Chapter One
Sadie Barnett, owner of Timeless Treasures, the best antiques and treasures shop in three states, set down the heavy box she’d lugged up the stairs and turned to her best friend. “Is that everything?” she asked.
Lucy Shylock, blond, round, jewelry salesperson extraordinaire, and BFF to Sadie, mentally counted boxes. She came to the correct total and smiled. “Yep,” she said, “that’s it.” She leaned against Sadie’s kitchen counter and worked on catching her breath.
“Thank God for that,” Sadie said, slumping down in one of her old country wooden kitchen chairs. “I’m about to expire from heat. Let me throw a cloth over the dining room table and we can get started setting up.”
Lucy handed Sadie a glass of water and got a glass down for herself. They’d been friends for so long that it didn’t even occur to her that she was making herself at home in Sadie’s kitchen. She always did that. Sadie’s kitchen was one of her favorite places to be. Besides her own kitchen, of course.
Sadie had just gotten up to rummage around for a table cloth when there was a pounding on the downstairs door. She tossed the cloth to Lucy and trotted down the inside staircase with Mr. Bradshaw, her tiny Jack Russell, on her heels. Marjorie Rumstocking, the town Mayor was on the sidewalk outside her shop; when Sadie opened the door she barged right in and Mr. Bradshaw had to back away quickly or get trampled.
“Sadie,” Marjorie said without stopping her forward momentum, “I simply must see the goods before the party tonight. I’m in such a rush.” She was rushing straight for Mr. Bradshaw, who ducked under an end table covered with knickknacks and growled under his breath.
“Mr. Bradshaw, there will be none of that.” Sadie wagged her finger at her dog and then continued after Marjorie.
“Uh, wait?” Sadie started, but Marjorie was already headed up the stairs. “Well that’s not rude,” Sadie muttered under her breath and followed Marjorie up the stairs. She wasn’t more than half way up when Marjorie started badgering Lucy.
“Come on, Lucy, I simply must see the jewelry before the party starts. I’m going to be a smidgeon late and I don’t want to miss anything. I’ll help you set up.”
When Sadie rounded the corner into the dining room, Lucy and Marjorie were playing tug-of-war with a box.
“Marjorie!” Sadie used her best “mom” voice. “You know Lucy could lose her job for that. Show my Sparkle has very strict rules, she’s not allowed to show items until the party starts.”
“Well if you put it like that,” Marjorie said letting go of the box. “You don’t have to make me out to be such a bad guy. I certainly don’t want Lucy to lose her job. But I’m very disappointed all the same and now I have to get here early.” She started back down the stairs, “I hope you don’t start without me.”
Lucy started to say “I can’t promise,” when the door to the shop slammed shut, jangling the bell. Lucy turned to Sadie, “What in the world has gotten into her?”
“I don’t know, but if she’s doesn’t stop acting like the queen of the universe she’s going to end up with more enemies than she already has. I heard Willow Jones say she’d like to wring her neck, the other day, and Willow Jones is about the sweetest person you could ever meet.”
“If she wasn’t the richest woman in this town,” Lucy said, “I wouldn’t invite her to these things. She definitely brings the tone down.”
“Well maybe she won’t come back and the tone will stay up - she said she was busy,” Sadie said.
“I wish,” Lucy said.
Two hours later it looked as if Lucy’s wish had come true. Sadie took another look through her apartment, but Marjorie hadn't shown up. Wine was flowing and the jewelry was getting snapped up like gold doubloons at a pirate party.
“Is it my imagination, or are you
Sadie Barnett, owner of Timeless Treasures, the best antiques and treasures shop in three states, set down the heavy box she’d lugged up the stairs and turned to her best friend. “Is that everything?” she asked.
Lucy Shylock, blond, round, jewelry salesperson extraordinaire, and BFF to Sadie, mentally counted boxes. She came to the correct total and smiled. “Yep,” she said, “that’s it.” She leaned against Sadie’s kitchen counter and worked on catching her breath.
“Thank God for that,” Sadie said, slumping down in one of her old country wooden kitchen chairs. “I’m about to expire from heat. Let me throw a cloth over the dining room table and we can get started setting up.”
Lucy handed Sadie a glass of water and got a glass down for herself. They’d been friends for so long that it didn’t even occur to her that she was making herself at home in Sadie’s kitchen. She always did that. Sadie’s kitchen was one of her favorite places to be. Besides her own kitchen, of course.
Sadie had just gotten up to rummage around for a table cloth when there was a pounding on the downstairs door. She tossed the cloth to Lucy and trotted down the inside staircase with Mr. Bradshaw, her tiny Jack Russell, on her heels. Marjorie Rumstocking, the town Mayor was on the sidewalk outside her shop; when Sadie opened the door she barged right in and Mr. Bradshaw had to back away quickly or get trampled.
“Sadie,” Marjorie said without stopping her forward momentum, “I simply must see the goods before the party tonight. I’m in such a rush.” She was rushing straight for Mr. Bradshaw, who ducked under an end table covered with knickknacks and growled under his breath.
“Mr. Bradshaw, there will be none of that.” Sadie wagged her finger at her dog and then continued after Marjorie.
“Uh, wait?” Sadie started, but Marjorie was already headed up the stairs. “Well that’s not rude,” Sadie muttered under her breath and followed Marjorie up the stairs. She wasn’t more than half way up when Marjorie started badgering Lucy.
“Come on, Lucy, I simply must see the jewelry before the party starts. I’m going to be a smidgeon late and I don’t want to miss anything. I’ll help you set up.”
When Sadie rounded the corner into the dining room, Lucy and Marjorie were playing tug-of-war with a box.
“Marjorie!” Sadie used her best “mom” voice. “You know Lucy could lose her job for that. Show my Sparkle has very strict rules, she’s not allowed to show items until the party starts.”
“Well if you put it like that,” Marjorie said letting go of the box. “You don’t have to make me out to be such a bad guy. I certainly don’t want Lucy to lose her job. But I’m very disappointed all the same and now I have to get here early.” She started back down the stairs, “I hope you don’t start without me.”
Lucy started to say “I can’t promise,” when the door to the shop slammed shut, jangling the bell. Lucy turned to Sadie, “What in the world has gotten into her?”
“I don’t know, but if she’s doesn’t stop acting like the queen of the universe she’s going to end up with more enemies than she already has. I heard Willow Jones say she’d like to wring her neck, the other day, and Willow Jones is about the sweetest person you could ever meet.”
“If she wasn’t the richest woman in this town,” Lucy said, “I wouldn’t invite her to these things. She definitely brings the tone down.”
“Well maybe she won’t come back and the tone will stay up - she said she was busy,” Sadie said.
“I wish,” Lucy said.
Two hours later it looked as if Lucy’s wish had come true. Sadie took another look through her apartment, but Marjorie hadn't shown up. Wine was flowing and the jewelry was getting snapped up like gold doubloons at a pirate party.
“Is it my imagination, or are you
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