Chapter 20
Eloisa
“Art begins by seeing ordinary objects through extraordinary eyes.”
—Eloisa Hobby
Eloisa was in her backyard doing a headstand with Felena curled up in a wicker basket beside her when Paul opened her garden gate.
“Knock, knock,” he called.
“Halloo!”
He paused. “Oh, I didn’t know you were doing yoga. I can return later.”
“No, no, come in, come in.” Eloisa dropped her feet and righted herself.
He was hatless today, and his thick dark hair curled around his ears. He had on jean shorts and a white, button-down, short-sleeved shirt instead of his gardening clothes, which told her he was working cybersecurity today.
Barefooted, she wore yoga pants and a long T-shirt emblazoned with the Hobby Island logo. Her hat for today was a charming orchid-colored knitted toboggan with orange pom-poms and a pink carnation that stayed put in the weave when she went upside down. She wriggled her toes polished in an aubergine hue on the concrete paver and savored the coolness.
Eloisa cocked her head, trying to decipher the look on Paul’s face, but the man kept his emotions close to his vest. Except whenever he spoke of Luna Boudreaux. In those instances, his face would light up and a helpless smile would cross his lips. She enjoyed seeing Paul falling in love. He was a good man and deserved a worthy mate.
Was Luna the one for him?
How nice if that were so and something good would come from this distressing mess over a scammer stealing from her crafters. But Luna and her mother were dealing with a lot. She shouldn’t get her hopes up. Eloisa had learned a long time ago not to meddle in the affairs of others.
She wandered over to the cushioned bench beneath the garden waterfall Paul had constructed for her, settled down, and patted the spot next to her.
Paul sat and rested his palms on his knees. A blue-and-black butterfly flitted near his head.
“What have you got for me?” she asked, crossing her legs at her ankles.
Paul inhaled deeply, held his breath, and then slowly let it out. “I caught something on the camera at Opportunity Ridge.”
Eloisa rested a palm at the hollow of her throat. “Goodness, that sounds troublesome.”
He took his cell phone from his pocket and turned it on to show her the recording he’d pulled from the security camera mounted in the trees at the top of the ridge.
As Eloisa watched, Luna came into view. Oh dear, was Luna up to something? For Paul’s sake, she hoped not.
Felena hopped into her lap and Eloisa stroked her soft warm fur and listened to the calico purr. It was such a soothing sound. The sweet creature just seemed to know when Eloisa needed comforting.
On Paul’s phone screen, Luna started drawing. Picture after picture of the island unfolded from Luna’s deft hand.
“Gracious, she’s a wonderful artist,” Eloisa said.
Paul bobbed his head. “That’s my Luna.”
My.
Eloisa suppressed a smile.
Paul had spliced the recording and there was a time jump. In the video, Nanette came hiking up the ridge and joined Luna on Outlook Rock. She carried a sketchbook identical to Luna’s. As soon as Nanette sat down, Luna closed her notebook and secured it with a large rubber band from around her wrist.
“Nanette’s violating Luna’s personal space,” Eloisa said.
“Keep watching.” Paul angled his satellite cell phone, giving her a better view.
Nanette said something and Luna jumped up, dropping her sketchbook and pencil box to swat at her shoulders.
“What’s that about?” Eloisa asked.
“I studied Nanette’s mouth and I think she said, ‘bee.’ Luna is allergic to bee stings.”
“Does Nanette know that?”
“I have no idea.”
“Was there even a bee?”
Paul met Eloisa’s gaze. “I don’t know but watch what Nanette does next.”
As Luna spun and swatted, Nanette bent down to pick up Luna’s sketchbook and surreptitiously swapped it with hers.
“Hey!” Eloisa snapped her finger, incensed on Luna’s behalf. “She switched sketchbooks.”
“Yeah.”
“Nanette stole Luna’s designs.”
“Looks like it.”
“Well, sour pickles.” Eloisa scratched Felena behind her ears.
“Do you want to confront Nanette with this evidence?” Paul asked.
“No. It very well could be accidental.”
“It wasn’t.”
Eloisa cocked her head. “There’s more?”
Paul closed that video and opened another one. It showed Luna and Jeanie in Crafters’ Corner confronting Nanette at the tiki bar.
“Oh dear. Do you think Nanette is the scammer?”
“I can’t draw that parallel,” he said. “But she’s definitely a thief. Look at her.”
In the video, as Luna and Jeanie walked away from the tiki bar, Nanette took out a pen and, in all caps, wrote nanette’s designs on the front of the sketchbook.
“What about the other two you suspect? Anything on them?”
“Nothing caught on camera.”
“It’s so sad.”
“Sad?” Paul shot her a hard glance.
“That Nanette has so little belief in her own skills she feels forced to steal in order to compete.”
“I can intervene and send her packing.”
Eloisa leveled Paul a calm look. “I appreciate that she’s stolen from someone important to you and it’s gotten your emotions involved—”
“My emotions aren’t involved.”
“No?” Eloisa arched an eyebrow.
Paul surrendered a sheepish grin. “Yes, okay, I feel protective of Luna.”
“Nanette has lessons to learn. Luna and Jeanie too for that matter. Let’s just keep a close eye on Nanette for now.”
“Luna already has trust issues. This thing with Nanette will just worsen it.”
“Not your problem to solve, Paul.” Eloisa stroked Felena’s fur. “If issues arise that demand our attention, be prepared to intervene.”
“No worries on that score.” Paul switched off his phone and stuck it in his pocket. He was the protective sort and often stepped in when he should have let things work themselves out, but he cared so very much. She’d never known a man with such a pure heart.
“That’s comforting.”
“I’ve got eyes all over this island and I’m not about to let Luna get taken advantage of again.”
“Ahh.” Eloisa clicked her tongue and met his serious eyes. Luna, Jeanie, and Nanette weren’t the only ones with lessons to learn.
“Ahh what?” He eyed her suspiciously. He knew her too well.
She gave him a sly smile.
“What is it, Auntie Eloisa? What have you got up your sleeve?”
“Why, I think it’s time for a healing circle.”
“Bringing out the big guns?”
“Don’t you know it.”
“Okay. I got your back. Always.” Chuckling and shaking his head, Paul headed out the garden gate.
Eloisa resumed her yoga, going into crow pose; as she hummed Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger,” Felena hopped onto her back and started purring in total agreement.