Chapter 38
38
C ally had been for a coffee with Logan in the deli before work. The point had been to give her a bit of courage, Dutch or otherwise, before she went in to tell Birdie about what she’d discovered in the Peaceton store. After discussing the ins and outs of it with Logan the night before at the speakeasy, he’d said there was nothing for it but to get on and tell Birdie as soon as possible. He’d also come up with the idea to soften the blow by inviting Birdie to Scotland at the same time. To say that Cally was nervous about having to inform Birdie about the Estrella problem was an understatement.
Unsure about why she was so worried, she’d spent the night tossing and turning, not able to get it out of her mind. In the end, she told herself that she had the evidence, that she knew she was correct, and once she’d told Birdie, it would be out of her hands. It just all felt a bit grubby and underhanded. Truth be told, it was something she didn’t want a bar of at all.
With the problem swarming around her head, she walked into the back of the chemist to the sound of the Shipping Forecast with flutters in her stomach. As she shrugged off her coat, she decided she would not beat about the bush and would tell Birdie right away. However, she didn’t get a chance. As soon as she saw Birdie, she knew something was wrong. Birdie’s face was like thunder.
'Morning. Everything okay with you?'
Birdie frowned. 'No, not really.'
'Oh, what’s happened?'
Birdie wiggled her phone. 'I’ve just had a phone call from Estrella. She’s resigned. Just like that, out of the blue! Talk about pulling the rug out from someone…’
Cally was totally thrown. For a second, her brain raced, and she didn’t know what to do or say. She stalled for time, ‘Oh.’
'Yeah, apparently, her mum is very sick back home, and she’s decided she needs to go back right away, as in, right away, like tomorrow morning. She’s booked a flight. Just like that.'
Cally quickly tried to analyse whether or not she should tell Birdie what she’d found. She decided to keep her thoughts to herself and see how it all panned out. She shook her head. ‘Goodness!’
Birdie narrowed her eyes. ‘It’s all very sudden. I need this like a hole in the head.’
Cally wasn’t sure where she stood. Estrella had never mentioned that her mum was sick. The plot thickened. From what she already knew, it all seemed suspicious. Cally decided she didn’t really care as long as she was rid of her. It worked for her. 'So, now what?’
Birdie shook her head. 'Well, now nothing. She sent an email too to inform me of her resignation, and then she also messaged me saying that she won’t be back. She cleared out her stuff and left the dispensary keys and everything. I can’t believe it.’
Cally could believe it, alright. It was pretty clear that Estrella must have got wind of what Cally had discovered. Estrella was no fool. ‘Can she do that? What about notice, her contract, and all that sort of thing?’
Birdie raised her eyebrows. ‘That means nothing, really. Not worth the paper or digital signature it’s on. I’m up the creek without a paddle. What happened to good old-fashioned loyalty?’
‘What? Can she just leave like that?’
‘Officially, no, but do you really think I’m going to chase her to Ecuador?’
‘Good point. So, what do you do now?’
Birdie shook her head and tutted. ‘Put my thinking cap on, cobble around with the other pharmacists to cover her hours, and draw a black line under the whole thing.’
‘Right. I see.’ Cally liked the idea of drawing a line under it all very much.
Birdie screwed up her lips and narrowed her eyes. ‘I knew it! I knew there was something about her. I was desperate when I took her on, so I ignored my doubts, but you know when you know? I should have listened to what my inner voice told me.’
Cally remembered her feelings as soon as she’d set eyes on Estrella. She didn’t want to say too much. ‘Mmm.’
‘Well, at least I’m well rid, there is that. I don’t have to go through the aggro of getting shot of a bad egg if she was one.’
Cally let out a huge internal sigh. Oh, Estrella was definitely a bad egg. She decided she would keep schtum about the theft and what she’d discovered, at least for now. If Estrella really was gone, there wouldn’t be much point in adding fuel to Birdie’s stressful fire. It would all come up in the accounting at the end of the year anyway. For the time being, it would probably be good to just leave it be. ‘Yup.’
'So, that’s my news for this morning. What about you?’
Cally smiled and did a little waving movement with her hands. ‘I actually have something a lot happier to tell you. Park that for a minute. Ha.’
‘Oh, yes? I need good news.’
Cally started to laugh. ‘What would you say if you got an invite to a certain little estate I know in Scotland?’
Birdie squinted. ‘I would be there with bells on. I would kiss the person who invited me.’
Cally giggled. ‘Be my guest then.’’
‘What?’
‘Logan’s organising a trip and inviting a few locals. It’s all very last minute. We thought you’d like to come.’
Birdie did a funny twerk sort of jig. ‘Ooh, yeah, ooh yeah.’
Cally cracked up.
Birdie put her hands into fists, gyrated her hips, and made as if her fists were pom poms and pumped them in front of her. ‘Give it to me.’
Cally burst into laughter. ‘You’re nuts.’
‘No, I’m not. I have been anticipating and praying for this for a long time. Colin will be beside himself. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Who’s Estrella again? Let me at the estate. I’m going to dine out on this for years .’