CHAPTER Four:

   “Lauren, could we speak for a minute?” Mrs. Tilney’s voice sounded faint from the back room. 

   “I’m coming!” Lauren handed a grocery store to the customer in front of her and saw them off, then hurried to the back. 

   Mrs. Tilney lifted a box onto a shelf, then leaned against it and caught her breath. Lately, she’d looked worn out and tired. Lauren didn’t want to make assumptions, she knew how wrong they could be. But, her boss had been having several symptoms lately that all seemed to point to one thing... Pregnancy.

   “Jack and I are going away on vacation for a month.” The woman pushed a strand of ebony hair behind her ear. “I hinted at it before.”

   She had mentioned it in passing, and Lauren had been glad to hear it. If she was running the store all by herself, she’d get paid more, and that would be a big blessing. 

   “I’ll need you to look after the store while we’re gone.” 

   “Of course.” Lauren nodded. “Will Matthew be taking any shifts?” 

   “I have him down for Saturdays, and if you need extra help, call him in.” Mrs. Tilney squinted and reached onto one of the shelves. She pulled down a flashy red wallet. “Someone left this on the counter the other day, they were gone before I could give it to them. No doubt they’ll be back when they notice. Would you mind running it down to the police station once you’re done work?” 

   “Sure thing.” Lauren took it from her and tucked it in the front pocket of her apron. 

   “Thank you so much for all your help around here.” Mrs. Tilney’s tired smile expressed her appreciation. “We couldn’t keep up without you.” 

   The bell rang at the counter. Lauren hurried back. She knew the truth in those words. It was a very busy day.  

   The wallet sat forgotten in her apron until six o-clock when she went to hang it up. She tucked it into her purse, then activated the alarm. It was finally a cooler evening. Dandelions grew through cracks in the pavement around the back of the store. Her bike was propped up against the wall. 

   It was only a block to the bank. Lauren pedalled there, then the brakes squeaked as she stopped in front of it. It was closing in half an hour, so she hoped that mean they wouldn’t be able to spare much time for her. 

   Mr. Howland looked up as soon as she stepped into the building. “I need to talk to you, Miss Quinley.” His face was darkened by a scowl. 

   Lauren followed him to his office, where he motioned her to a chair and shut the door. She sat down gingerly and waited for him to take his seat. 

   “As you know,” his voice was raspy, “your grandparents handed their debt down to you.” 

   Lauren knew full well. Yet he always found the need to remind her. Every single day. The stripes on his suspenders were becoming an eyesore. 

   He picked up a folder and scanned the page. “The total amount you have owing is twenty thousand. And you have two weeks from tomorrow to pay that amount.” 

   “Yes Sir, I am aware of that.” Lauren’s voice was clipped, and her face strained. “You can be confident that I will get the money to you. I’m working full time and doing my best.”

   He nodded and leaned back in his chair. She handed over the cheque she’d just earned. 

   “Here is a payment towards that right now. Since I’ve been forthright with every single payment, I would like to ask you for a week-”
   His gaze snapped to hers. “No more time. If you are not able to raise the agreed amount, we will switch to our other plan.” 

   “Other plan?”

   “Confiscate the house and sell it, repay you whatever it gets over the loan value.” 

   “My house?” Lauren gaped at him. Of course, she knew it was a mortgage and that meant the house was collateral, but she hadn’t expected him to actually use that threat against her. 

   “Now, you would receive a large cheque. You’d probably be better off financially than you are now.” 

   “And I would be homeless.”
   Mr. Howland sighed. “There’s nothing more we can do for you. Of course we don’t want that, but we have to keep the bank’s best interest in mind.”
   Lauren felt lightheaded as she stood up. She wasn’t going to sit here and listen to any more of this. “I still have two weeks.” 

   Mr. Howland was too slow to open the door for her. She was already out, trying to get away from the stifling atmosphere and the even worse company. 

   She knew about schedules and time constraints. After all, she had a budget book at home and she stuck to it religiously. She did her best, why could that never be enough? 

Mrs. Howland blinked at her from the teller stall as she hurried out the door.

   Where would I go? Lauren had no clue. She walked alongside her bike towards the police station. There was nothing to do but keep moving forward, and try to ignore the precipice that she was hurtling towards.

   The police station was tiny. An office, two police cars. It was a branch that only kept running by the sheer will of the Sheriff. There were two officers, one was his son. It was adequate for the small town, which tended to be safe and quiet. 

   Grant Stevens grinned from behind the front desk as Lauren came in through the door. 

   “Got into more trouble?” His warm eyes sparkled good-naturedly. 

   She sighed and nodded. “A fistfight. Gave them a black eye.” If only. She would’ve liked to take Mr. Howland’s clipboard and whack him across the face with it. 

   He raised an eyebrow. “Well, if that’s true, I’m going to have to arrest you. Good on you for turning yourself in.” 

   Lauren couldn’t help but smile at her friend. He ran a hand over his ash scruff and looked up as someone else came in behind her. 

   A local farmer with grass stains on the knees of his jeans, and a button-up shirt that had seen better days nodded at Lauren. “Saw you come in here.” Chuck’s lip twitched in its characteristic way. “Wonderin’ if you’d do me a favour. I need someone to help out on the farm. Would you happen to have any time after work at the store?” 

   “I think I could fit it into my schedule.” It meant she’d be late in feeding Buttercup, and the weeds might win their battle in the garden, but Lauren couldn’t pass up the opportunity. 

   “Of course, I’d pay you as well as I am able.” Chuck scuffed his shoe along the carpet. “Times aren’t the best, for all of us.”
   Lauren’s cheeks flushed, and she fished through her purse for the wallet that had brought her there in the first place. Anything to keep from looking him in the eye. Pity and charity were not welcome to her, and it made her feel ashamed to know people were talking about her. 

   “Tomorrow at seven?”

   “See you then,” she ducked her head and watched him leave from the corner of her eyes. 

   The room fell silent for a minute and she turned the wallet over in her hands. 

   “So, what did bring you here? It can’t just be that you missed me.” Grant grew more serious. 

   “Found this at the store. Would you put it in lost and found?” Lauren snapped herself out of her reverie and handed it to him. 

   He inspected. “I was thinking it wasn’t quite your style.” Undoing the clasp, he pulled out the ID. 

   Lauren leaned across the desk, watching as his expression changed. His eyebrows scrunched together and he turned and typed something into the computer. 

   “Whose is it?” She couldn’t resist a chance to tease him. “Some wanted criminal who passed through right under your nose?” 

   He paused and looked at the ID again. Then he looked right into her eyes, compassion and worry combining. “Charlotte Quinley.” 

   Lauren stepped back. “Are you sure?”

   He held it out. “I’m sorry. It must come as a shock.” 

   Her head spun, and she braced a hand against the desk. This was not good, not good at all. Why would she come back? Lauren knew it could only be for a selfish reason. 

   “Hey, are you okay?” Grand stood and came around the desk. “Do you want a ride home?” 

   “No, I’m good.” Lauren didn’t want to cause him trouble. She was still dazed. 

Charlotte was somewhere nearby. She nearly tripped over her own feet as she reached the door.

   “Dad, I’m heading out. Be back soon!” Grant sprinted after her. “Come on, get in the truck.” 
   He stepped out into the cool evening air and grabbed her bike, lifting it with ease in the back of his truck. Then he opened the door for her. 

   “Thank you,” Lauren said softly, stepping up. 

   The sun was setting as they drove out of town. Grant cast concerned glances at his friend, but was quiet, respectfully giving her time to think. 

   What if she shows up at my place? Lauren knew she couldn’t take time off work for a ‘family’ reunion. What if she wanted to stay? What if she thought she was entitled to some sort of inheritance? 

   Aunt Betsy had told her to forgive. That had seemed frightening enough when it was still a slim chance. 

   They pulled into the driveway, and Lauren was relieved to find it empty. 

hg

 

   Charlotte Quinley was lucky. It would’ve been a disaster had she found her car out of gas and no wallet in sight. Instead, she noticed it the next morning when she decided to splurge at a cafe for a mug of tea. 

   All she had to face was an annoyed barista who had to throw out the drink. 

   “Where is it?” Charlotte shrieked as she sat in the car, digging through her purse. 

She checked under the seats but all she found was a dime, a sticky wad of gum, and a year-old receipt for a pair of shoes. 

   All her ID was in it. All her money. Her credit cards. She leaned her head in her hands. It couldn’t just disappear. 

   The store at Silver-Bell Creek. It all came back to her. She’d been looking at those cursed postcards and must have left it on the counter. Now she’d have to drive all the way back, and she would be cutting it tight with three quarters a tank of gas. 

Her head pounded. Besides the drive, she’d have to go around town asking for it. If she was lucky – which was a rare occasion, someone would have left it at the sheriff's office.

   She let out a huff of breath and growled. 

   “Are we going back?” Willow chimed from the back seat.

   “Yes.” Charlotte glared at her in response. 

   “Yay!” Willow grinned. “Can we see my sister?” 

   “Maybe.”
   The best thing to do would be to sleep the night, then head back the next day. Maybe Lauren would be home then. 

   A plan started to form in Charlotte’s mind. Maybe this wasn’t misfortune. Maybe it was the best thing to happen to her. 

   Perhaps Lauren would make a good babysitter. If she left Willow with her while she went ahead to scout out a place to say and get interviews, things would go so much smoother. 

   Yes, that would be perfect. Charlotte smiled. Willow would no doubt love it, from the farm animals to the gardens. Somewhere, she remembered reading that sisters were born with a bond that couldn’t be broken. Hopefully, it was true, and Lauren would adore her little sister.