Jacquie unlocked a door at the end of the hall and flung open the door. “Welcome,” she said, hanging up her coat and taking off her boots by the door. Pierce followed suit. She led the way down the corridor to the kitchen and he followed, unable to keep from staring.
The apartment was majestic. It occupied the northeast corner of the building. The rooms were bright with the ambient light that flowed through the large windows and the hardwood floors gleamed. There was an old fireplace in the living room, and it looked like it had been converted to natural gas. The kitchen was open to the living room, with gleaming counters and newer cabinets. There was a double gas stove, stainless appliances and marble counters. It was a dream kitchen and he guessed that there had been a major renovation at some point in time.
How did she afford this place?
There was a long counter between the kitchen and the living room, with stools on the living room side. The furniture was golden wood, maybe walnut, and heavy, and the style simple. It looked expensive to Pierce and antique, although he didn’t know much about that. There were Persian rugs on the floors in shades of red and black, and an entire wall of bookcases. The wall opposite the bank of windows was covered in framed pictures, all dark frames, all pictures of people. He glanced at the gallery while Jacquie pulled the drapes.
Pierce smiled when Jacquie waved to someone across the street before pulling the drapes on that window. She turned on the fireplace and a few lights, then started to unpack the groceries on the counter. The apartment was cozy and spacious both, a welcoming haven.
“I’m glad you know what to do with all of this,” she said, examining the jar of capers.
“Technically, I don’t, not yet,” he said, hoping she’d laugh. She did.
“What do you think?” she asked, gesturing to the apartment.
“It’s a great place.”
“It is, isn’t it?” she said, looking around with wonder. “We kind of inherited it, just like this.”
“Inherited it?”
She continued to unpack groceries. “Okay, my first two ghosts are ready to be introduced.”
Pierce smiled and moved to her side, sorting the groceries as he listened.
“My parents had a great relationship, but they were complete opposites. Maybe that was why they had a great marriage.” She shrugged. “My dad thought home was the best place in the world to be, and my mom wanted to travel to all the other places to make sure. That’s why she cooked so much—she tried all the cuisines of all the world instead, and he sat at home, travelling vicariously at the dining table. When he died, a couple of years after Mitchell and I married, she booked herself onto a tour of Europe right away. It was one of those fifteen-countries-in-fourteen-days excursions. She called it a sampler.”
Pierce nodded. “Find out what you like, then go back.”
“Exactly. She had to get her very first passport to even go on that trip, and she was so excited. She met Ernest when the tour gathered at the airport. He was fifteen years older, a widower who shared her love of adventure. They were two of a kind and hit it off right away. They took every side trip offered, barely slept from what I heard, and were crazy in love by the time they got home. Finishing each other’s sentences, driving each other on to new quests. She moved in here, which was Ernest’s place, within three months. He’d been here for decades and it’s a rent control building.”
Ah. That explained a lot.
“He had the kitchen renovated for her, and they cooked up a storm. We came every weekend and Ernest became kind of a third grandpa to my kids. When Ernest got sick a few years later, my mom insisted we come and live with them. She said it was too much space and Ernest loved the kids, so we did. It was perfect. So much more room, better schools for the kids, plus they made Ernest laugh.”
“And there was someone to watch them when you couldn’t,” Pierce guessed.
Jacquie smiled. “Moving here made it so much easier for me to work whenever I could. Before getting hired at F5F, I worked multiple part-time jobs and took temp work when I could. I got that job because I had a temp post at the club and Tyler realized I was capable of a lot more. The partners gave me a chance and I ran with it.”
“They’re good judges of character.”
“And just nice people.” Jacquie gestured to the building beyond the apartment. “Plus there weren’t a lot of kids in the building then, so my mom sent my kids to help out. Ashley watered plants for residents on vacation, Brandon fetched newspapers and packages, they all walked dogs and took care of pets. They delivered Mom’s baking and helped some of the seniors with small tasks. They had a community of support.”
“It takes a village to raise a child,” Pierce said with a smile.
“Pretty much. Then Ernest died, and my mom kept cooking, feeding my kids, helping to raise them.” She sobered. “When she passed a few years ago, the residents’ committee approved our staying here.”
“You were part of the village.”
“Yes. I haven’t changed much in the apartment, though.”
The phone on the kitchen wall rang and Jacquie glanced at it, but didn’t move to answer it. After four rings, it fell silent, and he heard the answering machine come on. Jacquie moved to mute it. “My kids,” she said with a smile. “They can wait tonight.”
“You must have added the pictures,” he said, nodding
