For the umpteenth time Mandie fought to pin up her braided hair. Her shaking fingers made it almost impossible, but after thirty or so bobby pins, she had the mass of blonde tresses wrangled into a presentable coil atop her head. Dressed in her pink walking dress, she looked poised, even if she didn't feel it.
She hadn't seen Joe again last night because she'd retired to her room soon after he'd left for his walk. Elizabeth and John hadn't asked too many questions. One look at her tear-stained face had been answer enough what had transpired.
Mandie frowned at her pale reflection in the mirror. "Nothing for it but to face him." With a firm nod of resolve, she went downstairs. It was still too early for Elizabeth or the twins to be up, and Liza informed her both Uncle John and Joe had eaten already. Mandie blew out a breath and plopped down at the dining room table, feeling as if she'd postponed an evil hour.
After forcing down some breakfast and two cups of coffee, Mandie heard Joe talking to someone in the kitchen. There was a loud rattle then Aunt Lou distinctly said, "Now get out of heah so I can do my work."
Mandie rose, half of a mind to scurry away before he found her.
"All right, all right, I'm going." The kitchen door swung open just as Mandie tried to retreat. "Mandie!"
She faced Joe with a smile in place.
"'Bout time you got up." Although his tone was teasing, he looked at a point over her head. His brown hair was more tousled than normal and sweat darkened his white shirt.
"What have you been doing?" she asked.
"Chopping firewood." He shifted his weight uneasily. "I, uh, don't want to get too soft from all my studying."
He hardly looked soft. Mandie thought she ought to tease him, but all she could think to say was, "Oh."
Silence encompassed them like an oppressive blanket. Neither moved.
"Do you still want to go to the bookstore, with me?" Mandie asked.
"Of course. I'll get cleaned up." When Joe headed for the door, he stopped beside her. He opened his mouth as if to say something, looking directly at her for the first time.
Up this close Mandie could see dark circles under his eyes.
He touched her arm then quickly withdrew as if she were scalding hot. "I'll just be a minute."
Once he'd strode away, Mande leaned her hip against the back of a chair and blinked back tears. Their first conversation had been understandably awkward. If only she could be certain they'd eventually return to their old, comfortable relationship, she could bear the present situation better. Right now, she didn't feel sure of anything. At least they had something to do together to take their minds off themselves. She might have disappointed Joe, but she was determined not to do the same where Robin and Anna were concerned.
Sandwiched in the heart of Main Street, the bookstore was a two-story brick building with the upstairs functioning as a quaint tearoom. Joe had changed into a suit and looked like he had tapped fully into his serious side as he rapped on the door. The sign in the window still said closed, but the curtains were drawn back, revealing activity within.
Mr. Barnes peeked at them from the door's rectangular window. "You! What do you want?"
"I'm Anna Stevens's lawyer, Joe Woodard. Would you spare a few moments to discuss business?"
Mr. Barnes opened the door. "If you don't mind following me around. I have to prepare for opening." He inclined his head at Mandie when she stepped inside. "And you are?"
"This is Ms. Shaw," Joe said. "She wanted to browse while we talk."
"Certainly." Mr. Barnes' face relaxed into a neutral expression. His blond hair had a slight curl that gave him a boyish look. He certainly didn't look like the villain Robin made him out to be, Mandie thought. His eyes had a frankness about them so it seemed impossible he could keep any secrets. "If you find anything you like, buy it."
Mandie laughed and nodded, moving around a bookshelf out of direct sight. Even if he was ignorant to the missing inheritance, she still wanted to be discreet in her search. As Joe asked about the specifics of Mr. Barnes' partnership with Anna's father, Mandie glanced about the room. Where to look? It didn't seem likely any safe or money box would be hidden on the sales floor. A door marked "Private" behind the register counter looked promising. She drifted that way, stopping beside a table of magazines and newspapers.
Mr. Barnes had his back turned as he stocked more books on a shelf and talked with Joe.
Mandie inched around the register counter. After one more look at Mr. Barnes, who still had his back turned, she twisted the knob to the private room. The door swung open. Mandie quickly slipped inside. A plain, serviceable desk and chair took up the bulk of the room. Behind it hung a huge picture of a cityscape. A wall safe could be behind that picture, but Mandie couldn't very well open that. What she needed was some sort of record that Anna's father had left behind an inheritance. Surely if he'd kept the money here, he'd have made a note of it. She walked around to the back of the desk and started to peek in the drawers. In the top left one, an envelope with For Anna scrawled across it lay atop a stack of papers. Before Mandie could pick it up, Mr. Barnes swooped into the room.
"Out! Get out!" His face suffused with a blood-red hue, he clamped down on her arm as if he meant to drag her out himself.