Lorna Barrett - Murder On The Half Shelf

“Won’t you sit down and we’ll talk,” Tricia said, with a wave of her hand toward the readers’ nook. “Can I take your coat and get you a cup of coffee?”

“Oh no, I’m fine,” the woman said.

They took adjacent seats in the nook and the woman pulled a résumé from her briefcase. “I haven’t had retail experience in quite some time, but I learn fast and I’m good with people,” she explained.

Tricia looked over the résumé, her stomach tightening. Linda Fugitt, whose last job was assistant director of the Anderson Foundation for the Arts in Manchester. With a master of science degree in nonprofit management, she was vastly overqualified for the position of assistant manager, and Tricia reluctantly told her so. “You’d have to work Saturdays as well.”

“I’m more than willing to do so,” Linda assured her.

Tricia couldn’t keep from reading the title of assistant director over and over again.

“Ms. Miles, I’ll be frank,” Linda said. “I need this job. Since the economy tanked, charitable giving for the arts has taken a terrible tumble.”

That was no exaggeration. For many years Tricia had worked for an NPO in Manhattan. She’d lost her job under similar circumstances.

“I’ve been unable to find any employment,” Linda continued. “It’s always the same story, too. I’m overqualified for every position I’ve interviewed for in the past six months. If you could just let me work for you for minimum wage for even a couple of months, if you’re dissatisfied with me you could let me go, but at least then I could get a job with one of the other big-box retailers on the highway outside Milford.”

Tricia looked down at the paper on her lap once more. Nicely typed, no misspellings or stray marks. It was a far cry from most of the recent applicants-most of whom hadn’t even offered a résumé. She looked up and into Linda’s hazel eyes and saw true desperation in them. “What do you know about vintage mysteries?”

Linda smiled. “Not much, I’m afraid. But contemporary mysteries and romantic suspense novels have always been my secret vice. I’m a big fan of Wendy Corsi Staub, Carla Neggers, and Karen Harper. But I’m a quick study and I can search Google with the best of them. I’m more than willing to learn. And I’d sure rather sell books than burgers and fries,” she said eagerly.

Tricia looked down at the résumé. If she hoped to keep this employee from bolting to another minimum-wage job, she’d have to offer more than the competition. And maybe, just maybe, this one would stay longer than a couple of weeks.

“You aren’t allergic to cats, are you?” Tricia asked.

Linda shook her head. “I have two of my own.” Another good sign.

“How does two dollars over minimum wage strike you?”

Linda sighed with relief. “It sounds pretty darn good right now.”

“When can you start?” Tricia asked.

“How about today?”

“Great.” Tricia offered her hand, and they shook on it. “Now, how about that cup of coffee while you fill out the paperwork?”

“That sounds wonderful.”

Tricia noticed that Mr. Everett had been waiting discreetly at the cash desk. He didn’t look cheered. She motioned him to join them at the nook. “Mr. Everett, this is Linda Fugitt. She’s going to be joining us here at Haven’t Got a Clue.” At this news, he looked positively panicked.

“Oh. Well. Nice to meet you, Ms. Fugitt.” His gaze darted to Tricia. “May I speak to you for a moment, Ms. Miles?”

Tricia stood and gave a cautious smile to her new employee. “Excuse me. I’ll get the paperwork for you to fill out and be back in a minute.” She motioned Mr. Everett to follow her to the cash desk.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“It’s just that-I’ve just realized having a full-time employee working here will cut my hours.”

“I didn’t think you wanted to continue to work nearly forty hours a week.”

“That was before Grace made our charitable foundation her life’s work. Speaking of which, what did she say when you spoke to her?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Everett, but I couldn’t get in to see Grace. Her receptionist wasn’t at all welcoming and practically threw me out of the office. She seemed to think I was trying to run a scam by saying I knew Grace. I’m sure her attitude is not the impression either Grace or you want the public to receive when they visit your foundation.”

“Good heavens,” Mr. Everett said, taken aback. “I’ll speak to Grace about it tonight when I get home. Or rather, later tonight-whenever she gets home.”

He could speak to her about that , but not about the problems they were experiencing in their marriage?

“Too often these days, Grace has after-hours meetings,” he continued. “She’s trying to set up an endowment for the foundation so that after our lottery winnings are depleted, the good work can go on for many years to come.”

“That’s admirable.”

“Yes, but time-consuming. At our ages, we don’t have a lot of time left. I’d prefer we spend it with each other.”

Tricia couldn’t blame him for feeling that way. When Grant Baker left the Sheriff’s Department, Tricia thought she might see more of him, and on a regular basis. That hadn’t happened, either. He didn’t listen to his police scanner, as Russ Smith had done during their dates, but his cell phone was always nearby, and his dispatcher felt free to call him for the slightest reason. That he always took the calls had been a constant source of irritation. Of course, that would no longer be a problem if they weren’t going to be seeing each other for the foreseeable future.

“I’d better get Linda to fill out the payroll information. After that, I’ll give her a tour of the store and then the three of us can talk about how you both want to split your hours. Of course, I’d be very happy if you’d continue to work your full schedule until Linda feels comfortable being here.” And please let her feel comfortable and happy and not leave us! she mentally amended.

Mr. Everett nodded. “I will not take advantage of the situation.” He sighed. “Perhaps Ginny needs some part-time help at the Happy Domestic. I believe I’ll give her a call during my lunch break.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Everett, but Linda seems like she could be a good fit, and we have been looking for someone for a long time now.”

Again he nodded.

The door opened, and a customer entered. Mr. Everett perked up. “May I help you find something?” he asked, and Tricia left him to help the customer while she found the papers she needed and returned to the nook, where she found Miss Marple and Linda getting acquainted. The cat was sitting on Linda’s lap, purring loudly. She looked up at Tricia’s approach, her cheeks coloring.

“I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with Mr. Everett. Um…does he have a first name?”

Tricia laughed. “I’m sorry, it’s William. I call him Mr. Everett, as do most of our regular customers, just out of respect.”

“You did say the job was for forty hours, though-or did I misunderstand?”

“No, you’re correct. It’s just that…” She lowered her voice. “Mr. Everett is going through a rough patch just now and had hoped to maintain a full workload. I’m sure things will straighten out any time now.”

Linda nodded and accepted the papers Tricia handed her.

“I should also mention that we host a Tuesday night book club,” Tricia said. “It would be wonderful if you could join us now and then, but attendance certainly isn’t mandatory-especially as it’s outside your regular working hours.”

“It sounds interesting. I already have plans for this evening, but perhaps I can attend a future meeting,” Linda said, and bent to retrieve a pen from her purse.