Sellin' Out (Real Estate Rescue Cozy Mysteries Book 12) by Patti Benning

Author:Patti Benning [Benning, Patti]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Summer Prescott Books
Published: 2024-02-06T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

It wasn’t until they broke out the wine that they seriously talked about the reason all four of them were huddled together in Violet’s apartment.

“Even if it’s just a prank, it’s not right,” Violet said, her voice sharp. “Whoever left that note has no right to make you feel this way. You’re just trying to live your life. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“You don’t deserve this,” Grady agreed. “Prank or not, I hope they get what’s coming to them.”

“I hope it is a prank,” Sydney chimed in. “Better that than the alternative.”

“I hope it is too,” Flora said, finally able to get a word in edgewise. “But it doesn’t make much sense for it to be some kids messing around. I’ll call Beth tomorrow, but she would have told me if she found something like that in her mailbox, so it’s not as if they’re going around leaving nasty surprises for everyone. And my house isn’t walking distance from town – not an easy walk, anyway – so they would have had to drive out there. Why would someone target me, specifically, for this sort of nasty prank? Frankly, I’m just not that well known around town.”

“You own the hardware store,” Violet pointed out. “Or co-own it. Whatever. My point is, maybe one of your customers got upset about something and decided to give you a scare.”

Flora snorted. “I can’t imagine most of our customers doing that, and besides, I don’t think I’ve upset anyone that much.” She glanced at Grady. “Have I?”

He hesitated, and the hesitation made her frown. She had thought she was doing a good job as part-owner of Brant’s hardware, but was she wrong?

“Grady. Tell me.”

“It’s just some of the more traditional regulars,” he said reluctantly. “They don’t like an outsider owning a business that’s been a part of the town for so long. And a few of the older men have asked me if you really know what you’re doing, because they don’t think a woman knows her way around power tools, I guess. I always tell them off, and I don’t think it has to do with this. Anyone with half a brain can see how well the store is doing, and they all like you, despite what they say.”

Stung, she took a moment to process her thoughts. She knew she had only been here for two years, but was she really still viewed as such an outsider?

And maybe the blatant sexism should be expected in a town as small as Warbler, and sure, it was true she’d barely known how to swing a hammer when she first moved here, but by now, she was pretty sure she had done more of her own home repairs than half the people who shopped at the hardware store

She huffed, choosing to be angry rather than hurt.

“Well, thanks for defending me. I don’t think any of them feel like I’ve wrecked their lives, though, do they?”

He chuckled. “Not so much.” The amusement left his face quickly. “I don’t think we should be acting like this might be a prank.

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