“Just wait one second.” Amber put a hand on the older woman’s arm. “You’re not all alone, you know. You have friends who want to help with any problem you have.”
“I don’t want help.” Mary’s voice was gentle, but she stepped around Amber, lifting her chin.
“But...”
“I appreciate you and Julie, but my problems are my own to solve.” Mary headed to the back of the store, straightening her spine.
A moment later, Julie came out and shook her head. “No luck,” she said as she came over to Amber. “She’s cagey. Wouldn’t talk.”
Amber’s eyes narrowed. “I didn’t like the way she looked at Mary, and she seemed rude when she spoke to her.”
“Oh, I agree,” Julie said. “But what can we do about it? Unless...”
“Tell me.”
“They looked like they were going to wind up,” Julie said. “When they come out, I’ll grab Mary, and you try to talk to Imogene. Find out what she wants from Mary. You’re...” She broke off, looking sheepish.
“Pushier?” Amber grinned. “You’re right. I’ll see what I can find out.”
“She’s going to be mad at us,” Julie said. “It’s not our business who she visits with in her own shop.”
“True. But when friends are in trouble or sad or being mistreated...I’d rather interfere than leave them alone, and later wish I’d done something.”
Julie puttered around shelving books while Amber skimmed through a couple of thrillers, looking for a distraction and not finding it.
A few minutes later, Julie hurried toward Amber. “They’re coming!”
“You keep Mary busy.”
Julie nodded and walked over. “Staffing emergency,” she said. “Michael called in sick, so we’ve got no one to work the evening shift.”
Amber strolled over to Imogene, who had started leafing idly—and a bit roughly—through one of the books on the pet display. “So, how do you know Mary?” she asked. “We’re crazy about her.”
“What do you want?” Imogene glared at her.
Whoa. Not only rude, but without class or manners.
Still, if Amber wanted to find anything out, she had to make nice, so she shrugged. “Just killing time in a boring town,” she said. She’d known people like Imogene, and she wasn’t bothered by rudeness. But she didn’t like the idea of the woman harassing Mary.
“It sure is boring,” Imogene agreed, sneering toward the window.
“If you’re here for a while and like to go out, I’m always looking for company. There’s not much nightlife, but the Gusty Gull can be fun.”
Imogene raised her eyebrows and tilted her head to one side. “That might be...no, wait. I’m too broke.”
“Nowhere’s as cheap as the Gusty Gull,” Amber said, pretty sure she had Imogene hooked, “but it’s up to you. I’m headed there tonight around eight.” She hadn’t been, but it wasn’t like she had other plans.
“I’m sorry, dear,” Mary said to Imogene as she hurried up to the pair of them. “I didn’t mean to leave you standing there.”
This was definitely weird. Mary’s usual composure had morphed into obvious anxiety. She seemed almost intimidated by Imogene.
“It’s okay,” Amber said, “we were making friends.”
The look on Mary’s face screamed No!
All the more reason Amber wanted to find out more. In part, she was just having fun, playing detective. But mostly, she was worried about her friend. “See you tonight?” she asked Imogene.
Imogene was looking at Mary. “Sure,” she said to Amber. “See you at eight.” She gave Mary a little “ta-ta” wave and headed out of the store.
“Why did you do that?” Mary scolded as soon as she was gone. “She’s definitely not someone you want to hang around with, Amber. I’d suggest you run after her and cancel. Tell her you forgot about an appointment.”
Amber studied Mary’s tight, drawn face. “Who is she to you?” she asked.
Julie had come over as Imogene left. “Second that question,” she said. “Is she an old friend? She seems kind of rude.”
“That’s not the half of it,” Mary said grimly. “Look, I know you mean well, but I’d appreciate it if both of you would stay out of my business. Which means avoiding Imogene.” She spun and marched into the back of the shop.
They both watched her go, then looked at each other. “Very strange,” Amber said.
“Did you say you made a plan to get together with her?”
Amber nodded. “Tonight at the Gull.”
“You’re amazing,” Julie said. “But is it safe? She doesn’t seem like a very nice person.”
“Aw, it’s an adventure,” Amber said. If she couldn’t have an adventure abroad, she’d just have to take what she could get at home.
TUESDAY NIGHT, PAUL walked down the main street of Pleasant Shores with Trey Harrison, both of them with their dogs. Trey had invited Paul to bring Sarge to a search-and-rescue event he was involved in with King, and now, they’d decided to give the dogs a quick walk along the shore before calling it a night.
Trey was doing Paul a kindness, but he was also definitely checking on Paul, seeing how he was managing, and why wouldn’t he? Trey no doubt remembered that first mixed-up night when Davey had run away to Amber’s house. Trey was also still holding on to Paul’s weapon.
Even so, Paul liked Trey; they had a lot in common. “Thanks for taking us to the search-and-rescue demo,” he said now.
“Glad you could come. Sorry Sarge didn’t seem like he’s going to work out. I thought, with him being a bloodhound, it would be perfect for him.”
Sarge seemed to laugh up at Paul, and he reached down to rub the dog’s head as the breeze lifted the bloodhound’s droopy ears. The sky over the bay was purple as darkness came on, and the salty, slightly fishy smell wafted to Paul. It was a smell he was getting used to, even coming to like. “Seems like there’s too much involved for me to do with a young child, anyway.”
“There is, for sure. I could never have fit in six hundred hours
