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Avery nodded like a bobblehead and gave Luna the biggest hug she could muster. “Bye-bye!” She waved before she latched on to her mother’s hand.
Ellie had calculated the profits from the raffle. Another $12,000 to add to the previous night’s proceedings. It was more than she could ever have hoped for. She was thankful that the center was a big hit with the local community. The generosity of spirit was incredible, and coupled with the generosity of their donations, Ellie was walking on air.
As she checked with the vendors and artists, she discovered that the Blonde Shallot had sold all fifty of their boxed lunches and salads. The Flakey Tart had also sold every crumb. There wereSOLDsigns on several of the pieces of art on display. She could not be more pleased. It was like a dream, and she had to pinch herself.
The large group began to disperse, and Luna noticed a line forming outside her café. She waved at Sabrina and motioned to ask if she wanted another round of being a barista. Sabrina nodded and gave her a thumbs-up.
Ellie was thinking out loud. “I should probably contact the college and see if any other art students want to volunteer on the weekends. If things continue like this, we will be very busy. Especially during the holidays, which aren’t that far away.”
Luna suddenly felt guilty. “Oh, Ellie, I didn’t mean to monopolize Sabrina today.”
“Don’t be silly. It’s our first weekend. We didn’t know what to expect. And believe me, this is beyond my wildest expectations. Beyond my wildest dreams.” Ellie paused. “Well, to be honest, itiswhat I had dreamed. Hoped.” She put her arm around Luna. “And you? You validated some particularly important matters for me.”
“Really?” Luna had a rather good idea as to what Ellie was referring. The little quickie reading she had done earlier that day.
Ellie linked her arm through Luna’s. “Oh, as if you don’t know what I’m talking about.” They picked up the pace, moving through the crowd with a lot of “excuse me” and “pardon me” coming from the two of them. Luna crept past the line and quickly moved to help Sabrina serve up lattes, cappuccinos, and tea, while Ellie did her best to pitch in. It took about a half hour to serve everyone, but no one seemed to mind. There were good vibes all around. “Now you know why I wanted to call this the Namaste Café, right?”
Sabrina shrugged.
“Not only is it a greeting, but it’s the spiritual connection of oneness with mind and heart,” Luna explained.
“Wow. Cool,” Sabrina replied. “Is it like that psycho-thing you mentioned earlier?”
“Psychometry. Psychometrics. Drawing on the energy from an object.” Luna repeated the information she had shared earlier.
“Oh. Sorry.” Sabrina shrugged. “But is it? Similar?”
“Being spiritual, yes.” Normally, Luna would leap at the opportunity to discuss theology, spirituality, psychology, and astrophysics, but not at the moment. It had been an extremely emotional two days. At that moment, all she wanted was to finish up, go to the Proving Ground, and have a relaxing dinner.
Luna and Ellie decided to drive the prized Lincoln to the restaurant where Tony was playing and hand the keys over to him during one of his sets. The food happened to be good, and they could have a celebratory drink with him. Luna saw Chi-Chi in the crowd and flagged her over. “We’re going to deliver the car to Tony later and grab a bite there. Sound good to you?”
“It is very fine with me.” Chi-Chi had a bright smile. Her English was impeccable, but the hint of her heritage was punctuated with her words. Perhaps it was the cadence or lilt to her voice. She could probably curse from here to Kalamazoo, and it would still sound lovely.
They quickly cleaned up the café. Luna slid the big glass doors together and locked up. She and Ellie slowly moved through the dwindling crowd, taking it all in. It was truly what Ellie had in mind. A place for people to share their art and share their community. Even the dog park had been busy, with half a dozen dogs running about, some catching Frisbees while others playfully chased each other. Ziggy and Marley were waiting patiently next to Wiley and Cullen.
“I can’t remember when I saw so many people in one spot. Not since the Christmas tree lighting last year.”
“Oh, Cullen, you gave me a superb idea. Not that it hadn’t crossed my mind, but I was so busy with the opening I hadn’t put much else on the calendar. It will be a holiday art village. We shall have a Christmas tree, a menorah, and Kwanzaa candles! I’ll ask the artists to make an ornament for the tree with a sign indicating decorations can be purchased. Brilliant! Thank you, Cullen!”
Cullen stood dumbfounded. Itwasa brilliant idea. Too bad he hadn’t really thought of it, but mentioning it? He’d take credit for that!
Chapter Ten
Boston, Massachusetts
Millstone Manor
Breakfast
Arthur and Rowena were sitting in silence at the breakfast table, waiting for Amber. It was a little unnerving for Rowena. Arthur was usually bloviating about something. Work. Politics. Money. The club. But that morning, he was stewing. Time was running out for him to locate Colette Petrov and the missing will. Granted, the estate’s attorney was concerned about the alleged new will, but as long as he couldn’t locate it, Arthur would continue to have total access to the company’s finances. Unless Clive put a stop to it. But that, too, could take some time. At least until the next board meeting.
The chime rang on the Howard Miller grandfather clock in the foyer. Family legend said that the established manufacturer of superb clocks was a distant relative of Arthur’s family. According to Arthur, his great-great-grandfather Malcolm added the wordstoneto their surname when he bought a local quarry. He thought it gave the name more distinction. When guests would arrive, Arthur would brag, “Oh yes. We like to keep it in the family.”
His boasting made Rowena choke. Arthur had no proof there was any blood relationship between the Millers of Michigan and the Millstones of Massachusetts. Even the truth of the story about adding the word “stone” had never been established. At least not to Rowena’s knowledge. As far back as the family tree went, there was no mention of any Millers. And she couldn’t recall ever seeing a Christmas card from a Miller postmarked from Zeeland, Michigan.
Arthur instinctively looked down at his watch. It read 8:00. Amber would be arriving any minute. Maybe they could call off this housekeeper goose chase if Amber could shed some light on where the furniture had gone. But there was still that loose end, Petrov. Did she know anything? Did she have anything?
He thought about it.If the document was in her possession, why would she hold on to it? Blackmail?It had been two months since Randolph’s death. Surely, she would have asked for money by now if she intended blackmail. Or maybe she was waiting to blow through the $50,000 of severance pay they gave her. It was a year’s salary plus moving costs. She was planning to stay with her sister and brother-in-law until she got settled with her five-year-old son. For all intents and purposes, she should be doing all right.
