An Island of Illusions (A Sarah Woods Mystery) by Jennifer L. Jennings

Author:Jennifer L. Jennings [Jennings, Jennifer L.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Query Publishing, LLC
Published: 2012-08-12T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

The West End Thrift Store was located in a small, nondescript strip mall that looked like it had been built in the sixties.

Inside, an elderly lady with black hair and grey roots squatted near a box of dusty VHS tapes.

“Excuse me, ma’am. Do you work here?” Max asked.

She looked up and smiled as if she’d forgotten that her teeth were the color of rotten bananas. “Yeah.” She straightened herself up, and wiped her hands on her apron. Her eyes sparkled as she regarded us with a kind expression.

Max smiled graciously, and I could tell it had an immediate effect on her. Who could resist a smile like his? “We were hoping you could help us out. A friend of ours came here this morning and dropped off some items. A vacuum, mops, brooms, cleaning supplies, and a box of stuffed animals.”

She tilted her head and looked up. “A teenager, right?”

Max nodded. “It was a mistake. We were hoping to get the toys back. I’d be happy to give a cash donation to the store in return.”

The woman giggled. “You’re very kind, but I’m so sorry. Someone came in and bought the whole box. Said his grandkids would love the toys.”

“Do you remember what grampa looked like?”

“He looked like a Menehune.”

“A what?” Max said.

“A Menehune. They’re mythical Hawaiian creatures that resemble gnomes.”

“So he was short and wore a cone-shaped hat?”

The old woman let out a belly laugh that made the walls vibrate. “What a dear you are,” she said. “Would you like to look around in the back? We have other toys out there.”

Max smiled and made a polite wave. “That’s okay. Thanks anyway.”

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