bedside phone rang. I’d forgotten to turn off the ringer, and as I grabbed it, I found myself hoping it was Jake.
No such luck.
“Hi, Suzanne. It’s Heather Masterson.”
“Hi, Heather,” I said, fighting a yawn.
She said, “Oh, dear, I’m calling too late, aren’t I? I guess I’m used to college time. Wait, it’s only ten.”
“Yes, but I get up every morning at one,” I said.
“I should have realized that someone had to get up to make the donuts you sell every day. I’m sorry I bothered you. Go back to sleep.”
“No, it’s fine,” I said as I rubbed my eyes. “I can talk. What’s up?”
“I wanted to ask a favor from you, but I surely didn’t start off on the right foot by calling this late, did I?”
“What is it? I’ll do anything I can. You know all you have to do is ask.”
She hesitated, then said, “I’ve been going through Aunt Peg’s things, and there’s a lot I’m not sure what to do with. Do you know anyone who could help me sort through her clothes and things and tell mewhat’s worth keeping? I’m afraid I have no talent for it at all, and I don’t want to get rid of something valuable by mistake.”
“I understand,” I said, as I thought about who could help.
She must have misunderstood my delay, because she added quickly, “I can’t bear to be here any longer than I have to, you were right about that. The memorial’s planned, and the sooner I can put this all behind me and get back to school, the better. I just can’t stand being surrounded by all of this sadness.”
“Why don’t I help you myself?” I asked as inspiration struck. The best way to learn more about Peg might be going through her things.
“I thought you had a shop to run.”
Making it up as I went along, I said, “I can get my assistant to fill in, as long as I make the donuts myself. Tell you what. I have an even better idea. If you wait until noon, I can come over after work and she won’t be alone at all.”
“That’s too much to ask of you,” Heather said. Her voice caught as she added, “I can’t pay you much.”
“Don’t worry about that all. I’m perfectly willing to do this as a favor to you.”
“Thanks, Suzanne. I don’t know how I’d get through this without you.”
“You’d be fine, I’m sure.”
After we hung up, I tried to get back to sleep, but it was no use. I suddenly realized I’d forgotten to talk to Peg’s neighbors, but it really didn’t matter any more. After all, tomorrow I’d be inside the woman’s house, and if there was anything to learn from it, I planned to take full advantage of the opportunity.
I knew that if I picked up my book and started reading again that I’d never manage to fall back to sleep, so instead, I lay there in bed in the dark, trying to drive the thoughts of what had happened that day from my mind.
I was only partially successful, but I still managed to drift off to sleep before it was time to get up again and start another day from scratch.
I woke up the next morning a little before one AM . My alarm clock was due to go off in ten minutes, but it was the sound of thunder that had brought me awake. I looked out the window, and through the gloom, I saw rain pounding down in the night.
It was going to be one of those dismal days we sometimes got in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and I hoped it didn’t keep customers away from Donut Hearts. I figured with the poisoning, I was going to lose some regulars anyway, and I didn’t need a downpour to keep other customers from coming in. It might just be Emma and me today when we opened up, but I couldn’t worry about that. I had donuts to make, and if folks bought them or not, I still had to be ready.
I dressed quietly, grabbed a yogurt from the fridge, and left the house, hoping the rain would have let up by the time I was ready to go. No luck. It was coming down in sheets, and the small umbrella I’d chosen was no match for it.
In twenty paces, I was
No such luck.
“Hi, Suzanne. It’s Heather Masterson.”
“Hi, Heather,” I said, fighting a yawn.
She said, “Oh, dear, I’m calling too late, aren’t I? I guess I’m used to college time. Wait, it’s only ten.”
“Yes, but I get up every morning at one,” I said.
“I should have realized that someone had to get up to make the donuts you sell every day. I’m sorry I bothered you. Go back to sleep.”
“No, it’s fine,” I said as I rubbed my eyes. “I can talk. What’s up?”
“I wanted to ask a favor from you, but I surely didn’t start off on the right foot by calling this late, did I?”
“What is it? I’ll do anything I can. You know all you have to do is ask.”
She hesitated, then said, “I’ve been going through Aunt Peg’s things, and there’s a lot I’m not sure what to do with. Do you know anyone who could help me sort through her clothes and things and tell mewhat’s worth keeping? I’m afraid I have no talent for it at all, and I don’t want to get rid of something valuable by mistake.”
“I understand,” I said, as I thought about who could help.
She must have misunderstood my delay, because she added quickly, “I can’t bear to be here any longer than I have to, you were right about that. The memorial’s planned, and the sooner I can put this all behind me and get back to school, the better. I just can’t stand being surrounded by all of this sadness.”
“Why don’t I help you myself?” I asked as inspiration struck. The best way to learn more about Peg might be going through her things.
“I thought you had a shop to run.”
Making it up as I went along, I said, “I can get my assistant to fill in, as long as I make the donuts myself. Tell you what. I have an even better idea. If you wait until noon, I can come over after work and she won’t be alone at all.”
“That’s too much to ask of you,” Heather said. Her voice caught as she added, “I can’t pay you much.”
“Don’t worry about that all. I’m perfectly willing to do this as a favor to you.”
“Thanks, Suzanne. I don’t know how I’d get through this without you.”
“You’d be fine, I’m sure.”
After we hung up, I tried to get back to sleep, but it was no use. I suddenly realized I’d forgotten to talk to Peg’s neighbors, but it really didn’t matter any more. After all, tomorrow I’d be inside the woman’s house, and if there was anything to learn from it, I planned to take full advantage of the opportunity.
I knew that if I picked up my book and started reading again that I’d never manage to fall back to sleep, so instead, I lay there in bed in the dark, trying to drive the thoughts of what had happened that day from my mind.
I was only partially successful, but I still managed to drift off to sleep before it was time to get up again and start another day from scratch.
I woke up the next morning a little before one AM . My alarm clock was due to go off in ten minutes, but it was the sound of thunder that had brought me awake. I looked out the window, and through the gloom, I saw rain pounding down in the night.
It was going to be one of those dismal days we sometimes got in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and I hoped it didn’t keep customers away from Donut Hearts. I figured with the poisoning, I was going to lose some regulars anyway, and I didn’t need a downpour to keep other customers from coming in. It might just be Emma and me today when we opened up, but I couldn’t worry about that. I had donuts to make, and if folks bought them or not, I still had to be ready.
I dressed quietly, grabbed a yogurt from the fridge, and left the house, hoping the rain would have let up by the time I was ready to go. No luck. It was coming down in sheets, and the small umbrella I’d chosen was no match for it.
In twenty paces, I was
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