West had to repeat it to George twice before he was able to take it in.” She played with the frayed edge of her T-shirt. “I wonder what this means for the partnership? I mean, will they be replacing Bradley? George hopes he eventually—”
The wail of a baby from the back of the house cut her short. “Sorry, that’s Hughie. I’ve got to go.”
Gigi reluctantly turned away from the now-closed door and headed back to her car, where Reg was waiting, his attention caught by a fellow checking his mailbox across the street. Bradley’s death was obviously going to shake things up at Simpson and West. Had someone from the firm been determined to free up a partnership?
Gigi noodled on the idea as she pulled away from Penelope’s house and headed back toward town. She needed to make a stop at Bon Appétit. Woodstone’s gourmet and cookery store. Evelyn Fishko stocked items Gigi couldn’t find anywhere else—truffle oil, fresh pâté, interesting cheeses and other delectable goodies.
“You’ll have to stay here,” Gigi said to Reg as she closed the car door. Evelyn loved dogs, Reg especially, but the Board of Health made the rules, and she had to abide by them.
Evelyn’s rather long face looked even longer when Gigi pushed open the door to Bon Appétit. She had her usual cardigan draped around her shoulders, and her glasses were pushed up on top of her head, holding back her thick, gray bob.
“Good morning,” Gigi said as she approached the counter.
Evelyn’s greeting sounded more like a grunt than her usual cheery hello.
Gigi looked at her. “What’s the matter? You seem awfully down in the dumps today.”
Evelyn grunted again. “I am. Have you heard about that new shop that’s opening in town?” She jerked her head toward the right. “It’s going into that place where the old Clip and Curl used to be.”
The Clip and Curl had been one of the many casualties of the changing times. Most of the Woodstone residents went to the chain place that was out at the mall, and the Wall Streeters who owned the big houses in Woodstone still went to their favorite salons back in the city.
“What kind of shop is it?”
Evelyn leaned her elbows on the counter. “That’s the thing. It’s going to be some super fancy gourmet store.” She swept a hand around her own establishment. “I’m afraid they’re going to put me out of business.”
“But people have been coming here for years.”
Evelyn raised an eyebrow. “You saw how fast everyone deserted Woodstone Opticians when that chain eyeglass place opened at the mall. Apparently they’re putting a ton of money into the place. It’s owned by two guys from the city.” Evelyn waggled her eyebrows at Gigi. “They already have a shop on the Upper West Side, and they wanted to expand. Why Woodstone?” she added glumly. “I heard they’re going to do wine and cheese parties, give cooking classes, the whole shebang. Who’s going to want to come to this dusty old place when they can go there?”
Gigi glanced around Bon Appétit. She loved it the way it was, but looking around with an unbiased eye, she supposed it could use a little updating. Dust had collected on some of the cans, and more than a few of Evelyn’s signs had faded into invisibility.
“You’ve always had whatever I needed,” Gigi said reassuringly. “Surely that will count with the citizens of Woodstone.”
Evelyn’s mouth turned down at the corners. “But wine and cheese parties and cooking classes? I’ll never be able to compete with the likes of that.”
Gigi raised her chin. “Well, maybe what you need is a battle plan.”
Evelyn tilted her head to one side and looked at Gigi with narrowed, but curious, eyes. “A battle plan?”
“If they can throw wine and cheese parties, so can you. When are they opening?”
Evelyn glanced at the calendar behind her with beauty shots of Connecticut. “It’s February now. I heard the grand opening festival is to be in April
The wail of a baby from the back of the house cut her short. “Sorry, that’s Hughie. I’ve got to go.”
Gigi reluctantly turned away from the now-closed door and headed back to her car, where Reg was waiting, his attention caught by a fellow checking his mailbox across the street. Bradley’s death was obviously going to shake things up at Simpson and West. Had someone from the firm been determined to free up a partnership?
Gigi noodled on the idea as she pulled away from Penelope’s house and headed back toward town. She needed to make a stop at Bon Appétit. Woodstone’s gourmet and cookery store. Evelyn Fishko stocked items Gigi couldn’t find anywhere else—truffle oil, fresh pâté, interesting cheeses and other delectable goodies.
“You’ll have to stay here,” Gigi said to Reg as she closed the car door. Evelyn loved dogs, Reg especially, but the Board of Health made the rules, and she had to abide by them.
Evelyn’s rather long face looked even longer when Gigi pushed open the door to Bon Appétit. She had her usual cardigan draped around her shoulders, and her glasses were pushed up on top of her head, holding back her thick, gray bob.
“Good morning,” Gigi said as she approached the counter.
Evelyn’s greeting sounded more like a grunt than her usual cheery hello.
Gigi looked at her. “What’s the matter? You seem awfully down in the dumps today.”
Evelyn grunted again. “I am. Have you heard about that new shop that’s opening in town?” She jerked her head toward the right. “It’s going into that place where the old Clip and Curl used to be.”
The Clip and Curl had been one of the many casualties of the changing times. Most of the Woodstone residents went to the chain place that was out at the mall, and the Wall Streeters who owned the big houses in Woodstone still went to their favorite salons back in the city.
“What kind of shop is it?”
Evelyn leaned her elbows on the counter. “That’s the thing. It’s going to be some super fancy gourmet store.” She swept a hand around her own establishment. “I’m afraid they’re going to put me out of business.”
“But people have been coming here for years.”
Evelyn raised an eyebrow. “You saw how fast everyone deserted Woodstone Opticians when that chain eyeglass place opened at the mall. Apparently they’re putting a ton of money into the place. It’s owned by two guys from the city.” Evelyn waggled her eyebrows at Gigi. “They already have a shop on the Upper West Side, and they wanted to expand. Why Woodstone?” she added glumly. “I heard they’re going to do wine and cheese parties, give cooking classes, the whole shebang. Who’s going to want to come to this dusty old place when they can go there?”
Gigi glanced around Bon Appétit. She loved it the way it was, but looking around with an unbiased eye, she supposed it could use a little updating. Dust had collected on some of the cans, and more than a few of Evelyn’s signs had faded into invisibility.
“You’ve always had whatever I needed,” Gigi said reassuringly. “Surely that will count with the citizens of Woodstone.”
Evelyn’s mouth turned down at the corners. “But wine and cheese parties and cooking classes? I’ll never be able to compete with the likes of that.”
Gigi raised her chin. “Well, maybe what you need is a battle plan.”
Evelyn tilted her head to one side and looked at Gigi with narrowed, but curious, eyes. “A battle plan?”
“If they can throw wine and cheese parties, so can you. When are they opening?”
Evelyn glanced at the calendar behind her with beauty shots of Connecticut. “It’s February now. I heard the grand opening festival is to be in April
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