Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 97032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Kelly laughed. “You know Danny too well to expect him to be with me. I managed to get away on my own, though I got here later than I wanted to and didn’t have as much time as I would have liked to peruse the previewed items. But Kate told me she’d look out for anything I might be interested in since she’s familiar with my style of décor for the garden center and my house. Are you going to be here tomorrow for the auction?”
“I wouldn’t miss it. There are some items I hope to get.”
“Me too,” Kate chimed in.
“Me three,” Amy said, and we were all soon lost in sharing what items we wanted.
When Amy and I got time alone, Ian and Beau not lacking for female companionship. I asked her about the older gentleman.
“You’re right. He’s the one Winifred told me I had to speak with to see about getting the items that belong to the Willow Lake Historical Society. At first, Mr. Abrams insisted a more thorough investigation would have to be made before any items were given to the historical society. Once I produced the receipts showing that Waters had purchased them for the historical society and had received a discount, he began to change his mind.”
“What did you do that sweetened the deal for him?” I asked.
Amy smiled. “I explained that a book about the Willow Mansion was in the works and the story of how we found the pieces and how with the help of Mr. Abrams we were able to acquire them without a problem certainly would prove beneficial for him.”
“And if he didn’t help, the opposite certainly wouldn’t prove beneficial for him.”
Amy grinned. “Exactly, which is why we’ll be picking the pieces up in a couple of days. And there are quite a few of them.”
“You earned the presidency of the Willow Lake Historical Society,” I said and shook my head when she went to protest. “You are perfect for the position. You earned it. You deserve it. You know what you’re doing when it comes to it, and I don’t.”
Amy smiled. “I appreciate that, Pepper, I really do, and I would love to have a seat on the board where I would be far more useful to you. Beau and I have so many ideas for the historical society, and I would rather be implementing those ideas than being president.”
“Amy’s right,” Beau said and took Amy in his arms giving her a hug. “She’s a whiz at overseeing committees and getting the work done. Whereas you’ll slip into your Aunt Effie’s leadership shoes seamlessly.”
“It would be what Aunt Effie would have wanted,” Amy said.
“As long as we’re in this together,” I said, thinking my aunt seemed to get her way even in death.
With that settled, I looked around for Ian and saw that the crowd had dwindled to only a few lingering people, Kelly and Kate having left after talking with Amy and me. I spotted him talking to Winifred Dickens who looked upset.
“There is a good chance she is going to lose her job,” Beau said.
“Because of the dessert disaster?” I asked, feeling guilty.
“No. Mr. Abrams hadn’t heard about that. It’s due to the pieces the auction is losing to the historical society. He claims it is her fault, and she claims it’s his fault. Someone needs to be blamed and it’s my guess the lesser important employee will take the fall,” Beau said.
“Winifred Dickens,” I said as if the guillotine had just fallen on her head.
CHAPTER 24
Ian and I leisurely enjoyed a second cup of tea the next morning, neither of us working since we planned on going to the auction in about two hours.
“That’s quite a list you have there, Pep,” Ian said, teasingly with a nod to the paper in my hand.
“Some of the items are just wishful thinking. There are only a handful I’m hoping to snag. What about you? I see that one at the top of your list. A pocket spyglass, pirate monocular, circa France 1900-1950s. A bit pricey, somewhere between two to three hundred dollars,” I said, we both having spent time on the Internet last night to get an idea of what the pieces we were interested in might go for.
“My da collects them and I’d love to get it for him for Christmas.”
“Then we definitely have to snag that one,” I said, glancing at the door.
“Why don’t you just call your dad,” Ian said.
“You read my mind way too easily.”
“It’s not that hard when your dad usually stops by for coffee at least three days out of the week.”
“I never realized how much I would miss him not stopping by or talking with him nearly every day, sharing opinions on some of his more interesting cases. And he has never not answered my calls.”