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Katie narrowed her eyes. ‘What sort of package?’
‘Like a book type of package.’
‘Were you expecting something to be delivered to our house?’
‘Er, no.’ Thea didn’t want to give too much away because she really didn’t know what her sister had got herself into. ‘Are you sure your mum didn’t mention what her new job was?’
‘No, we don’t know what her new job is,’ Katie said.
A crook, thought Thea, rather uncharitably. It did occur to her that Jenna may have been to an auction house in Suffolk, or found some old hardback book in a charity shop, Googled it, and discovered it was worth a lot of money. The problem was that didn’t explain all the cloak-and-dagger stuff with the synthesised voice over the phone. But then there were a lot of strange people out there, Thea imagined.
She looked at Katie. ‘All right. I just thought she might be selling stuff online.’ Thea hated lying, but she couldn’t exactly tell them about the phone call.
Thea got out of the car. She leaned back in to tell them she wouldn’t be long when she saw Katie get out of the car too. ‘Oh, have you changed your mind?’
Katie said, ‘I guess, but I wanted to go into town and buy my mum something first, like some flowers.’
‘That’s very thoughtful, Katie. What a good idea.’ Thea didn’t want to visit her sister empty-handed either. ‘Do you know of a nice flower shop where we could buy her some flowers?’
Katie nodded.
Thea turned to Toby. ‘Are you okay staying with Winston?’
‘I might take him for a walk.’
Thea had had the presence of mind to bring along the dog lead she’d found hanging on a coat hook by the front door. She’d stuffed it in her bag on the way out. ‘Here, take this.’ Thea handed it over as Toby got out of the car.
Winston woofed and jumped from the back seat.
‘Let’s all meet back at the car in, say, half an hour – then you can decide if you want to come in with us to see your mum,’ said Thea, looking at Toby.
He nodded.
They all walked together down the road to the high street. Toby headed off on his own across the road to the promenade behind the shops to take the dog for a walk on the beach.
She glanced at Katie. ‘Did you say that you know where a flower shop is?’
Katie nodded. ‘Yeah.’
‘All right, let’s head there.’ She glanced at Katie. She had a feeling of déjà vu. She knew why; Katie was the image of her mother, and the last time Thea had walked down this high street with Katie’s mum, Jenna had been Katie’s age.
‘Here we are.’
‘Where?’ said Thea, looking at the shops around her. She didn’t see a flower shop.
‘Oh, it’s not in the high street. It’s down there.’
Thea turned around. Katie pointed, indicating a narrow lane between two shops that Thea recognised. ‘This leads to Cobblers Yard, doesn’t it?’
‘Yes.’ Katie started down the path. ‘It’s not easy to find. My friend who lives here took me to the antique shop in Cobblers Yard. I don’t like the shop much; it just sells old stuff, apart from the homemade amber jewellery. We bought matching necklaces and bracelets.’
Thea nodded as she followed her down the lane. She could see Cobblers Yard ahead. As they entered the small, cobbled square, she saw the old-fashioned shop fronts with bowed leaded windows that she remembered. They looked like something out of a Dickens novel. She expected that most people who ventured into Cobblers Yard had the same reaction. She couldn’t believe how little it had changed over the years.
‘Oh, look – The Potting Shed is open. My friend took me there too to buy some flowers for her mum. The lady who runs it – Lili, I think her name is – is very friendly. I like her, and her assistant, Amy.’
Thea’s eyes roved around the yard, taking in the flower shop, a music shop next door, and a charity shop. She could see the old antique shop, which looked as though it had changed hands – she noticed the shop sign, which read:Hannah & Maisie’s Art and Antique Emporium.
The shop next door was new – it was a solicitor’s office that offeredFriendly, pro bono legal work.The sign also said:No problem too big or too small. Call in for a friendly chat. We are here to help.
