“Is that all?” she asked, trying not to look too sad about the situation. Unfortunately, she wasn’t doing a very good job of hiding her emotions, and Matty looked forlorn at her reaction.
“No, I actually had some good news,” he said brightly, “I found you a job!”
“Seriously?” she gasped, “That’s awesome! How did you get someone to trust me?”
“You’re a likeable person,” he told her, smiling happily. She and Jason gave him an incredulous look and he chuckled, “Okay, the person was desperate, but it is still good news!”
“What will I be doing?” she asked excitedly, feeling happy for the first time in days. It was hard to find good news in a difficult situation, so getting a job was more exciting than usual. Her savings were running low and she did not know how much longer she would have been able to stay.
“It’s just filling in, actually,” Matty said cautiously, seeing her reaction suddenly made him nervous. He did not want to disappoint her again.
“As long as it pays,” she told him.
“I didn’t know you were looking for a job,” Jason said suddenly, looking a little put out. Allegra shrugged and turned her attention to Matty.
“The waitress at the diner is having her baby, so the owner was looking for a temporary replacement. I told him that you could do it, and he agreed.”
“A waitress?” Allegra asked, feeling slightly hesitant, “I’m not the most coordinated person on the planet.”
“It’s perfect!” Matty told her, still looking enthusiastic, “You can get to know the people in the town. People will start to trust you when they see you’re one of them.”
“Wow,” Allegra scoffed, “thanks. I don’t feel like an alien at all.”
“You know what I mean,” Matty said soothingly, “they’ll get to know you, and they will see that you really aren’t that bad.”
“Thank you,” Allegra said sincerely, “it isn’t a permanent solution, but it really helps.” Matty smiled happily and shrugged modestly. “When do I start?”
“Tomorrow,” he told her, “now you can stay at the Inn for a little while longer.”
“Oh, they already kicked me out,” Allegra shrugged. She had forgotten about the fact that she was currently a squatter in Grumpy Dot’s house.
“What?” Matty asked, looking worried. “What are you going to do?”
“Don’t worry,” Jason interjected helpfully, “I offered her my couch.” Matty frowned and opened his mouth but closed it again. He looked like a very confused fish.
“I said no,” Allegra clarified, giving Jason a strange look which he shrugged off with a mischievous smile. Matty closed his mouth and looked a little less upset.
“Maybe Sutton could…” he started but trailed off again. Allegra smiled slightly. She had been a topic of discussion between the two, and Sutton had probably made it clear that she was not going to be friends with Allegra.
“Don’t worry about it,” she answered, “I figured something out.”
“Okay,” he looked relieved.
“Hey,” Jason said suddenly, “is that Greta?” The door opened, and Greta walked in, towing Eric behind her. She looked livid and Matty ducked away, giving Allegra an apologetic look. The Chief, who had just walked out of his office, caught one look at her and turned around again. While the receptionist leaned forward excitedly.
“I cannot believe they kicked you out of the Inn!” Greta yelled angrily. Eric looked up at the situation with glee. Things had been much too boring lately, he missed the excitement of his mother losing her temper.
“It’s okay,” Allegra said soothingly, but Greta was having none of it.
“No, it is not okay! What happened to human decency? Scrap booking workshop! I’ll give him a workshop, all right! A workshop on how to be a good person.”
“Greta,” Allegra said kindly, but Greta waved her away.
“And then Mr. Carey drops this off for you,” she hissed, waving a letter in the air, “doesn’t he know you’ve had enough? What happened to the people in this town?” Greta continued waving the letter around as she ranted, so Allegra had to pluck the letter from her hands to read it. It was a hastily scrawled note, which led Allegra to believe that he was being shouted at, probably by Eleanor, as he wrote it.
“I can stay at the house,” she said softly, looking touched.
“What?” Greta asked, stopping mid-rant.
“I get to stay at Grumpy Dot’s house!”
Chapter Fifteen
“Would you like fries with that?” Allegra asked sweetly. The group of teenagers all started talking at once and she tried not to lose her temper. She had worked as a waitress before but found it difficult in this town with her already limited patience. “Coming right up,” she said brightly, keeping her smile in place.
Her first day was not going well. The uniform was a little too big and smelled like sweat, and her new boss watched her like a hawk. Probably to make sure that she wasn’t spitting in the food or planting bombs around the restaurant. It also didn’t help that he was the cook. He would get so busy watching her, that he would forget about the orders, which meant that the food would take twice as long to get out to the customers. This was, of course, blamed on her. She was not getting any tips, and every patron left behind a mess.
“Here you go,” she sang enthusiastically, placing two cups of coffee in front of a mother and daughter in the corner. The elderly mother whispered something to the daughter and the daughter looked at Allegra carefully. Allegra ignored the look, she had been getting them all morning. “Is there anything else?” she asked, smiling widely.
“Are you Allegra Mitchells?” the daughter, a woman in her late thirties, asked suddenly.
“Yes, ma’am,” Allegra said, slightly less enthusiastically, bracing herself for confrontation.
“Oh, it is you!” the old lady said happily, leaning forward and giving Allegra a big smile. Allegra smiled back uncertainly and took a step back. She was used to gossip and glares, but not friendly old ladies. She did not know how to react in this situation.
“The one and only,” Allegra said, glancing back to her boss who was still watching her carefully.
“Your aunt Dot spoke about you all the time.”
“Really?” Allegra asked, forgetting about her boss. She felt genuinely touched. Most people ignored the subject, except for her friends, and she did not get to hear about her aunt much.
“Yes,” the old lady continued, looking pleased with herself, “she always spoke about her great niece. The author. She was right about you, you look like a lovely young woman.” Allegra looked over to see what the daughter thought about all this, but she was smiling too, and Allegra allowed herself to relax. It seemed that not everyone in town thought she was a criminal.
“That is very nice of you to say,” Allegra said, feeling touched. It had been a while since a stranger complimented her. And this lady seemed to be very sincere, which made her whole day look a lot brighter.
“Anytime, dear,” the lady continued, “how has the treasure hunt been going?”
“The what?” Allegra asked, feeling confused.
“Dot told me that the two of you were always hunting for treasure.” Allegra looked at the woman in confusion, the daughter shrugged, not knowing what was going on either. “You poor dear,” the woman said suddenly, “you haven’t started it yet.” Allegra was about to ask the woman to clarify but she heard her boss clear his throat. She looked over to see him tapping his watch impatiently. She nodded at him and turned back to the old lady.
“I am so sorry, but I have to get back to work.” The lady smiled happily and called out a greeting, but Allegra was already going to the next table, her mind racing.
The rest of the day felt like time had come to a stop. It was as if the universe felt her frustration and was playing a humorless joke on her. She felt like patting herself on the back when she finally finished later that afternoon. Her new boss, a balding man who look
ed like he ate most of what he cooked, gave her a stiff nod at the end of the day. She walked away feeling like she had fought in a war and smelling like it too.
“How was it?” Greta asked, sitting in old George and sketching something.
“You know, you don’t have to drive me everywhere,” she replied, closing the door carefully. Unfortunately, it was an old car, so the door didn’t close properly, and she had to open it again to close it with a much more satisfying slam.
“I like driving,” Greta answered casually, “and you didn’t answer my question.”
“I want to quit,” Allegra admitted unhappily, “but I can’t, so I won’t. But still.”
“The service industry is a monster,” Greta pointed out, putting her sketchbook aside and starting the car. “But there must have been at least one good thing about your day.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Allegra grumbled, “interesting, maybe, but not good.”
“What happened?” Greta asked, looking excited.
“A friend of Dot’s asked me how the treasure hunt was going.”
“The treasure hunt?” Greta asked, looking puzzled.
“Yeah, that’s what I said.”
“What did she mean?”
“I don’t know, but she was old, so maybe she was remembering it wrong. It didn’t seem like she knew about Dot’s murder. Poor woman, I’m glad I didn’t have to break it to her.” Greta shrugged and chewed at her lip thoughtfully, and the two of them settled into a comfortable silence as they tried to work it out. Unfortunately, they were no closer to finding an answer when they finally pulled up to the house.
“Do you mind if I hide out here for a bit? These sketches need to be done but Eric is feeling hyperactive today.” Allegra nodded and walked straight to her old room, feeling too tired to care about anything. Grumpy Dot had left it all the same throughout the years. The room looked like it had when she left all those years ago. A little cleaner, but still the same. The typewriter was on the old desk by the window and the canopy bed still had her favorite bedding on it. Her great-aunt even washed it regularly, which made Allegra happier than she cared to admit. She flopped down onto the bed and turned to look at the ceiling, every part of her aching and tired.
She closed her eyes and let her mind drift. Suddenly, she sat up straight, a thought crossing her mind like a lightning bolt. A treasure hunt. She jumped to her feet and walked over to the window. Then, she counted out three paces before bending down and prying a floorboard loose. The cavity was still there. She reached down to feel if anything was there, her hands trembling in excitement. Her heart nearly stopped when her fingers brushed the edge of a piece of paper.
“Greta!” she called, her voice high pitched and urgent, “Greta!” She heard Greta’s frantic footsteps run up the stairs, and a few moments later, a wild-eyed Greta rushed into the room.
“What happened?” she asked, holding a broom out threateningly.
“I found something,” Allegra said, her voice full of awe.
“What is it?” Greta asked as Allegra held up a folded-up piece of paper.
“I can’t believe I didn’t get it immediately,” Allegra chastised herself, looking excited, “I mean, it was so obvious. I should have looked there from the beginning.”
“What are you talking about?” Greta asked, looking worried for her friend. Allegra was acting strangely, well, more strangely than usual.
“The treasure hunt!” Allegra exclaimed as if it was the answer to all their questions.
“Honey,” Greta shook her head, “you’re going to have to use full sentences. I don’t understand you.”
“When I got here the first time, I was reading a mystery novel. I was so excited, that I kept looking for mysteries everywhere. I was driving Dot mad, so she told me this story about a sunken pirate ship off the coast. Apparently, this house was built by the pirate captain for his wife. His wife hid a clue in one of the rooms when her husband died. Apparently, this was their room,” Allegra spoke quickly, while pacing the room, while Greta followed her with her gaze.
“I searched every inch of this room until I found a loose floorboard. Dot had drawn a treasure map, and the two of us went on a treasure hunt. We enjoyed it so much, that we did it every year on my first day back. She would come pick me up at the station, we’d come home, and I’d run straight here to see what she had come up with that year.”
“That’s a beautiful story,” Greta said softly, putting her hand over her heart.
“Yes,” Allegra agreed, “but that got me thinking, what if she did it again?” Greta gasped and looked at the paper with wide eyes.
“Is this?” Allegra nodded eagerly. Greta gasped again and reached out to touch it but took her hand back.
“She left it under the floorboards,” Allegra said softly, scarcely believing her own eyes.
“Do you think she knew who killed her?” Greta asked hopefully.
“Only one way to find out,” Allegra said, picking up the paper and unfolding it. It was a simple note, with only a few lines on it.
“Did you know that if you tell someone you’re being poisoned, they look at you like you have lost your mind? Such is the state of the world, my dear. You and I both know I’m not crazy, and so I have left you this hunt. If I am crazy, only I will know about it, but if I am not, then you will find the truth. Go back to where I first found you, Gypsy.”
“She knew she was being poisoned,” Allegra whispered, feeling bile climb up to the back of her throat. Greta squeezed her shoulder, but it looked like she was on the verge of throwing up too.
“She also knew you would come back,” Greta pointed out, giving Allegra a comforting smile. Allegra smiled thinly, but everything felt wrong.
“She told someone,” Allegra said thickly, tears closing up her throat.
“Maybe she told the murderer,” Greta reasoned, rereading the note. Allegra stood up and turned to the window. Her room was at the back of the house, so she had a beautiful view of the ocean. To the right, the town lay nestled in between the natural growth. She could see the church spire, and the Ferris wheel at the carnival. The bright blue sea seemed to stretch on forever, and she almost couldn’t tell where the sky met the ocean. A few boats dotted the waters, but otherwise, everything was quiet. Was this what Dot looked at when she came here to hide the note? Did she feel peace? Or did she feel frightened?
“I should have been here,” Allegra said quietly.
“Dot would not have let you put your life on hold for her. You know how she was, she probably wouldn’t admit she was sick until it was too late.”
“That doesn’t excuse the fact that I should have come back sooner.”
“You’re here now,” Greta pointed out, “and you’re going to find who did this. Dot had faith in you, she knew you could find her killer.” Allegra nodded sadly, but the feeling of guilt would not subside. She looked out of the window again. This was something that would change her life forever. She would not be able to look at the world the same way again.
“Now,” Greta said determinedly, “what did she mean by ‘Go back to where I first found you’?”. Allegra wiped her tears away and thought hard.
“Come on,” Allegra said suddenly, “we have to go.”
Chapter Sixteen
“What are we doing here?” Greta grumbled as they stopped by the dingy old bus stop. The building did not look much better in the daylight. The entire building looked like it was about to collapse and there was litter all around. It was obvious that Llewes Cove did not care much about who was coming or going, only about those who were staying.
It had only been a few days since Allegra had climbed off that bus, but it felt like a lifetime ago. Everything was different now, and she felt like a different person from the one who had climbed off the bus counting the days until she could leave again.
She remembered the first day she met Grumpy Dot. Little Allegra had been a gangly little girl of about ten. With wide green eyes, her thick br
own hair pulled back into a lazy braid. She wasn’t very good at braiding her own hair back then.
“This is where we first met,” Allegra said softly, the memories clouding her mind. She looked at the dingy building and saw it as she did sixteen years ago. Dilapidated, but still maintained. Back then, someone else was in charge of the building and they tried to make it look nice despite the lack of funds or interest.
“You met her at a bus stop?”
“Yeah,” Allegra said, “my grandmother died, so my mom had nowhere else to send me during the holidays.”
“So, she sent you to stay with someone you never met?” Allegra nodded, but her mind was still in the past. She looked around her and saw a younger version of herself, climbing off the bus, clutching a book to her chest and looking scared to death.
She remembered her eyes filling with tears as she thought about climbing back on the bus and just going home. The only thing that prevented her from doing that was knowing how upset her mother would be. Her mother had given birth to her when she was still a teenager, so she counted Allegra’s summer vacations as her own vacations too. She reasoned that if she was a good mother for most of the year, she could be young during the summer months. Unfortunately, her mother was very good at reasoning her way out of being a parent. A more realistic view would be that her mother spent most of her time trying to live her life as if she had never given birth. During the summer she pretended that she had been a good mother the rest of the year.
“I know this is wrong, but I’m glad I never met your mother.”
“You probably would have yelled at her,” Allegra answered, chuckling slightly. Her mother was not a bad person. She was just the type of person who should not have been allowed to have a child. To be fair, being a teen mother is difficult. But many teens find themselves in that position and make the most out of it. A child should never be blamed for being born.
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