"Anyway, Katherine disappeared. They discovered she’d last used her credit card a few days ago in Jacksonville. After that, nothing. Sam is really worried. I’m going to go talk to the boys and see if they can help me out."
"Good luck. I’m going to putter around and play catch-up on some paperwork and then close the shop and go home and take a nap." The word nap must have triggered me, because I yawned hugely. "I’m still on honeymoon time."
Jack grinned and pulled me close for a hug and then an intensely satisfying kiss that was just heating up when a busload of senior citizens swarmed into my shop in a clatter of canes, walkers, and chatter, floating on a cloud of Old Spice and Estee Lauder White Linen.
When the old guy with the shiny bald head, first through the door, waggled his eyebrows at me and said, "Hubba, hubba," I had to laugh.
"Okay, hot stuff," I said, moving out of Jack’s arms. "Go do your thing. Looks like I’m about to be busy."
"I thought you moved the GYST folks to a different day?"
"I meant to, but we were a little busy battling Fae champions for control of the town before the wedding, and then we left right after, and …"
"Enough said." He winked at the old dude, kissed me again, and then headed out.
More than a few of the white-haired women sighed as he walked past them. When one, a pink-cheeked, tiny woman who had to be at least eighty-five, cast an apologetic look my way, I smiled at her.
"You know, we’ve been married almost a month, and sometimes I still can’t believe it myself."
After that, half the group wandered around shopping, and the other half, mostly women, crowded close to the counter to offer wedding congratulations and compliments. I spent the next hour happily ringing up sales, smiling till my cheeks hurt, and meeting Maud, the new bus driver who’d taken over the route. She was a compact woman, curly-haired and leanly muscled, maybe in her forties.
Best of all, she seemed to be all three Cs: cheerful, competent, and capable, which were qualities the best tourism staff needed in large quantities—along with a healthy dose of patience.
When I handed Maud an envelope with the customary fifty dollars in it, though, she looked surprised.
"Is it enough?" I frowned. It hadn’t occurred to me that a new driver would mean an increase in the small amount I paid the GYST driver for stopping at Dead End Pawn. It wasn’t a bribe as much as a small thank you. The buses had plenty of options of places to take people, but the tourists seemed to enjoy my quirky little shop, and I appreciated the business.
She raised her eyebrows. "What? No, it’s not that. I didn’t expectanypayment."
"It’s more of a thank-you tip. I worked it out with the GYST bus owners," I assured her, not wanting my new acquaintance to think I was up to anything shady.
She looked relieved. "Oh, sure. I didn’t want to do anything wrong during my first week."
"Absolutely. The owners asked a few years back if I could accommodate the bus once a week, no charge to my shop, because we’re apparently ‘local color,’" I said dryly.
She grinned. "I get that."
"But speaking of arrangements, I’m going to close on Mondays for the foreseeable future. I was wondering if you could stop by on another day. Wednesdays would be great, but I’m open to any day but Sundays or Mondays."
"Sure. I’ll talk to the bosses."
"Thanks!"
She held out her hand, but I regretfully shook my head. "Sorry. I don’t shake hands."
A trace of unease crossed her face. "Right. I, ah, heard. How could I forget? I sure don’t want to know how I’m going to die."
"Hey, lady!" called out one of the GYSTers, a grumpy man in bright orange shorts, a neon-yellow shirt, and sandals worn with white knee socks. "I want to sell you this thing. I heard you like to buy quirky magic stuff."
I blew out a sigh.
It was going to be one of those days.
4
Tess
"What is it?" I looked down at what appeared to be an ordinary piece of jewelry, albeit fairly gaudy. It was a gold brooch—a fancy word for a pin—set with semi-precious stones in a triangular cluster. The whole thing was maybe three inches across and two inches high. Or vice versa. I wasn't exactly sure which way was up.
