Death in the Details by Katie Tietjen

Author:Katie Tietjen
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

All Maple could think about was her new investigation, but the next morning she had to work on her next commissioned project. Except for Frank, whose tail started thumping as soon as Maple pushed open the door, Ben was alone in the hardware shop. She placed the nutshell carefully on her table and then took a step back into the entryway to remove Jamie’s coat. Frank waddled over, and Maple held out the piece of toast she’d saved for him, as had become their daily ritual. He wagged harder and gulped it down in one bite.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hi,” Ben said.

They stopped and smiled. Even though she was in the doorway and he was all the way across the room behind the counter, Maple could see his smile reach his eyes. She noticed how they crinkled around the edges.

She was surprised to feel heat rise to her cheeks, and busied herself by stowing her umbrella by the side of the door and putting her work apron on.

“How’s the dollhouse business?” Ben asked.

Maple sighed before she could stop herself. “It’s fine, thanks. Actually, that reporter’s stopping by soon to do a story on me for the Elderberry Tribune.”

Ben exclaimed that this was exciting news, and set about straightening the end caps and sweeping the floors.

“We need to make a good impression,” he explained earnestly.

Despite Maple’s doubts about agreeing to the article, a tiny firework of pride flickered in her chest, and she flashed him a quick smile before setting about her work. She set the sample house she’d brought in from home up next to her current work in progress, thinking it’d be nice to show a final product as well as one still under construction. When Ella Henderson turned up fifteen minutes later, she oohed and aahed over the tiny people in their tiny house.

The reporter wanted to know how Maple had become interested in making dolls and their houses, where she got her materials—things like that. Maple answered all of her questions easily as Ben hovered nearby, beaming. Ella snapped several photographs with the camera she’d brought along.

Finally, Ella stuck out her hand and said, “I’ve already got the headline: ‘Maple’s Miniatures: War Widow Turns Entrepreneur.’”

Maple shook the offered hand as a queasy feeling settled in her stomach. As much as she’d been flattered by the reporter’s interest and excited at the prospect that it would lead to more sales, she still felt … cheap, somehow. Would others in town feel, like Ella did—and, Maple realized, like Angela Wallace did—that Maple’s endeavor was inspiring, or would they think it was beneath a respected doctor’s widow to sell arts and crafts? It wouldn’t be the first time she had faced harsh judgment from her adopted hometown, but somehow the unsettled feeling never really got much better.

The reporter leaned in and said conspiratorially, “Between you and me, this is the most interesting thing I’ve gotten to cover. Harry’s the senior reporter, and I only just started at the paper. Usually I’m just typing up lists of who was born, died, or won an award.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.