As Dixie disappeared into the main part of cottage, Molly served the customer and moved the unopened junk mail from the side of the till before once again checking over the shop for the phone. But it was absolutely nowhere to be found. All Molly could do was wait for Cam to return and hope that she was right and a good judge of character, and that Cam was wrong.
Hearing her phone ping in the hallway just at that moment, she quickly hurried towards it. But it wasn’t Cam, it was a message from Isla, and she quickly swiped the screen to read the text.
Granny has got one on her again! I’m sure Dixie will have told you that she’s started up her career as a fortune teller again, but at her age, I’ve told her I can’t see a future in it!
Molly laughed then replied.
Can’t wait, I’m in need of some entertainment.
Tomorrow, 8pm. Don’t be late. I need my friends here to keep the older generation under control!
A night with the girls was just what Molly needed. Her thoughts turned once again to Cam. Picking up the landline she tried his number again but it went straight to answerphone. All she could do was wait to see if he’d caught up with Bree.
‘Tea is brewed,’ shouted Dixie. ‘And the weather warning on the TV is advising us all not to travel. We have a few days of severe blizzards swooping over the Scottish Highlands.’
Molly went to the doorway and found Dixie sat in the armchair, drinking her tea. ‘Maybe Martha is feeling a little uneasy with the storm brewing and she needs the distraction of exercising her psychic powers,’ suggested Molly with a smile.
‘She’s hell bent on the idea that something is brewing, never mind the weather.’
Molly had to agree with Martha; she too felt that was something was coming and it wasn’t just a birth. Bree had ignited unexpected flashbacks of Molly’s own childhood and Molly was beginning to wonder more about her life before Di and Doug.
‘There’s a scandal coming to light, mark my words. Martha is always right.’ Dixie gave Molly a knowing look before taking a sip of her tea. Molly could only hope that this had nothing to do with her, but her gut feeling was telling her something absolutely different.
Chapter Three
It was fast approaching four p.m. and there wasn’t a chink of sunlight in the sky. George was sitting on the settee reading his school book to Dixie whilst Darling was curled up on the armchair fast asleep, basking in the warmth from the fire. Molly and Cam were in the bakery for the last hour of the working day. There had been a steady stream of customers after lunchtime, which thankfully kept them both busy. Cam had driven around the village and town for a little over an hour, but hadn’t stumbled across Bree, and with the atmosphere still tense, there hadn’t been many words spoken between them all day. Molly hadn’t made up her mind whether that was actually a blessing in disguise, but the problem remained that the phone was still missing.
Finding fresh courage, Molly addressed the elephant in the room.
‘You are going to have to alert the phone company and report your phone missing.’
‘I know.’ Cam’s reply was curt. ‘The inconvenience of it all. I’ve tried ringing the phone a dozen times, but it’s straight to answerphone every time.’
‘Look, I don’t want to argue…’
‘But you still don’t think it’s Bree and I disagree.’
‘I just can’t see how it could be.’
Her words hung in the air.
There was nothing more to say. Either the phone would turn up or it wouldn’t.
‘Maybe Martha can look into her crystal ball tomorrow night and solve the mystery.’ Molly was trying to lighten the mood but Cam looked far from impressed.
‘You aren’t going to that, are you?’
‘Absolutely I am, why wouldn’t I?’ replied Molly. ‘Apparently, Martha has a gut feeling that all isn’t right in the village and the older generation swear by her psychic powers.’
‘I’m not sure if anyone should mess about with the unknown.’
‘Martha reckons there are secrets being kept in the village, so I’m not going to miss out on this evening. Goodness knows what it might turn up.’
Cam looked up. ‘I don’t think you should get involved.’
‘You haven’t got something to hide, have you?’ teased Molly, noticing that Cam suddenly looked worried. ‘I mean, if you do have something to tell me, it’s best to get out in the open now, before I hear it from Martha.’
‘Don’t be daft,’ he replied but didn’t look in her direction. They carried on working in silence, placing the unsold baked goods in the baskets, ready to take to the shelter.
