The Bead Seller Read online

  The Bead Seller

  Sweetfern Harbor Mystery #11

  Wendy Meadows

  Copyright © 2018 by Wendy Meadows

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Printed in the United States of America

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Thanks for reading

  Be the First to Know

  About the Author

  Also by Wendy Meadows

  Chapter 1

  Unusual Guests

  Phyllis kissed her husband goodbye for the day and joined Brenda for their early morning coffee. It was a busy day in the bed and breakfast, but Brenda and her head housekeeper started every day together in order to plan the work ahead. Every room must be perfect in Sheffield Bed and Breakfast to welcome the acting troupe soon to arrive. Phyllis told Brenda that as soon as they had their morning chat, she would do a last dusting in the sitting room. Anticipation ran high in town and at the bed and breakfast about the incoming guests, because an early summer theatre performance was bound to attract many tourists to the town. The women took their last sips of coffee and Phyllis bustled off to the dusting and to inspect the guest rooms. Brenda remembered she needed to meet with her chef that morning and headed back to the spacious kitchen in the rear of the house.

  At the front desk, the young reservationist, Allie, took one last look at the reservation roster. She had a few spare minutes, so she quickly looked up a few of the names online, wondering if any of them were famous actors. She gasped and called out to Phyllis just as she was passing by with an armful of cleaning supplies.

  “Phyllis, look at this! I just discovered that one of our guests is a psychic.” The young reservationist’s eyes sparkled. “I can’t believe it. I’ll call my mother right away. I know we’ll have readings before this long weekend ends.”

  Phyllis set her duster down on the nearby hall table. “Who is it?”

  “Her name is Tiana Lockser. I’ve never heard of her, but it’s exciting to know someone like that will be a guest here.” Allie quickly called her mother. Hope Williams owned Sweet Treats in downtown Sweetfern Harbor.

  “When is she arriving?” Hope asked. “I can’t believe a famous psychic is actually coming to our town.” She went on to explain she had heard of the woman but didn’t know much about her.

  Allie told her mother that Tiana was scheduled to arrive before dinnertime that evening. “Come over tomorrow morning after breakfast. Maybe we can get a reading from her right away.”

  Brenda came from the kitchen area. She stopped in the passageway and listened to the excited voices of her two most trustworthy employees. She already knew a psychic was booked into her bed and breakfast but had opted not to tell Allie just yet, knowing how excitable the young girl could be. Now that everything was in order to receive their next guests, she was excited to discuss it, however, with both Allie and Phyllis. She smiled to herself when she noted the anticipation in their eyes.

  “I knew to expect her.” Brenda explained she wanted everything ready before she let Allie know. “I planned to tell you before Tiana arrived. But I don’t think we should expect her to work while she is here. She may be coming to get away from that sort of thing.”

  Allie’s face fell but only for a split second. “If she wants to give readings, will you encourage her?”

  “I’ll allow it, but I don’t know about outright encouraging it. Once she is settled in, maybe you can ask her in private. I’m sure your mother will want to know.” Allie blushed and explained she had already telephoned her mother.

  Brenda was on the fence when it came to psychics and mediums. She didn’t know if they were for real or simply out to make a buck for notoriety. With the acting troupe coming in, she worried about the mix of the two.

  Allie explained that her father, David Williams, did not believe mediums were for real and tried to discourage his wife and daughter from believing in them in the past. It was a fruitless effort. He had no idea at the moment that a psychic was expected at Sheffield Bed and Breakfast. Mother and daughter had agreed to avoid telling him.

  The three women looked up when Mac Rivers came through the back entrance and into the foyer. He asked about the excitement after he kissed his wife. The detective’s gaze lingered on Brenda’s face before he turned to Allie, who told him about the guest who had caught their attention.

  “Do you believe in psychics, Mac?” Phyllis asked.

  “I don’t know. I do find them interesting at times and at other times I think they are all shams to deceive and upset people. I have to admit that we used one on a difficult case about seven years ago in the department.” All eyes were on the detective. “She turned out to be helpful in that she pinpointed where the crime occurred, which we didn’t know at the time. Later, we found she had been right. She gave a vague description of the perpetrator. Some of her information helped but in the long run it was good detective work on the part of the force that solved the crime.”

  Brenda made a mental note to ask for more details when they were alone. She was a sleuth in her own right and often worked on cases with the Sweetfern Harbor Police Department. Chief Bob Ingram had been so impressed with her ability to solve crimes that he had recently made her part of the official team. While she focused on Sheffield Bed and Breakfast much of the time, when a crime required extra investigative work, she was always called in to assist.

  “Let’s all go in to the dining room and have coffee. I want to discuss the guests coming and generally what we should expect.” Brenda asked Phyllis to gather the other employees.

  They all followed Brenda, except for Mac, who told her he brought work home with him—some files to look into in the peace and quiet of their home. He walked out the back door and along the pathway to the cottage built for him and Brenda. The gardener’s work looked stunning, with the flowering shrubbery and garden beds of roses and lilies bordering the lawns. A vegetable garden thrived behind a tidy white fence at the back edge of the property. Mac found the scene cleared his mind. Brenda’s ideas for their home in the renovated cottage perfectly matched the architecture of the 1890s Queen Anne bed and breakfast. Despite being almost completely renovated top to bottom, the smaller structure looked as if it had been built in the same era as the mansion.

  Morgan Graber, Brenda’s chef, brought coffee and tea to the employees and sat down to join them. Brenda glanced twice at the woman’s face. She and Phyllis exchanged glances.

  “Are you all right, Morgan?” Brenda asked. “You seem a little distracted.”

  Morgan blushed and assured them she was just fine. “I’ll tell you what is going on later, but it has nothing to do with the bed and breakfast.”

  The others chuckled simultaneously. Everyone knew the chef and Brenda’s father had big plans. Brenda hoped Tim Sheffield and Morgan had finally set a date for their wedding. She, Phyllis and Allie were ready for the word. They made big plans for the celebration.

  “We’ll wait, but you two can’t keep us in suspense like this much longer.” Brenda opened her notebook. “I know you’ve all heard that we’ll have a psychic in the bed and brea
kfast. As for the other guests, most of them are with the acting troupe. The play to be performed in Sweetfern Harbor’s outdoor theatre is called “Mystery Along the Nile.” It is based on Agatha Christie’s famous one called “Murder on the Nile.” There are variations from the original, of course. As I understand it, a couple of the actors who are coming aspire to leading roles one day. Kathryn Parker is one of them. She has never achieved much notable fame, though she is apparently a good actress. Then there is Keith Moore, an older actor who always plays minor roles.”

  “How do you know so much about them?” Allie asked.

  “William has told me a little about the cast. He said Kelly Reed, the lead actress, is very well known in theatre circles in New York. Her co-star Scott Wilson is also talented. As you know, William is the one who continues to bring excellent talent up to our historic town. He hasn’t disappointed us this time, it seems.” All eyes shifted to Phyllis Pendleton. “You’ll have to thank your husband again, Phyllis.”

  Phyllis waved her hand. “He doesn’t want thanks. All of this is right up his alley, and he loves every minute of it.”

  Brenda continued to discuss the other guests. A physician who traveled with the troupe was also a guest. Dr. Arthur Walker gave up a lucrative career in New York to join the crew on the road. He was divorced and had no children. His grueling and successful practice became too much for him. According to William, Dr. Walker loved traveling with the group and made sure they all maintained good health.

  “I noticed a Rocky Masters on the list,” Allie said. “Do you know anything about him?”

  Brenda looked at Morgan. “He is a former chef in an upscale restaurant. In fact, he rose to own the place. Dr. Walker, a good friend of his, convinced him to come along with them and prepare nutritious meals when possible. I have no idea why he has taken time off to do something like that, but he has. Rocky has assured William he has no intentions of invading our kitchen unless invited to do so. You can determine that, Morgan, but I believe that tells us he wants a break.” Brenda continued to discuss others. Jeffery Johnson would accompany the psychic, as was his norm, being some sort of companion or assistant to her. “That’s all I know for the moment. Let’s all return to our tasks now. I want to thank everyone for the good work you do here.”

  Several of the housekeepers chattered in the hallway after the meeting. Allie joined them, and the subject centered on the psychic.

  “We may have time for a stroll downtown, Phyllis, if you want to come along.” Brenda took one last look around. Phyllis was ready to get out of the bed and breakfast for a while. Both expected the buzz around Sweetfern Harbor to be about the theatre troupe coming into town.

  They headed for the main street and stopped first to say hello to Jenny Jones, Brenda’s step-daughter. Jenny’s Blossoms displayed a fetching scene in the wide window.

  “Jenny’s done it again,” Phyllis commented. Brenda agreed. They admired the spray of lilies in the background. Whimsical figures scattered among a meadow scene.

  Jenny bent over a large container of newly-arrived flowers and placed them into the refrigerator. Brenda caught her breath when she saw the younger woman’s face. Jenny glowed. Her blonde hair framed her startling blue eyes but also something new—her brightly glowing cheeks. Phyllis’s throat caught in a soft gasp. She knew that look. Jenny stood up and hugged both women.

  “I’m so excited about another acting group coming to Sweetfern Harbor. That means my business will grow when people start congratulating the actors.”

  “We’ll expect arrangements to come into the bed and breakfast for them. I’m glad for you, Jenny. You’ve really grown your reputation around here.” Brenda felt as proud of Jenny as if she was her own biological daughter.

  Phyllis fought the instinct to ask Jenny a personal question and felt the dilemma of whether to let her announce possible good news on her own.

  “How’s Bryce?” Phyllis asked. “I haven’t seen him around lately.”

  “That’s because my father has him working overtime at the Police Department. I hardly see him until late at night. He’s promised in a few days, things will get back to normal at our house. I hope he means it.”

  “They can get caught up in their work,” Brenda said. “Mac brought stuff home in the middle of the day to work on. It must be busy down there.” Jenny’s underlying excitement caught Brenda’s attention. “What is it?”

  “All right, I can’t keep our secret from you any longer,” Jenny said. “We aren’t ready to announce anything publicly yet, but Bryce and I are expecting our first child.” It dawned on Brenda that the news explained the glow in Jenny’s face. “I will tell my father this afternoon myself, Brenda. I asked him to stop by for a few minutes. I know he will be excited to know he will be a grandfather.” She laughed. Brenda assured her Mac would be overjoyed.

  They offered to bring Jenny treats from Sweet Treats. She told them she beat them to it and thanked them before getting back to work. Brenda and Phyllis waved goodbye, smiling at the secret good news she had shared with them and vowing to try to keep it a secret.

  * * *

  A small crowd congregated in Morning Sun Coffee when Phyllis and Brenda strolled down the street to get a bite to eat. Everyone talked of the upcoming performance. Phyllis’s daughter, Molly Lindsey, leaned over the counter and talked with Jonathan Wright. Both seemed oblivious to the waiting customers until Phyllis interrupted them.

  “What will it take to get some service here?” Phyllis said. She smiled at her daughter. Molly gave a parting look at Jonathan and asked what the two women wanted. They ordered lattés. “We’ll take them to a table,” Phyllis said, “since you have plenty of customers to deal with right now.”

  “I’ll carry them over for you,” Jonathan said. Molly handed him his espresso and he joined them. “I hope you don’t mind if I sit with you for a few minutes.” Jonathan owned a boat rental business at one of the docks. He also taught water sports to anyone who wanted to learn. Mostly he serviced the increasing number of tourists in the area. As the days passed, everyone in town noticed he found it harder and harder to stay away from the coffee shop. “It looks like we’ll have quite an influx of visitors in Sweetfern Harbor with the play. Word around here is that one of them is a psychic—is that true?”

  Brenda held up her hand. “You’ll have to nip that rumor in the bud, Jon. We do have a guest coming who is a psychic, but she isn’t with the acting group. She booked a room before they did and just happens to be here at the same time.”

  “That may put a damper on the festive mood. Everyone is wondering about a psychic traveling with actors, but I’ll pass the word around. I’m sure Molly will do the same.” His eyes shifted to the petite brunette behind the counter busily filling customer orders. He was smitten, Brenda and Phyllis thought.

  Jonathan had something to discuss with Brenda in particular. “I know one of your guests coming in,” he said. “Her name is Kathryn Parker. She’s one of the actresses in the play.” Brenda asked his relationship to the actress. “We were neighbors at one time when we were teenagers. She always wanted to act and kept to her word. After she graduated, she went straight to acting school, skipped college altogether. I’m surprised she hasn’t made it to the top yet. She definitely has the looks for it.” Phyllis raised her eyebrows. “I mean, she looks as if she was carved like an ivory statue…though with a little more personality than a piece of ivory. I always thought she did well in school plays. In acting school, she met Kelly Reed and Scott Wilson. She and Kelly were best friends.”

  “Were?” Brenda asked.

  “I heard later they had quite a falling-out. Rumors were that Kelly and Scott fell in love. Kathryn didn’t like that since she wanted Scott for herself. It went far enough that Kathryn managed to snap him up and they became engaged. It almost wrecked the threesome when it came to their professional lives.” He leaned back and took a sip of the espresso. “It must have all worked out eventually. I guess that was a while
back. They have done several plays together since then.”

  He looked at his watch. “I have to get back down to the dock.”

  “I hope nothing crazy happens between guests this weekend,” Brenda commented. Phyllis reassured her that it sounded as if all the problems were in the past.

  By early afternoon, Kelly Reed and her hairdresser Carol Morgan arrived. They appeared to be practically best friends with one another. Allie greeted them and while they signed in, Michael came from the alcove to pick up the luggage. They were given adjoining rooms on the second-floor hallway. It was a suite with a narrow hallway connecting the two rooms. Each room had its own bathroom and small dressing room.

  Brenda and Phyllis sat in the sitting room and waited to serve refreshments to arriving guests. Kelly and Carol came back down to partake after finding their rooms. The front door next opened to a male voice. It was hearty, and he introduced himself as Arthur Walker. Allie welcomed the doctor who opted to join the others in the sitting room before being shown his room. Michael carried his luggage upstairs.

  Phyllis told Arthur she was happy to meet the man her husband often talked about, especially recently knowing he was the one who had the most influence in convincing the entourage to perform in Sweetfern Harbor.

  “I have known your husband for many years, though we don’t often get the chance to connect. He has told me he remarried to the love of his life…and now I get to meet you.” Dr. Walker’s smile lit up the room as he gazed at Phyllis, who was blushing a little. He chatted about past encounters with William Pendleton. “I’ve often told him he belongs in New York, as interested as he is in theatre. But after my brief time so far in this town, I realize why he chose to settle in such peaceful surroundings. The sounds of the ocean are rejuvenating.”