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“I did. I’m only filling in until Dougal gets back from Spain.”
“Ah, the Reverend Morrison quest,” Josh said. “And like most quests, it will be fruitless and pointless.”
“Stop it,” Caroline demanded, but she smiled at her husband while she did it. “He’s only trying to help the town.”
And there was her opening. “That’s why I came over here. I have a few ideas on how we can regenerate the town, and I need backing. I hear you lot—and Flynn Boyle, who I haven’t met yet—are where the money is at.”
“I like you,” Jodie said. “You just come right out and say what you mean.”
“Usually,” Agnes said. “Not recently, but I’m getting back to the old me.”
“Do you have a business plan?” Mitch said.
“Nope, I have ideas and absolutely no money to turn them into reality.”
They shared a look that didn’t bode well for her, while in the background someone murdered ‘Last Christmas’ to a booing crowd.
“I don’t think we—” Caroline started, but Agnes interrupted.
“I get it. I’ve only been here three weeks, and suddenly I’m an expert on what Invertary needs to survive. You see a stranger standing in front of you, asking for money for some cockamamie scheme she’s cooked up. For all you know, I’m one of those weirdos who think rich people owe them money just for being alive.”
They shared another round of looks and shifted uncomfortably in their seats. All except Lake.
Agnes spoke to him. “You know me and my family—you probably even know things about my family that I don’t. Just give me five minutes to pitch my idea, and then I’ll go. No obligation or bad feelings on either side.” She glanced over at the crowd, happy and singing along to the music now that the last singer was gone. “I’m trying to stay here.” She looked back at them. “I’m trying to stay when my instinct is to run, but I think I could maybe fit in here and, to do that, I need a place. A spot where I can work. And it isn’t this hotel. Not unless you want Dougal drowned in the loch at some point.”
“These ideas are really to help the town?” Caroline asked, reminding Agnes that she was a member of the town’s council.
“Yeah,” Agnes said. “But I can’t guarantee it.”
Lake wrapped an arm around his redheaded wife and pulled her into his side. “You can have my five minutes, but I can’t speak for the rest of the group.”
A little spark of hope ignited within her.
And was snuffed out by a voice that boomed across the room. “Agnes, I need you for a minute.”
Swallowing her groan of frustration, she smiled at them. “Thanks for your time, guys, but duty calls. Lake, I’ll take you up on that five minutes another day.” After she’d tracked down the mysterious Flynn Boyle to see if he was willing to open his pockets or not.
Mitch leaned forward. “When you’re done with whatever Dougal needs, come back. You’ve got your five minutes to pitch to all of us.”
She looked at their faces, but they were all smiling at her, so it seemed Mitch spoke for ev
eryone.
“I’ll try,” she said. “Thank you.”
Rushing through the crowded bar, she spotted a familiar figure climbing up onto the stage to a round of groans—Betty. Agnes tripped over her feet as she reached Dougal. “I thought you would have banned her,” she said to him.
“And then where would she go? This is Invertary, not Glasgow. It’s not as though she has a selection of places to socialize in. As much as she’s able.” He frowned in Betty’s direction as she started to belt out Shirley Bassey’s ‘Hey Big Spender.’ She sounded like she was in pain. Oh, dear heavens, it came with dance moves. “I will make her pay for the whisky, though,” Dougal said. “Now, can you run up to Mr. Thompson’s room with some toilet paper?”
“You have got to be kidding me!” She glared at Dougal.
His face softened. “I’m not messing with you. The man really does need toilet paper, and we’re all run off our feet. You looked like the only one with a minute to spare.”
“Fine.” She hurried through the hotel and into the storeroom, where she grabbed an industrial-sized pack of sixty toilet rolls before heading to Mr. Thompson’s room.
When he opened the door, she thrust the pack at him. “This should last you a couple of days,” she said with a smile.
“Where am I supposed to put that?” he asked as he took the toilet rolls.
