Page 56 of Seabreeze Library

However, the call went straight to voice mail, so she left a message for Lea Martin, Amelia’s great-niece. As she hung up, a shadow crossed her table.

“Well, well. What are you doing here?”

Ivy looked up to see her sister Shelly standing beside her table, sunglasses pushed over her windblown hair, a shopping bag dangling from her wrist. “I could ask the same of you.”

“Java Beach isn’t good enough for you anymore?” Shelly slid into the chair across from Ivy without waiting for an invitation. “The gang’s all there working on the Bookfest plan. I just left.”

Ivy closed her notebook. “I figured you, Poppy, and Libby had it under control. I needed a quiet space to make a few calls. How’s it going on the project?”

“It’s going to be fabulous,” Shelly said, her enthusiasm bubbling over as she set her shopping bag down. “We’ve already got half the town involved. Libby is amazing. She has authorslined up, and Poppy is working her event-planning magic. She constructed a master spreadsheet. It’s going to come together very quickly.”

“That’s great. What have you done with Daisy?”

“Darla stole her,” Shelly replied. “Brought a stroller and is parading her around town to all her friends. Just like a true grandma. I took advantage of the break to run some errands and was heading back when I spotted you. Since when do you hang out here by yourself, looking mysterious behind your dark sunglasses?”

Ivy lowered her sunshades. “Like I said, I needed to make some phone calls.”

“About what?” Shelly leaned forward, her eyes narrowing with interest.

“I’m trying to find out if there might be a dormant bank account in Switzerland and how to pursue it.”

Shelly’s eyebrows shot up. “Do you think we could?”

“I’ve been researching, and there are still unclaimed accounts from the war years. The question is how to go about claiming one. We can’t show up waving an old piece of paper.”

Shelly rubbed her hands together. “This sounds like something out of a movie. Numbered accounts and all that. Do you really think there might be something there?”

“Maybe. If that’s a bank account number, and if it still exists. And if it’s in one of the Erickson’s names.”

Shelly stared at her for a moment. “Look, I’m the first to think about the money, but in this case, it was so long ago.” Shaking her head, she reached across the table and squeezed Ivy’s hand. “I can’t believe money just hangs out somewhere without anyone noticing. I don’t want to see you disappointed if this treasure hunt hits a dead end.”

The concern in Shelly’s eyes caught Ivy off guard, despite how much they’d been through together. “I know the odds,but I need to try. For Summer Beach and the library everyone deserves.”

“Don’t forget the art museum,” Shelly added. “That’s your dream, but you’ve hardly mentioned it.”

Maybe because that seems so personal, Ivy thought. She’d love to curate a small collection. “That, too, of course.”

Shelly studied her for a moment, then nodded. “So who are you going to call?”

“I already talked to Raquel in Mallorca,” Ivy replied. “And I tried to reach Lea Martin, but I’m not sure if she’s in London or Germany with her new husband. I left a message, so maybe she’ll call me back.”

“Okay, who’s next?” Shelly asked.

“Viola, in San Francisco. She might have some advice.”

Shelly waved to Hallie, motioning for another cup for coffee. “Make your call. I’ll stay to give you moral support.”

Ivy started to shoo her away but stopped. If they managed to recover funds for the library, it would be Shelly’s win as much as hers. She’d stuck by Ivy since the beginning.

Since childhood, in fact.

“Okay. Here goes.” Ivy tapped Viola’s number on her phone and put it on speaker. After several rings, a distinct, formal male voice answered.

“Good morning. Standish residence. Who’s calling, please?”

Ivy recognized the houseman’s voice. “Hello, Leon. This is Ivy Bay from Summer Beach calling for Mrs. Standish.”

“Yes, of course,” Leon replied with warmth in his voice. “How nice to hear from you. One moment, I will see if Madam is available.”

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