occasional postcard. He’s been back on-island for nearly two years, Lila, and you haven’t gotten him to one single service.” Einar shook his head. “Rush would be the first one to tell you you’re giving him too much credit here.”
“I give credit where it’s due,” Lila said softly.
An angry flush stained Einar’s cheekbones. “And withhold it where it’s not, is that it?”
“This isn’t about you, Einar.”
“I’ve earned your trust, Lila. I’ve earned my place here.”
“You have,” she said as Goose wondered what the hell was going on. “I don’t dispute that. But I deserve your trust as well, for my experience if nothing else. And while I’m still the head of this family, you’ll respect my authority.”
“Even if your authority threatens the future of the family?”
She shook her head slowly. “Our financials aren’t our future.”
“Of course they are. This place is a gold mine, Lila, and I don’t understand why you won’t at least consider tapping into it.”
“I’m not going to have this argument again. If you want to turn this island into a theme park, you’ll have to wait until I’m dead and gone.”
“I hope you’re planning to kick the bucket sometime before 2024, then.”
Lila drew back sharply.
“What? That’s years away.”
She continued to stare at him in offended silence until he held up hands. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry. It was a joke.”
“And not a very good one.”
“Granted. But come on, Lila. Money’s important. Maybe it isn’t everything, but it matters. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to admit that.”
She relented enough to give him a crooked smile so like Rush’s that Goose stared. “Probably later rather than sooner, then.”
Einar leaned over the counter to press a kiss to Lila’s cheek. “Probably.” He zipped up his jacket and threw a cocky grin at Goose and Yarrow. “But hey, it wouldn’t be a week without our usual go-round. I’ll check it off my to-do list.”
“Fly safely,” Lila said.
“Will do.” He scooped up the half Danish still on his plate and sauntered out with the same cocky assurance he’d sauntered in with. Goose watched Lila and Yarrow as their eyes followed him out the door with patient love.
The door jingled shut and Lila turned to Goose.
“Any more questions, Agent di Guzman?”
Yeah , Goose thought. What the hell was that ? Also, do you know your granddaughter has a raging crush on your nephew? And, hey, did you know that nephew is harboring a raging resentment toward the other nephew? And nursing a healthy resentment toward you as well?
And that was just off the top of her head.
But all she said was, “That’ll do for now, I think. Thanks for the doughnut.”
Lila blinked at her, then at Yarrow. “I thought you were going to have the cherry cheese Danish?”
Goose gave Yarrow her biggest, shiniest smile, which the girl met with a flat, brittle indifference. “I was. The doughnut went better with my shoes, though.”
TWO DAYS later, Goose had chatted with every last soul on Mishkwa. She’d lost count of how many doors she’d knocked on, how many cups of tea she’d sipped and how many cookies she’d choked down under the guise of common courtesy.
Aside from that first conversation with Rush’s family, the visits had fallen into a predictable pattern. Hello, badge flash, refreshments, chitchat. Nobody claimed close friendship with Rush, or even the friendship of proximity a small, isolated community normally forced, but everybody seemed fond of him.
As well they should, Goose thought as she sipped yet another cup of tea, this time with Bernie and Veronica Samuelsson. The Samuelssons ran what they claimed was the island’s most popular fudge shop. Goose didn’t doubt it. Both short and round, Bernie and Veronica looked like people who knew quality fudge when they saw it.
“So,” Goose said as she nibbled at the half-pound slab they’d pressed on her with the
“I give credit where it’s due,” Lila said softly.
An angry flush stained Einar’s cheekbones. “And withhold it where it’s not, is that it?”
“This isn’t about you, Einar.”
“I’ve earned your trust, Lila. I’ve earned my place here.”
“You have,” she said as Goose wondered what the hell was going on. “I don’t dispute that. But I deserve your trust as well, for my experience if nothing else. And while I’m still the head of this family, you’ll respect my authority.”
“Even if your authority threatens the future of the family?”
She shook her head slowly. “Our financials aren’t our future.”
“Of course they are. This place is a gold mine, Lila, and I don’t understand why you won’t at least consider tapping into it.”
“I’m not going to have this argument again. If you want to turn this island into a theme park, you’ll have to wait until I’m dead and gone.”
“I hope you’re planning to kick the bucket sometime before 2024, then.”
Lila drew back sharply.
“What? That’s years away.”
She continued to stare at him in offended silence until he held up hands. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry. It was a joke.”
“And not a very good one.”
“Granted. But come on, Lila. Money’s important. Maybe it isn’t everything, but it matters. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to admit that.”
She relented enough to give him a crooked smile so like Rush’s that Goose stared. “Probably later rather than sooner, then.”
Einar leaned over the counter to press a kiss to Lila’s cheek. “Probably.” He zipped up his jacket and threw a cocky grin at Goose and Yarrow. “But hey, it wouldn’t be a week without our usual go-round. I’ll check it off my to-do list.”
“Fly safely,” Lila said.
“Will do.” He scooped up the half Danish still on his plate and sauntered out with the same cocky assurance he’d sauntered in with. Goose watched Lila and Yarrow as their eyes followed him out the door with patient love.
The door jingled shut and Lila turned to Goose.
“Any more questions, Agent di Guzman?”
Yeah , Goose thought. What the hell was that ? Also, do you know your granddaughter has a raging crush on your nephew? And, hey, did you know that nephew is harboring a raging resentment toward the other nephew? And nursing a healthy resentment toward you as well?
And that was just off the top of her head.
But all she said was, “That’ll do for now, I think. Thanks for the doughnut.”
Lila blinked at her, then at Yarrow. “I thought you were going to have the cherry cheese Danish?”
Goose gave Yarrow her biggest, shiniest smile, which the girl met with a flat, brittle indifference. “I was. The doughnut went better with my shoes, though.”
TWO DAYS later, Goose had chatted with every last soul on Mishkwa. She’d lost count of how many doors she’d knocked on, how many cups of tea she’d sipped and how many cookies she’d choked down under the guise of common courtesy.
Aside from that first conversation with Rush’s family, the visits had fallen into a predictable pattern. Hello, badge flash, refreshments, chitchat. Nobody claimed close friendship with Rush, or even the friendship of proximity a small, isolated community normally forced, but everybody seemed fond of him.
As well they should, Goose thought as she sipped yet another cup of tea, this time with Bernie and Veronica Samuelsson. The Samuelssons ran what they claimed was the island’s most popular fudge shop. Goose didn’t doubt it. Both short and round, Bernie and Veronica looked like people who knew quality fudge when they saw it.
“So,” Goose said as she nibbled at the half-pound slab they’d pressed on her with the
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