Snuffed Out - Tim Myers [34]
“Not off that. It probably wasn’t even planned. Some kids were probably up to mischief and it was Sanora’s unlucky night.”
“There was just one person there. Pearly and I saw him. Or her, we really couldn’t be certain.”
“I guess I won’t be calling on you as a witness,” he said. “Listen, there’s nothing I can do here. Sorry, but I don’t have a thing to go on, and I’m trying to hold down the fort until some of my people get back.” He coughed a few times. “Blast it all, I think I’m coming down with it myself. Just what I need, a case of the crud when everything’s falling down around my ears.”
“You’d better take care of yourself. Why don’t you see if Millie has any chicken soup? It’s got to help.”
“It didn’t do the chickens much good, did it?” He coughed again, then added, “I’ve got to go.”
“Hope you feel better,” I called out as he headed for his squad car, but I couldn’t be sure he’d even heard me. It looked like a great time to commit a crime in Micah’s Ridge, with half the force down with the flu. I just hoped the criminals didn’t catch wind of it.
Eve was talking on the telephone when I walked back into At Wick’s End, and from the sound of it, things weren’t going all that well. There were no customers in the shop, so I kept myself busy straightening shelves until she got off.
“Is everything all right?” I asked. Her face was a frozen mask.
“It’s just wonderful,” she said, the words dripping with sarcasm.
“Listen, I’m not trying to pry, but if you need someone to talk to, I’m right here.” 1
She started to say something, then bit it back. Her expression did ease somewhat when she said, “I’ll be fine. At least it’s not a mistake I have to keep paying for. It’s over.”
Now what in the world could I say to that? “Anyway, I’m here if you need me.”
She nodded. “I know, but it’s nothing I care to discuss. I know it’s early, but if you don’t mind, I’d like to take my lunch.” She blew out a gust of air, then said plaintively, “Truthfully, I’d rather not work today. Do you mind if I take a vacation day?”
“Go ahead, I’ve got things covered here.”
As Eve grabbed her jacket from our shared office, she said, “You don’t have to tell me that. You’ve been working so hard since you came, you’re ready to handle it all.”
“Come on, I figure there’s a lot more you can teach me.”
She sighed, then said, “Perhaps, but I doubt it. Good-bye, Harrison.”
“See you tomorrow,” I called out, but she just waved as the door closed behind her.
I surely hoped I would see her tomorrow. I hadn’t been in the candlemaking business all that long, and I certainly wasn’t ready to run At Wick’s End without Eve. Could I muddle along with it if she left? Most likely, but it wouldn’t be easy. Hopefully the day off was all she needed, but with Eve, I couldn’t be entirely sure.
I should have packed my lunch, but then I hadn’t known earlier that Eve was going to bail out on me. There was only one thing I could do as my stomach rumbled. I scrawled out a sign that said, back in 5 minutes, taped it to the door and jogged down to Millie’s for a quick bite.
There was a line of customers, including Sanora and Tick standing close together. Tick called me over. “Harrison, care to join us?”
“I’d love to, but I’m watching the shop by myself. I’ll come back later.”
Millie spotted me and said, “Harrison, come here a second.”
I walked to the counter, nodding my apologies to the folks in line. “I can wait.”
“I’m not worried about your lunch, I’ll send something down a little later. I want to talk to you about Heather’s sign.” She’d said the last in a near-whisper as she worked at filling orders, no doubt trying to keep the news from Sanora.
I stopped her. “We can talk about it when you bring me something later.”
She frowned a moment, then agreed. “I won’t be long, Mrs. Quimby is helping me out.”
“When did you hire her?” I asked.
“The second I found out Heather let her go. I’ve known her for years, and honestly, I can use the help.”
“It sounds serious, doesn’t it?” I asked. Mrs. Quimby was devoted to Heather and Esmeralda. If Heather had actually fired her