Snuffed Out - Tim Myers [35]
What had I done by letting Sanora come to River’s Edge?
“We’ll talk soon,” Millie said, and I went back to At Wick’s End to wait on her. I was more interested in the conversation than the lunch, but I wouldn’t turn down either one. It looked like things were changing yet again at River’s Edge, and not for the better.
Chapter 9
“I don’t think it’s as dire as you believe, Harrison,” Millie told me as I finished the last of my sandwich an hour later. “There’s hope yet.”
For once I was happy the foot traffic in At Wick’s End was light. I needed to eat, and just as important, I had to talk to Millie. Pearly may have been the one who kept me up to date on the physical aspects of River’s Edge, but Millie knew the complex’s heart.
“How can you say that?” I asked. “She fired Mrs. Quimby and put a moving-sale sign up in her window. It can’t get much darker than that.”
“I spoke with Vera at length, and she said Heather was still unsure about what she was going to do.”
“Who’s Vera?” I asked.
“You know, Mrs. Quimby.”
“Vera is Mrs. Quimby’s first name?” I asked as I finished off my sweet tea.
“Why yes. Why does that surprise you?”
“I just never thought about it before. She’s been ‘Mrs. Quimby’ since I first met her. I never really thought about her having a first name.”
“I think Vera’s a perfectly lovely name. Now let’s get back to Heather. Are you adamant about keeping Sanora at River’s Edge, or is there any chance you’ll change your mind?”
I stood, wadded the wrapping paper from my lunch, and threw it into the trashcan. “We signed a lease, but it only runs until the end of next month.”
Millie started to say something, but I quickly added, “Her renewal is not going to depend on Heather, as much as I’d like her to stay. Millie, I’m not being hardnosed about this, but Belle left River’s Edge to me, not the entire tenants association. I have to do what I think is best. Would I have liked to have known about all this before I agreed to let Sanora reopen the pottery shop? Absolutely. But Cragg never hinted at it as he was twisting my arm. Why isn’t anyone mad at him?”
“Gary is what he has always been. I’m sure he tried to finesse his playmates in preschool, and he’s not about to change.”
“So Heather’s leaving if Sanora stays. I don’t want that to happen, and I’ll do whatever I can to prevent it, short of evicting Sanora.”
“So we’re at a standoff, is that it?”
“My hands are tied,” I said. “If I had a chance to talk to her, I might be able to change her mind.”
“I wouldn’t mind speaking with her myself, but Vera told me Heather was leaving town for a few weeks. She’s got a friend in Charlotte she’s going to be staying with.”
“Well, that’s a good sign, at least.”
“What do you mean?”
I said, “Think about it. If she’s not in town and Mrs. Quimby is working for you, Heather can’t start selling off her stock.”
“I suppose.”
The bell above my door chimed and I saw Mrs. Simms walk in. I told Millie, “I’d love to help, but I’ve got to keep my eyes on this woman. She steals for the fun of it, but I haven’t been able to catch her with the goods yet.”
“I’ll leave you to it.”
Millie gave Mrs. Simms a wide berth as she left the store, and I approached the woman as if she was my best customer. I’d come up with a plan for her next visit after watching her walk off with a pricey candle during her last trip to the store, but I couldn’t prove it.
“Mrs. Simms, how are you today?”
“Fine, fine,” she muttered, and I could smell the liquor on her breath. It was hard to tell how long she’d been at it, but I imagined it had started well before lunch.
“So what can I help you with today?”
She looked around, then said, “I’m just browsing. Go ahead, do whatever you need to do.”
“Nonsense, my first priority is each and every customer. Now we have some specials today. Let me show you.” I took her arm and dragged her from spot to spot, making up odd specials that would have driven Eve insane if she’d been there to hear them.
Mrs. Simms was obviously uncomfortable