"Bethany mentioned someone had come by," I said. "Can I get you a coffee, or a cookie, or something? I'm afraid we don't have enough muffins..."
"No," she said shortly. "I'm not here to be buttered up. You're on my property."
"I know about your, uh, claims," I said. "I'm sure we'll be able to clear everything up."
"You'll clear it up when you pay me my share," she sniffed. "My sister tried to put one over on both of us. Always did act like she was the only one in the family.”
"Like I said, I'm sure we'll get it cleared up," I said. "In the meantime, you're welcome to go in and browse if you like."
"Nope," she said. "Just wanted to make sure you knew what the situation was. If you don't come to the terms in the letter in thirty days, I'm taking you to court. By the way, I had an appraisal done."
"You did?"
"It's right here," she said. "I wanted to give it to you in person. You took advantage of my sister, and I plan to right the wrong." As she spoke, she fished a battered manila envelope out of the cloth grocery bag she had slung over her left shoulder. "Here," she said. "There's an appraisal in there and a bill for what you didn't pay."
The envelope felt heavy in my hand. "I'll take a look at it," I assured her.
"As I'm sure you know, you can refer any questions to my attorney, Scooter Dempsey," she said.
"I will. By the way, did you hear the news?" I asked.
"What news?"
"Cal Parker was murdered on the beach this morning," I said.
An expression that might have been surprise crossed her face, and then her jaw snapped shut and her face hardened. "What does that have to do with anything? You're trying to bilk me out of my inheritance."
"Bilk you out of your inheritance?”
"Our mother changed her will. She willed the property to both of us, not just Loretta," Agatha said. "Scooter found the second will."
"Found it where?"
"At her attorney's office," she said. "Well, missy," she said, shaking a finger at me, "you've got another thing coming if you think I'm going to roll over. I'll bet you killed that selectman, too, for trying to mess with your store."
"What? You're kidding me, right?" I asked in disbelief.
She raised her chin. "I'm going to the police right now to tell them what you did."
"I already talked to the police," I said. "I don't think you can tell them anything they don't already know."
"They don't know you're a murderer," she spat, "or you wouldn't be drinking coffee on my porch, looking pleased as punch." With that, she whirled around, her skirt flaring out and exposing narrow, pale calves that looked like they'd never seen the sun.
Denise and I watched her hurry down the walk and take a sharp left, moving with new purpose.
"The police station's that way," Denise observed, taking another sip of her coffee.
"I gathered," I said, looking down at the envelope that lay heavy in my lap. "Do I open this?"
"I always prefer to face bad news head on, but it's up to you."
I took another bite of muffin to give me courage and pinched open the brass clip on the back. When I tipped the envelope over, a stack of papers slid into my lap with a thunk. On the top was a letter from Agatha claiming that the value of her share of the property was thrice what I'd paid for Seaside Cottage Books, and that she was entitled to that amount.
"There's no way," I said as I looked at the cover letter.
"What?"
"She wants three times the money I paid for the place," I said. "And after all the work I put into it..."
"If she's working with Scooter, you know she's not planning on moving in."
"They want to raze it, don't they?"
She nodded. "No doubt he wants to put in some big mixed-use retail place so he can make bank. I think he recently picked up a few more waterfront properties. It's all about money for him." She took a sip of her coffee.
"He’s successful?" I asked.
"Oh, yes," she said. "Usually through loopholes and a predatory instinct, from what I hear. Buying distressed properties, putting the pressure on people to sell, finding out-of-state and foreign investors... you know."
"So really adding to the sense of community," I said dryly.
"Exactly. I'll bet he drummed up Agatha's claim and convinced her to go after you. And hired the appraiser, too."
"There is a package from an appraiser in here. I should probably look at it, shouldn't I?" I asked, poking at the stack of paper like it was a dead fish.
"Probably," she said. "But you already know the price they're asking for it.”
I groaned and opened it up. Sure enough, they'd appraised the property for hundreds of thousands more than I'd paid for it. "They appraised it after I made the improvements!" I said. "That's not fair!"
"That you can contest, I'm sure, but I don't think the improvements are going to knock the price down by two-thirds."
I looked through it and my heart sank. "She did give me a deal on the property. I had no idea."
Denise sighed. "The council's been holding the line in terms of development, particularly with properties owned by out-of-town investors, but ever since Cal Parker bought his way onto the council, the tide has turned."
"What do you mean?"
"He is—or was, rather—voting yes on things the old council never would have approved. And a lot of people say our old friend Scooter was lining his pockets."
"So I'm not the only one he's targeted?"
"Nope," she said, shaking her head. "Half the town couldn’t stand him."
"And the other half?"
"They were dumb enough
