Captiva Ever After (Captiva Island Series #7)

Maggie shrugged. “I know very little actually. She walked up to me when I was sitting under the gazebo. She told me her name and said she saw our ad for a housekeeper in the paper and hoped the position was still available. I told her it was, and then she sat and we talked a little about her background. That’s when I found out that she had a degree in Accounting. I have her resume, do you need to see it?”

Ciara shook her head. “No need. I was just curious about her. Where does she live?”

“I believe here on the island. She was born here but moved to Maine right after. She was a caretaker for her mother while she was sick and then after she passed, she decided to come back to Captiva. I don’t believe she has any children and I’m not sure, but she might have said she was divorced. I’m sorry, but I can’t remember exactly what she said about that.”

Ciara didn’t want to alarm Maggie, but something didn’t sit right with her and so she wanted to get Maggie’s opinion.

“It just seems strange to me that with what it costs a person to live on the island, I think you’d have to have a bit of money in the bank to even consider it, but I don’t think Millie has any money.”

Maggie was confused. “I’m sorry but how in the world would you know that?”

Ciara shrugged. “Millie came to stay at the shelter during the storm. She slept on one of the cots in the auditorium. Now, I suppose you can have money and still come to the shelter, but Millie is the first person from Captiva Island that we’ve had at the shelter. Most of our clients live in Fort Myers. Sanibel and Captiva residents typically stay in the dance hall if they stay on the island or travel off-island if they want to get far away from the path of the hurricane. They don’t come to the shelter in Fort Myers.”

Maggie’s face changed with Ciara’s words. “That’s strange. Millie told me that she was going to stay with friends who lived north of Captiva. I called her right before we left for West Palm Beach. Why would she lie to me about where she was going?”

“Maybe she was embarrassed that she had to go to a shelter?” Chelsea added.

“All I’m saying is that I think you need to get more information about her and her past. It may be nothing to worry about, but you don’t want someone working here whom you can’t trust. First, find out why she lied before you judge. I might be overreacting.”

Whether she was overreacting or not, Ciara felt right to have told Maggie. Whatever secrets Millie was keeping from her new employer, Maggie needed to find out what they were…and fast.

* * *

Linda St. James didn’t wait for Crawford to talk to Maggie. On her travels to meet with other businesses on the island, she decided to stop in to see Maggie Moretti first.

“Linda! This is a surprise. How have you been? I heard your place had minimal damage.”

“Hello, Maggie. Hi Chelsea…Ciara. Yes, of course my place upstairs from the newspaper is fine, but some of my equipment didn’t fare too well. I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, but I won’t be able to get Beth’s wedding announcement in the paper after all. Your ad isn’t the only one that will suffer I’m afraid. That’s what I’m dealing with today, I’m walking the island and meeting with everyone I can. Some will keep their spot for a future ad, but yours is so time sensitive, I wanted to return your check. I won’t be able to place the ad after all.”

Remembering how upset Maggie had been about the whole newspaper advertisement debacle, Chelsea braced herself for a barrage of unpleasantries between the two women.

Instead, Maggie smiled and then hugged Linda. “Oh, you poor thing. I’m so sorry to hear this. I know how I’d feel if the hurricane damaged the Key Lime Garden Inn. What can I do to help?”

Chelsea wasn’t the only one who was gobsmacked at Maggie’s change in attitude. Linda looked like she’d just been hit over the head with a two-by-four.

“Well, um, I don’t know. I do have insurance but it will be a while before I can collect on that. I’m not the only one who needs the money. For now, I guess I’ll just hope I can afford to repair the machines and get the business up and running as soon as I can.”

Maggie put her arm around Linda “I tell you what. Why don’t you keep my check and use it to help until the insurance money comes in. You can’t afford to wait for them, it might take months. I’m sure that I’m not the only islander who would support keeping your business afloat. Let’s see if Crawford and his boys might pass the word around town.”

Maggie looked at Ciara and Chelsea and then back at Linda. “Chelsea and Ciara will spread the word too, won’t you ladies?”

“Of course, Linda. We’re happy to help,” Ciara answered. “I’ll tell Crawford our plans.”

“Yeah, me too,” Chelsea chimed in, although Maggie could tell that her friend was just going along for the pure entertainment of it all.

Linda seemed genuinely touched, and even looked like she was about to cry. “Maggie, I don’t know what to say.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I know if the shoe was on the other foot, you’d do the same for me.”

Maggie didn’t have to turn to look at Chelsea, since she could already sense her bestie was suppressing a chuckle at Maggie’s words.

“Oh, yes, of course I would,” Linda said.

Just then, Millie walked into the kitchen.

“Good morning, everyone. I hope I’m not late,” Millie said.

“Good morning, Millie. Let me introduce you to our neighbor and friend. This is Linda St. James. She runs the local newspaper. You might have seen it…the Captiva Chronicle?”