Mary and Millie pulled into the church parking lot at seven. A couple of cars and an old truck were already there. Mary sat and stared at them for a moment before making any attempt to get out. The sun was still asleep and she wished she was too. The night had not gone well. She hadn’t returned to sleep until close to five, the pieces of the puzzle she thought she’d put together refusing to leave her alone. But that was all she had – a certainty things had happened as she imagined them, but no proof. Sometime during what she thought was going to be a long and difficult day, she needed to corner Dan, tell him what she thought and see what he wanted to do. In the meantime, the church hall door was open, the lights were on and the rummage sale would soon be in full swing.
Caleb was on his ladder doing something to the curtains he’d strung up before. This time he had two shower curtains made of some heavy nubby material that had seen better days and was hanging them from plastic shower curtain holders on the round rod he’d installed.
Mary and Millie walked over. The curtains were opaque. No one would be able to complain they didn’t have privacy while trying on clothes, and she didn’t think they’d come off the hangers with even the roughest treatment.
‘Good job, Caleb. I’m sure the ladies will thank you for this.’
He glared at her, the malevolence in it taking her be surprise. ‘You promised me if that toy dog showed up, you’d give it to me. So, instead, you went and turned it over to the police. And after you promised!’
‘I did no such thing.’ Mary was on the defensive, a place she certainly didn’t want to be. ‘Lorraine wants to bury it with Miss Emilie. That can still be done. I’ll see to it.’ She returned his glare.
He dropped his eyes. Unfortunately he wasn’t backing down, only changing the subject. ‘You going to keep that dog here all day? It’ll be a confounded nuisance, barking and getting under people’s feet. You should know better.’
Mary’s jaw dropped. Anger such as she had not felt in years came surging through her, bringing with it a bushel full of furious statements she wanted to let loose. However, this was neither the time nor the place. With a huge effort, she beat them down and only said, through clenched teeth, ‘John Lagomasino is picking Millie up shortly. She’ll be spending the day at the pet shop, and what business it is of yours, I fail to see.’
That last escaped her. She simply couldn’t keep it in. But she’d said enough. Millie evidently felt the tension because the hairs on the back of her neck started to rise and a low rumble came from her throat. Mary tightened the leash, turned on her heel and she and Millie headed for the kitchen.
‘Were you having fun?’ Pat leaned up against the counter, Styrofoam cup in her hands, grinning at Mary as she stormed in.
‘That man is …’
‘Rude.’ Joy finished the sentence in a tone that left no doubt of her opinion. ‘Did you bring the money?’
‘Who’s rude?’ Leigh turned from filling her cup from the coffee machine to look from Joy to Mary.
Pat laughed.
Mary took a deep breath, willed herself to forget Caleb and told Leigh, ‘Never mind.’ She set her tote bag on the floor, pulled out the cash box they’d be using and a zipped bank bag. ‘Here’s the change. I have the breakdown of the cash in it. Put the checks in here, as usual, and the cash in the box. Are you going to act as cashier?’ This last she addressed to Joy.
‘To begin with. Pat’s going to help. We’ll need at least two of us. Let’s get the table set up. It’s already well after seven and we’d better get that door closed. Early birds will be pulling in here any time now.’
John arrived for Millie shortly after eight. The first onslaught of customers had come through and more people were pouring through the door. Mary had time only to hand over Millie, tell John she’d be at the store to pick her up a little after four and get in one last question. One she’d been wanting to ask for days but somehow hadn’t. But now that Millie would be in the shop all day … ‘John, is the Komodo dragon gone?’
He laughed, patted her on the arm then tucked Millie under his. ‘He left Monday. I don’t know who was the most relieved. The dragon, because he’s going to a great natural habitat, or Glen and me. And, of course, Krissie. She hated that thing.’ He paused and shifted Millie to his other arm. ‘Don’t worry about her. If the shop’s locked, just go on in and get her. I have no idea when I’ll be through, and Glen said he might be a little later getting there than he thought. I’ll leave the bill on the checkout counter. Have a great sale.’ He was gone, Millie peeking out from under his arm, looking back at her.
‘She’s scared.’ Mary turned toward Pat, regret already taking hold, but Pat, and the press of people already at the door waiting for their turn to enter, pushed it aside.
‘Millie will be fine. We won’t be if we don’t get these people checked out.’
Sometime mid-morning, Mary came up for air. Why had she worried whether the sale would be a success? Half the town had already been through, their stock of items was seriously depleted and it wasn’t even lunchtime.
She was in the storage room, getting another stack of paper bags, when Dan arrived.
‘There you are. Here, let me take those. It looks as if the sale is another success.’ He took the bags and grinned at her. ‘Where do you want these?’
‘Out by the checkout table. Dan, I’m glad you’re here. I’ve got something to tell you.’
Dan was already in the hallway, heading back into the hall. He evidently heard her, though, for he turned, his expression serious. ‘What?’
‘I can’t tell you now, but I need to talk to you. We close this down about four and we have to clean up, then I need to get Millie. Can you come over about six or so? I’ll explain then.’
They were in the hall, not a good spot for privacy. People were coming in from the parking lot; a man carrying parts to one of the baby cribs edged past them and a woman carrying two loaded shopping bags glared at them on her way out. Mary thought the door of the men’s room started to open, but no one appeared.
‘You sound anxious,’ Dan said, apparently oblivious to the people coming and going. ‘Are you all right?’
‘I’m fine. It’s just that … Dan, I think I know where Miss Emilie’s money is hidden.’
The look on Dan’s face was enough to make her smile, but this was no smiling matter and she had no time right now to explain.
‘Where?’
‘It’s just a theory, but I was up half the night and I think I’m right. I think I know what happened to Miss Emilie and Gloria, as well, but I don’t have any proof. Come over later, please. I’ll tell you then what I think, and why.’
Reluctance wouldn’t begin to describe Dan’s reaction to leaving, but Pat was at the end of the hall, calling for the bags, Leigh right behind her with a question only Mary could answer. He handed the bags to Pat, who hurried away. Mary and Leigh followed her back into the hall.