“So, tell us what you’ve been up to for the past few years, Ruth. We all lost track,” Nancy said, breaking the silence the way only she could.
“Mum!” “Nancy!” Pat and Moira both called out at the same time.
“Wow,” Ben said under his breath.
“What?” Nancy said, waving her spoon in the air. “I’m making conversation!”
I looked at Nancy and then around the table.
“It’s fine, really. Lots to tell, but told pretty simply. I got married, he left me, I got divorced. I’ve been leading a freelance life, working for different shops on a project-by-project basis.”
“Okay, I’ll admit it. I did some more Internet stalking,” Moira said. “I saw a picture of you with this beautiful clock you designed. Is that something you’re doing?”
“Yes, sort of. I have been working on my own pieces, more art pieces than clocks, but clocks are part of them. Hard to explain.”
“It’s great that you are making a living doing the family business,” Pat said.
“None of this pays the bills, but that’s all right for now, because I’m living with friends. And I had a job that I loved at a museum, but there are some funding issues, so they had to lay me off for a bit while they try and find more money. Basically, you know the rest.”
I grabbed a roll from a basket Pat passed to me. Ben slid the butter dish over to me and gave me another reassuring smile.
Pat turned to me. “Sounds like you’ve had a bit of a rough go, Ruthie. I am sorry to hear that. We knew bits and pieces, of course. The Internet is a wonderful thing, even if Moira is the only one of us who uses it. I’m sorry about your marriage. Is that recent?”
“The divorce was final last month.” I started to break off small chunks of bread and nibble it slowly.
“Are you in touch with your parents?” Nancy asked. Pat glared at her. “What? They need to be contacted.” She got up and cleared the soup dishes. Moira helped.
“We’ve e-mailed, but I haven’t spoken to them about G.T. yet. But Caroline talked to them.”
“So they won’t make it back for the funeral?”
“No, they won’t make it back for the funeral or whatever service we decide to have. Or, put it this way, we won’t hold off on having it until they arrive.”
“So there’s going to be a funeral after all?” Nancy asked. “I thought Thom didn’t want one.”
“Caroline and I are going to talk about it some more tomorrow when she comes to the shop. But yes, I think we should have some sort of service, don’t you?”
“Of course I do. People will want to pay their respects. Thom was a good man,” Nancy said with a nod. “So tell me, you’ve never met Caroline, is that right? What did you think? What are you looking at, Moira? We need to catch up.” Nancy went back in the kitchen, which allowed me time to regroup. Nancy Reed had always been forthright. That was the term my grandmother always used. My grandfather said she spoke her mind. Moira was always embarrassed by her while we were growing up. I never minded. And didn’t really mind now. I always figured she cared enough to ask. Besides, I had nothing to hide.
“Caroline was not what I expected.”
“Well, Ruth,” Pat said, passing me a plate with turkey on it. It looked like the rest of the sides were going to be served family style. “I think you’ll like her. She’s not much like your grandmother, except that she also took good care of your grandfather. She made him happy. And kept him from being lonely these past few years.”
“And she helped run the business,” I added.
“She did. For a while, we all thought Thom was going to sell, but she got him reinspired to stay with it.”
“But he may have been thinking about selling again recently. Did he mention that? He was talking to a real estate agent.”
“He got an offer recently, yes. He wanted to know how the offer stacked up. But he wasn’t going to sell, not for a while. Wanted to build up the nest egg a bit more.”
“I talked to Jonah Winter about that. It didn’t seem like the sort of thing my grandfather would do, buying up all that inventory.”
“There were lots of reasons for him to want to get some more clocks in the shop,” Pat said. “Thom had a master plan. The clocks were part of it. Also, getting some capital, trying to get interest around the clock tower. He was working on that with Grover Winter, right up until Grover passed. Lots of folks thought Thom would let it go, but he kept at it.”
“I knew about the clock tower idea back in the day, but why was he so focused on it now?”
“We’ve got a new boss in town, acts like she’s the mayor and not a hired hand. Anyway, Kim Gray, she has big plans for Orchard. Rebuilding part of Washington Street is part of her plan. She was trying to get a community center built. That meant tearing down the old Town Hall. But Grover and Thom, they had plans to restore the clock tower. They’d filed paperwork to make the Town Hall a historical site a while ago, and Grover had kept it up. The title to the building was lost, so it’s all at a standstill right now, though Grover Winter claimed he owned the building. Thom and Grover were working with the Board of Selectmen, trying to get that passed.”
“Where does it stand now?”
“Your grandfather was never a great politician. But Caroline was helping, at least before she had to leave town. They were making headway. Now, without Thom, I’m not sure what’s going to happen at the vote on Thursday. It could go either way. It would be a lot cleaner if someone found the deed to the Town Hall.”
“What about the Winter family? Are they helping?”
“Jonah isn’t much of a leader. And that sister of his? She’s had her own difficulties. We’re not in a position to help right now either. It looks like the clock tower dream is going to die, right along with Thom.”
“Maybe not,” Ben said. “Some of us newer residents think it’s a good idea. Thom was winning us over. Even the Clarks were coming around. The more folks look into Kim’s building plans, the less they like them. We just have to keep the pressure up, and someone needs to step in for Thom. And we need to find the deed.”
Everyone turned to look at me. I focused on my plate.
chapter 27
I took a long sip of coffee. It was all I could do to swallow it.
“This is terrible, Bezel,” I said. She looked up at me and squished her eyes quizzically.
“I think it’s the coffeemaker. I wonder if cleaning it would help?”
Bezel meowed and circled my ankles.
“You’re right, this one has seen better days. I’ll think about getting a new one.”
Bezel gave me a short meow and then went back to her own breakfast. Her sympathy only went so far.
“Well, I think I need to go down to the Sleeping Latte and get some real coffee.” Instead of taking my entire bag, I grabbed my phone and put some money in my pocket.
“Caroline’s coming over this morning, so I’m going to lock you up here. Oh, don’t act so put out. You spend all your time up here anyway,” I said as I spent a couple of extra minutes trying to tame my hair and putting on a bit of makeup. Was I going to the Sleeping Latte looking for coffee or looking for Ben? I shook my head. Maybe a bit of both.
• • •
The Sleeping Latte was packed. Most of the people in the shop were getting coffee to go, and looked like students. The wait wasn’t long, but there was a wait.
“May I help you? Oh, Ruth, it’s you,” Moira said after she looked up. “Good morning.”
“Good morning. Thanks again for a great dinner last night.”
“It was a lot of fun,” Moira said. “Though I thought you’d be sick of seeing Reeds by now.”
“Never. Besides, I need good coffee. How’s it going this morning?”
“Busy, but that’s nothing new. Between the leaf peepers, the students, and the thirs
ty citizens of Orchard, this has been a really busy fall.”
“That’s great,” I said, turning to look at the line forming behind me. “Could I have a French roast and a bacon breakfast sandwich?”
“On bread, bagel, or English muffin?” she asked.
“Bagel,” I answered without thinking much about it. I wasn’t a foodie by any means, but between the Sleeping Latte and the Corner Market I was getting a more discerning palate. I was also going to have trouble fastening my skirts if I kept it up.
“The bagels are a little stale,” Moira whispered. “The Italian bread is really fresh. And the chef prefers making it on bread anyway. It’s great.”
“Sounds wonderful, thanks. With your mother in the kitchen, I should just say ‘chef’s choice’ every time I come in.”
“Good choice. Here’s your coffee mug. Go sit down and we’ll call you when it’s up.”
“How much do I owe?”
“Pay on your way out,” Moira said, pushing my money back toward me.
I had the sense that paying wouldn’t be easy, but I was going to keep trying. The diner was busy, but I could only imagine what the profit margins were like when you ran a restaurant. I’d taken several small business courses over the past few months, trying to figure out how I could open my own shop or studio. I understood how hard it was for a small business to stay open, and comping your friends wouldn’t help. Maybe I’d just leave a really big tip.
I did a quick scan and saw a table by the window open up. I made a beeline for it, nearly colliding with Ben.
“Were you going to sit there?” he asked. He looked like he’d just rolled out of bed. If I had a type, and I’m not sure I did, Ben wasn’t it, at least on paper. He wore a paisley shirt that I normally wouldn’t find attractive, but he managed to make it work. The shirt hadn’t seen the hot side of an iron and was half tucked into his jeans. The cowboy boots and brown bomber jacket were well worn, his hair was a little too long, and he had facial hair that was more than scruff but less than a beard. Ben was the least well-groomed barber in existence. Handsome and confusing all at once.
“I was,” I said. “Happy to share.”
Ben pulled my chair out for me and then went to the other side of the table and got settled.
“Glad this is working out. Real estate around here is tough to come by, especially at this time of the morning. But you still need to come by the shop. I’d love to show you around.”
“Maybe on my way back to the Cog. Caroline’s coming by this morning and I want to make sure I’m there to meet her.” I looked around. “Is it always this busy?”
Ben nodded and swallowed his coffee. “It is, now. It took folks a while to warm up to the new decor, but Moira won them over. And so did Nancy.”
“So did Nancy what?” said the woman herself, placing two sandwiches in front of us.
“So did Nancy prove herself to be a goddess of the kitchen, so all of Orchard and the students of Marytown came to worship at her feet. Thanks, Nancy, this looks like just what the doctor ordered,” Ben proclaimed, hand over his heart.
“Ben Clover, you look like ten miles of bad road.”
“Feel like eleven,” he said, dropping the false bravado as he took a sip of coffee.
“Did you go out last night sowing your wild oats?”
“Sowing my wild oats? How old are you, Nancy, eighty? I dropped Ruth home around nine thirty. Where would I sow my wild oats in Orchard at nine thirty on a Sunday night? If you must know, I have terrible insomnia that kicks in every once in a while. It has kicked in this week, ever since Thom was”—he stopped and cleared his throat—“ever since Thom passed.”
Nancy put her hand on my shoulder. “We’re all having trouble sleeping these days. I saw the chief a little while ago. He says there’s no news, but I don’t see how that’s possible. How could it take so long?”
“Mum!” Moira bellowed over the crowd.
“Back to it. Enjoy your food.”
Ben watched her go, then turned, picked up his sandwich, and took a bite.
“Is there something wrong with your food?” he asked with his mouth full, looking meaningfully at my untouched sandwich.
“No, I’m sure it’s great. I just keep thinking of all the things I have to get done before Caroline comes by this morning. Maybe I’ll get this to go,” I said, starting to lift up my plate.
“Oh no you don’t,” Ben said, reaching out and gently pressing the plate back to the table. “Not allowed.”
“Not allowed?” I asked.
“Three reasons. First, you need to respect the food. And it demands to be eaten right away, while it’s hot. Second, you need to eat. I’d imagine you have a full day ahead, and breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And third, I’d like the company. What do you say?”
What could I say? I picked up my sandwich and took a bite. Wow. The bread was fresh Italian bread, pan toasted in butter. The egg was over easy, the cheese a mixture of cheddar and something sharp, maybe Asiago, and the bacon was crispy, but not overcooked. Just perfection.
“See what I’m saying?” Ben asked. “If you’d waited till you got home, the cheese would have started to congeal. Not good. Trust me, you need to eat these when they are fresh. Some of the other food is to-go worthy, but not these.”
“Thanks for the food lesson,” I said, taking another bite.
“Anytime. These are the things I can give lessons on. Food, baseball, and the best places to buy treats for your dog.”
“And barbering? Is that the word?” I said, taking another bite.
“It is. I’ve still got a lot to learn about barbering, but I’m learning.”
“It’s hard to run a business,” I said. “Sounds like you’re trying to adapt, though.”
“I think the changes Aunt Flo suggested will help with the folks from Orchard. And I’m running a student special at Harris University that’s starting to kick in. I’m figuring it all out. What? You look like you want to say something.”
“I don’t want you to take this the wrong way,” I said.
“Go ahead.”
“I remember your aunt and uncle. She always had perfectly coiffed hair. It was a little crazy, but it was done. And your uncle? Perfectly shaved, hair trimmed.”
“And I’m, what?” At least he was smiling.
“A little scruffy,” I said, hating that I was blushing.
“A little scruffy? I’m alone in the shop, no one there to cut my hair. No matter how good I am, it looks like I cut it myself. And the beard? I hate shaving with the passion of a solar flare.”
“Ha. Well, that explains it.”
“Not a great advertisement for a barbershop owner,” he said.
“Can I tell you a secret?” I asked.
“Anything,” he said, looking very serious.
“I’m a very good horologist. I fix a mean clock. But I can’t keep time to save my soul. I’m late for everything. And when I get going on work, I completely lose track of time. It used to drive my husband crazy.”
“Well, he must have been crazy to let you go.”
I laughed out loud. “Boy, that’s quite a line, Barber Ben,” I said.
“You have a great laugh. You should use it more often.”
“Another great line.”
“Not a line, the truth.” I looked at Ben and sobered up again. It’d been a long time since someone had tried a line on me. A long, long time.
“Darn, it’s back,” Ben said.
“What?”
“The shadow that comes across your face every once in a while. It’s like I can see your memories creeping in and causing you pain. I really hope it all gets easier for you soon, Ruth Clagan.”
“I do too, thanks,” I said. I fumbled with my coffee mug, but finally took a long sip. Ben Clover was a nice guy. I
thought they were extinct.
“Caroline and I are going to talk about the business. It’s more complicated than I expected. I’ve been trying to piece together G.T.’s intentions for the Cog & Sprocket. Was he going to sell it? Or not? Was he trying to rebuild the clock tower? Why’d he buy so many clocks?
“I looked at his calendar, and it looked like he met with you several times. Maybe you could help me understand him better.”
“Met with me? Not meetings, really. We ate dinner pretty regularly when Caroline was out of town. And had lunch once a week. I really enjoyed his company. And I loved hearing about Orchard back in the day.”
“It seems like it’s changed a lot since I left.”
“Times have been tough. I think folks are tired of struggling, and when someone offers them an easy way out, it’s tough not to take it.”
“An easy way out?”
“Like buying up property to rebuild Orchard into the model of a modern Berkshire town. Thom called it an amusement park for city folks who wanted small-town charm. They even wanted to build bus depots so they could park after they’d shipped in tourists.”
“Who’s they?”
“Kim Gray and some of the so-called business leaders in town. Thom was working on convincing people to see beyond dollar signs into what it would mean long-term for Orchard.”
“Did they offer you money?”
“They did, and I turned them down flat. So did Moira. But across the street, they were making headway. Money was pitting neighbor against neighbor, and it wasn’t pretty. I was trying to help Thom get the rest of the town on his side, but it was slow going. Kim’s a good chess player. Every time Thom would make a move, Kim would have anticipated it and be ready for a zoning commission meeting or a vote by the board. I asked Aunt Flo to come back and help me run the business and to help Thom and me make a case for keeping the old Town Hall.”
“Is she going to?”
“She has some things to wrap up, but then she’s coming back. Sorry to say, it’s too late to work with Thom. They would have been a great team.”
Just Killing Time Page 14