Snuffed Out - Tim Myers [21]
“You let that woman back into our lives.”
“What woman? Erin?” Now what was she talking about?
“Sanora, you nit! I can’t believe she’s here. You’ve got to throw her out, Harrison. Tear up the check, give her a refund, I don’t care what it takes, but she’s got to go.”
“Take it easy, Heather. I don’t know what all the fuss is about. She said she was a tenant here with Aaron from the very start.”
“Before me, is that what you’re saying? Did you happen to ask her why she left?”
“I assumed it was because of the divorce,” I said. “Listen, can we discuss this over a cup of coffee?”
“I’ve had mine, thank you very much. You assumed wrong. Belle threw her out. She told Aaron that either Sanora went alone, or they both did. What do you think about that?”
“It’s hard for me to believe Belle would do something like that. What happened?”
Heather said, “I don’t know exactly. Belle said it would be unladylike of her to discuss it, but she was mad enough to spit. Now are you going to throw her out or not?”
“It’s not that easy, even if I wanted to,” I admitted. “Cragg drew up a new lease for her last night, and we both signed it with him acting as a witness.”
Heather headed for the steps. “So she’s here for good. I’m leaving then. I’ll be out by the end of the month.”
“Wait a second.” I tried to explain that Sanora’s lease only ran another two months, but Heather didn’t give me the chance.
Now what had I gotten myself into?
I grabbed my clothes and headed downstairs. My regular coffee wasn’t going to be enough to get me jump-started this morning; it was going to take some of Millie’s special brew.
Instead of her usual warm greeting though, she faced me with a grim look as I approached the counter of The Crocked Pot.
“Good morning,” I said. “I need something strong.”
She slid a piece of paper across the counter without explanation.
“What’s this,” I asked.
“I think you should settle your bill before you order anything else.”
It was a substantial amount, but I didn’t doubt the total. I’d gotten lazy, taking many breakfasts and lunches at Millie’s counter. It was a great deal easier than going out someplace, and I wasn’t all that fond of eating alone up in my apartment. Still, it looked like I was going to have to make more of an effort, with the total now staring at me.
“I’m good for it,” I said.
“Sorry, cash only until the bill’s settled, landlord or not. And before you get any cute ideas about my lease, I just renewed it.”
So that was what this was all about. I sat down hard on the stool and said, “I gather you’re not pleased about Sanora coming back either.”
“Harrison, how could you? She’s already been thrown out once, and now you’ve let her back in.”
“First of all, I didn’t know she’d been thrown out. And second, her lease is only for two months. She’s here on a trial basis. Would you mind telling me what she did that was so wrong?”
Millie eased her scowl for a moment. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t take it out on you, you didn’t know. Heather came by, and she got me worked up all over again.”
“So what happened?”
Millie said, “Coffee first, then we’ll talk.”
She poured me a mug of steaming coffee, and I took it gratefully. After a sip, I slid the bill back to her. “Here, put it on my tab. I left my wallet upstairs.”
She laughed. “This one’s on me.” She tried to reach for the bill, but I snapped it up first. “I’m going to pay this tomorrow, as soon as Ann Marie brings me my check.”
“There’s no hurry,” she said.
“I don’t like having outstanding bills, Millie. I’m happy to settle it. Now tell me about Sanora.”
“Well, you know me, I hate the spread of idle gossip, but there was money missing from a few tills, and someone saw Sanora coming out of shops she didn’t have any business being in.”
“So she was accused of stealing. What did the police say?”
“There was no evidence,” she admitted reluctantly. “But Gertie Braun swore up and down she was ninety-eight dollars short the day she saw Sanora slip out of her shop. She had the space