Kiki Lowenstein Books 1-3 & Cara Mia Delgatto Books 1-3: The Perfect Series for Crafters, Pet Lovers, and Readers Who Like Upbeat Books!

by Joanna Campbell Slan

  With a shaking hand, MJ wiped her eyes. I took the opportunity to grab her fingers and twine mine through hers.

  “Last night Tommy told me that we reminded him of the Three Musketeers. I think he’s absolutely spot on. I know this won’t be easy, and I understand you’re devastated. You have every right to be. Or a left to be, under the circumstances. But we’re here for you. You’re going to get through this.”

  “I’d been wanting a boob lift anyway,” she said with a long sigh. “At least insurance will pay for half the job, right?”

  “Right,” said Skye. “Group hug.”

  “All for one and one for all.”

  50

  The three of us went to lunch at Berry Fresh Café. I had my second stack of pancakes of the day. This time I indulged in lemon ricotta pancakes, MJ had French toast with Nutella, and Skye had C’est Si Bon Hash, with asparagus, pickled beets, spinach and goat cheese on a bed of potatoes and covered with scrambled eggs. She took a pass on the Hollandaise sauce as a topping.

  Skye told MJ about Lou’s reaction to the news that she was pregnant.

  To our shock, MJ answered with a shrug. “He’s a guy. They always react that way. It’s in their nature. No, honestly, it’s true. They’ve been conditioned by other guys to think the woman is pulling one over on them. Give him time. He loves you. Worships you. But he’s scared. You are too, but he’s facing a theoretical change, fatherhood, and you have tangible evidence of change with your body’s reactions.”

  I wondered how much of this was directly from personal experience, but I didn’t have the emotional energy to ask. Fortunately, MJ took the conversation and steered it.

  “How are you doing, Cara? I heard you blew the lid off that smuggling ring last night. It was all over the news this morning. How badly is your arm broken?”

  “Could have been a lot worse. It’s just cracked. I need help getting dressed, of course. Skye volunteered to move in with me short term.” I didn’t want this to blindside MJ. If she heard about it second hand, she might feel left out.

  “Makes sense for both of you.”

  “But remember, I have a pull-out sleeper sofa in my living room. If you want, you can come and stay over, too,” I said.

  “Maybe. But I think my six cats would miss me. Still, they can get along without me for a couple of days, so if I start feeling blue or—”

  “After your surgery.”

  “After my surgery, I’ll definitely take you up on that.” She paused with a spoon in her hand. As it dripped coffee onto her placemat, the liquid in her cup swirled in a circle. “You really mean it, don’t you?”

  “Mean what?”

  “That we’re in this together.”

  “Of course I mean it. I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t. Look, you two have been my family since I moved here. Without you, I couldn’t run the store. Yes, Honora and Sid are included, but they’re on different trajectories. Honora has EveLynn. Sid is growing up, and eventually he’ll probably move on. Poppy is, and will always be, my grandfather, but I can’t see sharing details of my life with him. That’s not the relationship I have, or that I want to have, with him.”

  “But he needs you, just like we do. Maybe more. They won’t be using him at the new Fill Up and Go, will they? That’s so unfair. Totally wrong. Right now, he’s a big help to Sid, but that won’t last forever. If Dick doesn’t have a reason to get up in the morning, he’ll lay down and die. He won’t take care of himself. We’ve seen him spiral down in the past,” Skye said.

  I’d been chewing on a piece of parsley I’d swiped from the edge of Skye’s plate. “That’s true. I’ve been worried about it.”

  “I appreciate the fact you’ll let me work full time at the store. I’ll need to.”

  “Why?” asked MJ. “I bet you’ll double your tips at Pumpernickel’s when you start showing.”

  That led to a heated discussion about the legalities of the manager at Pumpernickel’s firing a pregnant employee. Finally I said, “To tackle that, we need an attorney’s advice. However, even if Skye has a case, this won’t get solved quickly. So we need a Plan B, even though we’re agreed that the jerk at Pumpernickel’s is a total loser.”

  “Cara’s right. I don’t know whether I can fight this or not, but even if I can, he’s not going to roll over and give up fast. If we can come up with enough work for me to do at The Treasure Chest, that would be ideal. But I won’t be helpful to the business if I don’t have items to get gussied up for the sales floor. That’s the special value I bring to the table. We need more raw materials, and we need them prepped for me to work on.”

  “Why not hire Dick to do the prep work?” asked MJ. “He’s already doing some of it. What if you brought him on full time? He can strip the varnish, re-glue pieces, take off the hardware, sand surfaces, put down the initial coat of primer—and leave the finishing touches to you, Skye.”

  Skye sipped her tea and nodded in agreement. “That certainly would maximize our talents and time. But where would Poppy do all this? We don’t have enough space as it is.”

  “She’s right,” MJ said.

  “I know.” I signaled the waitress, and she set the folio in front of me along with a pen. It was hot pink, lime, and orange. That reminded me of Lilly Pulitzer. And that reminded me of Danielle. And that made me realize—

  “Danielle’s store.”

  “Right.” MJ agreed with a hand slap to the table. “It’ll be empty won’t it? I mean, I assume her family won’t take over the business. That was a pretty specialized undertaking.”

  “And Claudia’s flown the coop,” said Skye. “She won’t be coming back.”

  “Then that’s the plan. I’ll ask around and find out who she was renting from. I’ll see if I can take over her space. Poppy can use it as a workshop, if he’s willing. He can prep pieces. Skye can do the finishing work.”

  “And I can sell them,” said MJ. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before. I’d been asking Essie Feldman to find us a warehouse space for years and years. Right up until she died. But I’d put that notion aside when you took over. I guess I didn’t worry about it, because at first we didn’t sell as much furniture as we do now.”

  “It doesn’t matter.” I smiled at my friends. “What’s really important is that we’ve brainstormed the challenges ahead and figured out a way forward. Sure, it’s a business problem, but point being, we all contributed, and now we’ll all benefit. And that’s how it’s going to be. The three of us. I know you have my back, and I won’t let either of you down.”

  51

  Two days later, we’d settled into a new normal. I was learning to work around the problems with my arm, thanks in part to Skye. She’d moved in, camping out on an inflatable mattress in the upstairs room, the one that had once been an artist’s studio. Tommy was enjoying his break, sleeping a lot and playing video games. Sid and Poppy had found a comfortable rhythm. In many ways, they suited each other well as housemates. I suggested that Sid take more time off from work. That way he could heal, and Tommy had a friend his own age to pal around with.

  In a surprise move, Dom gave our son a ticket to St. Louis, supposedly so Tommy could visit with his old friends. This was Dom’s way of hurting me. What college freshman would rather hang around with his mom than chill with his pals? There was a hunger in me to mother my boy, to cook for him, and simply bask in his presence. But Dom was nothing if not cruel, and I couldn’t—wouldn’t—make Tommy feel bad about flying up to St. Louis. So I kept my mouth shut even though that was really hard.

  After talking to Doug up in St. Louis, I paid a visit to the Stuart Police Department and made a statement to Detective Ollie Anderson regarding what had happened regarding the funds being moved out of my business account.

  “Sid’s computer went missing for a few days. His stepmother, Amberlee, came and claimed it at the hospital. She has to be involved in the ACH transfer.” I wanted to go into a rant about how Amberlee didn’t really care about
the boy, but Ollie was already aware of the situation.

  “I’ll see what I can track down. Do you know of anyone who would want to do this? Steal from you and hurt your business?” he asked as he brushed a crumb from his tie. To sweeten my visit, I’d brought biscotti. Food is the universal currency of goodwill.

  Of course my sister popped into my head instantly, but that didn’t make a bit of sense.

  “I can’t think of anyone specifically.” I cleared my throat. “Amberlee has to be behind all this. I don’t think she harbors any grudges against me. If she does, that’s a surprise. Maybe she’s not happy that I’ve taken such an interest in Sid. For some reason, she has a real hatred for that boy. I guess because her late husband loved his son.”

  “Some people are hard to figure. When it comes to kids, people can have pretty messed up notions.”

  I wondered if he was talking about Amberlee or about Lou. The big cop still hadn’t apologized to Skye. I’d expected to see a bouquet of roses and a penitent man show up at the back door of The Treasure Chest, but so far, nada. That made me wonder if all of us had gotten him wrong. Since Ollie and I were alone in the interview room, I figured I’d take advantage of the privacy.

  “Ollie, what’s up with Lou? You know about Skye being pregnant, right? Why would he act like such an idiot?”

  Ollie used two thick fingers to smooth down his tie. After repeating the gesture several times, he realized the bunched up fabric was hopelessly scrunched. Next he drummed his fingers on the table. I waited. I had all day. Maybe he did, too.

  “I wish I knew. He loves her. Right now, he’s totally miserable. Captain Davidson raked him over the coals for acting so weird lately. Have you seen him? Lou’s walking around like a zombie. Or worse. He can’t be sleeping. He bit off the dispatcher’s head about something petty. I tried to talk to him, but he tuned me out.”

  “He doesn’t seriously think she was cheating on him, does he?”

  Ollie rolled his eyes. “Who knows what’s bubbling in that thick brain of his. Of course, it’s his kid. Honest to Pete, you’d think he’d be the happiest guy on earth. He’s been head over heels in love with Skye ever since he first saw her. Visited her for a long time while she was in jail. She’s the only girl for Lou, and that’s the truth.”

  We sat silently studying the table top and thinking our separate thoughts.

  “I’ll see what I can find out,” said Ollie.

  I didn’t know if he was talking about the unauthorized withdrawal of money from my business account or about Lou’s messed up mental processes.

  And I decided not to ask.

  As I pulled up to the airport in West Palm, Tommy leaned over and gave me a kiss. He said, “Mom, are you ever planning to have a home again? I miss the way you used to decorate. I know you’re busy at the store, but still…”

  “You miss our house? Up in Missouri?”

  “Yeah. No. Sort of. I miss it because you loved it. You made it comfortable. I won’t ask Dad to drive me past it when I’m up there, but I kinda wish this place was like that, too. I teased you about the pillows everywhere back when we lived in St. Louis, and the way you had everything arranged, but I liked it. My friends did, too.”

  That struck a chord in my heart. It never occurred to me that my son actually cared about such minor details. Then again, maybe they weren’t minor details. Tommy had picked up on the love I’d poured into our house. Although I adored Seaspray, I had just moved in. Even at the old apartment, I had lived like a squatter does.

  And Tommy had noticed.

  “I’ll see what I can do, honey,” I’d said as I reached up to give him a hug. With a quick smile, he jumped out of the car and headed for the sliding doors into the terminal.

  Pulling away, I held back the tears until the exit ramp dumped me onto 95. At the next exit, I pulled off, found a gas station, and gave myself over to tears. The attendant rapped on my window, asking if I was okay. “Fine. Dropped my son off at the airport. Hard.”

  “Sure is. But birdies got to fly, right?”

  “Right,” I said, and I moved the car out of Park and into Drive.

  Back at Seaspray, I did a slow tour of the place, taking in my empty house. Essentially I had a blank canvas. The renters before me had banged up the walls and left the floor scuzzy. The outside needed a coat of paint. The screens over the vents in the eaves had rotted out. As a consequence, rats had taken up residence in the attic. A pest control company had made short work of them. But to move in, I’d had to scrub the place thoroughly and spackle the walls. Next came a coat of neutral paint. Since my outdoor environment was so blessedly colorful, I liked the idea of a neutral interior that opened my eyes to the glorious views around the house. I could do anything I wanted with this place. Where to start?

  Jack cocked his ears at the sound of a car on the gravel. He barked like a wild thing. I hadn’t heard the black Escalade pull up, but I recognized the car and its owner, Cooper. In one hand he loosely held a leash. Gerard, the Bahamian Potcake dog, strained to sniff at me and wag his tail at Jack.

  “Hi.” I ushered them inside. “What brings you two here?”

  Gerard ran right past me and helped himself to Jack’s toys.

  “Stop! No!” Cooper lunged to grab a chew treat. Jack barked at the big dog. Gerard was eager to play, and the two of them chased each other in circles.

  “It’s okay about the chewie. Jack won’t miss it. Come here, Gerard. How are you, buddy?” I patted Gerard as he looked up at me with pleading eyes. He seemed relieved that I wasn’t going to yank the chewie out of his mouth. When I sank down onto my sofa, he jumped up and snuggled next to me.

  “Bad dog,” said Cooper, as he struggled to drag the yellow creature onto the floor.

  “No. It’s okay. Everything here can be washed.” I grabbed the other side of Gerard’s collar. That left Cooper and me performing an odd tug-of-war with the dog in the middle.

  Throwing up his hands, Cooper pulled up one of the two plastic chairs I’d added for the comfort of my guests. “You sure you don’t mind?”

  “Absolutely. I’m a big believer in dog-friendly décor. Can I get you anything? Water? Iced tea? Hibiscus tea? What brings you here? News about the Fill Up and Go station?” I figured it was best to take the lead in the conversation. At best, I felt awkward. At worst, his presence always rattled me.

  “That and other things. They definitely won’t budge when it comes to hiring Dick.” Cooper rubbed his jaw. The motion caused his jet black hair to sway. He was an incredibly handsome man, partially because of his Native American blood.

  “Okay.” I couldn’t think of a more suitable response. I didn’t want to let him off the hook. He’d promised me that Poppy had a job—and he’d promised as much to Poppy before I’d become involved. Why was it that every time I met with Cooper, I wound up feeling let down?

  Momentarily I considered bringing up what happened at Caliente.

  Then I decided, Why bother?

  “I dropped by because I think I have a partial solution. Or at least an idea that might work. I have a garage where we keep construction equipment. With a little work, it could be transformed into a space your grandfather could use. I’ve already contracted with a company that’ll add a lift. We’ve installed shop lights. The zoning is fine. I’ve added extra electrical sockets for any power tools he’ll need.”

  “And the rent?”

  “It’s free. I’d hope he’d reduce the amount he charges me to fix my vehicles, but that’s entirely up to him. I told him that he’d have a job as a mechanic, and I’m trying to make good on my word.”

  “Have you talked to him?”

  “No. I came to you first. I might not have enough time to talk to him and you both. I dropped off an envelope at your store. Inside are details, like the name of the company installing the lift, and so on. There’s also a form explaining that Dick has the rights to one-third of the space, rent-free, as long as he wishes. I’ll even continue to pay the ut
ilities.”

  That part about “might not have enough time” raised my curiosity, but I decided not to make life easy for Cooper. Instead of suggesting that he explain himself, I waited.

  “Okay,” Cooper got to his feet. “That’s basically it.”

  “Basically it,” I repeated.

  “Except for one more thing. I never meant to hurt you. I’ll always love you.” His eyes were direct and his voice broke. Obviously, he was sincere. But the endearment came out of the blue. I wasn’t sure what to make of it.

  “What’s this all about, Cooper? You aren’t planning to do something rash, are you? Like committing suicide?”

  He scoffed. “Not hardly. Certainly not rash. I’ve been working this through for months. After I drop off Gerard at the pound, I’m turning myself in. You were right. I’ve been involved in bid-rigging. There’s no doubt I’ll lose my license as an architect. After the dust settles, I’ll probably be able to eke out a living doing construction. At least I hope I will. I don’t know whether I’ll have to serve any prison time.”

  My mouth went suddenly dry. How odd it is that we want to be right, but then when we are, we often discover that being wrong would be so much better. I’d guessed at Cooper’s crime, and I had a hunch it was the hold my sister had over him, but in the bald light of day, my sleuthing wasn’t much of a comfort. While a part of me felt sorry for him, another part decided he was a total fool. How on earth had he gotten involved in something so crooked? And why had he figured he could get away with it?

  We stared at each other for a long, long time.

  “I’m not the guy you thought I was. I really, really screwed up. So it’s time to pay the piper.”

  “What about my sister?”

  His laugh was hollow. “She will probably dump me faster than you can say, ‘Keep the ring.’ I won’t have any more value to her, and she won’t have anything more to hold over my head. So we’ll both walk away. At least, that’s what I imagine. It wasn’t like she loved me for myself. I was a trophy, and a valuable one because I represented her getting the better of you. Besides, she’ll have her hands full. The little plot she hatched with Amberlee to rob you of your money backfired.”