“Donations.” Reg held up a hand to forestall any coming protests, although Willow hadn’t uttered a word. “Now, I know what you’re thinking—”
“I really don’t think you have the faintest idea what I’m thinking, Reg. But please, go ahead.”
“Well, I understand what some people would think, me included at first. I thought, that’s mental. People’ll just pay nothing, then a few months from now, you’ll stop doing it because you’ll always be broke.”
“Apart from your pension,” Willow pointed out. “Which you seemed fine to live on earlier this year.”
“Sure, I won’t argue with that. Point is, that as my extra pocket money came in from doing these tours, my lifestyle increased to the point where it would be hard to go back.”
Willow’s brow crinkled into a frown as she tried to imagine what on earth Reg’s lifestyle now entailed. She hadn’t noticed anything different.
“Behold.” Reg extended out his leg.
Harmony bent over, closely examining the tanned skin of his calf and then the plush walking socks he wore.
“The shoes,” he said in an exasperated voice. “Can’t you see how new the shoes are?”
“No.” Harmony shrugged and straightened up while Willow hid a smile. “They look second-hand to me.”
“Well, yes. They’re worn in a bit, I’ll give you that, but look at the quality of the leather. Those are hand-stitched second-hand shoes.” He pulled his trouser leg back down, apparently to the dismay of an elderly woman seated at the nearby table. “I couldn’t go back to bargain basement, now. It’d break my heart, not to mention, my feet.”
“Fine, you’ve convinced me,” Willow said, holding her hand up to stop any further displays. “You need money to maintain your lavish lifestyle. How does the donation system help?”
“Because people give you what they can afford, so you’re never ripping anyone off, but they’re also giving you what they think you deserve.”
Reg looked satisfied with that answer, leaving Harmony to fill in the blanks. “Since people enjoy the tour, they’re more likely to want to pay over and above what we’ve been charging. Judging from the number of tips I’ve seen slipped into Reg’s pocket, they’d be quite happy to pay out quite a lot more.”
“And anything we don’t need, we’ll donate to Harmony’s project. I’ll feel better knowing our money is helping women get away from their abusers.”
Willow slung her hand around Harmony’s waist and gave her a hug. Although she’d only found out about the work her friend was involved with recently, and under not such great circumstances, she was proud to know someone so practical and kind.
Mavis chose that moment to run into the room, weaving in and out of the tables while customers made appreciative noises. Settling on a table near the sun, she stretched out full length, exposing her belly.
“Oh, no. Don’t!” Willow called out as a naïve patron reached out a hand to give the kitten a belly rub.
Too late.
Just in the past week, the game had been for Mavis to encourage petting in order to practice sinking her claws into unwitting flesh.
Luckily, Willow’s quick reflexes saved the man from too much harm and he took the whole thing in his stride. “We’ve got a little one at home who does much the same,” he said ruefully, pooching out his lower lip. “I hoped it was restricted to him.”
The healing row of claw marks above Mavis’s newly inflicted injury bore witness to his testimony. Still, Willow insisted on giving him an extra helping of whatever he fancied as extra solace to his wounds.
“You’ll need to start locking her into the house, soon,” Harmony said, with a note of real regret in her voice.
“I suppose so.” Willow gave a sigh and crossed her arms as Mavis pranced around the room as though nothing had happened. “I was hoping she’d grow out of it, but instead she gets more bloodthirsty every day.”
“She’s okay. So long as you’re not getting presents on your doorstep every morning, I wouldn’t worry about it.” Harmony pulled her mouth down. “I’d rather put some antiseptic cream on a few scratches than clear up the other sort of mess.”
“Goodness, yes. I’ve seen quite enough dead bodies to last me a lifetime. I don’t need little versions being deposited around my home.”
“You know,” Reg leaned back against the wall and looked out across the garden. “I think this is going to be a great year. Perhaps the best one yet.”
As Charley arrived at the doorway and waved to Willow, his eyes skipping away from hers to alight on some freshly baked cookies on a nearby table, she had to agree.
This was definitely set to be the best year ever.
Thanks for reading!
I hope you enjoyed the current entries in the Tea Shop Cozy Mystery series. Willow and the gang are on hiatus at the moment, but should be back with some more stories in the coming year.
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About the Author - Katherine Hayton
Katherine Hayton is a middle-aged woman who works in insurance, doesn't have children or pets, can't drive, has lived in Christchurch her entire life, and resides a two-minute walk from where she was born.
For some reason, she's developed a rich fantasy life.
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Read all the Things!
The Honey Trap (The Honeybee Mysteries)
The Buzz Kill (The Honeybee Mysteries)
A Ray of Pitch Black (The Goth Girl Mysteries)
Hibiscus Homicide (Tea Shop Cozy Mystery)
Keeping Mums (Tea Shop Cozy Mystery)
Orange Juiced (Tea Shop Cozy Mystery)
Deathbed of Roses (Tea Shop Cozy Mystery)
Berry Murderous (Tea Shop Cozy Mystery)
Pushing Up Daisies (Tea Shop Cozy Mystery)
The Sweet Baked Mysteries - Books 1-6
Cinnamon and Sinfulness (Sweet Baked Mystery)
Raspberries and Retaliation (Sweet Baked Mystery)
Pumpkin Spice & Poisoning (Sweet Baked Mystery)
Blueberries and Bereavement (Sweet Baked Mystery)
Strawberries and Suffering (Sweet Baked Mystery)
Cupcakes and Conspiracies (Sweet Baked Mystery)
Food Bowl Mysteries Books 1-3
You’re Kitten Me (Food Bowl Mystery)
Cat Red-Handed (Food Bowl Mystery)
An Impawsible Situation (Food Bowl Mystery)
The Only Secret Left to Keep (Ngaire Blakes Mystery)
The Second Stage of Grief (Ngaire Blakes Mystery)
The Three Deaths of Magdalene Lynton (Ngaire Blakes Mystery)
Christchurch Crime Thriller Boxset
Breathe and Release (Christchurch Crime)
Skeletal (Christchurch Crime)
Found, Near Water (Christchurch Crime)
Writing as Lee Hayton
Claws That Catch (Misfits of Magic)
Blood Like Ice (Misfits of Magic)
Nerves of Steel (Misfits of Magic)
Dead Hunter
Magic Dude
Tohunga Rising
Shattered Imprints
Gun
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Tea Shop Cozy Mysteries - Books 1-6 Page 50