Charlotte Dean Mysteries Collection

Chapter 19

Charlotte did something she hadn’t since leaving Queensland months ago. She took a sleeping tablet. Since the events of the previous year, she always kept some.

Insomnia had taken over for a while during the worst of the board inquiry in Brisbane, and before she’d completely fallen apart, her doctor prescribed some. Two nights sleep and she’d been back in control and able to explain her decision about revealing confidential information.

Sid’s threatening demeanour and apparent mission to catch her doing something wrong was the final straw on an already difficult evening.

She woke groggy and wanted to go back to sleep. But the tapping of rain on the window got her attention and with a moan, Charlotte slid her feet out. The sky was grey and the clouds heavy. Great when the weather matched the mood. Even a long shower followed by strong coffee barely made inroads on her disinterest in starting the day.

Second coffee in hand, she opened f*******:. Her cup stopped halfway to her mouth as she read the new bookshop page. More than fifty people had liked it. She had to double check. But yes, it was her page, for Rosie’s shop. There were several reviews, all five star and suddenly, she was smiling. If a half-done page with next to no images got such an immediate response, what could they look forward to?

In minutes she was downstairs with all the lights on, taking photographs and uploading them to the page as she went, adding a description here, a sale price there. She searched a few local businesses, like Esther’s shop and the Indian restaurant and liked their pages. Hopefully, word would get around as more people saw the new page.

After setting the store up for the day, she still had an hour before opening, so printed out the signs she’d made and placed them in high visibility areas. Now to find a big box. There was nothing she could use in the storeroom, so Charlotte headed for the garage. In the wall behind her car was a door to another room, but she didn’t have a key. She found a wooden carton on a shelf. This would do for the moment.

Charlotte lined its inside with Christmas paper and mounted a sign on its side. She popped it onto a small table a few feet in from the door, where customers would see it as they entered. As a finishing touch she wound tinsel around the table. A few photos later, she’d announced the initiative on f*******:.

You should be proud of yourself.

You should be proud of yourself.She was. And a bounce in her steps replaced the dragging of her legs from earlier in the morning. This was better. A whole lot better.

“That is the third book in half an hour!” Rosie wheeled around the counter to deposit a gift-wrapped book into the wooden carton. “Customers are loving the idea!”

“It really is win-win.” Charlotte was restocking shelves. “The customers feel good, the recipients will be delighted, and Kingfisher Falls Bookshop becomes a conduit. I loved your idea of putting five dollars from each donation sale into a cash fund as a little extra help. You are so generous.”

“And you, my clever friend, are a genius. This concept is a keeper, that’s for sure. But this little carton won’t cope if this continues.”

Charlotte finished and joined Rosie. “No, it won’t. Do you know if there is anything in the room behind the garage?”

“Oh. I’d forgotten about that. Maybe. My husband packed up what was left behind by the last owners. They left under rather…well, odd circumstances. They said to throw anything away, but Graeme couldn’t bring himself to do so. He always hoped someone from the family would come back and collect everything.”

“How long ago was this?”

“A long time. Way too long. Go take a peek and see if there’s something we can use. I think the key is the little one on my keychain. After Christmas, we might get in there and see what’s what.”

The door creaked as Charlotte opened it. Just inside was a light switch and thankfully the light worked. She sniffed, then coughed at the musty, and rather dusty space. The room ran the length of the back of the garage and deep enough for shelving as well as a pile of boxes at the far end. The shelves were full. Suitcases, trunks, gardening tools, lamps, what looked like old cooking pots, and so many sealed boxes. Almost at the end was a large, rectangular cane chest. This might be perfect. There were clips on either end which undid with a bit of persuasion. Charlotte lifted the lid off, expecting it to be empty.

The sweet smell of roses and lavender wafted from red silk. Carefully, Charlotte moved it to one side. A teddy bear and bundle of baby clothes lay on top of a white dress. A wedding dress made of lace and silk, delicate and simply gorgeous.

“Oh, who left you behind?” Charlotte brushed her fingertips across the silk. She wasn’t good with fashion, but this was perfect. And the baby clothes appeared to be handmade by someone who knew what they were doing. She adjusted the clothing and bear, covered them again with the red silk, and replaced the lid.

She stared at the chest. There was a sense of sadness here. Something lost. But she was being silly. Of course, it was lost. Surely nobody would abandon such things.

With a sigh, Charlotte moved to the pile of boxes and found one with only some old blankets inside. These she put on top of another box, then left, locking the door.

Outside, she shook the box upside-down. It was clean and solid, so she left it just inside the back door, out of what was now barely more a sprinkle than rain.

The shop was busy, so Charlotte tended to customers, gift wrapping presents, and adding to the giving box. Rosie was equally busy, and it was lunchtime before they had a chance to talk. Charlotte put the box on the counter and began covering it with Christmas paper before anyone else came in.

“Did you know the people who used to live upstairs? Oh, can you put your finger there?” Charlotte tore strips of sticky tape off a roll. “Thanks.”

“Well, yes. But nobody really knew them, if you get my drift. You missed a bit.”

“This was a bakery?”

“It was. A long time back though. This building must be eighty years old. The same family worked here for decades; it was generational. But Graeme and I moved into Kingfisher Falls thirty-five years ago. I was carrying Trev and we wanted a peaceful and safe place to raise a family. I used to come here weekly for a long time, but they were not part of the community type of people. Not the young generation.”

“Is this okay?” Charlotte stood back from the box. The paper was festive with red bows and trees all over it. “Hope nobody thinks it is a Christmas tree and steals it.”

“Funny. And it is lovely, so let’s put it on the floor in place of on the table.”

Charlotte shuffled things around and tossed packing paper from the book deliveries into the bottom and then a layer of tissue paper. “That’s better, raises the books up a bit.”

Rosie tapped the side of her chair as she thought. “There are a few people around who knew that family better than I did. Are you thinking of tracking them down to see if they want the contents of the cane box?”

“It must mean something. The dress is gorgeous, and the baby clothes and teddy were perfect. The kind of thing you’d pass down to your children, not leave behind. Did they go in a hurry?”

“Such a long time ago, darling. I seem to think they did. This place was for sale for a long time as a bakery. About a year. So, when Graeme and I finally got the courage to follow our passion and try our hand at small business, they were desperate to sell. I did none of the negotiations so there’s a lot I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m curious, that’s all.”

“I’m beginning to think you are more than a bit of a sleuth. Trev told me you like mysteries.”

“Did he now?” Charlotte kept a straight face but inside, a little flutter played in her stomach. “I’m sure I have no idea why he’d think so.”

“Speaking of Trev,” Rosie said. “I might call him tonight to catch up. Anything you’d like me to pass on?”

Only that he shouldn’t let you believe anything ever went on between us.

Only that he shouldn’t let you believe anything ever went on between us.“Yes. My thanks for introducing me to you. Kind of like it here.”

Rosie reddened, her lips flickering up at the corners. She looked out at the street and her expression changed to serious. “You may change your mind. Here comes Glenys. But at least she’s alone today.”