At Wick's End - Tim Myers [10]
Millie said, “I really shouldn’t be starting rumors. You’ll find out soon enough yourself.”
I said, “Millie, I’m counting on you to keep me informed around here.”
She snapped, “And what exactly gave you the impression that I’m such a busybody?”
Oh, no, I’d put my foot in it again. “I don’t think that at all. It just seems to me that The Crocked Pot is a gathering place for everybody around here. Sorry if I offended you.”
She shook her head and laughed softly. “George, that’s my husband, says the same thing. I guess I’m a little touchy about it is all.”
“What does George do?” I asked, hoping to make her forget what I’d said.
“What doesn’t he do, I like to say. He’s a volunteer fireman, he’s a lay reader at St. Albans and he helps out at the animal shelter. Whenever he’s not volunteering, he manages to make custom furniture for the high-end marketplace.”
“Wow, when does he have time for you?”
Millie smiled. “I may have just one job, but it manages to fill my time. Don’t you worry about George and me, we do just fine.”
Millie’s gaze drifted upstairs, then returned to me. She said softly, “Harrison, I shouldn’t have said anything, but since I started it, I feel obliged to finish. If I were you I’d keep my eye on Gary Cragg. He’s up to something, but I can’t for the life of me figure out what it is. There’s one thing I can tell you, though. He and Belle had a major problem with each other lately.”
“Do you have any idea what it was about?” I asked.
She said, “I asked Belle about it last week, but she just mumbled something about sharks and wouldn’t say another word. There aren’t any in the river out there, but I’m not so sure we don’t have a couple at River’s Edge.”
“Who else should I watch out for?” I asked.
“There’s a fellow Belle just rented space to upstairs named Markum. I don’t know if that’s his first name or last, since he’s the only tenant who’s never set foot in my place.”
“What does he do?” I asked after finishing off the coffee.
“The sign on his door says, ‘Salvage and Recovery’, whatever that’s supposed to mean. If he runs a junkyard, it’s not around here. I understand he and Belle had words the other day.” She took my cup and refilled it. “Never mind, he’s probably fine. George says I have too much time on my hands between my breakfast and lunch rush hours, and I’ll never admit it to his face, but most likely he’s right.” She studied me a second, then asked, “So how are you and Eve getting along?”
“Well, she’s teaching me candlemaking basics, if that means anything.”
Millie smiled. “You can bet your life it does. Eve’s a candle fanatic. She wouldn’t teach you if she didn’t like you, Harrison. You two should be just fine.”
I could still remember the tone of her critiques of my early efforts. “If you say so.”
She flipped the towel gently at me. “Trust me on that, Harrison. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a batch of blueberry doughnuts to mix up for tomorrow morning. Want me to save you a couple?”
“That would be great. Thanks.”
“It’s all part of The Crocked Pot’s service, sir.”
I decided it would be a good time to tackle Belle’s apartment. Eve could handle At Wick’s End by herself. Truth be told, she’d most likely do better solo until I learned enough to help out in the shop. Cleaning up the mess at Belle’s place wouldn’t get any easier, and the longer I put it off, the harder it would be.
I was just about to reach the door upstairs when I heard someone moving around inside.
I didn’t even have the heavy candle to defend myself, but I charged in anyway.
It was time to find out who was breaking in, and what they wanted from Belle, once and for all.
I was startled to find Heather Bane from The New Age shop putting Belle’s clothes in a box that had once held a case of Maker’s Mark whiskey.
I said, “What are you doing in here?”
She looked startled by my sudden appearance. Perhaps even a little guilty.
“I heard about the break-in, and I couldn’t bear the thought of you tackling this mess by yourself, not with what you’ve been through.”
“That was