Old World Murder - Kathleen Ernst [110]
“Yes.”
“I may be able to salvage the storage facility donation. Completing the preliminary plan will remain your primary responsibility. Is that understood?”
“Yes.”
He stared at her, mouth pressed in a hard line. Was he waiting for her to leave? She rubbed her palms on her knees, then stood.
“One more thing.” Ralph pinned her with a look of naked dislike. “If you ever again belittle me in front of other staff members, not only will I fire you on the spot, I will do everything in my power to make sure you never work in the museum world again.”
“I was out of line,” Chloe said. “It won’t happen again.”
____
An hour later, Chloe unlocked the door of the little cobblestone cottage in the Crossroads Village, formerly believed to be the dwelling and shop of a Swiss carpenter named Aldrick Tobler. She held her breath, eased the door open, stepped inside … and smiled. No more bad ju-ju.
It didn’t take long to pack up the tools the freelance curator had left. “It’s just a start,” she said, to whomever might be listening. “I’ll get the rest later.” She look around, imagining the cottage as it might one day be. “And oo-la-la, am I going to have fun furnishing this building.”
Chloe locked the cottage up again and considered the rest of her day. Astonishingly enough, it would be spent doing her job at Old World Wisconsin. Ralph’s precious collections storage project? It could wait one more day. She just wasn’t in the mood.
As she stood debating, she noticed a light glowing from the window wells at St. Peter’s Church. Surely Nika hadn’t come to work …?
Nika had. Chloe found her at the table in the church basement, sorting a pile of socks and stockings. She wore a purple silk blouse and sleek black pants. A purple band captured her braids behind her neck, and amethyst earrings dangled against her neck. Nika looked as classy and controlled as ever—until she glanced up. Grief and shock and anger showed beneath a glimmer of tears in her eyes.
Chloe stifled the urge to hug the younger woman, sensing it wouldn’t be welcome. “Hey,” she said instead.
“Hey.” Nika carefully placed a hand-knit and well-darned woman’s sock into a gray archival box.
“Nika. You don’t have to be here right now.”
Nika reached for another sock with a suddenly trembling hand. “Are you firing me?”
“No! But surely … I mean, some time off might be a good idea—”
“I don’t want time off. Where do you expect me to go? I have nothing left but this job.”
Chloe sighed. “I am so, so sorry.”
Nika took a deep breath. “I need to talk to you.”
“OK.” Chloe removed a storage box from a folding chair and sat down.
“I saw Joel after he got out of jail. He told me about the gambling. And that he bought a gun after my tires got slashed.”
Chloe opened her mouth, then thought better of speaking.
“Joel also told me about that woman. Berget Lundquist. My great aunt. You know about that?”
“Yes. I swear, Nika, I had no idea.” An ache was growing beneath Chloe’s ribs. “I just can’t believe … she seemed so sweet.”
Nika gave a contemptuous flick of her hand. “That woman doesn’t matter.”
“How can you say that? Her neighbor told me she said she was open-minded for marrying a Swede. I thought she’d been joking.”
“Do you think she was the first person to judge me because of my skin?” Nika asked harshly. “I knew my grandfather’s family had disowned him. I just didn’t know their names.”
“But Joel figured it out.”
“He was very protective.” Nika’s voice trembled. “He wanted to take care of me.”
“I know,” Chloe said. “I do know that.”
“But he fucked up.” Nika clenched her fists in her lap. “Last Thursday, he kept saying that the ale bowl was my birthright. That I’d been cheated out of my family name and I should at least have the bowl. God!” Nika stood abruptly and began to pace in the short aisle. “As if I would have consented to theft!”
“He adored you. Sometimes people act stupid when they’re in love.”
Nika was silent for a moment, letting that in. “I didn’t know, Chloe. That’s all I can say.”
“I believe you.” Chloe sighed,