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Authors: Gabrielle Holly
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you…”
Thomas grabbed Toni’s upper arm and held her back. Bridget watched as Toni’s lips pressed into a straight line and her chest heaved with each breath. Thomas nodded to Mike who stepped forward, looped his arms around the indignant medium’s waist and took over Toni-wrangling duties.
Thomas put on his best ‘charming television star’ face and sauntered up to the counter. He reached out and laid his big hand on the shopkeeper’s fleshy wrist. “Jean, isn’t it?”
Bridget bit back a grin as the woman’s face flushed. “Yes.”
“Jean, I am truly sorry for any…concern our last visit might have caused you. You have a beautiful place here. You know, I’ve travelled the world and I can say—without hesitation—that this is the finest antiques shop I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. I’ve been to all the great cities—Paris, London, Rome—and never have I laid eyes on such a gem.”
The woman cleared her throat. “And?”
“Well Jean, as you know, our millions of viewers are true connoisseurs of treasures from the past…”
“Go on.”
Thomas broadened his beautiful smile. “It would be my honour—no, my duty—to make sure that all those fine folks knew about your wonderful little shop. Now, if you would just give us a few minutes to poke around, I’d be glad to place your banner ad on the home page of our website for a full month.”
Thomas cocked his head as if awaiting Jean’s answer. She pulled back her hand and crossed her arms over her ample bosom. “Three months and a credit at the end of the episode.”
Thomas thrust out his hand. “Done!”
Jean shook on the deal then narrowed her eyes and leaned in to whisper, “You just make sure that one stays out of trouble. I don’t want her making a mess of the place.”
Bridget snapped her attention to Toni who was drawing in a breath as if to speak. She saw Mike’s grip tighten around her waist as he forced a smile. “No problem. We’ll keep a close eye on her.” He turned and spoke directly into Toni’s ear. “Where to, boss?”
“The photo albums,” Toni replied through clenched teeth.
Jean said, “Upstairs, back left corner.”
Mike wisely tugged Toni away from the entryway and the four hurried towards the wide carpeted staircase.
“Five minutes and I’ve got security cameras you know!” Jean shouted after them.
Toni took the stairs two at a time and hurried to the display at the back corner of the top floor. Two barrister’s bookcases were filled to overflowing with photo albums in various states of decay. She could feel the gaze of three pairs of eyes boring into her back.
“Five minutes, Tone,” Bridget said softly.
“I know. I know. Just give me a minute,” Toni snapped. A snarl of nervous energy gathered in her belly. “Knock it off you guys! Your tension is blocking me.”
Mike shouldered up beside Toni and bent forward to scan the dozens of albums. “Which one is it?”
Toni turned to him and summoned up her best expression of incredulity. “Seriously, Briggs?”
She heard Bridget’s even voice over her other shoulder. “Back up, Mike. Give her some room. Is there anything we can do to help, Toni?”
Toni shook her head. “I don’t know. If I could just…you’re just…the energy from you guys is kind of overwhelming. Maybe if you all went back downstairs.”
Thomas stepped up and pressed his lips to Toni’s temple. “Okay. We’ll go. Call if you need us.”
Toni nodded. She wanted them to stay, but she knew she’d leave empty-handed if she had to fight through the waves of worry that rolled off them.
She listened to their footsteps fade and heard Mike whisper, “Man! I should have brought the equipment.”
When she was alone she concentrated on breathing slowly and deliberately in through her nose and out through her mouth. She scanned the shelves in front of her, waiting for one of the battered spines to glow, or shake, or give some indication which she should
Thomas grabbed Toni’s upper arm and held her back. Bridget watched as Toni’s lips pressed into a straight line and her chest heaved with each breath. Thomas nodded to Mike who stepped forward, looped his arms around the indignant medium’s waist and took over Toni-wrangling duties.
Thomas put on his best ‘charming television star’ face and sauntered up to the counter. He reached out and laid his big hand on the shopkeeper’s fleshy wrist. “Jean, isn’t it?”
Bridget bit back a grin as the woman’s face flushed. “Yes.”
“Jean, I am truly sorry for any…concern our last visit might have caused you. You have a beautiful place here. You know, I’ve travelled the world and I can say—without hesitation—that this is the finest antiques shop I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. I’ve been to all the great cities—Paris, London, Rome—and never have I laid eyes on such a gem.”
The woman cleared her throat. “And?”
“Well Jean, as you know, our millions of viewers are true connoisseurs of treasures from the past…”
“Go on.”
Thomas broadened his beautiful smile. “It would be my honour—no, my duty—to make sure that all those fine folks knew about your wonderful little shop. Now, if you would just give us a few minutes to poke around, I’d be glad to place your banner ad on the home page of our website for a full month.”
Thomas cocked his head as if awaiting Jean’s answer. She pulled back her hand and crossed her arms over her ample bosom. “Three months and a credit at the end of the episode.”
Thomas thrust out his hand. “Done!”
Jean shook on the deal then narrowed her eyes and leaned in to whisper, “You just make sure that one stays out of trouble. I don’t want her making a mess of the place.”
Bridget snapped her attention to Toni who was drawing in a breath as if to speak. She saw Mike’s grip tighten around her waist as he forced a smile. “No problem. We’ll keep a close eye on her.” He turned and spoke directly into Toni’s ear. “Where to, boss?”
“The photo albums,” Toni replied through clenched teeth.
Jean said, “Upstairs, back left corner.”
Mike wisely tugged Toni away from the entryway and the four hurried towards the wide carpeted staircase.
“Five minutes and I’ve got security cameras you know!” Jean shouted after them.
Toni took the stairs two at a time and hurried to the display at the back corner of the top floor. Two barrister’s bookcases were filled to overflowing with photo albums in various states of decay. She could feel the gaze of three pairs of eyes boring into her back.
“Five minutes, Tone,” Bridget said softly.
“I know. I know. Just give me a minute,” Toni snapped. A snarl of nervous energy gathered in her belly. “Knock it off you guys! Your tension is blocking me.”
Mike shouldered up beside Toni and bent forward to scan the dozens of albums. “Which one is it?”
Toni turned to him and summoned up her best expression of incredulity. “Seriously, Briggs?”
She heard Bridget’s even voice over her other shoulder. “Back up, Mike. Give her some room. Is there anything we can do to help, Toni?”
Toni shook her head. “I don’t know. If I could just…you’re just…the energy from you guys is kind of overwhelming. Maybe if you all went back downstairs.”
Thomas stepped up and pressed his lips to Toni’s temple. “Okay. We’ll go. Call if you need us.”
Toni nodded. She wanted them to stay, but she knew she’d leave empty-handed if she had to fight through the waves of worry that rolled off them.
She listened to their footsteps fade and heard Mike whisper, “Man! I should have brought the equipment.”
When she was alone she concentrated on breathing slowly and deliberately in through her nose and out through her mouth. She scanned the shelves in front of her, waiting for one of the battered spines to glow, or shake, or give some indication which she should
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