It was an hour until closing. Ryder was sweeping up debris from around the potting station, and I had finished with my dull paperwork for the day. I had texted Elsie to put aside a poppy and lemon pound cake for my visit with Marty. I couldn't wait to see the photographs of the early days in Port Danby. With any luck, I'd uncover more clues in the Hawksworth mystery, but even if that wasn't the case, it would still be fun to listen to Marty's tales about the past.
I headed out of the office and plucked my coat off the hook. The rowdy breeze had pushed the offshore clouds over the town, and the temperature had dropped a good ten degrees.
"Ryder, I'm just heading over to Elsie's to pick up my lemon pound cake before she leaves for the day."
"All right," he called as I walked out.
Elsie was just finishing putting the final gleam on her already spotless glass cases when I walked inside. One lone pink bakery box sat atop the counter.
Elsie glanced over her shoulder but kept shining the glass. "I was just about to drop that off. I've got to head home and help Britney pack." She lowered her cloth. "I'm happy she got this internship. It'll be a big boost for her career. On the other hand, I'm back to square one. No one to assist me in the bakery. Although, I'm also glad she's getting away from Dash. Her head was always in the clouds when it came to that man." She added an aggravated head shake.
"Well, just between you and I, I think that man is hurting about this whole thing."
Elsie put her hands on her hips. "Do you mean to tell me after all this acting aloof and indifferent, Dash is actually heartbroken? Good," she said, before I could respond. "But I won't tell Britney. She's liable to change her mind and give up this great opportunity."
I picked up the bakery box. "Hmm, smells good and citrusy. Put it on my tab, will ya?" I laughed. "Boy, if that doesn't just spell out everything about me, a woman with a bakery tab. Guess it's better than a bar tab. Maybe."
"Are you having a romantic dinner with James?" Elsie asked as she finished her polishing task.
"Nope. Marty Tate."
Her face popped up. "So you've tossed aside the handsome Detective Briggs, the town's most eligible bachelor, for the century old lighthouse keeper?" She shrugged. "Marty does have that charismatic smile."
"Doesn't he? I'm hoping he has some pieces to add to my Hawksworth puzzle." I headed toward the door.
"Oh wait, I nearly forgot. I need my taste testers to give my new chocolates a try. I'm making them for the holidays, that is, if you and the other notorious sweet tooth across the street approve." She motioned toward Lola's Antiques.
I feigned a teenage sounding groan. "If we have to. You know how I hate these taste testing chores."
"Well, I could get—"
"Oh my gosh, total sarcasm, woman."
"I know. Just wanted to see how you reacted." She flicked her dusting cloth at me like a guy's locker room towel smack. "I'll get them. They taste like caramel, but they don't contain butter or sugar."
"Is that a nod toward Lester? He looks good, by the way. The dictator sister diet, as he calls it, has been working."
"Yep, he's lost about ten pounds since his last doctor's visit." She disappeared into her kitchen and walked out with a cellophane wrapped plate, cold from the refrigerator. Six perfectly round chocolate coated balls were covered with various toppings like crushed nuts and coconut flakes.
I saluted her before taking the candy dish. "I will fulfill all my duties as a taste tester and report back soon." Taking my task very seriously, I headed straight across to Lola's. Mostly, I worried that if I didn't take half of the chocolates directly to Lola, I risked eating them all myself.
Lola's red hair was all I spotted behind the front counter. She popped up to see who had entered. "Oh, it's you."
"Yes, happy to see you too, best friend. And here I made the journey across Harbor Lane to bring you chocolate treats from Elsie."
"Yummy. Perfect timing." She reached under the cellophane for a nut covered chocolate. "I had lunch too early today, and I was starting to really slide into a low blood sugar slump."
I plucked out a coconut covered treat, and the two of us moaned in unladylike fashion as we nibbled the decadent, gooey treats.
"Wow, that magical baker has done it again," Lola cooed. "There must be a pound of butter in this one tiny ball. How does she condense all that buttery goodness into one chocolate coated ball?"
I smiled, pleased to provide Lola with a surprising fact about the confection she had just pushed into her mouth. "No butter or sugar," I said succinctly. "She doesn't want to spoil Les's diet."
Lola shook her head emphatically and reached for another. "Impossible. This tastes like caramel."
I held up two fingers. "Scout's honor." I grabbed out a pistachio covered chocolate. The front door opened as we both commenced with the second part of the taste test. I pointed out a bit of chocolate on her lip before she rounded the counter to help the customer.
"How can I help you?" she asked.
"I'm looking for a vintage necklace," the deep voice responded.
I finished gobbling up the second chocolate and spun around to see who was attached to the nice baritone voice. It took me only a second to realize I'd seen the man before. Even though I'd only seen him on a small phone screen, I was sure the tall, fit and perfectly postured man standing in Lola's shop was Kate's new boyfriend. He never came in to buy flowers, as Kate had anticipated. Indeed, it seemed he had decided on something far more shiny and lasting than roses. I pretended to be interested in a set of porcelain dishes on an oak antique Hoosier cabinet while surreptitiously continuing my survey of the man.
Lola led him over to the glass cabinet that contained all the vintage jewelry. Lola had some truly dreamy pieces with pink pearls, silver woven like lace and pendants that sparkled with color.
Lionel, an unusual name that was easy to remember, leaned into the cabinet to peruse the necklaces. Lola was holding back a pleased smile. Generally, the antique jewelry, especially pieces made with real silver, gold and gemstones, went for a pretty price. It seemed Kate hadn't been overzealous when she bragged that her new boyfriend was rich. She hadn't been dating him long, but it seemed he was already buying her something extravagant. There would be no living with the woman, but I hoped, this time, she had found her true match.
Lionel was sporting slightly grayed temples, a requirement for older rich men, apparently. His sweater and well-pressed slacks fit his impressive physique perfectly as if they had been custom made or, at the very least, fitted at an expensive department store.
A sneeze threatened and I rubbed my nose to push away the tickle. It seemed Lionel liked to wear a great deal of cologne. It had taken a few seconds to circle the various pieces of furniture and waft my direction, but now, it was overwhelming my sensitive, little snout. Boomer lifted his drowsy head from his pillow and released a sneeze of his own.
"Bless you," I said without thinking.
Lionel and Lola looked my direction. I picked up a pale blue teacup. "I think I'll probably end up with this one. It'll match my—my tea set, which is blue." I forced a smile. Lola stared at me past her customer's shoulder as if I'd just lost my mind, but being my best friend, who knew me quite well, she immediately deduced that something was up and that it had to do with her distinguished looking customer.
I continued to show great interest in the porcelain tea cups as Lola found a box for what appeared to be a yellow gold Edwardian style pendant, complete with a tiny diamond and pearl lavaliere. Kate was going to swoon. I wondered how quickly she'd find an excuse to prance into my flower shop to show off her new bauble. I wouldn't blame her. It was beautiful. Although, if I was being totally honest, it seemed a little more suited to an older woman and not young, mod, chic Kate. That might have been the reason for her earlier subdued attire and hairstyle. Maybe she was trying to put on a more conservative, mature woman facade for her new boyfriend.
Lionel's expensive looking watch sparkled as he fished through a series of credit cards looking for a particular one. He pulled it out and handed it over. In the interim, he glanced back over his shoulder and flashed me a brilliant white smile, almost too white.
I returned the smile and fumbled with the tea cups, knocking one off its plate. It clinkered.
"You break it, you buy it," Lola chirped with an impish grin.
I held up the cup. "Not broken."
She handed the box with the necklace to Lionel. He nodded politely to both of us before gliding on expensive loafers to the door. We both stretched our necks to see past Lola's window displays. He climbed into a silver Porsche and drove off. I released the series of sneezes I'd been storing up from the heavy cologne.
"Well, Miss, did you decide which blue teacup would fit with your tea service?" Lola asked when I'd finally stopped sneezing. She yanked a tissue from the box on her counter and handed it to me.
"I was trying to look nonchalant so he wouldn't see me checking him out," I confessed unnecessarily.
"Gathered that, but why? I mean he was nice looking for an old guy. And rich, apparently. That necklace was the most expensive one in the cabinet. Which is why I kept trying my subliminal advertising by touching it and moving it about while he browsed the necklaces. Guess I'm pretty good at the old sleight of hand stuff. Geez, you're not thinking of giving that gorgeous man of yours the boot to try something more vintage. I mean Porsches are nice but—"
"Oh, would you stop," I said sharply. "Of course I'm not thinking of giving James the boot, and who says the boot anymore? That man is Kate's new boyfriend. She came in this morning to brag about him, mostly because Dash was in my shop. But she said he was rich and she mentioned that he'd probably be in to buy her some roses, her favorite. She also admonished me to make a fresh bouquet." I rolled my eyes.
"Kate's new guy, huh? Well, it looks like he decided on jewelry instead of roses," Lola said. "So she's on to the next man already? Hope this one sticks."
"Me too. Somehow, I think she'll be less annoying once she finally gets married." I picked up the last chocolate. (After all, I couldn't leave the job unfinished.)
"Except then she'll be letting us know just how rich she is." Lola picked up her last chocolate.
"What should I tell Elsie?" I asked. "She's waiting to hear from her official taste testers."
"Tell her she should be anointed star baker of the world." She pushed the chocolate between her lips and licked her fingers.
"I will tell her exactly that."