LITMIR.BIZ

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to divert your attention from what was really happening. She shook her head. Maybe she was too cynical for her own good. Maybe Constance’s life was perfect, and maybe Kelly just made her an even more happy woman.

      When Kelly arrived back at the boutique, she immediately started making lunch. Thanks to her unexpectedly busy morning, she’d worked up an appetite, so she didn’t notice the note on her desk right away. A name, address, and a key. Nothing else.

      The swinging door to the staff room, aka kitchen, office and storage area, swung open and Pepper appeared. In her sixties, she’d been working at the boutique for twenty years. Side-by-side with Kelly’s granny, she’d weathered the bad times and celebrated the good times. Retail was like that—unpredictable waves, nearly impossible to forecast no matter how good your spreadsheet was. Her shoulder-length blond hair was styled sleek and, in her hands, she held her reading glasses.

      “Did you get the reward?” Pepper looked expectantly at Kelly. She knew an infusion of five thousand dollars would be a godsend to their struggling boutique.

      Kelly shook her head and Pepper’s excited look faded. “What happened?”

      “Constance Lane was unavailable.” Kelly couldn’t help but add a bit of haughtiness to her voice. “Her housekeeper, Greta Upton, took my information and said her boss would contact me.”

      “Oh.” Pepper walked to the counter and filled a coffee cup. She was deflated and disappointed.

      The silence that fell between them agitated Kelly. Maybe she should have insisted on the money before leaving. No, that would have been tacky. Constance was a prominent member of Lucky Cove, and she’d make good on her promise of the reward.

      “Whose address is this?” Kelly gestured to the note on her desk.

      “That’s where you’ll find inventory for the shop, sorry, boutique.” Pepper added cream to her coffee.

      “A consignment client? Great!” Kelly joined Pepper at the small counter. When her granny purchased the building, this room had been the original kitchen. But after her husband passed away, Martha Blake turned the first floor into a consignment shop and the upstairs into an apartment. As a young widow, she had to earn an income yet be able to stay home and raise her children. The retail store was a good fit for her.

      “His name is Alan Hart.” Pepper leaned against the counter and sipped her coffee. “He purchased a piece of property to develop, but it has a farmhouse he’s going to tear down. The house came with a lot of personal items such as clothes and fashion jewelry left by the previous owner. She was an older woman who passed away a few months ago.”

      “He’s a developer?” Kelly checked on her cheese and tomato panini. When she moved back to her hometown, she gave up conveniences she took for granted in the city, like fancy coffee drinks and over-priced sandwiches. Now she couldn’t afford such indulgences. Her little nest egg was dwindling fast. Being saddled with an under-performing business and an old house, she was struggling to cover just the bare necessities.

      “He’s nothing like your uncle.” Pepper laughed. “He’s a nice man. Been buying and selling properties all along the island for years.” She settled at the round table where they ate lunch and had staff meetings. She leaned forward and studied the Lucky Cove Weekly. “I still can’t believe you found this dog.”

      “Neither can I. Looks like it was a good idea to choose the cemetery to photograph the outfits.” Kelly slipped her sandwich from the countertop grill to a plate and poured a cup of coffee.

      Pepper grumped. She’d admit no such thing.

      “I guess all we can do is wait for Constance to contact me.” Kelly grabbed her plate and cup and then joined her employee at the table. She still hadn’t gotten used to having someone working for her or having to be financially responsible for someone else. Up until she was handed the keys to the building by her granny’s attorney, Kelly hadn’t been in charge of a staff.

      She had only worked her way up to assistant fashion buyer. Having someone report to her rather than the other way around still blew her mind.

      “Where do people get this kind of money to throw around?” Pepper asked after her attention returned to the article.

      “I doubt Cassandra sees it as throwing away money. She obviously loves her dog.”

      Pepper snorted. “Gotta be true love then. Heck, I wouldn’t offer that kind of money if Clive went missing.”

      “He would never run off. He’s a good husband.”

      “A gal can dream, can’t she?” Pepper looked up and winked.

      “You would offer a reward for Gabe if he ever disappeared.” Kelly took a bite of her panini. She was getting better at cooking, but it wasn’t anywhere near as delicious as the restaurant she ordered from in the city.

      “Darn tootin’ I would. He’s my boy.” Motherly pride for her police officer son filled her voice.

      “That’s probably how Constance feels about Billy. He is charming and sweet.” Kelly wouldn’t judge the wealthy woman’s decision to offer an extravagant reward for a dog, just like she hoped others wouldn’t judge her for her choices. After she swallowed another bite of the sandwich, she wondered who she would offer a ridiculous amount of money to find. While sipping her coffee, she realized it would be Liv. They’d been best friends since elementary school. She would somehow scrape up a reward for Liv if it were ever necessary. She’d even sell her small designer purse collection.

      Pepper pushed aside the newspaper and then sipped her coffee. “If you want to head out to the farmhouse after you eat, I can watch the boutique. Clive is out with his buddies and won’t be home until supper.”

      Kelly considered the suggestion as she finished her lunch. She popped up and grabbed a napkin off the counter to wipe her mouth.

      “Sounds good. I shouldn’t be too long. Who knows? I may find something to add to the photoshoot.”

      “You’re still going through with that?”

      “Of course. Why not? It’s going to be cool; you wait and see. But before I head out, I need to change boots.” Nearly breaking her neck earlier in the day was a clear sign those boots were more decorative than functional. Digging through an old farmhouse required more functional footwear. She saw a doubtful look on Pepper’s face. “Please try to trust me. I may not know a lot of things, but I do know how to merchandise clothing.”

      Pepper’s face softened, and she gave a small smile. “I do trust you. I’m sure you’ll do a fabulous job.”

      “Thank you.” Having Pepper’s vote of confidence was the icing on the cake of the best day Kelly had in a long time. Halloween costumes. Agreed on. Photo shoot. Confirmed. Found a lost dog with a huge reward. Done. New consignment. Done.

      She couldn’t imagine how her day could get any better.

      Chapter 3

      Kelly dashed to her Jeep, parked in the communal lot that stretched the length of several of the shops on Main Street. Wearing her two-tone riding boots with a low heel made her quick trip a lot safer. Before leaving the boutique, she made sure her phone was charged. She didn’t want to miss Constance’s call. Just as she reached her vehicle, she heard her name called and she cringed.

      She looked over her shoulder and saw her Uncle Ralph approaching from a few spaces away. His full-length wool coat tailored to streamline his chubby frame, and his oxfords were polished. He took pride in his appearance and used it to convey his status in town.

      “Glad I caught you.” His short trek from his parked Mercedes to Kelly left him winded.

      She sighed. “What do you want?”

      “I have an offer for this place.” He pointed to the white building. “It’s a good one.”

      “Not now. I have somewhere

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