Effie allowed Maddie to usher her into the tiny staffroom and into one of the uncomfortable but practical plastic chairs. Maddie thrust some tissues at her and set about making the tea whilst Effie sniffed and dabbed at her eyes.
‘What has Zach done?’ Maddie asked as she plonked the tea down on the table and lifted the lid from the biscuit box.
Effie took one of the chocolate chip cookies and nibbled at the edge. ‘He just turned up at the book club, glowered at everyone, you know how he does.’
Maddie furrowed her brow and puffed out her chest, which at least cracked a smile from Effie.
‘Yes, exactly like that!’ She sipped her tea. ‘Then he turned up yesterday morning at the shop, completely tore apart everything I’d done. The yellow chairs – told me customers should be buying not sitting down and I wasn’t running the business properly. The next thing, he’d told me to pack up the flat, called a van and practically manhandled me out of Polcarrow.’
‘What?’ Maddie’s mouth fell open in disbelief.
The shock on Maddie’s face answered Effie’s next question; clearly her friend had no idea Zach was back on the scene. ‘I feel so stupid. I should’ve stood up to him. But you know what he’s like.’
‘Uh-huh. A complete bulldozer. But why did he do this?’ Maddie dunked her cookie.
‘He told me Clive wasn’t happy with the figures, which doesn’t make sense because the last email I had was full of praise.’ Effie shrugged. ‘He told me I shouldn’t be running the shop as if it’s my own. That I’d gone against company policy.’
‘What?! How?’
Effie shrugged again. ‘He just said I wasn’t trusted to run the business properly. I don’t understand. Clive was really pleased with what I was doing. Or I thought he was. If he wasn’t happy, he should’ve told me. I ran all my ideas for decorating the shop past him. He was happy for me to have free rein on some things. I didn’t think Clive would be this underhand.’
Maddie shook her head. ‘This isn’t Clive. Can’t be. He’s been singing your praises so much it’s been driving me and Zoey mad. He’s even talking about changing the blue to yellow here.’
‘What?’
‘This is Zach. It’s got him written all over it.’ Maddie chewed thoughtfully. ‘He split up with that girl he was dating, you know, the one whose dad owns that chain of seafood restaurants. He’s been clattering around here in a foul mood for the past week. When he wasn’t here yesterday, I just assumed he’d found someone new to amuse him. I had no idea he was heading your way.’
Effie let this sink in. ‘So you think this has nothing to do with Clive?’
‘Can’t have. He’s on holiday anyway. Halfway through that cruise. Probably somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic sipping a pina colada. Let’s call him.’
‘We can’t disturb him on his holiday!’
‘Effie. We can. Something isn’t right about this.’ Maddie reached for her phone and dialled Clive’s number.
They watched as it rang out. It didn’t even go to voicemail.
‘I’ll try again.’ Maddie pressed dial but again it rang out.
They sat back, sipped their drinks and studied the phone. Still no connection.
‘So, what are you going to do?’ Maddie asked.
‘Come back and work here, I guess. I don’t think I’m completely fired.’
Maddie narrowed her eyes at her. ‘You’re not going to put up a fight?’
‘Over what? He is Clive’s son. It will be his business one day. I’m sure it’ll sort itself out when Clive is back. Anyway, what if Zach is right? What if he is doing his dad’s dirty work? Clive hates confrontation.’
Maddie considered this. ‘True. But it still doesn’t feel right. What about that hunky photographer?’
‘Back with his ex.’
‘What? No way! Seriously? Shit, Effie, I thought he was well into you with all that helping and not being able to take his eyes off you. What is it with modern men?’
Effie shrugged. ‘No idea. It’s been a brutal week, Mads, can we not keep hashing it out, please? The great Polcarrow experiment is over and clearly another failure to add to my list. I’m gutted to be honest.’
‘I know, hun, I know, for what it’s worth you were brilliant.’ Maddie squeezed her hand and cast her eye at the calendar. ‘Anyway, it’s not long until Clive is back and we can sort this mess out.’
