Mrs. Henderson leaned forward eagerly. “Oh, Kathleen! Do you know something about this discovery? Have you been holding out on us?”
Mabel practically bounced on her toes. “Yes, do tell! We’re all friends here. Surely there’s no harm in sharing a little information?”
Heat flooded Kathleen’s cheeks. She glanced desperately at Chloe, who stepped closer to the counter in a gesture of solidarity.
“I think,” Chloe said firmly, “that speculation without facts isn’t helpful to anyone. If there has been a discovery of historical significance, the proper authorities and experts should be the ones to determine how it’s handled and shared with the public.”
Theo nodded, but his eyes remained fixed on Kathleen. “Of course. But a simple interview about the discovery process, the importance of proper historical preservation—that could be educational for the community without compromising any ongoing research.”
“What a wonderful idea!” Mrs. Henderson exclaimed. “An educational piece about historical preservation would be perfect for the radio station. Very civic-minded.”
Kathleen felt the conversation spiraling beyond her control. Every word seemed to dig her deeper into a hole she hadn’t meant to create. The room in her basement felt like it was pressing down on her shoulders, and she wondered if keeping it secret was even possible in a town like Sapphire Bay.
“I should get back to the kitchen,” she said, seizing on the first excuse she could think of. “The lunch prep won’t do itself.”
But as she turned toward the kitchen door, she felt three pairs of eyes boring into her back. With a sinking certainty, she knew that her evasion had only made things worse. In trying to protect the secret of the hidden room, she’d probably guaranteed that Theo Olson would keep digging until he uncovered the truth.
Behind her, she heard Mrs. Henderson’s voice, pitched just loud enough to carry: “Well, isn’t that interesting. Kathleen seemed awfully nervous about this whole discovery business, didn’t she?”
And Mabel’s reply was dripping with speculation. “She did. It makes you wonder if there’s something she’s not telling us.”
Kathleen closed her eyes and leaned against the kitchen door, listening to the continued murmur of voices from the dining area. The secret that had been safely buried for over a century was threatening to surface, and she wasn’t sure there was anything she could do to stop it.
Chapter 25
Patrick wiped the sawdust from his hands and stepped back to examine the tiny home’s framing. He’d made good progress on the second unit today. The wall frames were up, and tomorrow his crew would start on the roof trusses. The familiar rhythm of measuring, cutting, and assembling had kept his mind occupied, but he couldn’t shake the memory of Kathleen’s worried expression when he’d left the café that morning.
The sound of the heavy wooden door closing made him turn around. Kathleen was walking into the construction area, a borrowed hard hat perched on her head. He glanced at his watch. It was nearly five o’clock. The café would have closed an hour ago, which meant she’d probably spent the time cleaning up and prepping for tomorrow.
He was pleased to see her, but her determined stride told him this wasn’t a casual visit. “Hey there,” Patrick called. “How was the rest of your day?”
“It was interesting,” she said, but her tone suggested interesting wasn’t necessarily good. “Patrick, do you know anything about security systems? Like alarm systems for houses?”
He set down his tape measure and gave her his full attention. “A little. I’ve installed a few basic systems over the years, mostly for clients who wanted them added while we were building their homes. Why? Are you worried about the café?”
Kathleen glanced around the construction area as if checking to make sure they were alone. Most of his crew had left an hour ago, and the only sounds were the occasional vehicle in the parking lot.
“Theo was at the preservation society’s meeting last night,” Kathleen told him. “He came to the café asking if Chloe or I knew anything about what Percy had said about a Victorian-era discovery. That started a rumour about hidden treasure. So far, I’ve had three different people from the historical preservation society show up at the café, all wanting to visit my house.”
Patrick frowned. “That doesn’t sound like a coincidence.”
“It didn’t to me, either. But Percy swore he hadn’t told anyone about the room in the basement. Then I had a call from Dr. Margaret Voss from Montana State University. She teaches historical preservation and apparently heard about our ‘discovery’ from Percy.” Kathleen made air quotes with obvious frustration. “She was very polite but extremely persistent about wanting to visit me and examine any Victorian-era artifacts I might have.”
Patrick leaned against the tiny home’s frame, processing the information. “What did you tell everyone?”
“I tried to be vague, but I’m not good at it. I said we’d found some small items that we’re sending to the Smithsonian.”
That sounded like a reasonable explanation to Patrick. “Did that stop them from asking more questions?”
“Not really. I think Mabel can sense something significant was found, and she’s determined to figure out what it is.” Kathleen ran a hand through her hair, disturbing the neat style she’d worn to work. “What if someone tries to break in? What if people think they can explore my house whenever they want? I’m at work for most of the day. I’ll never know if someone’s walking around my property.”
“You’re right to be worried,” he said. “Any kind of discovery can bring out the worst in people, especially if they think it’s worth a lot of money.”
“I don’t think Mabel or Mandy are concerned about the money side of things,” Kathleen said softly. “But the idea of Florence and her aunt’s home becoming a tourist attraction makes me sick to my stomach.”
Patrick studied her face, seeing the worry lines around her eyes. “Have you talked to Percy about controlling the information? Maybe he could help manage the society members’ enthusiasm.”
Kathleen sighed. “Percy is part of the problem. He’s excited about the historical significance, which I understand, but I don’t think he fully grasps how invasive this attention could become. And Chloe has just left for Bigfork and won’t be back until next week. I can’t even talk to her about it.”
