Mary swirled the tea in the pot. Would it be fit to drink if she heated it up in the microwave? It was worth a try. She had just put the mug in when Millie growled. When Mary turned around, her back door slowly opened. She gasped and grabbed the counter for support. What did she have at hand to defend herself? The knife caddy was on the opposite end. She’d never reach it. The potato masher? Not likely. Then Millie started to wag and whine. The door opened a little wider and a dark head peeked around it. ‘Can I come in?’
‘John. Oh, you gave me quite a start. Of course you can.’ Mary waited for a moment before she moved, giving her heart a chance to settle before she dared let go of the counter. ‘I was just going to have a cup of tea. Would you like one?’
‘Thank you, no. I’m only going to stay a second. I thought I’d check on you. I’ve heard the news and it’s awful.’ He came all the way into the room and stopped as Millie pranced beside him, demanding he notice her. He did. ‘Were you really going to attack me with the potato masher?’
Mary managed a weak little laugh. Luckily the microwave dinged and she was able to turn her back while she picked up her mug. She hadn’t wanted to admit even to herself how unnerved today had left her, and she definitely didn’t want to announce it to John. ‘I guess I’m a little tired. Let’s sit down.’ She set her mug on the old kitchen table and gratefully sank on a chair, motioning for John to do the same.
‘Why did you think you needed to check on me?’ She grinned at him over the top of her mug. ‘Afraid I would be so done in by all the excitement I wouldn’t be able to show up at the pet shop tomorrow?’
John returned her grin a little sheepishly. ‘Well, it has been a terrible day. I thought I’d just see how you were doing.’ His grin disappeared and the lines in his face tightened. ‘You are all right, aren’t you?’
‘I’m fine. Just fine. I’ll be there.’
‘Are you going to bring Millie?’
Mary looked at him, surprised. ‘I was. Is that a problem?’
He shook his head. ‘She’s spent a lot of hours in that shop. I think she brings in customers. Just be sure she doesn’t go near the dragon.’
‘Neither of us is going near that thing. I hope your zoo man comes in early. Did Pat call you about the pet adoption?’
John blinked then chuckled. ‘She did, and we’re on board. That’s only the day after tomorrow. Will you be there to help?’
‘I’m not sure what I can do, but I’ll be there.’
‘You can take charge of the cash register. By Saturday you’ll be a pro.’
Mary didn’t want to be a pro. The cash register was intimidating and she wasn’t looking forward to being left alone with it tomorrow, but she’d manage. She always did. The dogs and cats needed homes. And the hospital needed John’s expertise as a surgical nurse. So she’d become a pet shop pro, if only for a few hours. ‘I’ll be there before ten. What time did you say Krissie would be in?’
‘Not before noon. That’s her first appointment. But I’m sure you’ll be fine. Glen is going in early to feed all the critters and make sure everything is in order. I’ll be back – whenever we finish.’
Mary nodded. ‘Where are you going to set up the dog adoption? I don’t think the city will let you do it on your front sidewalk.’
‘In our parking lot, behind the building. Glen and I own it and the other shops that open onto it, so there won’t be any fuss about what we do there. We’re having our spring sale. People can adopt a dog or cat and buy all the things they’ll need at the same time.’
‘I hope it works out better than today did. I don’t think they placed a single animal.’
‘Under the circumstances, I’m not surprised. We’re going to put a big poster in the window tomorrow and it will be on the radio. I tried to get it on the local TV station, but they’re so full with the murder they can’t be bothered with cats and dogs. We’ll place some of them, though. I’ve already talked it up at the hospital and a couple of people are interested in adopting.’
‘Wonderful. It breaks my heart to think of all those animals going without a home or even proper care.’ She looked at Millie, who sat beside John, looking at him, expecting her ears to be stroked.
John was a longtime friend, and he never failed her. But this evening he seemed distracted, the stroking automatic.
‘Mary, all this with Miss Emilie – Glen says you found her. Is that true?’
Mary was a bit taken back by the abrupt change of subject, but the murder was on everyone’s mind. ‘Yes. I did.’ She paused and took a sip of her tea and a shudder ran through her. A reaction to the bitter taste of tea left to sit too long or a mental picture of little Miss Emilie in that chair. Which, she wasn’t sure.
‘Glen’s taking this really hard,’ John said slowly, as if the words didn’t come easily. He left Millie and leaned forward over the table. ‘He hasn’t been president of the bank very long, and he takes his position seriously. I can tell you confidentially a lot of the investment accounts were in a mess, and he’s trying to straighten them all out, but the Plym trust is the one that has him the most worried. That Richard Plym isn’t helping matters. Do you know … does Dan have any idea who might have done this terrible thing?’
Mary shook her head. She was surprised at John. He must know that even if Dan had told her anything, which was unlikely, she wouldn’t pass that information along. John didn’t seem to have the same qualms.
‘It’s all that missing money. No one seems to have the least idea what Miss Emily did with it, and Richard Plym going around accusing Caleb and Lorraine of stealing isn’t helping any. Glen’s a wreck. I don’t know what to do …’ He looked at her as if she would come up with some brilliant idea that would cure everything.
That wasn’t possible, especially as Mary had no idea what he was talking about. What missing money? She was about to ask, but John changed the subject again.
‘But that’s not why I came. I wanted to make sure you were all set for tomorrow. I’ve pasted a list of instructions on how to work the cash register and other things on the desk, and I’ve left phone numbers for you if you get in trouble. You won’t be able to reach me, of course, but Glen will be standing by. Just in case.’ He frowned. ‘If you can think of anything else …’
John seemed worried about the shop and Mary’s short stint as proprietor, a nervousness which didn’t help Mary’s anxiety one bit. She wasn’t sure of her ability to catch a rat someone might want to take home, and the little net they used to capture the fish didn’t look easy to use, either. As for the snakes, she’d already decided if someone wanted one they’d have to come back when one of the men was there. She wasn’t going near them. Dog food she could do. Snakes, no.
She smiled at John. ‘It’s going to be fine, and Glen said Krissie will be there shortly after I open, so I can always ask her if I get stuck.’
John snorted. ‘Krissie’s a darn good groomer but don’t let her near the cash register. She messes it up every time.’ He leaned in and patted Mary on the arm. ‘You’ll do just fine. If you really get stuck, call the bank. Glen will leave and come rescue you.’ He stopped and gave her arm a squeeze. ‘And Mary, thank you.’
Mary waved him off. ‘It’ll be fun. After all, Millie knows the shop well, and the customers. She can help.’ She laughed, and so did John, but she didn’t think he looked quite sure. Mary decided to ignore him. ‘You go on and don’t worry. Don’t worry about Glen, either. Dan will get all this terrible business sorted out.’
She sat for a long time after John left, mulling over the whole day. It wasn’t cheerful mulling. What had John meant by missing money? Missing from where? And why had Richard Plym accused the Duxworths of stealing? Could that have a connection to Miss Plym’s death? Or was that a coincidence? Mary didn’t believe in coincidences, but right now the connection eluded her. She also didn’t see how Miss Emilie could have gotten back to the church hall in the middle of the night, let alone get into the locked, dark building without help. And the clock. Who had taken it and then put it back? The only possible explanation was that someone thought something else was in it that they wanted. But what? And how did Gloria Sutherland fit into all this? Or did she? Shaking her head, Mary got up, poured the rest of her tea down the sink and put her soup on to heat. Right now she was going to take two Tylenol and get ready for what was to come in the morning.