Page 36 of Saltwater Sweets
“What are you talking about? I don’t even know him! I came over to talk to Ellie.” Sam was indignant.
Cole glanced at Ellie, who nodded.
“I’m not sure I can believe you. You lied about being at Saltwater Sweets this morning. You took my father’s wallet and snuck in to wedge it under the desk so you could make that ridiculous show of dropping your chocolate and finding it, didn’t you?”
Hugh, Gina, and Jules, who had been swiveling their heads to follow the conversation, raised their brows at Sam.
Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. “Okay. That’s true. I admit I was wrong. I didn’t mean to take your father’s wallet. It was sort of an accident.”
“An accident?” Cole was incredulous.
“It was on the desk, and I just peeked inside. I only wanted to see his Social Security number. I wanted to do a little background check on him and make sure he wasn’t trying to pull a scam on my mother. But she caught me, and I had to put the wallet in my purse, and then, well… sneaking into the store in the morning before anyone got there was the only way I could return it.”
“You’re investigating my father?” Cole asked.
Sam crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the others, who were following the conversation like a television soap opera. Sam half expected one of them to get up and make popcorn. “Yeah. And a good thing too. I know what he did to Mary Newcomb. Was he planning to do the same to my mother?”
“Did your private investigator dig up that information?” Cole glanced at Ellie.
“What? No. I didn’t hire a private investigator. I don’t have Ellie digging into anything yet. I googled.”
“Ellie is digging into things for me.” Gina pointed to Hugh.
Cole barely heard her as his attention was fixed on Sam. “So you’re making a judgement about my father based on something you found on the internet? For your information, Mary Newcomb was our cleaning lady. She wanted to start her own business, and my father generously offered to help her out. He didn’t even want a cut of her business, but Mary insisted. She said her pride wouldn’t let her take handouts.”
Sam’s gaze narrowed. She didn’t quite buy that story, but he sounded so sincere. Except something didn’t sit right. How had he known they had Hugh in here?
“You came bursting in here like you knew we were all here with Hugh. How did you know that?” Sam asked.
Now it was Cole’s turn to be embarrassed. “Well, I saw Ellie’s car, and then I saw you come over. I guess I didn’t actually know that he was here, but I figured you two were up to something and wanted to find out what it was. Looks like I was right since you just admitted that you were investigating my father. I saw Hugh through the window and had no choice but to try to apprehend him.”
“So youwerespying on me!” Sam said.
“Maybe. But for good reason. I need to protect my father, and it’s clear that you and your mother were planning to use him for his money to buy new equipment for Saltwater Sweets.”
“What are you talking about? We haven’t taken any of his money. I actually discussed this with my mother earlier today. She said he offered to pay for some new equipment, but she didn’t really want to take him up on it. If anyone is up to something, it’s your father. My mom overheard him telling someone that Deena must not find out about some big secret earlier today. He’s hiding something, and I want to know what it is.”
“You’re right. He is hiding something. An engagement ring. He wanted it to be a surprise. That’s what she can’t find out.”
“Awww, that’s so sweet,” Jules said, eliciting a frown from Cole.
It was kind of sweet. If it was true. But why would Cole make that up? And now that she thought about it, the article she’d read about Mary Newcomb had cast Chuck in a good light. It had never said anything about him taking advantage, and in fact, it had sounded like she wouldn’t have been able to finance the business without him.
Had she just interpreted things in a negative way? Chuck had been working hard at getting them all to get along since she’d come to town. And he’d even restored that sailboat at no cost to her mother. Her mother had mentioned how delighted she’d been when he’d suggested it and how he had done all the work and paid for all the supplies.
“So you mean he’s not trying to steal the business?”
Cole scowled. “No. Why would he? My dad has plenty of money of his own, as I’m sure you know.”
“Actually, I don’t know. My mother never mentioned anything about whether he had money, and I haven’t done that kind of digging into his finances.”
“I think maybe you guys have been making the wrong assumptions for the right reasons. I get that you wanted to protect your parents. That makes sense. But I’ve seen Deena and Chuck together, and those two are smitten with each other,” Gina said. “I think the two of them just simply fell in love.”
“I agree, and they’re perfect for each other too,” Jules added.
“And now we might’ve ruined it by getting them to suspect each other.” Sam glanced up at Cole.
She felt like the worst kind of heel. Hermom deserved happiness, and so did Chuck.
