0.5 Bead Of Doubt Read online

  “Yes!” Bernadine cheered. “Yes. We’d be neighbors!”

  It did sound really good for me, but what was in it for the Sloan’s?

  “How much is it going to cost?” I questioned her. It was too good to be true.

  “Nothing.” Ginger smiled. “You are my friend and I’m able to help you out. The rent from Cheri can go toward getting your shop up and running. Once you get it going, we can talk about rent.”

  “God knows you aren’t getting anything out of that loser.” Flora pointed to Sean who was trying to dig his old truck out of the snow.

  Doug sat in Jim’s truck with a big shit-eating grin on his face. If Doug really wanted to, he could hook a chain to Sean’s truck and pull it out with Jim’s truck, which had snow chains on it.

  Sean knew better, but he obviously couldn’t afford the chains this year.

  Swanee always gets a lot of snow during the winter. Although it’s beautiful, it makes it crappy for getting out and about. Hopefully the bored women in the community could discover a new hobby at The Beaded Dragonfly.

  Cheri and Jim reappeared and shook hands.

  “I guess that settles it.”

  Chapter Three

  With the snow covered roads, it took an extra twenty minutes to get to Ginger’s cabin. Even though we left around the same time, Jim could plow through the snow with his big snow tires, but the tires on my Focus had a little more trouble.

  The gravel drive that led back to the cabin was barely visible because of the snow. If it hadn’t been from Jim’s tire tracks, I probably wouldn’t have found it.

  I turned and looked at the gray clapboard, three room cottage I was about to call home.

  “Come on in.” Ginger hollered from the front door. “Jim is making sure all the cobwebs are gone.”

  Willow loved Ginger, and she had no problem going right into the house for a little rub.

  I marveled once inside the three room cabin. The best part wasn’t the wall of windows that overlooked the lake or the fact that Ginger pays someone to squeegee them, but the furniture.

  It was fully furnished and the only under in the entire place was the futon and claw-foot tub. There wasn’t a kitchen table to worry about sweeping under, no book shelves to dust under, no unders what-so-ever.

  “No unders,” I whispered.

  “Exactly. I knew you’d love it.” Ginger winked. “Right over there is Bernadine’s house.”

  I followed the lines of the frozen lake over at Bernadine’s massive house that was lit up like a Christmas tree.

  “Here’s the kitchen.” Ginger did her best Price Is Right model wave to the other side of the room.

  The cabinets in the kitchen go all the way down to the floor. There are bookshelves that are built in.

  “Down here is the bedroom.” Ginger walked down the small hallway where generations of Sloans hung in frames.

  I followed close behind. This was much better than living over the shop in the efficiency. I’m not picky, and the apartment would’ve been fine.

  The bedroom was plain and simple with just a box-spring and mattress. The closet was all I needed for the few clothes I was fitting into

  “So, what do you think?” Jim stood in the doorway, towering over Ginger.

  “I’m so grateful.” I looked around the room. Willow had already made herself comfortable on the floor next to the bed. “I love it.”

  “Great.” Ginger smiled and looked up at Jim, then back at me. “Only one thing, the garage is off limits. You might see Jim here a lot picking up equipment for the Hardware store. We sometimes store stuff in there. And Jim doesn’t like anyone messing with his stuff. Right, honey?”

  “Yep.” Jim nodded. “Let’s leave this woman to her house.”

  With a few quick goodbyes and more thank yous, Willow and I were all set in our new home.

  “Much better than the hotel.” I said to Willow. She twirled her tail.

  I was up early the next morning. I was too excited to sleep in. Besides, Willow was snorting her way around the cabin trying to figure out where we were. She wasn’t used to such a palatial estate. Well, palatial compared to the hotel room we were staying in.

  With my coffee mug filled, Willow and I got in the Focus and headed to The Beaded Dragonfly. Now that the tables, chairs, and displays were put together and in place, it was time to get the good stuff out and ready for people to buy.

  I was especially excited to start the beading classes. I decided to have classes for all different skill levels. Of course the Divas would be at our monthly meeting, but they could always join another one.

  Luckily the streets were plowed after the night’s freshly fallen snow and it only took fifteen minutes to get there.

  That was one thing that made living above the shop appealing. The fact I could roll out of bed and walk down stairs. But fifteen minutes wasn’t bad. Nothing really happened in Swanee to cause a traffic back-up, unless someone’s cow got loose. Other than that, the cabin was going to work out just fine.

  The awning was covered in snow, so once I got Willow inside, I took the broom out and batted at the awning. After all, I wanted everyone to see the expensive sign, not a snow covered expensive sign.

  “Hey, watch it!” A lady screamed, covering her head with her arms to shield it from the snow falling off the awning.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you there.” I begged for forgiveness, and tried to brush the snow off the black feather boa that outlined her leopard print fur coat.

  “I’ll do it.” She a took step back in her stiletto boots and slipped on the icy sidewalk.

  Willow ran around the wounded woman squealing as though the woman was a wounded animal. If she hadn’t spoken to me, I would’ve thought she was a leopard.

  “Get that thing away from me!” She swatted at Willow.

  Willow tucked her tail, jumped up the step, and hid behind me.

  “You did it!” I bent down and picked her up

  “Yes, you did.” The lady shook her finger toward Willow.

  “I’ve been trying to get her to climb those stairs for some time now, and you did it in one fell swoop.” I chuckled. “No pun intended.”

  The women’s stone-cold face softened and a boisterous laugh came out, making Willow shudder even more.

  “I’m Marlene.” Marlene took a couple steps forward and stuck out her leather gloved hand. “Are you the owner of The Beaded Dragonfly?”

  I hesitated, but took her hand. Her northern accent told me she wasn’t from around here, not to mention she was way too dressed up for Swanee weather.

  “I’m Holly Harper, the proud owner.” I had to yell over Willow’s snorts. “Willow, stop that.”

  I’ve never been so embarrassed. Willow usually likes everyone.

  “You are just the woman I wanted to see.” Marlene walked up the steps coming face to face with me. “Shall we?”

  She gestured toward my shop. And without a word, I jiggled the key, but Willow continued to try to get between my legs, staying as far away from Marlene as she could.

  “I think your stiletto boots are making her nervous.” I pointed down the steps. “Would you mind stepping back until I get the door open?”

  Damn! This might’ve been one of those times when having a cell phone might come in handy. I turned and eyed Marlene, who was chomping away on a piece of gum.

  “What can I help you with?” I let Willow in the shop and quickly turned toward Marlene before she could weasel her way into the shop.

  She pushed through anyways, and Willow ran back to the storage room that was filled with unopened merchandise, squealing and doing all the tail twirling she could.

  Marlene pulled her leather gloves off one finger at a time exposing hot pink acrylic nails.

  “Are you going out of business?” She looked around, placing her gloves in her pocket, and then pulling out a small pouch.

  “Oh, no. We haven’t even opened.” I smiled. “Tomorrow is the big day.”
<
br />   “Oh.” Marlene looked around with a curl on her lips. “Anyway, I’m looking for a job, a place to live, and someone who can help me make some type of jewelry with this gem.”

  She held out the biggest yellow stone I’d ever seen.

  “I. . . “I stuttered, “This is just a small glass beading shop. I’m not a jeweler.” I couldn’t take my eyes off the sparkler. It was amazing. It was the brightest jewel I’d ever seen.

  “Well, I’m looking for something that might disguise its value so I can wear it.” Marlene held the gem up to her wrist. “I figured if I made it into a glass bead bracelet, people won’t know the jewel is real and worth a lot of money.”

  I wondered what a lot of money was. But with my southern manners, I wasn’t about to ask the six-foot voluptuous blonde woman standing before me.

  “You see, I’m new in town. Like brand new.” Marlene put the gem back in the pouch, and handed to me. “And I need a job and a place to live.”

  We both turned when we heard someone whistling Swanee River. Marlene grabbed the pouch and stuck it back in her pocket.

  “Ouch!” I rubbed my hand where her long nails had stabbed me.

  “Sorry, long nail hazard.” She hissed.

  “Mornin’, Holly.” Noah Druck, Swanee’s head police officer, walked into the shop. “Whose your friend?”

  “Officer Druck, this is Marlene. . .” I realized I had no idea what her last name was.

  “Dietrich.” Marlene swooned. “Marlene Dietrich.”

  “I’m not a movie buff, but wasn’t Marlene Dietrich a movie star?” Noah gave Marlene the once over. “And German. And you don’t look German to me.”

  “My parents loved her.” Marlene snarled.

  If Marlene was going to live on Swanee, she needed to know that everyone in town would know her business within the first five minutes she was in town. As a matter of fact, I was one-hundred percent positive the only reason why Noah Druck was here, was to find out who the car with an out-of-state license plate belonged to that was parked in front of the shop.

  “Miss Dietrich, what’s your business in Swanee?” Noah’s leg parted in his cop stance, and he placed his hand on his gun as though there was going to be some gun slinging’ right there in my bead store.

  “I’m not sure that’s any of your business, but if you know of any job openings, I just might be moving here.” Marlene ran her long hot pink finger nail down Noah’s arm.

  I swear I saw him shiver.

  “Marlene. May I call you Marlene?” He smiled.

  Oh, boy. I’ve known Noah Druck all my life, and I knew that smile. Marlene was worming her way into his little heart.

  Noah and asshole have been friends all their life, up until recently when Noah asked Sean to cool it with all the Doug Sloan gossip about Doug’s shoddy work. No one messes with a Sloan and gets away with it.

  “Are you good at conversation? Shopping?” Noah took his hand off his gun and folded them in front of him.

  “Two of my best attributes.” Marlene Dietrich batted her fake lashes.

  And trust me, they were as long as the day and no lashes are that long.

  “Ms. Agnes Pearl is looking for a constant companion to help her around the house, take her shopping and keep her company.” Noah didn’t take his eyes off Marlene.

  “What? Agnes didn’t say anything to me.” I said.

  Why didn’t Agnes ask one of the Divas? This was something I was definitely going to have to look into.

  “I’ll take it.” Marlene took the pouch out of her pocket and laid it on the counter. Then put her arm in Noah Druck’s arm and led him toward the door. She paused and turned back to me. “You see what you can come up with and I’ll be back when you open.”

  Noah tipped his head toward me and with a grin as big as the Cumberland Gap, he began to whistle the rest of Swanee River.

  “Now, why don’t you take me to Ms. Pearl and we can talk about me becoming a Swanee citizen.” Marlene Dietrich’s voice dripped with sex appeal.

  I watched them out the window for a moment. They exchanged a few words, and they both got in their cars. Marlene followed Noah’s police cruiser towards Agnes Pearls house.

  “Come on out, Willow.” I yelled toward the storage room.

  Her pink little snoot and beady black eyes peered around the corner. When she didn’t see Marlene she darted out for a quick rub.

  “Don’t worry about her.” I took the jewel out of the pouch and held it up in the light. “We are going to make some money off her.”

  I didn’t have to worry about Agnes Pearl, she could spot a phony a mile away, but I was worried about how I was going to disguise this amazing stone.

  Chapter Four

  Over the next couple days, I took some time out of opening the store to take Marlene’s gem to a nearby city to have a jeweler look at it. After all, I wanted. . .needed to know if it was real and if it was as expensive as it was beautiful.

  Not only did I find it was worth a mint, but it was a Yellow Spinet. One of the rarest diamonds you could get your hands on. There was no way I was going to let this jewel out of my sight.

  On the day of the opening, I put bead boards on all the tables, along with the tools, wire, crimp beads, and any other bead findings customers might want to experiment with. I made sure the Yellow Spinet was secure in the office where no one else should be.

  The Divas had taken up an entire table with their drinks and snacks. A group of teenage girls had come in to check out what the new shop was about and a few of them signed up for the beginning beading class on Saturday mornings.

  “How’s my investment?” Sean walked around looking at the shelves with a shit-eating grin on his face. He pushed on the shelves making sure they stayed put with all the inventory I had hung on them.

  “Oh, crap!” Flora tried to balance her phone between her ear and shoulder and grab some beads that bounced across the floor and into the under.

  “Umph.” I sighed and looked down.

  No way did I want to put my hand into the under, and I certainly didn’t want to bend down in front of Sean with my elastic pants on.

  “Well?” Flora asked. “Are you going to get that for me? It was the centerpiece in my bracelet.”

  I rolled my eyes, and walked over to the counter. I had given the Divas some of the best beads to make sure they had the perfect bracelets to wear around town and bring in new customers.

  I picked up another Swarovski crystal 8mm black bead and took it over to her.

  “Here’s another one. If you lose this one, you are going to have to go get it.” I didn’t factor inventory being lost into the under in my monthly budget.

  Ginger was a quick learner. She’d already done a few bracelets with me at my house a few years ago, but this time she was doing it all on her own.

  “Very nice.” I nodded while touching the cat eye stretchy bracelet she was stringing.

  “Well?” Sean interrupted.

  The Divas glared at him. They’d never seen such a nosy ex-husband in their life.

  “Well nothing.” I grabbed his arm and led him toward the door. “This has nothing to do with you. Nor will it ever. Just pay the damn alimony.”

  Sean jerked away and bolted down the front shop steps.

  I pulled my elastic pants up a little more and turned to face my friends in a round of applause.

  “Thank you.” I bowed, and walked over to the group of teenagers to make sure there was nothing they needed.

  I knew Marlene was coming before she walked in the door because Willow took off. She squealed all the way back to the storage room.

  “Good morning, Holly.” Marlene peeled her gloves off her hands, and put them in her purse. She pulled out a piece of gum and put it in her mouth.

  For someone who was supposed to have so much class, she sure wasn’t quiet with the gum.

  “How’s Agnes Pearl?” I asked.

  “Agnes Pearl? What’s wrong with Agnes?” Ginger jumped to h
er feet and gave Marlene the once over. “And who are you?”

  Marlene put her hands on her hips, showing off her skin tight leggings ending in hot red stiletto heels.

  “I’m Marlene Die. . .a” She chomped. “Dietrich.”

  Hmmm. For a moment it seemed as though Marlene Dietrich forgot she was Marlene Dietrich. A big red light bulb went off. Yes, I definitely needed to make a stop at Agnes Pearl’s and check this situation out.

  Marlene didn’t respond, which turned Ginger’s face the color of Marlene’s heels.

  “I’m Ginger Sloan Rush.” Ginger stood tall.

  “I don’t think I asked your name.” Marlene tapped her temple. “Now, Holly, can I have a word with you?”

  “Wait a minute.” Ginger put her hand out. The other Divas eyes popped open. “Who are you and what do you have to do with Agnes Pearl?”

  Marlene looked at Ginger like she had two heads.

  “Um, Marlene, everyone knows everyone in Swanee.” I had to stop this tension between Ginger and Marlene. I needed Marlene’s business. I hadn’t told anyone about the Yellow Spinet and didn’t plan to. “If you are going to be living here, I think you should be a little more hospitable.”

  “Well?” Ginger crossed her arms over her chest.

  “I’m Agnes Pearl’s new assistant.” Marlene chomped her gum, making little popping sounds.

  “Personal assistant?” Ginger threw her head back in laughter. “Why does Agnes need a personal assistant?”

  “I don’t know, but that’s my new job.” Marlene turned on her heels and perused the glass counter. “Can we talk now?”

  I motioned for her to come to the office.

  She followed me back.

  Cheri was sitting on the floor and Willow was in her lap.

  “Oh.” Cheri looked surprised and got up. Willow ran under the desk.

  “Cheri. What are you doing in here?” I questioned her.

  “I’m sorry. I saw your pig run in here and I wanted to make sure she was okay.” She apologized.