Lorna Barrett - Murder On The Half Shelf

“I’m going to celebrate tonight with champagne and lobster,” Angelica gushed. “I’d love it if you’d join me.”

“I’d be very happy to. Can I bring anything?”

“Just a smile and the will to celebrate.”

“Sounds like heaven. I’ll be over after I close the store and feed Miss Marple.”

“Great. See you then!”

Tricia hung up the phone and looked up to see Linda tidying the beverage station, her expression somber. She could tell the last hour of business was going to be awkward.

Why couldn’t Pixie have just apologized to her instead of exploding in a rage and quitting her job? Why did Linda just happen to have a degree and experience in the field of nonprofit organizations just when Grace needed such an employee to work at the Everett Charitable Foundation?

And why couldn’t Tricia ever get a break?

Angelica wasn’tkidding when she said she wanted to celebrate. As Tricia made her way up the stairs to Angelica’s loft, she could smell the heavenly aroma of roasting garlic. She hung up her jacket and headed down the hall that led to Angelica’s kitchen and found the table set with candles, Angelica’s good china, sterling silverware, and Waterford crystal. A silver champagne bucket was filled with ice with a bottle just waiting for its cork to pop. Earlier in the day Tricia had felt overdressed. Now she felt underdressed.

“Everything looks lovely, Ange.”

“When I’m in the mood to celebrate, I celebrate.”

The phone rang.

“Dinner won’t be ready for another twenty minutes. Would you like a glass of Chardonnay before we open the good stuff?” Angelica asked.

The phone rang again.

“Why not?” Tricia said, and she reached for the cabinet that held the everyday glassware.

The phone kept ringing.

“Aren’t you going to answer that?” Tricia asked.

“No! It’s probably Bob. He’s been leaving messages on my landline, my cell, and at the store and café all day long,” Angelica said, and pulled out a wooden cutting board. “I don’t want to talk to him.”

That didn’t bode well for the success of Tricia’s admittedly harebrained plan.

Finally the ringing stopped.

Tricia poured the wine and handed Angelica a glass. “I’ve been waiting all day for this,” she said, taking a sip. She pouted before speaking again. “Seems like there’s trouble all over Stoneham.”

Tricia recognized trouble, too-in the tone of her sister’s voice. She had something to say that Tricia knew she wasn’t going to like.

“Didn’t you say Grace’s receptionist was named Pixie?”

Tricia nodded warily.

“I had a long conversation with a customer who said her name was Pixie. A hard-looking woman with orange hair.”

“That’s Pixie the horrible,” Tricia said, and sipped her wine. She had a feeling she should have poured herself something stronger.

“She had more than a few rough edges, but I wouldn’t say horrible ,” Angelica said.

Tricia decided not to comment on that last remark.

“She came in to Booked for Lunch and sat at the counter. Bev was on a break so I served her. She ordered a double chocolate milkshake to drown her sorrows.”

“Oh, was she actually sorrowful?” Tricia asked.

“She said she’d just quit her job and that she’d be in trouble with her parole officer because of it.”

“I can’t say I’d shed any tears if Pixie was tossed back in the clink.”

“I don’t suppose you would. But I’ll bet you didn’t know that she’s a walking encyclopedia of trivia-and one of her specialties is vintage mysteries.”

Tricia gave her sister a sour look. “I’ll bet.”

“No, honestly. I tested her with a few questions. She really does seem to know her stuff. Apparently she had a lot of time to read during her stretch in the State Prison for Women. It seems the books in their library are kind of old.”

“And why am I supposed to care?” Tricia asked.

Angelica shrugged. “I was thinking…wouldn’t it make a lot more sense for Linda to work for Grace and Pixie to work for you?”

Tricia’s eyes bugged. “You’ve got to be kidding! I wouldn’t even let that woman walk through the door of Haven’t Got a Clue, let alone work there. And did I not tell you she called me a bitch?”

“She was a little upset,” Angelica said.

Tricia scowled. “Why have you taken on this woman’s cause?” she asked suspiciously.

“I’d just hate for her to have to go back to jail. I mean, how much work is there for an overage hooker here in Stoneham?”

“None at all, I should hope.”

“And let’s face it, Linda is way overqualified to be selling books. Didn’t you say she worked at a nonprofit agency? Grace is running a nonprofit. Don’t you think it would be a much better fit for her, too? You wanted Ginny to get ahead in her business career. Why not Linda?”

“Why do you care about any of this?”

“Who says I care? I’m just making conversation.”

Tricia thought about it. Logistically, what Angelica proposed made a lot of sense. But emotionally she didn’t think either she or Pixie could overcome the bad blood between them.

“There’s no way Pixie could ever take orders from me. And I would never put up with the kind of behavior she displayed while working for Grace. Besides, with her negative attitude she’d drive my customers away.” She shook her head. “I couldn’t even consider her. Besides, I’m looking for someone who could assume the duties of an assistant manager. Someone I could trust to make decisions when I’m out of the store. I wouldn’t trust Pixie to clean the washroom, let alone handle the money in the till.”

Angelica shrugged. “You’re probably right. I just thought that Linda’s talents are probably being wasted while Pixie’s aren’t being utilized.” She shook her right index finger in front of Tricia’s nose. “But mark my words, as soon as Linda can find a job more commensurate with her talents, she’ll be jumping ship and you’ll be back to looking for a replacement in no time flat.”

Again Tricia scowled. She’d known that from the instant she’d hired Linda. “Did you mention your great idea to Pixie?” she asked.

“Of course not. But I do think she regretted her actions the minute she walked out of your store. She really doesn’t want to go back to jail. And, of course, Grace and Linda would have to be brought on board.”

“What brought on all this altruism?” Tricia asked.

“I want to see people fulfilled in their working life-like you and me.”

Tricia gave Angelica an assessing stare. Her sister had changed during the past couple of years. She wasn’t as self-centered. And while she still drove Tricia crazy on a regular basis, Angelica’s personality had definitely softened since she’d come to live in Stoneham, as evidenced by this situation and her compassion for Chauncey Porter.

“You know,” Angelica continued, “I’d be willing to play mediator for you. And if Linda does leave to work for Grace and it doesn’t work out with Pixie, I’ll help you find a perfect assistant manager. I promise.” She held her fingers up in a Girl Scout salute.

“I don’t know.” Tricia mulled it over, sure she’d end up on the losing end of the deal, but she liked Linda. And it was true she would be better suited working with Grace to guide the Everett Charitable Foundation. With her experience, she could help Grace avoid all kinds of pitfalls and perhaps take over a lot of the work, leaving Grace free to spend more time with her husband. Neither of them was getting any younger-Linda could be the answer to all their problems if Tricia was willing to accept Angelica’s proposed compromise.