Chapter Eight
Kit had intended to set the alarm on her phone for six a.m., anticipating an early start out to the camp, but she’d fallen asleep before she had time.
When she awoke in the morning, it was with a bit of panic that she’d slept late.
She grabbed her phone and checked the time, and was relieved to find it was barely seven.
She dressed quickly in old jeans and a sweatshirt, slipped her feet into her boots, and set off to find a quick breakfast at the only place in Tolerance she knew.
When she arrived at Ruthie’s, she was shown to a table for two and gave her order for the breakfast special as posted on a chalkboard near the door: two eggs any style, hash browns, sausage or bacon, toast, and coffee.
Juice was extra. She ordered a large coffee to go, and the waitress offered to hold that order until she brought the check.
It seemed everyone in the early-morning crowd knew the details of her arrival in Tolerance, and so every diner greeted her with a smile and a welcome.
She smiled back, though she felt guilty for the kindness extended to her, because after the fourth person who stopped at her table, it became clear that the good people of Tolerance expected her to stay and reopen the camp.
She’d caught on to this fact after having been asked several times when her husband and kids would be joining her, and how much work did she figure the cabins needed before she was ready to rent them out, and was she planning to open the lake for fishing anytime soon.
She’d also pocketed several napkins with names and phone numbers of tradespeople who were offering to “come out and take a look at what you might need some help with before you can open again.”
“And your family will be arriving soon? I guess it’s a good thing your husband is retiring, right? And your kids are older? Oh, they’ll love the camp. So much to do there.” A woman who’d introduced herself as Maxine’s oldest friend practically invited herself to sit at Kit’s table.
While Kit didn’t want to be rude—perhaps this woman knew something about the feud—she wanted to get on her way. “Oh, there are no plans as yet. It’s all been so recent—”
“Oh, of course it has. Maxine hasn’t been gone but a few months. Well, when you get yourself settled and you want some company, you be sure to give me a call.”
“Wait, what was your name again?” Kit took a pen and her small notebook from her bag. “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch it at first.”
“It’s Greta. Greta Crimmins.”
“Oh, you’re the one who—”
“Yes, found Maxine in her chair. That poor soul. Slipping away all alone like that, the TV still running. Then again, there are some who prefer to just go when there’s no one else around.
No sad goodbyes, no one leaning over them crying, no one begging ‘don’t go.
’” Greta slid her arms from her puffy coat and placed it over the back of one of the chairs at Kit’s table and waved for the waitress.
“You gotta wait your turn, Greta,” the waitress called back.
“No hurry, honey. Just letting you know I’m here.” She sat and turned back to Kit.
“Oh, I was just leaving,” Kit told her as she stood.
“I know, dear, but there’s no other table and I’m not going to the end of that line to wait when there’s a perfectly good table right here. Now, let me give you my phone number so you can call me if you need me.”
“Liam Anderson said you’d been out to the house and—”
“Yep, went through all those boxes. There wasn’t anything of value in any of them, mostly old newspapers. Took it all to the recycling place but thought you might want the empty boxes for when you need to pack up stuff.”
“Well, thank you. That was very thoughtful.”
“Oh, it was nothing. Liam was in here one morning and said he was going out to camp to check the cabins, so I hitched a ride with him. I thought someone should be keeping an eye on the house, if you know what I mean. Keeping an eye on the cabins so no one’s moving in is one thing, but everyone knew Maxine was gone and the house was empty and who knew if someone was letting themself in and maybe picking up a thing or two. ”
Before Kit could respond, Greta reached out and grabbed her arm. “But not to worry. Anything of value, it’s at my place for safekeeping.”
Kit’s eyebrows all but reached her hairline. “I’m sorry, you’re saying you took things from the house?”
Greta nodded, apparently unconcerned that she’d not only trespassed but walked off with—what?
“Would you rather have had Maxine’s jewelry and your great-grandmother’s silver sitting out there just waiting for someone to take off with them?
Of course you wouldn’t.” Greta turned all the way in her chair to look up at Kit.
“You wouldn’t even know if something was missing, because you didn’t know what she and your grandmother and your great-grandmother had.
Give me a call when you want to come over and pick it all up.
” Greta cleared her throat. “It’s all there, so you can get that look off your face. And you’re welcome.”
“I—” Kit stammered.
“Maxine was my best friend. I would no sooner steal from her than I would from the church.” The set of Greta’s mouth told Kit in no uncertain terms just how hurt she was that anyone—especially the niece of her best friend, the heir to her friend’s home and livelihood—would suspect her of theft, even if those suspicions had gone unspoken.
Kit felt her face go red with embarrassment.
“Greta, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that you removed anything from the house that you weren’t going to return.
I was just surprised because I had no idea there was anything of value there.
If anything was missing, I would not have known, so I appreciate that you let me know that you were taking care of Maxine’s things for her. Thank you for being so considerate.”
For a moment, Greta seemed to consider Kit’s words.
She reached out a hand and Kit took it. “Of course you didn’t mean anything of it, dear.
I apologize. I do have a short fuse sometimes and it seems to blow before I even realize it.
I’m glad you understand. I can bring everything back this afternoon. ”
“Oh, no, please. As much as I’m curious to see what you have, I’d rather you hold on to them for a little longer, if you don’t mind.
I’m going to need some time to find my way around the house and take inventory of what’s there.
Knowing that the more valuable items are in your care is a relief, honestly. ”
“I’m happy to do it, Kit. And if you have any questions about anything you find out there, you just give me a call.
I know where just about everything in that house came from.
” Greta spelled her last name and recited her phone number as Kit wrote it all down.
“Anytime, day or night, you need help or just want to talk, you can call me.”
“Thank you so much.” Kit was tempted to give the woman a hug.
She was so glad to not have offended Greta, not only because she’d taken it upon herself to secure anything of value that had been in the house, but because she was Maxine’s friend.
Who better to tell her about her aunt’s years here after Kit’s grandparents died and her mother had left?
Might she know what had happened between the sisters?
Kit was just about to sit back down and ask when someone joined Greta at the table.
“Oh, Kit, honey, this is Esme Painter.” Greta turned to Esme and told her, “Kit is Maxine’s niece, and she’s inherited the camp and everything from Maxine.”
“Oh, how exciting for you!” Esme, who appeared to be a few years younger than Greta, unbuttoned her coat and prepared to sit. “It’ll be wonderful to have campers coming back in town. So good for all the businesses, you know.”
“Oh. The local businesses . . .” Of course. The camp being open, bringing people to Tolerance, would benefit many of the local businesses. No wonder everyone was so happy to meet her.
“Yes, we all did better when the camp was up and running,” Esme told her.
“Esme’s family owns the general store in town,” Greta clarified.
“I’ll be sure to pay you a visit once I figure out what I need.”
“Oh, we have it all. You ask for me when you stop by.” Esme patted her on the arm. Just about everyone she’d met in Tolerance patted her on the arm. Probably because she was a few decades younger than most of the people she’d been introduced to.
“I’ll do that. Nice meeting you. Greta, I’ll be in touch.”
Kit made her way to the cash register to pay for her breakfast. The young woman on the register seemed to be the only person in Ruthie’s who either didn’t know Kit’s story or didn’t care, for which she was grateful.
She’d done more smiling and made more small talk in the forty minutes she’d been in Ruthie’s than she had in the past six months.
But it had been a productive morning—she now had a direct line if not to Maxine, then to Maxine’s BFF, which could turn out to be almost as good.
The air was colder than the day before, but at least the sun was out in earnest. Once inside the car, she turned the heat on immediately after starting the engine and searched for the symbol on the dash for the heated seats.
The car took a few moments to warm, but soon enough she was on her way.
She’d been determined to get an early start today, and even the freezing temperatures had not deterred her.
With hope that there was a working heat source in the old farmhouse, she went over her mental list of things she planned to accomplish before she left in the afternoon.
Most importantly, she’d keep an eye on the clock and leave well before the time she’d left the previous day.