No. “It’s fine,” she said.
“You heard her.” Imogene lifted her chin, curled her lip and turned toward the door of the bookstore, bumping Mary’s shoulder in a move that clearly wasn’t an accident.
“Hey.” Kirk grasped Imogene’s arm. “I don’t like the way you’re treating her. Show some respect.”
“To my elders?” Imogene sneered and jerked her arm away. “I’ll show respect when they deserve respect. So far, I don’t see it.”
“Now listen here.” Kirk took a step toward Imogene, looming over her.
“No, you listen, old man.” Imogene propped her hands on her hips. “I need to talk to my stepmother, and you need to step aside.” As she spoke, Mary caught a whiff of alcohol on her breath.
Dread pressed down on Mary. Imogene had just revealed their stepmother-stepdaughter relationship. What else might she reveal if provoked, and with even fewer inhibitions than usual due to drinking?
She put a hand on Kirk’s arm. “It’s okay, truly. We have things to discuss.”
He studied her with narrowed eyes. “I don’t like it,” he said, and gave Imogene a glare. “You have my phone number, Mary. Don’t hesitate to use it. I can be here in five minutes.”
“And you have mine,” Heather jumped in, sounding nervous. Imogene was the type of woman who scared other women, always had been. She’d been a terrible bully in school.
“I have your numbers. Thanks for your help today.” She gave Heather and Kirk each a reassuring smile. “Let’s get right on the...project. I don’t want to waste any time.”
“Will do,” Kirk said, and Heather nodded. They both walked off, Kirk glancing back over his shoulder to glare at Imogene.
“Come on in,” Mary said to Imogene, feeling like a giant rock was pressing down on her. Judging by Imogene’s angry expression, Kirk had succeeded in making things worse.
All the same, when she glanced back to see his square shoulders as he walked away, she felt a strange urge to run after him.
CHAPTER NINE
FROM THE CHAIR where she’d been browsing travel books—of which Lighthouse Lit had a great collection—Amber watched Mary cross the store with the same hard-faced, dark-haired woman who’d bothered Mary when they’d first looked at Victory Cottage. She frowned at Julie, who was behind the counter. “Who’s that woman?” she asked as soon as the two had disappeared into the back room.
“I don’t know,” Julie said, “but she’s acting weird and so is Mary. Neither one of them even said hello.”
Amber raised an eyebrow. “Should we investigate?” she asked. Julie was always up for anything.
“I think we should.” A dimple showed in Julie’s cheek. “And maybe we should split them up. You take Mary, and I’ll take the mean lady.”
“Done.” Amber set her book down, stood and headed to the area behind the cash register. The stockroom was dim, but there was a light on in the small office.
She was glad of the distraction, really. She felt at loose ends. After their work session had been interrupted yesterday, she’d written up some plans and emailed them to Paul, and he’d added suggestions and sent them back to her. No personal note, no mention of his pushy in-laws; just strictly business. They’d hammered out enough of a plan, by email, to send to Mary. Over coffee this morning, they’d talked things through, but Paul had been tense and impersonal.
The good news was that Mary had liked their recommendations. She’d planned to visit the place one more time and then make an offer. Most likely, that was what she’d been doing with Kirk James and that other woman who worked in the real estate office.
Now, with Hannah back in school, Amber needed to get going on a new project. Probably a different book project, which was why she was leafing through travel and medical books here in the shop.
But she couldn’t get very serious about it, not yet. So it sounded like fun to occupy herself with Mary and her problems.
She reached the doorway of Mary’s office. “Hey, Mary,” Amber said, “sorry to bother you, but I need help with the travel books.” She looked around the office. Mary was seated behind the small desk, and the other woman had pulled up a chair, so close she was almost blocking Mary in.
“Julie can help you, dear.” Mary’s voice was strained.
“Actually, I can’t,” Julie said from behind Amber. “I’m a real dolt with the ordering system, you know that. And we’ve got Henry Higbottom on the line, demanding to know when his books will come in. You know how persistent he can be.”
Mary got to her feet. Her shoulders were slumped and she looked uncharacteristically frail. “I’ll be right back,” she said, sidling around the other woman.
“You didn’t even introduce me,” the dark-haired woman said in a tone that was...disrespectful? Mocking? Amber didn’t like it.
Mary sighed. “Amber, Julie, I’d like for you to meet Imogene,” she said. “Be right back,” she repeated to the woman, and trudged toward the front of the store.
Amber followed her, hearing Julie’s attempt to converse with the woman behind her: “Pleased to meet you!” and “Would you like a cup of coffee or tea?” But Amber didn’t hear any response to Julie’s cheerful voice. All the more reason to check in with Mary.
“Are you all right?” Amber asked Mary as soon as they were over by the travel books.
“Of course, I’m fine. Now, what exactly were you looking for?”
“Julie and I thought you seemed upset, or something, and we’re not sure we like your guest. I know you said there was no problem with her when we talked before, but she seems... I don’t know. We’re concerned.”
Mary put her hands on her hips and glared at Amber. “So this travel book thing was a fake request?”
“I’m sorry,” Amber said, although she wasn’t. “Is there anything we can do to help you get rid of her?”
Mary blew out a breath
