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Authors: J. M. Griffin
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guess, he figured she was out for his money. Of course, I have nothing to back up that theory. What do you think?”
I hedged. “I don’t know either of them well enough to judge. I saw how she tried to get close to your father at the dinner you held, but before we could get the evening underway, it ended. Did he mention seeing me with Aidan?”
“He was quite vocal about your being at that party. Not with Aidan, mind you, but there, at all. He can be such a snob. He calls my business a ‘little business’, which sends my blood pressure out of sight with anger hot on its trail. Imagine? A ‘little business’?”
Her indignant remark made me smile. I’d heard that before from other people who had come into the bakery. I was never sure if they meant it as a slur, or had called it a little business because the shop was small. Mentally, I settled for the latter, rather than the former.
“Don’t listen to him. He’s upset that you aren’t a mega-banker like he is. I think we have good shops with lots of customers. I don’t care about being rich. I care about feeding people. You care about their futures. You and I are good, caring folk.”
“I agree with you. We are.” BettyJo sat quietly for a few seconds. “How can we find out more about Ezra and Corinda since Dad won’t open up?”
“I think you should bring him here tomorrow evening. We’ll gang up on him and tell him our suspicions. If nothing comes of it, at least we’ve given him something to consider.”
“You’re sure about that? You want to tackle my father?” BettyJo asked with wide eyes.
I gave her a look and a nod. What was I thinking? That I had nothing to lose by inviting the lion into my territory, which was always better and more secure than being in his. At least I could tell him to get out if he was rude and obnoxious. Right?
“A-all right, I’ll ask him to come by after work. You’ll be here, then?”
“I’ll make sure I am,” I said.
As she gathered her handbag, BettyJo asked, “Do you think I was foolish to invite trouble from the stalker?”
I let out a breath and said, “I worry about you, you know. I’d feel so responsible if anything happened. If you want to try and get this guy into the open, then we’ll do it together. From now on, you’ll keep me on speed dial and call if there’s any problems at all, got it?”
With a smile, BettyJo headed home. I watched from the doorway until I heard the click of her lock. In turn, I locked up and finished bagging bread.
Chapter 7
Her father was unavailable for the next two days, BettyJo said when she called. I considered how it might go when and if he did come by. It might not end up being the best idea I’d had lately, but what-the-hell, win or lose, there was no time to waste when it came to finding out who was supposed to be murdered.
Delighted to see him, when Carl had picked up his order, Seanmhair gave him an extra couple of rolls and chatted him up. I listened from behind the swinging door. She had charm, that grandmother of mine.
I snickered softly and went back to cleaning my kitchen just before Aidan came through the back door. His wide smile and gorgeous blue eyes left me to wonder what he was up to. In case he didn’t say, I asked, “What brings you by?”
“I have been remiss in stopping by to see you, so I thought I’d better do so in case that detective sweeps you out from under my very nose.”
I laughed. The word nose sounded like noos and detective definitely didn’t contain the letter ‘a’. “Glad to see you, too. Don’t worry about Porter. He has better things to keep him busy.”
“Are ye sure, lass?”
With a nod, I asked if he wanted a cup of tea. I poured one for me, another for Seanmhair, and when he agreed, I poured a mug of it for him.
“How are your business connections going?” I asked.
“Good, more ale is being shipped in as we speak. The first order arrived and has been distributed. Would you be interested in
I hedged. “I don’t know either of them well enough to judge. I saw how she tried to get close to your father at the dinner you held, but before we could get the evening underway, it ended. Did he mention seeing me with Aidan?”
“He was quite vocal about your being at that party. Not with Aidan, mind you, but there, at all. He can be such a snob. He calls my business a ‘little business’, which sends my blood pressure out of sight with anger hot on its trail. Imagine? A ‘little business’?”
Her indignant remark made me smile. I’d heard that before from other people who had come into the bakery. I was never sure if they meant it as a slur, or had called it a little business because the shop was small. Mentally, I settled for the latter, rather than the former.
“Don’t listen to him. He’s upset that you aren’t a mega-banker like he is. I think we have good shops with lots of customers. I don’t care about being rich. I care about feeding people. You care about their futures. You and I are good, caring folk.”
“I agree with you. We are.” BettyJo sat quietly for a few seconds. “How can we find out more about Ezra and Corinda since Dad won’t open up?”
“I think you should bring him here tomorrow evening. We’ll gang up on him and tell him our suspicions. If nothing comes of it, at least we’ve given him something to consider.”
“You’re sure about that? You want to tackle my father?” BettyJo asked with wide eyes.
I gave her a look and a nod. What was I thinking? That I had nothing to lose by inviting the lion into my territory, which was always better and more secure than being in his. At least I could tell him to get out if he was rude and obnoxious. Right?
“A-all right, I’ll ask him to come by after work. You’ll be here, then?”
“I’ll make sure I am,” I said.
As she gathered her handbag, BettyJo asked, “Do you think I was foolish to invite trouble from the stalker?”
I let out a breath and said, “I worry about you, you know. I’d feel so responsible if anything happened. If you want to try and get this guy into the open, then we’ll do it together. From now on, you’ll keep me on speed dial and call if there’s any problems at all, got it?”
With a smile, BettyJo headed home. I watched from the doorway until I heard the click of her lock. In turn, I locked up and finished bagging bread.
Chapter 7
Her father was unavailable for the next two days, BettyJo said when she called. I considered how it might go when and if he did come by. It might not end up being the best idea I’d had lately, but what-the-hell, win or lose, there was no time to waste when it came to finding out who was supposed to be murdered.
Delighted to see him, when Carl had picked up his order, Seanmhair gave him an extra couple of rolls and chatted him up. I listened from behind the swinging door. She had charm, that grandmother of mine.
I snickered softly and went back to cleaning my kitchen just before Aidan came through the back door. His wide smile and gorgeous blue eyes left me to wonder what he was up to. In case he didn’t say, I asked, “What brings you by?”
“I have been remiss in stopping by to see you, so I thought I’d better do so in case that detective sweeps you out from under my very nose.”
I laughed. The word nose sounded like noos and detective definitely didn’t contain the letter ‘a’. “Glad to see you, too. Don’t worry about Porter. He has better things to keep him busy.”
“Are ye sure, lass?”
With a nod, I asked if he wanted a cup of tea. I poured one for me, another for Seanmhair, and when he agreed, I poured a mug of it for him.
“How are your business connections going?” I asked.
“Good, more ale is being shipped in as we speak. The first order arrived and has been distributed. Would you be interested in
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