Twenty-three
A new shipment of teacups arrived from Japan, and Patty was the one who got to unpack them.
It was a wonderful day.
Thanks to Eliza’s ingenuity in reviving the business, Patty got to order beautiful tea sets all the time. Some were sold in the shop, others on the website. Every so often, a set would come in that was too beautiful to part with and she’d add it to her own collection.
Today was extra special because Sheila had decided to work from the tea shop while Patty unpacked. Eliza was still under the weather and Mackenzie was running things in her place.
“I don’t know what’s going on with her,” Sheila said quietly, settling into a table with her laptop and papers.
“Must have caught a bug,” Patty said, cutting the tape on the box. She opened it and stopped to admire the tight packaging. Nothing had broken. How lucky she was!
“I don’t buy it.” Sheila dropped her voice. “I think it has something to do with Joey. Have you seen him around?”
There was a delicate box under the bubble wrap, pink and gold, nested in a mound of pink and white shredded paper. “Why don’t you ask Mackenzie?”
Sheila looked up from her laptop. “She won’t tell me a thing. If I ask her any questions about Eliza, she changes the subject to the sea pen or my music.”
“How is your last song coming along?” Patty asked.
Sheila sighed. “Fine.”
“Doesn’t sound fine,” Patty said with a smile.
She shut her laptop. “You’re doing the same thing! Changing the subject!”
“I’m not changing the subject. I’m curious about your progress!” She turned from the box to face Sheila. “Is it Lottie? Are you upset because you haven’t been allowed to see her?”
The other owners of Marine Magic Funland had first hit Sheila with a lawsuit. When that went nowhere, they whipped up a restraining order to keep her away from the park.
It was a lot of silliness. Lottie would be living a short boat ride away in a matter of months.
“No, Lottie is doing great. I’m worried about Eliza.”
“I think you’re right; she’s come down with a bug. A love bug.” Patty laughed. “You remember being young, all the drama. I’m sure she’ll tell us when she’s ready.”
The door to teashop swung open with a jingle. A man and a woman walked in dressed in matching black vests, the letters ATF across their chests in white lettering.
Sheila stood from her seat. “Hi. Can I help you?”
“I’m Special Agent Grouper and this is my partner, Special Agent Wallace,” the woman said. “We need to talk to Eliza Dennet.”
Patty stared at the agent. She was short and slim, with hard eyes and a pair of large sunglasses sitting atop her head. “Are you the agent who talked to Eliza after the robbery?”
She nodded. “Is she here?”
Mackenzie emerged from the kitchen. “What’s going on?”
Patty set down the box with the carefully packed pair of teacups.
This was the woman who’d accused her granddaughter of robbing a bank? The one who had called her stupid?
“Eliza isn’t here today,” Patty said firmly. “Thanks for your inquiry.”
“If it’s all right with you, we’d like to have a look around,” agent Wallace said. “We received a tip—”
“I don’t care what you received,” Patty said, hands on her hips. “Unless you have a warrant, there will be no looking around.”
The lady agent scoffed. “Ma’am, we’re trying to help.”
Sheila’s eyes darted between them. “I’m sure we can—”
“We don’t need any help from you,” Patty said with a nod. “Thank you. Goodbye.”
The lady agent put her hands on her hips. One of her hands rested near a handgun hanging in a holster. “I need to use the bathroom before I go.”
“Of course, go ahead,” Sheila said before Patty could say no.
Mackenzie leapt forward. “I’ll show you where it is.”
Patty stood, arms crossed, staring down the other agent.
He walked to the counter, eyeing their display of tea sets and loose-leaf tea. “You have a lovely shop.”
“I know.” Patty lifted her chin, her stare unbroken.
“May I?” He picked up a tin of tea from the front counter. “I’d love this for my mom.”
Patty narrowed her eyes. “All right.”
She walked to the register and he handed her a fifty dollar bill.
“You expect me to break this for you?” Patty sighed.
He flashed a half smile. “I’m sorry. It’s all I’ve got.”
She let out another sigh, rung him up, and handed him his change.
“I don’t need a bag.” He winked at her. “Have a nice day.”
The lady agent returned a moment later, walking past her partner without stopping. “Let’s go.”
He nodded goodbye, and the two of them left through the front door. Patty watched through the window as they got into their car and drove off. She locked the front door and turned back to face Sheila and Mackenzie.
“Patty! Why were you so rude to them?” Sheila said.
“Because they were looking for our Eliza! And not for a good reason.”
“You don’t know that. Maybe there was a development in the case.”
“I am no stranger to law enforcement. Chief Hank is one of my favorite people on the island. But that was not a friendly visit,” Patty said firmly. She picked up the lovely teacup set and gently nestled it back into its box. Today was not the day for lovely things.
“She didn’t use the bathroom,” Mackenzie said. “She went in, flushed, and walked right back out.”
Sheila tilted her head to the side. “You were watching her? What has gotten into you two?”
Mackenzie nodded. “That was Stacy. She’s the agent who was mean to Eliza.”
“Oh. Oh .” Sheila’s lips hardened into a line. “I’m glad you were rude to her, then.”
“She was looking for something,” Mackenzie said. “A bag.”
“What bag?” Patty asked.
Mackenzie bit her lip. “You’re both going to be…unhappy with me.”
“Mack, honey,” Sheila said, “if something is going on, you need to tell us.”
She pulled out a chair, scraping it against the hardwood floor. “Long story short, we think Joey robbed the bank and that Stacy is in on it. They’re dating, maybe. And he hid a bag with the robbery disguise and a bunch of money in the bathroom last night.”
“What!” Sheila shouted. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this?”
“It’s Eliza,” Mackenzie sighed. “She’s convinced he’s not involved and she doesn’t want to tell anyone yet.”
Sheila covered her eyes with hand. “She’s protecting him.”
“She’s sick,” Patty said. “Heartsick. It’s a terrible disease. Infects every system.”
“Not funny, Patty.” Sheila glared at her. “This is serious!”
“Why did they want to talk to Eliza?” Patty peered out the window. “That Stacy was so forceful.”
“We thought maybe Joey had left her the money as an apology,” Mackenzie said. “But maybe they were trying to frame her?”
“Why don’t we ask him?” Patty said, peering through the window. “He’s headed right for the door.”
“Get down!” Mackenzie barked. “Now!”
Sheila and Mackenzie squatted quickly. Patty had a harder time moving quickly.
“I can’t get down with such short notice,” she complained, grabbing a chair with one hand and lowering herself. “I need more time.”
“Lower, Granny!” Mackenzie whispered, reaching for her arm.
Patty felt herself starting to fall backwards, so she stood back up. “I can’t do it!”
“Just sit down, then!” Sheila whispered.
Patty eased into a seat, then slumped over. “There. Is that good?”
The door rattled, once, twice, as Joey pulled at the knob.
“Hello?” he called out. His face appeared in the window.
Patty sunk lower. “I think he can see me.”
“Sh!”
His face disappeared. Patty’s back hurt too much to sit like this. She stood and looked through the window. Joey was walking down the hill.
“That’s it.” Patty dusted off her apron. “I’m not going to hide on the floor in my own teashop. We’re going to get help.”
“Who?” Sheila asked, standing up.
Patty smiled. “Let’s just say I have connections.”
“Chief Hank?” Sheila asked.
“Better. His wife, Margie.”
Mackenzie frowned. “How is Margie going to help with this?”
Patty dropped her apron on the chair. “Just – come with me.”
Sheila and Mackenzie shot each other a look.
“Trust me! I’m older than both of you combined, and more than twice as wise,” she said. “Get your coats; it looks like rain.”
Finally, they did as she said and followed her out the door.