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"Well, let me tell you," she said and her face lit up again as she launched into the story."It seems there was a bit of an indiscretion between some of the staff this summer.One of the grade four teachers was caught in a compromising position with Principal Henderson during the dance at the summer festival.They were, um, doing it in the coatroom."
I stifled a smile.
"I guess it wouldn't be such a big deal, but the principal is married and it was the head of the PTA, Patty, who discovered them.Well, Patty went right out to the dance and up on the stage.She grabbed the microphone and announced what she'd seen right in front of everyone.Of course, Mrs.Henderson was there and heard everything.And when the offenders came out of the coatroom with their clothes and hair all out of place, well, I don't think I need to tell you what happened."
"No, tell me," I said, trying to hold back laughter.It sounded like a scene out of a bad eighties movie.
"Nothing really very exciting, actually," Enid admitted."Mrs.Henderson agreed to forget it ever happened as long as the woman in question left.She did.So now we're down a teacher and my girlfriend who teaches grade two is not too happy about it because she says everyone else has to cover the space.There isn't really a whole lot of teachers who want to move to a tiny town in the middle of nowhere."
Except me, I thought.
"So who would I talk to about getting the job?"
She looked at me."Seriously?"
"I am going to need money somehow and you know what they say about timing..."
"Timing is everything," Enid said."It's like it was meant to be."Her round face broke into a wide grin."I'll call Seth and get the information right away," she said and disappeared to the back room.
The store was pretty quiet, with just a few customers coming in and out, so I finished up my shopping, checking every few minutes to see that Ben was still playing on the porch with the puppies.It was going to be hard to tell him no, but I didn't think we could deal with one more change right now.Maybe in a few months.I wouldn't say no, just not right now.I threw in a bag of Ben's favorite chocolate candies and went to the till.
Enid was ringing up the purchases for a lady I didn't recognize when I got to the till.
"I'm sure it's fine, Mrs.Beaumont," Enid was saying to her.
"Is everything okay?"I said, interrupting the conversation.
The woman looked at me; her face was screwed up in disapproval."No, it most certainly is not," she said."There's another city slicker at the Inn trying to swindle poor old Dex, and I don't like it one bit."
"Mrs.Beaumont," Enid said as she bagged the woman's purchases."You can't assume that he's there to swindle Dex.Maybe he's a guest at the Inn."
"At the Inn?"I asked.
"Yes, Mrs.Beaumont said she saw a rental car parked out front and a suave, dark-haired young man talking to Dex on the back deck."
I froze and the blood drained from my face.
Leo.
I wanted to rush out of the store and find him.Hug him and let him hold me.I looked out to the porch and looked at Ben.No, I couldn't see Leo yet.
"Are you okay, Lexi?"Enid asked."You don't look good all of a sudden."
"He's there to try to rob Dex out of his Inn and his memory of Jessie, no doubt," Mrs.Beaumont said.
"I'm fine," I told Enid, ignoring the other woman."But I really should go.Ben's waiting for me."
"Sure, no problem," Enid said."Mrs.Beaumont, please don't worry.Do you need help out with these?"
"No, no, I'm fine.But I just don't know about that poor old Dex," she muttered as she took her bags and headed out of the store.
I tried to listen to Enid's chatter as she rang in my groceries but I couldn't focus.Enid promised to get me the information about the school and after paying her, I carried everything to the trunk of the car and called to Ben.
"But the puppy?"he asked.
"You know what, buddy?Maybe next time," I said."First we need to talk about something."
I was surprised, but thankful when Ben put the puppy he was holding back in the box and got in the car.
