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Sam steered Maggie towards the back door of the shop. “We’ll take my van. Unless you’ve driven here?”
“I haven’t. I got the bus.”
She followed Sam through to the small yard at the rear of the shop. Once they were driving away, she took her phone out. “I’ll ring the police.”
Sam pressed his lips tightly together at that suggestion. He didn’t have much faith in the police. Maggie hadn’t either, considering what had happened the last time she’d asked for their help. But she felt they should know about a possible invasion of her property.
Her phone call lasted less than a minute. Maggie put her phone away, and stared at the road ahead.
“Well?” Sam asked. “What did they say? Not much going by your short replies.”
Even though she wasn’t driving, Maggie kept her attention on the road. She said, “They know about those treasure hunters, and what they get up to. They said if the tree is on a public right of way, they can’t do anything about people going there.” She glanced Sam’s way and saw the knowing look on his face. “You heard how the rest of the conversation went.”
“They said they couldn’t do anything about unwanted visitors in your garden until the visitors actually went onto your property. And to phone them back if that happened. Am I right?”
Maggie sighed. “You are. Well, I tried to do the right thing. Let’s hope there isn’t an army of eager-eyed treasure hunters destroying my garden.”
“If there are, I’ll deal with them.” He broke into a grin. “And you can help me, once you’ve grabbed your lethal rolling pin.”
“Don’t mock my rolling pin. I’d just finished making an apple pie, and it was the nearest weapon I could find.”
“Apple pie?” Sam shot her a look. “I love apple pie.”
Maggie picked a speck of fluff off her jeans. “Oh? Really? I didn’t know that. That is a coincidence. Perhaps you can stay for a slice of pie. I was about to put it in the oven.”
“I’d like that. Thank you.”
As they drove along Maggie’s street a short while later, she said, “I can make you a sandwich too. It’s nearly lunchtime.” She gave him a casual shrug. “Unless you have to rush off somewhere?”
“I don’t need to rush off anywhere. And I wasn’t looking forward to that sausage sandwich Jake bought me. I know the café he got it from. I keep telling him not to go there because it’s been closed down five times for health violations. But he never listens.”
Maggie dramatically rolled her eyes. “Children never do listen! I don’t know what’s wrong with the youth of today. They should listen to our words of wisdom and do everything we tell them to. We are so much wiser than they are.”
Sam laughed. “That is so true.” He pulled up outside Maggie’s house and switched the engine off. “Shall I have a look at the tree now? See what the situation is?”
“Without the safety of my rolling pin?” Maggie mocked. “You’re a braver man than me, Mr Ward.”
He released his seat belt. “I’m not sure about that, Ms Kelburn. But I’ll try my best.”
“You do that. I’ll put the kettle on.”
They walked towards Maggie’s house. Maggie went inside, and Sam headed to the back garden.
Maggie was just about to switch the kettle on when there was a light tap at the kitchen door.
She opened it to find a grim-faced Sam standing there. He said, “There’s a man in your garden.”
“A man? Is it that cheeky young man I saw earlier? Did he wink at you?”
“I don’t who he is. But he won’t be winking at anyone.” Sam took a deep breath. “Maggie, he’s dead.”