“Who’s been at what?” Katie, set another vase on one of the wooden shelves that lined the walls of the shop. She frowned, wondering why people didn’t just throw away the small, glass vases they got. Every box of donations she opened, especially a few weeks after Valentine’s Day, always had a vase or two inside. Even if she priced them at fifty cents, it was rare to sell any.
She wiped her hands on the apron she always wore to protect her clothes from dust and other unknown substances which were sure to be found in the donation bags and began to make her way to the back room where Patty had brought in the boxes and bags left in the donation box.
Patty, with her long, golden blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, stood amidst a pile of about ten plastic bags, three good sized boxes and in her hand held one bag which was obviously ripped open.
“Annie Glen has been ripping open bags left at our donation box again. Just look at this.” She held the torn bag up higher, as if Katie hadn’t already seen it.
Katie reached out and took the bag from Patty and peeked inside. The bag was basically empty, except for a few scraps of paper.
“You don’t know for sure it was Annie.”
Patty’s eyes grew large in surprise. “Who else would it be? It’s not like this town is full of homeless people who might happen to get into our bags. I’ve seen Annie out there before.”
Katie almost laughed at the look of indignation on Patty’s face, but she didn’t want to fan the fire. “Well, it can’t hurt. She usually only gets into one bag.”
Patty stomped her foot. “She’s smart. She probably knows which bag has the best stuff. Maybe this bag had a fur coat, a collectible plate, or a pearl necklace. I don’t get it though, why does she choose to live on the streets? She’s not a drug addict or alcoholic.”
Katie hated the concept of gossip, because it went against God’s word, however, in this case she felt telling Patty the truth might curb the younger woman’s tongue from saying more about the woman.
“Annie was always a bit odd, but she’s actually very wealthy. However, her daughter Janice married a man who is-let’s say, not very nice. He convinced Janice; Annie’s oddities were worth having her committed. Janice signed the papers and they took Annie away.”
Patty’s lips pressed together.
“The place they put her was a nursing home; one with a secured floor, but Annie got out anyways. She made her way back to Harbor Inn, found the biggest cardboard box she could locate and settled in the alley behind Cup N Cake where she can get free food hand-outs from the owner, Penny London. Annie’s son-in-law has the power over most of her accounts and the family business now. That was all he really wanted, so he doesn’t care what Annie does as long as she doesn’t try to come home or talk to any lawyers.”
“What a nasty piece of work. What’s his name? Why didn’t I ever hear this before?”
“His name is Carl Sagon. Annie’s been living in that same box for about ten years now. At first, most people thought it was a joke, but as time went on, Annie did develop some really strange behaviors; you know talking to herself and such. People got uncomfortable and started to ignore her. Now, after so many years on the streets she’s just plain odd. She’s about seventy years old and pretty harmless.”
Patty shook her head in disbelief. “What about her daughter? Can’t she do anything about it?”
Katie coughed slightly. “That’s the worst of it. Janice was in a car accident about two weeks after they put Annie in the nursing home. She died instantly and never knew anything about it.”
“That’s horrible. Now, I feel bad about having said anything about Annie, but there’s still the issue that Annie might be taking some really nice stuff out of our donation bags; stuff she can’t really use, but we could sell. I mean, what would she do with nice jewelry?”
Katie sighed. There wasn’t any point in arguing with Patty about this. How could she explain to the young girl that it made no difference to her if Annie stole items from their donation box?
Of course, the proceeds from the shop went to the local Humane Society’s animal shelter to help feed the dogs and cats that were housed in the building until they were adopted, but the extra finances Katie sent to the shelter every month more than made up for any small item Annie might have taken from the silly donation bags.
“There isn’t much chance she got anything valuable.”
Patty sat on a stool beside the long table where she usually spent the day sorting items that had been left in the donation box and looking their values up on the internet. She leaned on her hand.
“I know. The truth is, we don’t get things that are worth much here. I think people give the better items to the Senior Center Store. I worked there for two summers in high school and there were some really nice things donated to them. I remember once, someone donated a London Fog raincoat with the tags still on. It was worth about three hundred dollars.”
“And that’s a good thing.” Annie’s voice chirped like a small bird. “The senior center needs the money even more than the Humane Society. They run the Meals-On-Wheels program and feed about fifty elderly people every day with the money they make. That’s a bit more important than the Humane Society, but at least we keep the cats and dogs in food from what we do get. So, let’s not worry about Annie Glen any more today. I don’t think she’s really doing us any harm. I may have to consider getting a bigger donation box, so everything will fit inside of it. That will stop her, but for now, it looks like you have your work cut out for you today.”
Patty nodded, pulled a box up onto the table, took a utility knife and slit along the edges that were taped. She lifted the top and guffawed. “Not bad, a whole box of glass vases.”
Katie moaned. “Just what we don’t need.”
“Why not try to make a deal with the Roses Are Red Florist, down on the Harbor Courtyard. You sell them the vases for twenty-five cents each, and whenever you have a dozen, I’ll drop them off. I know it’s not much, but it’s cheaper than they can get them, even buying wholesale.”
“That does sound like a good idea. It will open up a whole shelf for us to put more items out. I don’t think we’ve sold a vase since I opened the place. I have about six boxes of them in the basement.”
“Why don’t you call the florist, now. If they’re willing to make the deal, I can run downstairs and find them.” Patty set the box of vases on the floor and lifted one of the bags.
Katie shook her head. “No, I can’t have you down in that menagerie. Ever since my aunts died, I ‘ve just been hauling overflow stuff down there. It’s a major disaster.”
The small twist in Katies stomach refused to be ignored. What would her aunts think about the way she used their beautiful mansion? She’d filled it with other people’s cast offs and allowed strangers to wander through the house.
These kinds of thoughts often-filled Katie’s mind, but she pushed them away. She’d already given up most of her life, living with and taking care of her aunts. She’d been overly sheltered and kept out of society, because the aunts were afraid she would meet some reckless man who would sweep her off her feet and take her away from them.
So, they’d given her reason after reason why she needed to stay close to home. And she’d been a willing and grateful niece, who was reminded daily how much they’d done for her.
But, when both aunts had gotten a terrible case of flu, which turned to pneumonia, and both had passed away within hours of one another, Katie at age forty-nine, found herself finally free and soul heir to their vast, unused fortune and owner of one of the great mansions, outside of town, on Main Street in Harbor Inn, Maine.
At first, she’d continued living quietly, but the day she turned fifty, she knew she had to make a change. She wanted to participate in life, and she didn’t want to be lonely.
That was the day she visited the Humane Society’s animal shelter.
She’d originally gone there hoping to find a cat to keep her company. She’d always long
ed for a pet, but the aunts wouldn’t hear of it. Cats and dogs shed, and they couldn’t take the risk of fur on the ancient sofa’s and rugs that their father had brought all the way from Europe when they were only ten years old.
That memory caused Katie to grow even more uncomfortable. Those rugs were something she’d hated her whole life and when she finally chose an older Tabby cat from the animal shelter, she decided to get rid of the rugs. Then the cat couldn’t harm them. She’d asked at the Humane Society if they knew of a place she could give the rugs to. They had suggested the Senior Thrift Store.
Katie had never even been to a thrift store.
With her new cat in a travel cage, and the address of the Senior Thrift Store in hand, Katie stood by the door waiting for a taxi, because she didn’t drive yet. While she waited, she overheard the two women at the counter talking.
“It’s a shame someone doesn’t open a thrift store in town that would benefit the Humane Society. We could use the money for food, bedding and shots. We don’t have enough space here at the shelter to run a store, but I know a lot of people would donate things to help the animals if there were only a place cheap enough to house a store.”
The other woman heartily agreed.
Katie didn’t even hesitate. Even though her heart was beating fast, she sat the cage down, turned back to the counter and offered her home to them for a thrift store.
“Just as long as you ladies will help me get it started. I know nothing of legal matters, but my old house is just sitting there on Main Street, being of no value to anyone. I’m not sure how my aunts would feel about me making the changes, but since they’ve both passed on, I suppose I can decide.”
The women, although very interested, had suggested Katie use the mansion for a bed and breakfast, since the house was one of the original mansions in town. “It almost seems sacrilegious to put an old thrift store in a gorgeous place like that. I’ve loved seeing your home, over the years, whenever we drive down to the Harbor Inn Courtyard or to the Harbor Side Inn for dinner,” one of them commented.
“No, I don’t like to cook and most of the bedrooms need repairs. But there are several rooms on the main floor which would make a lovely shop.” Katie assured them so enthusiastically that one of the women had called the local town lawyer right there and then.
Everything had been agreed upon and within a month, Katie and her lawyer, Drake Johnson, filed all the necessary papers. The ladies introduced Katie to their twenty-two-year-old niece, Patty Silver and Katie hired her on the spot as a helper.
Katie ordered a donation box, then she and Patty stripped the rugs out of the main rooms, polished the hardwood floors and put price tags on almost all the old furniture which had been cluttering the attic for years. They’d agreed on the name, ’Aunties Attic Thrift Store’ and finally opened the doors. Before Katie knew it, word had spread, and the donation box was filled almost daily with bags and boxes. Patty was right. There wasn’t ever anything very valuable in the donations.
Everything Katie wanted to keep from the main rooms had been moved upstairs, and stored in the extra bedrooms, which she hoped to have restored over the next few years. Everything from the attic down that she didn’t want to keep, and extra items that had been donated to the shop but hadn’t been put onto shelves yet, were housed in the basement.
Katie kept her own room, which overlooked the side of the mansion, although after much thought and heart palpitations, she’d had the old wallpaper removed and painted the walls eggshell with a rose bud trim along the top edge, put up new curtains and bought new bedding. But the rest of the upstairs would have to wait. Getting the thrift store running was first priority and right now, Katie’s mind was on the basement.
“Is there good lighting down there? I don’t want you to fall, looking for a bunch of vases?” Patty interrupted Katie’s thoughts.
“Yes, and I know just where they are. I think I’ll go call the florist now. I’ll be by the check-out counter. Let me know if you find anything really valuable in the bags. Didn’t I hear something on the news about someone having a diamond bracelet stolen? Maybe it got tossed in their donation bag.” Katie joked as she turned to leave the back room.
“Well, we won’t ever know, will we. Because if there was one, Annie probably already found it,” Patty’s lips formed a grim line as she slit open another bag and began sorting through the items.
~
“Roses are Red said they are interested in purchasing the vases,” Katie’s voice sang out as she swept past Patty an hour later and headed toward the basement stairwell. I’m so excited to get rid of the vases. I’m going down now and start bringing up the boxes.”
Patty stood up, “I’ll help!”
Katie held up a hand. “No, I was serious about how bad the basement is. No one else but me will go down there until I have a chance to get it all organized.”
“What’s down there?”
“A bunch of junk, but I eventually want to sell it all.”
A sparkle lit Patty’s eye. “Why don’t we call Gathe Denver. He runs an auction in town once a month. If there’s anything worthwhile, he can have it hauled over to the auction house. Then, whatever is left over, we could drag up, put on the front lawn and have a big yard sale. I’d suggest an estate sale, but those are usually held when someone dies.”
“I know. I thought about having one when the aunts died, but then I got involved with the thrift store and never had time to really decide what to do. I’ve basically just stuffed everything I wanted to get rid of in the basement. I like your idea though. Do you know Mr. Denver?”
“Sure, everyone in town knows him.” Patty slapped a hand over her mouth.
Katie knew the girl didn’t mean to be rude, but Patty found it hard to believe Katie had lived in Harbor Inn, Maine all her life and basically knew no one.
“Don’t worry. My aunts didn’t socialize, and they didn’t allow me to socialize, and when I got old enough to do it, I never tried. I’ve missed out on so much and I want to get to know more people in town. That’s part of why I chose to open this thrift store. I’ve already met a lot of women who have stopped in the shop. And I’ve ventured out a bit, walked over to the Harbor Inn Courtyard for a cup of caramel coffee. As a matter of fact, Penny, the owner of Cup N Cake, invited me to join the mystery book club she and her husband host. It’s called, The Butler Did It Mystery Book Club and it meets tonight. You could join us.”
“Sounds like fun, but I’m busy with my boyfriend, Todd tonight. We’re supposed to go out to dinner. He’s been promising to take me to the Harbor Side Inn. It’s pretty pricey, but he says he’s been saving up his money for just this occasion. I love the coffee at Cup N Cake, and Penny and her husband Kyle London are great. You know he’s a famous mystery writer?”
“No, I didn’t know.” Katie Janie’s shoulders slumped. She wondered if she’d ever get to know everything about the town and the people. Even though her aunts would have been horrified to know Katie planned to attend a mystery book club, she was going any ways.
“Yep and how Kyle and Penny ended up together is a true love story. Kyle’s grandmother owned a coffee shop on the square, Penny owned a bakery. Both of them were struggling financially, but when Kyle came to town and met Penny they fell in love and combined the two shops. That’s how it got the name Cup N Cake. Penny pretty much runs the place because Kyle spends a lot of time writing. I think he’s about to put out book number fourteen.”
Katie’s eyes opened wide. “My goodness. Have you read them all?”
Patty’s head nodded vigorously. “Sure, they’re great. I think we have at least one of his books on our shelves out front. Want me to look for it?”
“No, I’ll go look. You have your work cut out for you today. I’ve never read a mystery.”
Patty face registered surprised. “I’m sure you’ll like it. His writing style is clean, so even the aunts might not have minded!” Her joking tone brought a smile to Katie’s lips.
“Sure. I’m getting to know the signs. It’s almost as if they sometimes walk in the room and stand right behind you. I wonder if we should get a séance together here. Maybe the aunts are really hanging around.”
“I don’t think that would be a good idea.” Katie’s cheeks paled.
Patty rushed over and gave her a big hug. “I was only joking. Sorry. It wasn’t very tactful. I promise not to do that anymore.”
The color ebbed back into Katie’s face. “It’s okay.”
Patty shook her head back and forth. “I know your aunts were old fashioned and they sort of kept you house bound, but I shouldn’t joke around about them.”
Katie patted Patty’s hand. “They did leave me this mansion and a lot of money. I’m grateful to them and I feel a responsibility to their memory. But I do want to expand my horizons a bit. I’ll go look for that book.”
Before Katie left the kitchen, Patty sang out, “Want me to call Gathe today?”
Katie hesitated a moment, that flutter in her stomach resurfaced. What would the aunts say about her selling off so many of the items they cherished? But what good were they doing sitting around in the basement? In addition, the aunts would never want a man in the house.
“Hmm, yes. Set it up for him to stop by this afternoon. If I’m ever going to do it, I need to do it soon. But for now, I’m going to look for that book and then get those vases. Can you take them over to the florist on your way home tonight? I’d take them over in a taxi but I want to have enough time to get ready for the Butler Did It Mystery Book Club tonight.”
“Sure. Just pile the boxes by the back door. I’ll take them out to my car when I finish for the day.” Patty pulled a pair of dirty winter gloves out of a donation bag, wrinkled her nose, then tossed them in the garbage bag. “You sure are joining a lot of groups.”
“Yes, I’m trying to be social. I’ve joined the Red Hat Society and the Butler Did It, Mystery Book Club. I’ve also offered to work on sets at the local theater. I’m sure we will have plenty of things here they can use for props and I’m a good seamstress.”
Diary and Death Page 8
