A Fitting End, page 1
A Fitting End
(A Spicetown Spin-Off)
A Carom Seed Cozy
Sheri Richey
Copyright © 2024 Sheri S. Richey. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by an information storage or retrieval system now known or hereto after invented—except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper—without permission in writing from the publisher.
For further information, contact the publisher: Cagelink
The author assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions that are inadvertent or inaccurate. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to reflect actual events or persons.
ISBN:
Front Cover art by Mariah Sinclair
Spicetown Mysteries
Welcome to Spicetown
A Bell in the Garden
Spilling the Spice
Blue Collar Bluff
A Tough Nut to Crack
Chicory is Trickery
The No Dill Zone
Cons & Quinces
Silent Night Dynamite
Keslar Mansion Mysteries
(A Spicetown Spin-off)
Cat In Cahoots
Cat Incognito
Cat In Control
Carom Seed Cozy Mysteries
(A Spicetown Spin-off)
Murder All Sewn Up
Tailor Made Terror
A Fitting End
* * *
Romance by Sheri Richey:
The Eden Hall Series:
Finding Eden
Saving Eden
Healing Eden
Protecting Eden
Completing Eden
∾
Willow Wood
Knight Events
Chapter 1
Peggy Cochran struggled to get a six-foot aluminum ladder out of the front door of the Carom Seed Craft Corner, banging it against the door frame several times until people on Fennel Street were staring. Arlene Emery jumped up to hold the door open for her.
“Now, just what do you think you’re going to do once you get up that ladder? That sign weighs more than you do!” Arlene stood on the sidewalk with both hands parked at her waist and looked up at the large sign displayed over the door of the business next door.
Peggy pulled the ladder apart and secured it before looking up. “I want to see how they attached it. The right side is lower than the left, and it’s driving me crazy.”
Peggy had recently bought the tiny storefront next to the Carom Seed Craft Corner and was opening a shipping business there called The Salty Shipper. When town benefactors had donated funds to paint the storefronts on Fennel Street, she had chosen royal blue and white before they hung her new wooden sign with a nautical flare.
“And then what? Knowing how it’s attached will not make it any easier to fix.”
“So, you do see that it needs to be fixed.” Peggy pointed a finger at Arlene as she climbed the ladder.
Arlene shook her head and laughed. “I didn’t say that!”
“You’re not seeing it because you are too close. Cross the street and stand directly in front of it. You’ll see it.”
Arlene jogged across Fennel Street and waved as Harvey Salzman approached. “Good morning, Saucy. How are you?”
Saucy stopped and looked across the street. “Good, thank you! What are you ladies up to?” Saucy’s frown turned into a scowl. “Peggy shouldn’t be on that ladder! Is there something I can do to help?”
“No,” Arlene rolled her eyes. “She thinks her sign is crooked.”
Saucy squinted and extended the tip of his tongue in deep thought. “Well, it looks like the right is a little high.”
“Saucy!” Arlene scolded him with a smile. “Would you have noticed anything if I hadn’t mentioned it to you?”
“No.” Saucy shook his head.
“Wait! That’s the opposite of what Peggy thinks. You can’t mention of word of this to her.”
Saucy nodded. “I’m on my way to the bakery. Can I get you girls anything?”
“No, thank you.” Arlene walked between parked cars, but before she could cross the street, Saucy yelled back to her from the bakery door.
“Hey, Arlene. If you stand over here, the right side does look a little low.”
“Shhh!” Arlene waved a hand at Saucy to shoo him into the bakery and then glanced across the street to see if Peggy heard. Peggy was climbing down the ladder as Arlene walked back across the street.
“There’s a bolt into the brick of the building and then the bolt has a chain attached. The chain attaches to the back of the sign.”
“Really?” Arlene raised her eyebrows. “I don’t see any chain.”
“That’s because it only has a couple of links and it’s hidden behind the sign. The problem is that the sign has to come down and the bolt on the back of the sign has to be moved down a smidgen.”
“Or you could raise the other side.” Arlene shrugged her shoulders up and let them fall. “Or you could just stop looking up.”
Peggy laughed. “I guess for today, I’ll just have to stop looking up, at least until I can find someone who can fix it. What did Saucy say? I saw you talking to him. Did he think it looked crooked?”
“He said it looked crooked one way when he was on my left and the other way when he was on my right. I guess that makes sense. Unless you are directly across the street, your perspective is off.”
“Nobody will be standing directly across the street since that storefront is vacant again.” Peggy folded up the ladder and Arlene held the door open for her, although she still banged it against the door frame.
“Maybe Mr. Patterson would adjust your sign.”
“I’d rather live with it crooked. I have paid the man, and our business has concluded. I don’t want to reach out to him again. He lives in Paxton now, and I doubt he would make the drive over for such a small job.”
Peggy had hired Patterson Construction to put a doorway between her craft store and the new shipping store so she could access both from the inside. It should have been a fairly simple job, but she and Mr. Patterson had struggled to communicate effectively with each other.
“What about the painters? Cora Mae might know who they were. If they put it up, they should fix it.”
Peggy nodded, still miffed that they hung the sign when she was not around to see it. “I’ll ask her and see if she knows. For right now, I’m going to try to ignore it.” Peggy shook her head at that bizarre notion. “David and Angela Duffy should be here any minute. She’s bringing by an alteration.”
“Those alterations have really been picking up for you this summer!” Arlene opened Sully’s cage door and motioned for him to walk in. He knew that meant they were getting company, so he strolled in willingly and scratched at his blanket until he got it exactly right.
“It’s cheaper to fix something you have, than buy something new.”
Arlene nodded. “I’m always mending something.”
“Oh, and this afternoon, Volker Electric is coming by to check out the back doors and give me an estimate for cameras.”
“Are you really going through with that?” Arlene thought Peggy had forgotten about it, but now she had two back doors and neither had a window.
“I think the package pickups will be at the alley entrance, so I feel like it’s even more important now. They are going to put a doorbell back there too, because I want to know who is there before I open it.”
“Are you going to be ready for opening day?” Arlene was not yet comfortable with the shipping process, but Peggy knew what she was doing.
“Yes, we’re ready!” Peggy punched the air with a confident fist. She was prepared to start seeing income from all the hard work they had been through. “Ed Poindexter is printing a story about our grand opening this weekend, so the whole town will know we’re in business.”
“How nice of him!” Arlene squealed.
“It wasn’t his idea.” Peggy raised one eyebrow and smirked. “I had to remind him that he owes me.”
Arlene chuckled. “Oh, here comes Angela.”
The bells attached to the top of the door jingled and jangled as Angela came in with arms outstretched to hug Peggy and Arlene. David followed behind, carrying a large white box.
“Peggy! Arlene! How great to see you both! The store looks wonderful, and I was so excited to hear you are expanding next door. We really need a local shipper, don’t we, David?”
David nodded although Angela didn’t wait for his response.
“More room means more product, right, girls? You can spill over into the next room a little, add a few more things. I started playing around with felting this winter. I just taught myself online and I’m not very good, but I enjoy it, all that stabbing.” Angela mimicked the action of stabbing a ball of wool with a needle. “It really takes away the stress! Have you ever tried it? Some people can really create realistic animals out of it. It’s amazing! You should try it.”
Peggy nodded, relieved at reaching a break for momentary silence. Angela was exhaustingly animated.
“I have seen those.” Arlene pointed at Angela. “There was a woman who had some for sale at the 4th of July craft fair. The little forest creatures were beautiful.”
“See! I’m telling you; you should try it.” Angela’s eyes darted around the room before pointing at the fabric cutting table. “David, maybe you could put that box over there.”
“Let’s go to the back.” Peggy turned to lead them to the seating area at the rear of the store. “There’s a table back here. What do you have there?”
Angela squealed. “Oh, I can’t wait to tell you all about it!”
Peggy smiled as she took a seat in the side chair. “I can’t wait to hear.” David and Angela sat on the sofa as Arlene rushed off to answer the phone.
Angela reached for the box lid and then drew back her hand. “You remember Valerie, our daughter?”
“Sure. She’s in vet school.”
Angela released another squeal accompanied by a waving fist and a glance at David. “Not anymore! She’s home. My Valerie is home, and she’s going to start working at the Spicetown Animal Clinic with Hymie Morgan!”
“That’s great! I’m glad to hear that. I use Dr. Morgan, so I’m sure I’ll see her there. It’ll be good to have a second doctor available. I’m sure Hymie will love having some help.”
“Well, she’s not passed the boards yet, so she’s interning to start, but I’m sure she’ll do great. She’s been planning this career since she was a little girl. Doctor Duffy! Doesn’t that just have a wonderful ring to it?” Angela bounced on the couch when her chest rose in a sigh.
David chuckled, delighted in his wife’s excitement. “Show her the dress, honey.”
Angela pulled the box top off to reveal a weathered and crumpled pile of tulle, slightly yellowed with age. Grabbing the shoulders, she yanked the dress out and stood with it displayed across her body. “What do you think?”
Angela did offer a slight pause, but it was not long enough for Peggy to gather her thoughts, so Angela continued. “I know it’s old, but I’ve already been to the Peppercorn Dry Cleaners, and they think they can get it as white as it was when it was new. So? What do you think?”
“It’s, it’s lovely, Angela.” Peggy stammered, trying to grasp why Angela would bring it to her. Where was Arlene? She was better at this. “Oh, was it your wedding dress?”
“Yes, silly! I wore this almost thirty years ago. Can you believe it? I was so thin back then.” Angela pouted in David’s direction as if to console him as she placed the gown back in the box.
“Oh, how wonderful!” Arlene gushed, as she hurried over for a look. “Is that your wedding gown?”
“It is!”
“I wish I still had mine. I know I don’t need it for anything, but I would love to see it again. I loaned mine to a friend many years ago.” Arlene swooned from her memories, and Peggy fought her instinct to roll her eyes. She glanced at David seeking an ally, but saw he was just as engulfed in Angela’s memories as Arlene.
“So, what are your plans for the dress?” Peggy raised her eyebrows and stared at Angela. The dress looked like a size eight and Angela did not.
Angela squeezed her hands together and looked up as she took a calming breath, “Valerie is getting married!”
Chapter 2
Peggy sat at a small table just inside the door of the Caraway Cafe, fidgeting with the credit card in her hand, tapping it and turning it against the tabletop, as she waited for her lunch order to be ready. Peggy and Arlene frequently picked up the lunch special from Dorothy and Frank Parish’s cafe. but they had ordered from the menu today, which took a little longer. Peggy did not trust herself to eat today’s special, chicken and dumplings, on her lap without making a mess. When she saw Frank peek through the pickup window and wave at her, she jumped up from her seat.
“There you go, Peg.” Frank pushed two Styrofoam containers across the counter and smiled. “If you see Dot out there, can you tell her I need her in the kitchen when she has a chance?”
“Sure thing, Frank. Thanks.” Peggy carried the containers to the cash register and saw Dorothy ringing up a takeout order for Daniel Farrell, Mavis Bell’s son. Standing behind Daniel, Peggy couldn’t avoid overhearing that Daniel’s credit card was being rejected.
“I’m sorry, hon, but it declined again. Do you have anything else?” Dorothy handed the credit card back to Daniel as he patted his pockets for his wallet.
“Here!” Peggy offered Dorothy her card. “Why don’t you just put this all together?”
“Oh, Peggy.” Daniel stepped to the side in surprise. “I didn’t see you there. Thank you, but I can’t let you do that.”
“Sure, you can! Here, Dot.”
“I’ve got another card on me. That’s my mom’s new business account card and I think maybe I’ve just worn it out. She’s had me running all over the country picking up supplies and materials the last few days.”
Dorothy laughed. “The last time I talked to Mavis, she was running over in baby chicks!”
Peggy nodded for Dorothy to use her credit card for the lunches. “I want to make my contribution to the new business! And we want to be the first on the list for fresh eggs.” Peggy wasn’t much of a cook, but Arlene was excited about the eggs.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Daniel said as Dorothy handed him his two lunch containers. “Thank you, Peggy. I will let my mom know that you are to be first on her list.”
“Tell your mom hello for us!”
Daniel agreed and waved as he turned to leave. He had blossomed the last few years, finally conquering some dark emotions he struggled with involving his late stepfather, Howard Bell. Moving back to Spicetown to live with Mavis and help her with her latest adventure had put his past worries to rest and brightened Mavis’ life, too.
“Have a good day,” Dorothy called out as she waved.
“Hey, Dot, were you or Frank around when the sign for my shipping store was hung up?”
Dorothy frowned. “No, I think it was there when I opened Monday morning and that was the first time I saw it. Why?”
“Well, I had it stored in the city shed because Cora Mae told me I could have it delivered out there. They were in the middle of painting the storefronts when they called me for delivery instructions. Nobody told me when it was being hung, so I wasn’t around when it happened.”
“You don’t like it?”
“No, the sign is fine. I had approved it, but when they hung it up, they didn’t get it straight. It’s higher on one side and I need to get it adjusted. I just didn’t know who to call.”
“Oh, I don’t know either. Cora Mae might know if the city workers did it. They painted around mine, but I think Vicki said they were taking hers down to paint, so she might know.”
“Good idea. I’ll ask her, too.”
“You could also ask around at the next Merchants’ Association meeting!”
Peggy pointed a finger toward Dot in agreement as she backed away from the counter. “Oh, Frank told me to tell you he needs you in the kitchen. See you later!”
Peggy weaved around a customer’s unattended child as she crossed her store lobby to stash the lunches in the back room. Arlene was helping a young lady decide on a yarn color, so lunch would have to wait until she was free. She passed the time by giving Sully a quick trip outside and was standing out there holding the leash as the Volker Electric van pulled into the alley.
Cecil Ryman rolled down the driver’s side window and called to her. “Hey, Ms. Cochran. Do you have a few minutes to show me your back doors?”
“Sure! You can pull your van over behind the next door and I’ll come out that way. I just need a minute to put my dog up.”
“No hurry!”
Cecil pulled the van down the alley, and Peggy looked down at Sully. “You need to focus, buddy. We’ve got to get back inside.” As if he understood, Sully was ready and trotting back to the door. Peggy had marveled how adulthood had turned Sully into a couch potato. He was rambunctious as a pup, but slid right into relaxation mode once he grew into his paws. She worried she didn’t offer him enough exercise, but he had no interest in toys he had to get up for or chase.
As she led Sully through the door, Arlene was in the back room looking for lunch. Peggy pointed to the containers on the table. “I’ve got to run next door and let Cecil in. He’s here to look at the doors.” Swinging the cage door open for Sully, he trotted in and flopped down.
“You’ve got to eat sometime!”
