The following morning, Joanna Riggs strode into the Beech Hill Museum with a spring in her step. The previous day's success had left her feeling optimistic about the future. She greeted her colleagues with cheerful nods and settled into her office, ready to tackle the day's tasks. As she began reviewing the schedule and making final adjustments to the new exhibits, she felt a sense of satisfaction that everything was running smoothly.

However, that peace was short-lived.

Around mid-morning, a flurry of activity at the front desk caught Joanna's attention. Curious, she headed out to investigate. A woman, dressed in designer clothes and exuding an air of entitlement, was berating one of the museum's docents.

"Excuse me, miss, is there a problem here?" Joanna asked, approaching the scene with a calm demeanor.

The woman turned sharply, her eyes narrowing as she sized Joanna up. "Are you in charge here? Because if you are, you need to know that this museum is a disgrace! The Mayan exhibits are utterly offensive. How can you display such barbaric artifacts?"

Joanna took a deep breath, maintaining her composure. "I'm Joanna Riggs, the curator of Beech Hill. I'm sorry to hear that you're upset. Could you please explain what specifically you find offensive?"

The woman huffed dramatically, tossing her perfectly coiffed hair over her shoulder. "Everything! The human sacrifices, the grotesque masks—it's all so primitive. My cat could curate a better exhibit. Speaking of which, have you heard? I just got the most exquisite Persian cat. She's the talk of the town."

Joanna suppressed an eye roll and tried to steer the conversation back to the museum. "I understand that some aspects of ancient cultures can be challenging to appreciate, but our goal is to educate visitors about the rich and diverse history of the Mayan civilization. These artifacts are an important part of that history."

The woman's face twisted into a smug smile. "Well, I happen to know a lot about this museum, and I have friends in high places. My husband is Henrik van der Hune. Surely you know him. He'll be very interested to hear about how poorly this place is managed."

Joanna's patience was wearing thin. She knew Henrik well, and she was certain this woman was not his wife. Still, she decided to play along for the moment. "Henrik van der Hune, you say? That's quite a coincidence. Let's give him a call and see what he has to say."

The woman's confidence faltered slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. "Yes, let's. I'm sure he'll set you straight."

Joanna dialed Henrik's number, putting the call on speaker. After a few rings, Henrik answered, his voice cheerful. "Joanna! What a pleasant surprise. How can I help you today?"

"Hi, Henrik. I have someone here who claims to be your wife. She has some concerns about our Mayan exhibits. Could you perhaps clarify the situation for us?" Joanna's tone was sweet, but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes.

There was a brief pause before Henrik burst into laughter. "My wife? Joanna, you know I'm not married. Who is this imposter?"

The woman's face turned bright red, and she sputtered indignantly. "I—I meant to say I'm a very close friend of Henrik's. He'll be hearing about this!"

Henrik's laughter continued. "Joanna, would you like me to come down to the museum and help sort this out?"

Joanna grinned, enjoying the woman's discomfort. "That would be great, Henrik. See you soon."

As Joanna ended the call, the woman glared at her, but the fire in her eyes had dimmed. "I don't appreciate being made a fool of," she snapped.

"Ma'am, I apologize if you feel that way, but misrepresenting yourself and making baseless complaints isn't the way to address any issues you might have. Henrik will be here shortly to help clear things up."

Before long, Henrik arrived at the museum, a bemused smile on his face. "Alright, let's see what all the fuss is about."

The woman, now visibly nervous, tried to regain her composure. "Henrik, darling, you must do something about these awful exhibits."

Henrik raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, but who are you again? Because you certainly aren't my wife, and I don't recall us being close friends."

Joanna stifled a laugh as the woman stammered and finally turned on her heel, marching out of the museum in a huff.

Henrik watched her leave, shaking his head. "Well, that was interesting. Thanks for the call, Joanna. It's always nice to start the day with a bit of excitement."

Joanna laughed, relieved the situation was resolved. "Thanks for backing me up, Henrik. I didn't think she was going to back down without your help."

Henrik grinned. "Anytime, Joanna. And by the way, if you ever need a good story to liven up a dull day, just give me a call. I've got plenty more where that came from."

As the two friends walked back through the museum, their laughter echoing through the halls, Joanna felt grateful once again for the strong network of colleagues and friends that made her work at Beech Hill so rewarding. Despite the occasional hiccup, it was these moments of camaraderie and humor that made the adventure all the more worthwhile.