“Oh, like, go botta bing your dead brain out in the cold, jerk!” Sandy rolled her eyes again.
“Okay, you two, play nice,” Candy pleaded. She quickly turned her attention to Chris. “There's a lot more to building the toy factory than I realized. I can see that our work is going to take more time than I thought.”
“A lot more time.” Betty sighed. “I don't see us opening up by next Christmas, no matter how quickly we work when spring arrives.” Betty dropped her shoulders. “Well, maybe that's for the best. I don't want to cause any mistakes by rushing the work.”
“Aunt Betty, I promise, by next Christmas, we'll be open for...well, Christmas,” Chris promised. He went to Betty and hugged her. “Right now, it does seem that time isn't on our side, but I was talking to Candy earlier, and we both agree that God is keeping a bag of miracles full. We just have to continue having faith that God is at work...and God is never delayed by bad weather.”
Chapter 6
“Candy, do you really think Chris is right, like...you know, about being open for business by next Christmas? There's an awful lot of work to do. Totally.”
Candy was pushing a grocery cart down an aisle filled with breads and soups. The Pine Snow Grocery store was one of Candy's favorite places in the town because it was old-fashioned. Old hardwood floors and wooden walls made up the interior. Mr. Lipstien, the man who owned the grocery store, was a wonderful man who put up decorations (except for Halloween) and played holiday music. The grocery store was currently decorated with wonderful Thanksgiving delights.Tom the Turkeywas up again, dressed in his usual Pilgrim outfit, hanging over the front entrance holding a sign that saidHappy Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving jazz floated up and down the grocery aisles like old friends who had come to say hello. Each grocery aisle was designed to resemble a festive Thanksgiving meal. Cozy little pilgrims were holding corn, grapes, pumpkins, and other wonderful foods.
“I have faith that God is in charge, honey.”
“I guess.” Sandy looked around. “Like, this place is really cozy. I like the old jazz music.”
“Mr. Lipstien plays Thanksgiving jazz music from the 1940s—” Candy stopped talking when she spotted Haley Huntington appear at the end of the aisle. Haley worked for thePine Snow Gazette. The woman was determined to get an interview with Candy, an interview that didn't involve a few simple words. When Haley had asked Candy how she felt about winning the biggest lottery in America and what she intended to do with the money, Candy had responded, “Work on my toy factory and be happy.” Haley wanted the scoop. In her opinion, no woman in her right mind who had just won millions of dollars was going to just sit around a simple little town and work in a silly toy factory. Candy was up to something.
“Oh no.”
“What?” Sandy asked.
“Haley Huntington.” Candy groaned.
Sandy spotted a woman who appeared to be about Candy's age hurrying down the aisle. The woman had short, black hair and a chubby little face that seemed a little devious rather than welcoming. “Candy Baker,” Haley called out, “I was wondering where you got off to.”
“Hello, Haley.” Candy sighed. “Uh...nice coat.”
“Like...yeah, all that orange is...like a pumpkin,” Sandy tried to add in a pleasant voice.
“I'm keeping with the moment.” Haley grinned as she turned her eyes to Sandy. “And who are you?”
“Haley, this is Sandy. She's living out on the island I bought. She's going to work in the toy factory Betty and I are building.”
“Oh yes, the famous toy factory out on the old island.” Haley narrowed a pair of deep green eyes. “Candy, you and I went through every grade in school together. I know you like the back of a book. You're up to something. I'm going to find out what and expose you.”
Candy rolled her eyes. “You were always the paranoid type.”
“I have an investigative spirit,” Haley defended herself and then held up a finger. “One...you won the biggest lottery in the history of America. Yet, you claim you want to use your winnings to build a toy factory on some little dinky island that no one likes while, I might add, there is a functional toy factory right here in town. Two...you have left your home to live on the island in question...an island that belonged to a very wealthy banker who suddenly left his island without any reason whatsoever. Three...the husband of Betty Vance suddenly died of a heart attack...before he could sign any legal papers that prevented his darling wife from taking ownership of everything he owned. Yes. That's right. I did some intensive investigative work. I know all about Mr. Vance's intention to drop his wife.”
Candy felt her heart sink. Haley was a royal pain who carried a paranoid suspicion. In Haley's eyes, aliens controlled the government. The movieInvasion of the Body Snatchersalways came to mind when Candy encountered Haley. “Haley, Betty Vance had nothing to do with the death of her husband.”
“Oh...then why did her rich cousin just up and give you two his island?” Haley asked. “What did Betty have on him? And...did you really win the lottery by chance or was the lottery rigged by Betty's wealthy cousin...Mr. Rich Banker himself? Is something going on out on the island that I should know about? Confess!” Haley yelled.
“Like, cool it before I go deaf,” Sandy fussed.
Haley locked her eyes on Sandy. “You're from California, right?”
“Like, Los Angeles, sure.” Sandy nodded.
“And you just so happened to leave sunny Los Angeles to come to this iceberg, right?” Haley pressed. “Yeah, right.” Haley turned back to Candy. “And what about the guy you hired who came here from Brooklyn? Isn't it interesting that you are hiring a bunch of strangers to work on your island...or are they strangers?”
“Haley—”
“You're involved with the mafia! Confess!” Haley yelled again.
“You're insane.” Candy groaned.
