ellie’s cheeks and Courtney gripped her arm. “Are you okay?”
Ellie nodded but couldn’t speak for a moment, her throat clogged with emotion. She swallowed and wiped the tears from her face. “I just can’t believe it. I always dreamed of running a bed and breakfast. I never in a million years believed that it would come true.” She pushed a strand of her blonde hair away from her eyes. “Thank you, Angie.”
Angie, Courtney, and Jenna were all near tears themselves. “This calls for a group hug,” Angie said. They huddled together, their arms around each other.
***
The girls were in the kitchen preparing dinner when the doorbell sounded.
“I’ll go see.” Angie wiped her hands on a dish towel and headed to the front door, Euclid tagging along behind her. The person on the doorstep caused Angie to stiffen, wondering what he wanted.
“Hello,” said Davis Williams. He was wearing black slacks, a pale blue shirt, and a dark gray jacket. Angie saw his silver Mercedes parked at the end of the driveway. “Sorry to interrupt. Do you have a minute to speak?”
Angie wondered if he wanted her to vacate the bake shop earlier than what was planned. She had to stifle her annoyance. “Would you like to sit down?”
“Thank you.”
They moved to the living room and Williams took a seat on one of the sofas and Angie sat in a straight-back chair opposite him. She waited for him to speak.
Williams made eye contact with Angie, and even though he gave her a slight smile, she thought it looked insincere. “So, is everything going as scheduled for your move out of the premises?”
“Yes. Everything is planned and in place for me to move the bake shop out of your building in a few weeks.” She was wondering where Williams was going with his question.
“Have you secured a new location?” Williams tapped his fingers on the arm of sofa.
“It’s still up in the air.” Angie didn’t want to give him any information about her plans.
“Well, I hope you are able to stay in Sweet Cove. The coffee shop gives a nice bit of local flavor to the area.”
Angie had no response to that. At least, nothing that was polite. If her shop gave the area important local flavor then why was Williams kicking her out of the building?
“As you know, my brother and I are developers and are always interested in the acquisition of important properties.” Williams had his hands clasped in his lap and his index fingers were pointing upward and were tapping together lightly.
Angie waited.
“It’s my understanding that you would like to find another place in Sweet Cove to locate your coffee shop but the spots that are available are quite expensive.”
“It’s not just a coffee shop,” Angie corrected him. “It’s also a bake shop and a cafe. We serve homemade soups and sandwiches, too.”
“Yes. I see. So.” Williams paused. Angie’s comment seemed to throw him off topic for a moment. He cleared his throat. “Money, perhaps, is preventing you from choosing a new location?”
What on earth is he droning on about?
When Angie didn’t reply, Williams said, “I understand that you have acquired the Linden Victorian.”
Angie was amused that Williams spoke about the mansion like it was somewhere else in town, and wondered if he had forgotten that he was actually sitting in it. She had to tamp down a chuckle.
“Miss Roseland?”
Williams’ voice pulled Angie back to the conversation. “Um, yes,” she said. “Yes, I have, acquired it.”
“Well. I’m prepared to make you a very generous offer for the building. I understand that the estate must be probated, but as soon as that’s settled and you have the deed, we would like to proceed with the purchase.” Williams gave Angie a thin smile. “That is, should we come to agreeable terms, of course.”
Angie’s eyes widened. Oh, that’s what this is about. She hadn’t expected this, but she had to admit it made sense. She wasn’t sure how to respond.
Euclid leaped up on the far end of the sofa. Williams jumped slightly at the cat’s sudden appearance. “Oh. A cat.” He couldn’t hide the scowl that flickered over his face as he brushed an imaginary cat hair from the sleeve of his suit jacket.
Euclid glared at Williams.
Williams turned his attention back to Angie. “Yes. I’m prepared to make a very generous offer.” He went on, keeping the cat in his peripheral vision. “An offer that will make you a very wealthy woman. In fact, it is an offer that would provide you with the opportunity to never have to work again. Should you invest smartly, of course.” Williams nodded to punctuate his statements.
“I’m not planning on selling,” Angie said.
Williams’ face hardened. He was a man who was not often refused. “Perhaps, you’d like to hear the offer, Miss Roseland, before making a decision.”
Angie shook her head. “No, thank you.”
“Why don’t I send over some paperwork for you to look over?” Williams persisted.
“That wouldn’t change my mind.” Angie stood up. “I want to be respectful of your time, and since I don’t….”
Williams cut her off. “It certainly wouldn’t hurt for you to entertain the offer. Understand that the dollar figure is only a starting point. We are prepared to negotiate, of course.”
“But I have plans for the house,” Angie said.
Williams snorted. “You realize the upkeep that a place like this requires? The taxes. The heating costs. The repairs. You would have to sell a great many lattes and cupcakes to be able to support a place like this.”
Angie bristled.
Just then, Courtney walked into the room and stood next to her sister. Her arms were folded over her chest. Ellie entered next and stood beside Courtney. Jenna came in and took her place next to Ellie. None of the young women were smiling.
“These are my sisters, Mr. Williams. We’re planning on living here together. We have a number of businesses that we plan to run out of the house. I think we’ll be alright.”
Williams leaned forward. His face muscles were tense. “You understand that the offer isn’t open-ended? The deal would have to be agreed upon quite quickly.”
Angie nodded. “I understand, but we won’t be considering any offers for the house. Thank you, anyway.”
Williams was about to say something else, but Euclid stood up, arched his back, and gave a quick hiss. Williams got off the sofa in a hurry to get away from the cat.
“Thank you for coming,” Angie said through gritted teeth. She walked Williams to the door.
Jenna leaned close to Euclid. “Good boy,” she whispered and gave him a wink.
Angie closed the front door and locked it. She turned to her sisters and said, “I guess the big important real estate developer is afraid of a kitty cat.” The four of them burst out laughing. Euclid flicked his tail, leaped off the sofa, and paraded away looking smug.
***
The girls finally sat down to a dinner of meat chili, veggie chili, salad, and garlic bread. It had been two months since the four of them were together and they chatted and chuckled for two hours.
They cleared the dishes, cleaned up and then returned to sit around the dining room table to make some plans. Each one had a pad of paper in front of them so that they could take notes on the tasks that had to be accomplished.
Courtney said. “I only have two things on my list. Number one is to graduate from college in a month and number two is to help all of you with your tasks.”
Everyone laughed.
“We’ll be glad to have your help,” Jenna told her. “But if you don’t get back to school, you won’t accomplish number one on your list.”
“You need to take the early train back to Boston tomorrow morning,” Angie said. “You’ve missed two days of classes already.”
Courtney groaned.
After an hour of list-making and discussion, the sisters were ready to wrap things up for the night and they decided to have tea and some of the almond cake that Angie made earlier in the day. Just as they had set out glass dishes, linen napkins and silver forks and spoons, the doorbell rang.
“Who could that be?” Jenna asked. “It’s already past nine.”
“It better not be that Davis Williams back again.” Angie stood, crossed into the foyer and opened the front door. Chief Martin stood on the porch.
“May I come in, Angie?” His face looked somber.
Angie stepped back to let the chief into the foyer. “Of course, come in.”
The chief saw the three young women clustered around the dining table. “Oh, I didn’t know you had everyone here.”
The girls stood up and he greeted Jenna and Ellie.
“Why don’t you sit with us?” Angie suggested. “Have a slice of cake.”
The chief shifted his feet and glanced down. “Oh, I don’t know.” H
e looked at Angie. “I need to speak with you. Privately.”
A nervous chill ran across Angie’s shoulders. The chief’s face was pinched with worry and his demeanor told her that his news wasn’t good. Angie would rather hear something bad with her sisters around her. She couldn’t imagine what the chief had come to tell her. Was the will wrong? Is this house not going to belong to me? Her heart sank.
“Sit with us.” Angie gestured to the table. “You can speak in front of my sisters. I don’t keep anything from them.”
The chief gave a slight nod and took a seat at the table.
“Can I get you some tea? A cold drink?” Angie asked.
The chief shook his head. “No, thanks.”
Angie sat down. The color had drained from her face. She braced herself for the bad news. News that she was sure would affect all of them.
“I got some news today.” The chief cleared his throat. “It’s about Professor Linden. The toxicology reports have come back.” The girls sat on the edges of their seats. “The reports indicate that Professor Linden was poisoned.”
Gasps escaped from the girls’ throats.
Angie put her hand over her mouth. “How?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.
“Who did it?” Courtney said. “Do you have suspects?”
“Why would someone poison the professor?” Jenna asked.
The chief turned the palms of his meaty hands up. “I can’t answer your questions. It’s an ongoing investigation, so I can’t say much. But….” He directed his attention to Angie.
“But, what?” Angie stiffened.
“Your name came up…on a list of people with possible motive.”
Angie held on to the edges of the table with trembling fingers. “Me? Motive?”
“Why on earth would Angie be suspected?” Ellie’s voice was indignant.
Realization dawned on all them.
“Oh,” Jenna said. She reached over and squeezed Angie’s hand. “Because you inherited the house.”
