A Man Of Influence. Melinda Curtis

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СКАЧАТЬ knew Mayor Larry wouldn’t listen to her. Not when convincing required quick, smoothly spoken words.

      A coffee and a latte later, Agnes, Rose and Mildred entered the bakery.

      “Good news.” Agnes was all smiles. “We’ve secured our visitor a room at the Lambridge Bed & Breakfast. Welcome to Harmony Valley.”

      Who said Harmony Valley wasn’t progressive? Just this morning there’d been no B&B in town.

      Wait a minute. Lambridge? Tracy glanced at Phil. That meant...

      Eunice’s penciled-in eyebrows rose, as if she was just catching on, too. “But—”

      “Leona Lambridge is the proprietor,” Agnes cut Eunice off, looking as calm as if she lied through her teeth every day of the week.

      Leona Lambridge was also the town killjoy. She’d never bowled for the pumpkin queen crown. She didn’t even hand out candy on Halloween!

      Maybe not such a good idea to book Mr. Sarcastic there. “Hey...uh... Agnes...”

      Agnes paid no heed to Tracy either. “She’s expecting you,” Agnes said to Chad. She proceeded to introduce Chad to everyone in the bakery.

      “Are there other hotel choices in town?” That tone of voice. It said Chad was suspicious. It said he’d love for something hinkie to be going on.

      Was it wrong to think Chad’s intelligence was hot when he was the villain here? Probably about as wrong as Tracy thinking she might actually help save the town.

      Save it? Who was she kidding? The only people the older town residents listened to were their doctors, and that was only half the time.

      To her credit, Agnes’ smile never wavered as she answered Chad. “At the moment, the Lambridge B&B is our only offering.”

      Rose was doing a slow grapevine in front of the pastry case, eyeing the scones that she’d passed on earlier. “You’ll find a great many painted ladies in town, not just the Lambridge place.”

      Phil made a hacking noise, as if he was coughing up a hairball.

      Mildred had planted her walker seat by Phil’s table and seemed lost in thought as she stared at the back of Phil’s head, perhaps pondering the need for a slap to dislodge that hairball of Phil’s.

      Rose held a pose at the end of the bakery case, an aging ballerina poised to leap in cargo pants and hiking boots. “You’ll be here ten days, correct?”

      Ten days? They were doomed.

      The mayor jumped back in the fray. “Plenty of time to experience everything that makes Harmony Valley special.”

      True that. Special and weird and wonderful.

      However, chances were slim the villainous Chad would recognize wonderful if it sashayed up to him and kissed his cheek.

      The reputation-ruiner cast a glance Tracy’s way. Could Chad tell Tracy knew who he was?

      Would it matter if he did?

CHAPTER THREE

      SOMETHING DIDN’T SMELL RIGHT.

      And it wasn’t the Poop Monster.

      Everyone was suddenly too nice. Too kind. Too helpful.

      Had someone researched who he was? The only one he’d seen using a cell phone was Tracy, and no one was paying attention to her. She had a tendency to talk slowly and hesitate over her words. Was that why the mayor had snubbed her? Was that why she lived in such a far-flung location?

      The need to defend Tracy rose like smoke from a struggling flame. With a puff of exhaled air, he ignored it.

      “Mayor Larry will drive with you to the B&B,” the short, spritely old woman was saying. Her name was Aggie or Agnes or something.

      “No need to trouble the mayor. Tracy can show me.” Had Chad just said that? He glanced at the coffee barista. He had indeed.

      Tracy sported a horrified look. She skimmed her hand over a bakery case. “I’m working.”

      “I’ll cover for you.” Eunice leapt to her feet without so much as a quiver of her purplish-gray curls.

      “But...” Tracy glanced at each resident in turn.

      “You forgot my lumbago, Agnes.” Larry reached for his back. “It’s why I walk nearly everywhere.”

      “Sorry, Tracy. We’ve got a game going on.” Felix jumped a checker. “King me.”

      “No license,” Phil grumbled. “No car. No ride for the playboy.”

      A chorus of “Phils” echoed through Martin’s Bakery.

      “Doctor’s appointment.” Mildred sighed, although how she could see the road through those thick glasses was beyond Chad.

      “Driving her,” Agnes/Aggie said, explaining everything.

      “Riding shotgun.” At least Rose had the courtesy to look apologetic as she twirled slowly in the corner.

      Everyone else looked as if they were happy to shirk tour guide duty.

      And inexplicably, Chad was okay with that. He smiled at Tracy. “I did shower today and use deodorant. Scout’s honor.”

      Tracy studied him as if he was an overpriced used car, one with high mileage and no warranty.

      He studied her in return. That tousled hair. That determined jut of her chin. It was weird. Just looking at her made him want to smile. That was the point of his new life, wasn’t it? He smiled.

      “Fine,” Tracy grumbled. “But I’m driving.”

      “What?” Chad’s gaze bee-lined to his beloved sports car.

      “It’s settled.” Agnes/Aggie clapped her hands.

      A few minutes later, he and Tracy stepped out on the brick sidewalk. Harmony Valley could have served as a backdrop for a Norman Rockwell painting. Old fashioned lamps lined Main Street. The buildings had brick fronts and canvas awnings. The wind blew brown and orange leaves down the road listlessly, as if even the elements knew the pace here was slow. Tracy zipped up her tan jacket against the autumn chill, and then extended her palm. “The keys.”

      “To my car?” He glanced at his cherry red convertible and gripped the key in his hand. He’d ordered it custom from the factory. No one had driven it but him since he’d bought it. It required nimbleness to get in and out of. Neither a walker nor a wheelchair could fit in its trunk. “How about you sit in the passenger seat and I drive?”

      “Nope.” She made the gimme motion with her hand and spoke slowly. “I had an accident...” Each word she spoke was labored. “I was in the...side seat.” She scowled, clearly not pleased with her word choice. “I don’t know СКАЧАТЬ