Snuffed Out (Book 2 in the Candlemaking Mysteries) (7 page)

Erin hadn’t been all that pleased when I’d
asked her out on a date. My ego wasn’t so huge that I couldn’t
believe she wasn’t interested in me. I wasn’t sure, and I might
have imagined it, but I thought I’d seen some interest in her eyes
before I’d asked.

April collected my bill and said, “That’s
the first time I’ve ever seen a man lose two women in thirty
minutes over one pizza. You should write a book on what not to do
with women, Harrison, you’d make a fortune.”

I shook my head. “I’m afraid what I know
can’t be taught. It’s a gift you’re either born with or you’re
not.”

April said, “Don’t beat yourself up over
either one of them. Heather’s got a lot on her plate at the moment,
and Erin’s trying to break free from a boatload of bad
memories.”

“
What do you know about
her?” I asked, interested in her insight. April seemed to me to be
a pretty good judge of character working behind that counter day in
and day out.

“
If she wants you to know,
she’ll tell you herself. I wouldn’t give up on either one of them,
Harrison, those are both jewels in the rough there.”

I smiled gently and asked, “Now I know how
much the pizza is, but how much should I kick in for the
advice?”

She snapped a dishtowel at me and said,
“It’s a two-for-one special today. The advice is free, worth every
penny it cost you.”

I nodded. “Thanks. I do appreciate it.”

“
You’re most welcome, not
that you’ll probably listen to a word of it.”

Outside, the sun had slipped away and the
darkness was creeping in. The days were getting shorter, and when
Daylight Savings Time kicked in soon enough, there would be more
night that daytime.

I’d had enough of people for the time being.
All I wanted now was to slip quietly into my apartment and spend
some time with Ms. MacLeod and my latest mystery.

It turned out that was one more wish I
wouldn’t be getting that day.

Chapter 5

Gary Cragg was waiting at my door when I
walked through the hall to my apartment.

“
I didn’t stand you up, did
I?” I asked, knowing full well we hadn’t scheduled a meeting,
though getting together with the attorney had been on my list of
things to do.

“
No, but I need to speak
with you.”

I unlocked my door. “Come on in.”

He hesitated outside my apartment, then
said, “If you don’t mind, I’d rather do this in my office.”

It wasn’t much of a commute, since his
office space was fifty steps from my apartment, but he’d come to
see me. Then again, I wasn’t a huge fan of Cragg. Did I really want
him inside my apartment? It was my refuge, after all.

“
Your office it is,” I said
as I stepped back out and locked my door.

I followed him down the hall and into his
office. Cragg took his seat, and I noticed the client’s chair
across from his desk was lower than a normal chair. It gave the
attorney a perfect opportunity to loom over his visitors. The man
was always looking for an angle.

“
What’s so important that it
interrupts my time off?” I asked, not even trying to be diplomatic.
I knew running River’s Edge was a full-time job, but I didn’t have
to like it.

“
Sorry for the late hour,
but this couldn’t wait.” Wow, an apology from a lawyer. I’d have to
start keeping a diary just so I could write that one down. He
continued, “I need to speak with you about Aaron Gaston’s
estate.”

“
He’s got an estate? His
pottery shop must have done a lot better than my candlemaking
business does.”

Cragg dismissed my sarcasm and said, “All
his worldly goods go to his ex-wife, Sanora Gaston.”

“
Sounds like he was a
generous man. So what do you need me for? She’s welcome to come
collect his stuff any time.”

“
That’s just it. Ms. Gaston
is a potter of no small ability herself. You may not be aware of
it, but when River’s Edge first opened, she was the co-owner of the
business.”

“
This is all fascinating,
but is there a reason you’re telling me all this?”

If Cragg was perturbed with my attitude, he
was hiding it well. “Ms. Gaston has approached me about the
possibility of taking over the shop, including the lease. Aaron’s
agreement is good until nearly the end of the year, but she’s
interested in negotiating occupancy for a longer period, say three
years.”

I’d gone through some of Belle’s papers and
I knew she never offered more than one year of guaranteed occupancy
to any of her tenants, including At Wick’s End. “That’s out of the
question,” I said. I wasn’t ready to change any of Belle’s policies
unless I believed there was a sound reason for it. My late
Great-Aunt was a savvy businesswoman, much better at running things
than I was, so if I erred, I wanted it to be on the side of
caution.

Cragg frowned, steepled his fingers in front
of him, then said, “Am I to understand you are against her
occupancy under any conditions?”

“
She’s not getting a renewal
like that,” I said. I’d always had a problem with authority
figures, and the best way to get me to do something was to tell me
I couldn’t.

“
Very well. She will be
satisfied, for the interim, to take on the remaining months of the
lease.”

Suddenly I was feeling very stubborn. I knew
how much I needed a paying tenant, but I felt like I was the
unwilling guest on Cragg’s little railroad. “Not until I meet her
first.”

“
Harrison, are you trying to
be difficult?” the attorney said, his temper breaking through a
bit.

“
It’s my building, and as
far as I can tell, it’s my right.”

Cragg pursed his lips, then reached for the
telephone. Before I knew what was happening, I heard him say, “Mr.
Black would like to meet you.  Now.  As soon as you can
get to my office.”

“
You didn’t call her, did
you?” I asked.

“
Isn’t that what you just
demanded, Harrison?”

I stood up. “Not tonight. It’s too late for
a meeting, and I’m tired.”

“
But I’ve already called
her.”

“
Then you can call her back
and tell her to come by At Wick’s End in the morning.”

I started for Cragg’s door when it opened. A
pretty, young blonde came in wearing faded jeans and a red top.

I started to go past her when she stuck out
a hand. “Hi, I’m Sanora.”

“
That was quick,” I
said.

“
I was outside on the steps
enjoying the night.  I always loved being here when everyone
else was gone.  I used to sit on the steps outside and watch
the river go by.”

Cragg said, “I’m sorry to have bothered you,
but it seems Mr. Black wants to postpone your meeting until
tomorrow.”

I started to protest when Sanora said,
“That’s fine. I know we kind of surprised you with all this. The
more I thought about coming back to River’s Edge, the more sense it
made. Gary was nice enough to agree to talk to you about it, but I
should have come to you myself. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“
Wait a second,” I said.
“Since you’re already here, I don’t suppose it will hurt to talk
about it.”

She considered it for a moment, then said,
“Only if you’re certain. I don’t want to take up your free evening.
I know how valuable those can be.”

“
It’s not a problem.” I
looked over at Cragg and saw he was hanging on every word she
spoke. Did he have a thing for Sanora? He was definitely showing
more than an expected interest in her coming back to River’s Edge.
In all the time I’d owned the place, it was only the second time
I’d ever seen the attorney hanging around after his regular
business hours.

For spite, I added, “Why don’t we go down to
the pottery shop? We can talk about it there. Thanks, Gary,” I
said, stressing his first name as Sanora had.

“
Glad to help. Why don’t I
join you? I’m finished here.”

Sanora said, “I’m sure we’ll be fine. Thanks
again.”

Out in the hallway, I said, “Just let me
grab the key for The Pot Shot first.”

She started to say something, but then
thought better of it. I found the key Pearly had given me, then
followed Sanora downstairs.

I was afraid going back into the pottery
store might be a little traumatic for her, and she was indeed quiet
as I unlocked the door. I asked, “Would you rather do this tomorrow
morning? I know this can’t be easy on you.”

She shook her head. “Aaron and I made our
peace before he passed away. We were friends at last. You can’t
believe how much comfort I’ve taken from that.” She put a hand on
my arm as she added, “In all honesty, we were actually better
friends than we were a couple.”

“
Won’t it be hard for you
working here, knowing what happened to him?”

She frowned gently. “I thought about that,
believe me, but we built this place together. What more fitting
tribute could there be than continue it? I’m sure Aaron would have
wanted it that way. I do hope you’ll give me that lease. Three
years will make this place feel like home.”

I started to agree, then realized what I’d
told Cragg. I’d already committed myself. “I’m afraid that’s not
going to happen, at least not for now. Why don’t you finish out
Aaron’s lease, it runs through November. We can talk about
extensions then.”

“
If that’s what you want,”
she said. “Was it...here that it happened?”

She gently touched the wheel Aaron had been
working at, as if afraid it would bite her.

“
Yes. Some of the folks
around here think it was odd that he was throwing on an electric
wheel.”

“
Aaron was always trying
something new. It wouldn’t surprise me at all that he was throwing
on it, goodness knows I nagged him enough to try it. I prefer
electric, myself. When I used a kick wheel, my legs ached at the
end of the day.” She dusted her hands off, as if removing the last
remnant of the wheel’s touch, then said, “So I can move
in?”

I nodded. “I hate to bring this up, but the
rent is due for the business. Actually, it’s a few days late.”

She nodded. “Then let’s take care of that
right now. I’m sure Gary is still upstairs, and I’ve got my
checkbook.”

I agreed. It would be best to just go ahead
and get it all out of the way. I looked at it as one less thing to
worry about. Then perhaps Eve and Ann Marie would stop nagging
me.

We signed the papers creating a new lease
for Sanora, covering just the short term until Aaron’s year was up.
Even if she didn’t work out as a tenant, I’d bought myself two more
months of rent, and a little breathing room.

What an adventurous afternoon off I’d had.
My shoulders were stiffening up from my kayaking experience and the
slight sunburn I’d gotten was getting redder by the moment. A hot
shower took most of the ache out of the burn, but by the time I was
finished, I barely had enough energy to keep my eyes open. I’d read
just two pages of my book when it dropped to my chest, and I fell
fast asleep.

From the beating my front
door was taking, someone was trying to break into my apartment. At
least that’s what it sounded like when I woke up the next morning.
I stared at the alarm clock through bleary eyes and saw that it was
just a little past six
a.m.

Grabbing a robe on my way out of the
bedroom, I opened the door to find Heather Bane glaring at me,
madder than a wet cat.

She started in on me before I could open my
mouth. “Harrison Black, of all the no-brain, thickheaded, idiotic
things to do, I can’t believe you did it.”

“
What was I supposed to have
done?” I asked, trying my best to wake up. I was no match for
Heather, certainly not still half-asleep, though I was coming
around pretty quickly under the tirade.

“
You let that woman back
into our lives.”

“
What woman? Erin?” Now what
was she talking about?

“
Sanora, you nit! I can’t
believe she’s here. You’ve got to throw her out, Harrison. Tear up
the check, give her a refund, I don’t care what it takes, but she’s
got to go.”

“
Take it easy, Heather. I
don’t know what all the fuss is about. She said she was a tenant
here with Aaron from the very start.”

“
Before me, is that what
you’re saying? Did you happen to ask her why she left?”

“
I assumed it was because of
the divorce,” I said. “Listen, can we discuss this over a cup of
coffee?”

“
I’ve had mine, thank you
very much. You assumed wrong. Belle threw her out. She told Aaron
that either Sanora went alone, or they both did. What do you think
about that?”

“
It’s hard for me to believe
Belle would do something like that. What happened?”

Heather said, “I don’t know exactly. Belle
said it would be unladylike of her to discuss it, but she was mad
enough to spit. Now are you going to throw her out or not?”

“
It’s not that easy, even if
I wanted to,” I admitted. “Cragg drew up a new lease for her last
night, and we both signed it with him acting as a
witness.”

Heather headed for the steps. “So she’s here
for good. I’m leaving then. I’ll be out by the end of the
month.”

“
Wait a second.” I tried to
explain that Sanora’s lease only ran another two months, but
Heather didn’t give me the chance.