have so much in common. I really admire how much Jason knows about cars and metal working, plus we both had trouble in school until we learned to do things our own way. Also, he’s really cute.”
“I’m glad you think so,” Olivia said, trying not to sound sarcastic. In fact, she truly was glad that Dolly was smitten with her brother. She sincerely hoped Jason wasn’t too dense to recognize a promising relationship.
Dolly gazed at her own drawing with a troubled expression. “So this really is the girl whose father was murdered?”
“Possibly.” Olivia sipped her coffee as she considered how much information to reveal. “But we don’t really know much yet. The police will have to establish whether it was murder or if someone simply died of natural causes.” Rumors were inevitable, but Olivia saw no reason to encourage them.
“I understand.” Dolly took a generous bite of her purple-scalloped sugar cookie. “I won’t say anything to anyone. Rumors get started so easily.”
The kitchen door cracked open and Maddie poked her head inside. “Livie, we’ve got a problem. Your mom is handling it pretty well, only . . .” Maddie glanced back at the store. “I’d feel better if you came out here. Ellie is strong, but she’s so tiny.”
Olivia scraped back her chair and jogged through the doorway, leaving Dolly to finish her coffee and cookie alone. “Is Mom in danger?” Olivia asked as she followed Maddie past the sales counter.
“Don’t panic,” Maddie said. “No sign of fisticuffs yet, and even if there were, I’d put my money on Ellie. That guy looks like he’d be easy to topple.”
“Topple? What man?” Olivia scouted the sales floor. At first she saw nothing out of the ordinary. A few customers stood near the locked cabinet that held the more valuable vintage and antique cookie cutters. They appeared to be discussing the contents in a reasonably calm way. Olivia’s peripheral vision took in Spunky’s favorite chair, from which he received admirers and policed the store. A fluffy pile of fur opened one eye but didn’t move.
Maddie nodded toward the entrance to the cookbook nook. “That’s where they are. It sounds awfully quiet, though. Maybe Ellie convinced him to leave. Or maybe she decked him. That would be so cool.”
Olivia took off at a moderate pace, hoping not to spook the customers. She was ready to throw a punch, if necessary. However, when they reached the entrance to the cookbook nook, Olivia hesitated. Ellie occupied one of the two roomy armchairs nestled in a corner for customers who wished to peruse a cookbook or enjoy a chat over coffee and a cookie. Her legs curled under her elfin body as she gazed serenely at a large man occupying the second armchair. The man shot to his feet when Olivia and Maddie entered the cookbook nook.
“Livie, dear, do come in,” Ellie said, as if the cookbook nook were her parlor and Olivia an unexpected visitor. “Mr. Quinn, let me introduce my daughter, Livie, and her friend and business partner, Maddie. Oh, Maddie, would you mind getting Mr. Quinn a cup of coffee and perhaps a cookie? I’m afraid I never gave him a chance to get near the refreshments table.”
“Um, okay.” Maddie flashed Olivia a confused glance as she exited the nook.
Robbie Quinn held out a powerful hand for Olivia to shake. She steeled herself, anticipating crushed fingers, but his handshake felt loose, almost perfunctory. “Everyone calls me Robbie,” he said, his voice a shade too hearty.
Olivia shifted from concern to curiosity. If this man was Crystal Quinn’s husband, he was not what she had expected. Well over six feet tall, Robbie would tower over his slender, petite wife. He wore oil-stained jeans, heavy work boots, and a sweatshirt with “Quinn Construction” written across the chest. Robbie pushed up his sleeves, revealing elaborate tattoos on both forearms. Olivia recognized a snake slithering along the top of his right arm, but the other
“I’m glad you think so,” Olivia said, trying not to sound sarcastic. In fact, she truly was glad that Dolly was smitten with her brother. She sincerely hoped Jason wasn’t too dense to recognize a promising relationship.
Dolly gazed at her own drawing with a troubled expression. “So this really is the girl whose father was murdered?”
“Possibly.” Olivia sipped her coffee as she considered how much information to reveal. “But we don’t really know much yet. The police will have to establish whether it was murder or if someone simply died of natural causes.” Rumors were inevitable, but Olivia saw no reason to encourage them.
“I understand.” Dolly took a generous bite of her purple-scalloped sugar cookie. “I won’t say anything to anyone. Rumors get started so easily.”
The kitchen door cracked open and Maddie poked her head inside. “Livie, we’ve got a problem. Your mom is handling it pretty well, only . . .” Maddie glanced back at the store. “I’d feel better if you came out here. Ellie is strong, but she’s so tiny.”
Olivia scraped back her chair and jogged through the doorway, leaving Dolly to finish her coffee and cookie alone. “Is Mom in danger?” Olivia asked as she followed Maddie past the sales counter.
“Don’t panic,” Maddie said. “No sign of fisticuffs yet, and even if there were, I’d put my money on Ellie. That guy looks like he’d be easy to topple.”
“Topple? What man?” Olivia scouted the sales floor. At first she saw nothing out of the ordinary. A few customers stood near the locked cabinet that held the more valuable vintage and antique cookie cutters. They appeared to be discussing the contents in a reasonably calm way. Olivia’s peripheral vision took in Spunky’s favorite chair, from which he received admirers and policed the store. A fluffy pile of fur opened one eye but didn’t move.
Maddie nodded toward the entrance to the cookbook nook. “That’s where they are. It sounds awfully quiet, though. Maybe Ellie convinced him to leave. Or maybe she decked him. That would be so cool.”
Olivia took off at a moderate pace, hoping not to spook the customers. She was ready to throw a punch, if necessary. However, when they reached the entrance to the cookbook nook, Olivia hesitated. Ellie occupied one of the two roomy armchairs nestled in a corner for customers who wished to peruse a cookbook or enjoy a chat over coffee and a cookie. Her legs curled under her elfin body as she gazed serenely at a large man occupying the second armchair. The man shot to his feet when Olivia and Maddie entered the cookbook nook.
“Livie, dear, do come in,” Ellie said, as if the cookbook nook were her parlor and Olivia an unexpected visitor. “Mr. Quinn, let me introduce my daughter, Livie, and her friend and business partner, Maddie. Oh, Maddie, would you mind getting Mr. Quinn a cup of coffee and perhaps a cookie? I’m afraid I never gave him a chance to get near the refreshments table.”
“Um, okay.” Maddie flashed Olivia a confused glance as she exited the nook.
Robbie Quinn held out a powerful hand for Olivia to shake. She steeled herself, anticipating crushed fingers, but his handshake felt loose, almost perfunctory. “Everyone calls me Robbie,” he said, his voice a shade too hearty.
Olivia shifted from concern to curiosity. If this man was Crystal Quinn’s husband, he was not what she had expected. Well over six feet tall, Robbie would tower over his slender, petite wife. He wore oil-stained jeans, heavy work boots, and a sweatshirt with “Quinn Construction” written across the chest. Robbie pushed up his sleeves, revealing elaborate tattoos on both forearms. Olivia recognized a snake slithering along the top of his right arm, but the other
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