Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
‘You need to do something about these hot flushes of yours,’ teased Katie. ‘Something – or someone – is affecting your blood pressure.’
I stuck out my tongue. ‘You’re letting your imagination run riot again.’
Saturday afternoon brought with it a steady stream of enquiries, not just over the phone but also via our website. We received four week-long reservations for the October school holidays, which we were thrilled about.
The June rain had evaporated, bringing sunshine tinged with sea salt and the zingy hue of damp grass.
‘I’ll need a good dose of my peppermint foot lotion tonight,’ I sighed, waggling one of my feet encased in baby-pink loafers to emphasise the point.
‘And I really should have a date with a half-finished kitchen utensil jar in honey glaze,’ mused Katie. ‘Poppy, how about coming over this evening after we finish? We could grab a takeaway.’
I moved towards the back of the office, which was now nestled in pools of sleepy sunshine. ‘Thanks, but after the past couple of days, all I want to do is sink into a warm bath, slip on my fluffy bathrobe and take it easy.’
If Mason did suggest meeting up again with his parents this evening, I’d try to excuse myself.
My fingers reached up and absently touched my lips.
I thought he was playing along for the benefit of Orla and Jack, but that comment he made and the way his eyes had scorched mine…
Everything was turning into a muddle in my head.
I pulled my hand away from my tingling mouth. ‘Katie, I can lock up tonight and you head off home now, okay?’
There was no answer.
There came a couple of thuds, followed by some loud exclamations from Katie.
Alarmed, I hurried back around the corner. ‘Everything all right?’
A flustered-looking Katie was circling a figure in dark clothing. ‘Think we’ve caught our first shoplifter.’
‘I told you I wasn’t trying to shoplift,’ insisted a young male voice.
The hooded shape, propped like a puppet on one of our armchairs, jerked his partly concealed face up towards me.
My thoughts criss-crossed one another.
It was the mystery messenger.
Resigned to the fact that he was confronted by two stern-faced women, the figure tugged down his black hood. His pale skin, darting blue eyes and awkward teenage limbs seemed familiar. He lifted one ringed hand and smoothed down his thick red hair.
‘Don’t I know you?’ I asked, examining his sharp features. ‘Wait a minute. Aren’t you the lad who just started working at the fishmongers across from the bakery?’
‘Aye. And?’
‘Why are you creeping about up here?’ Katie challenged. ‘Trying to steal something to sell on?’
‘He isn’t a shoplifter.’
Katie switched her attention to me. ‘How can you be so sure?’
‘Because I think I know why he’s here.’ I extended one hand towards him. ‘I take it you came here again to deliver another note. Well, where is it?’
Katie planted both hands firmly on her hips. ‘What note?’ She stared at me as I gestured to him to hand it over. ‘What are you doing?’
The young lad heaved a laboured sigh and delved into the zipped-up pocket of his hoodie. He thrust a crumpled piece of paper into my right hand.
‘He’s been delivering cryptic messages to Mason and me. It’s to do with Mason researching the story of the Scarlet Highwayman.’
I unfolded the paper and read the typed message:
Look close to home and you will find the answer.
I then read the message aloud to Katie.
‘What does this mean?’ I asked him.
‘How the hell should I know?’ he bit back. ‘I just do what she pays me to do.’
‘Who is she?’ asked Katie. ‘Who are you working for?’ She leaned forward and pushed her freckled face closer to the lad’s nose. I got the impression she had watched too many US crime dramas.
The teenager glowered from under his pale lashes at Katie’s overenthusiasm.
‘I don’t know her name.’ He crossed his arms. ‘She came to the fish shop early one morning a few weeks back. I was emptying the crates.’ He uncrossed and crossed his arms again.
‘She got talking to me and asked if I might be interested in earning some extra money by running a few errands for her. I thought she meant getting her some shopping, taking her mail to the post office, that kind of thing.’
I waved the latest message in front of him. ‘But instead, it was delivering these?’
He nodded. ‘I don’t know what her game is or what those messages mean. All I know is that my boss at the fish shop is a right tightwad and the extra money she gives me comes in handy.’
A doubtful smirk crept across Katie’s face. ‘Port Starr is a small town. How on earth can you not know who this woman is?’
‘I’m telling you the truth. I don’t know her name. My family and I only moved here six weeks ago.’ A pleading spark appeared in his voice. ‘You’re not going to tell old Arthur, are you? I could lose my job.’
‘No. I’m not going to say anything,’ I assured him.
He fidgeted in the armchair. ‘Thanks.’
‘But I want you to keep delivering these notes.’
The teenager peered down his long nose at me. ‘Say again?’
‘Don’t tell this woman you’ve told me what’s been going on. Whenever she asks you to deliver a note, just carry on as you’ve been doing, okay?’
Katie’s pink-slicked mouth blossomed into a mischievous smile. ‘You think you stand more chance of finding out who she is and why she’s doing this if you don’t alert her.’
‘Yep.’ I folded up the note again and slid it into the pocket of my dark trousers. ‘I’m Poppy,’ I said after a pause. ‘And this is Katie.’
‘I know who you are,’ he muttered, staring at our wooden office floor for a moment. ‘I’m Ryan.’
‘Okay, Ryan, do we have a deal?’
He rose to his feet, which were flapping about in a pair of black-and-grey-striped trainers. ‘Deal,’ he grunted.
Katie and I watched with barely concealed amusement as he lurched out of the office, looking rather terrified.