about the cost, “if Andrea gets the fixtures.”
Andrea nodded. “Of course.” Her gaze crossed his, and he knew they were thinking the same thing. “It’ll be my contribution to the renovations.”
“I don’t want you to spend your money on this.” Katherine’s eyes darkened with distress. “After all, you didn’t think the inn was a good idea.”
She probably still didn’t, but she managed a smile. “I have to take part. The sign does say The Three Sisters Inn, after all.” She put her arm around her grandmother’s waist and urged her toward the stairs. “You go up to bed, Grams. I’ll just talk to Cal about the lights, and then I’ll see him out.”
“Thank you, dear.” Katherine patted her cheek, and then came over to touch him lightly on the shoulder. “And you, Cal. I don’t know what we’d have done without you tonight.”
“No problem,” he said easily. “Have a good night’s sleep.”
She nodded. “Come, Barney.” The dog padded obediently after her. “That’s my good, brave dog,” she crooned, starting up the stairs. “You were so clever to chase the bad man away.”
He waited until he heard her door close to shake his head. “I’ve never been overly impressed with Barney’s intelligence, and tonight confirmed that. He ran to me, recognizing a friend, instead of chasing the prowler.”
Andrea frowned. “Even if he’s not the brightest dog in the world, you’d think he’d go after a stranger.”
That thought had occurred to him, too, but he didn’t see anything to be gained by pursuing it now. If this was the same person who’d broken into several farmhouses, he could be someone local, even someone who’d been to the house before.
She sat down across from him, apparently willing to forget her annoyance in the need to talk with someone. “Do you think he was planning to steal something tonight, or just checking things out for a future visit?”
“I’m not sure.” He balanced the silver teaspoon on his finger. Silver, good china, antiques—there was plenty here to tempt a thief. “He may have wanted tosee where the best stuff was. I would expect him to come with a truck of some sort if he planned to haul away any antiques. Pennsylvania German pieces tend to be pretty hefty, to say the least.”
“I suppose you’re right. He did break the lock, though.”
“Meaning he wouldn’t have done that unless he planned to take something? I’m not sure you’re right. He couldn’t know what was there unless he got in to have a look around.”
“I guess.” She ran her hands through the silky strands of blond hair in a gesture of frustration. “I don’t even know what’s in the shed. How could they get away without a proper inventory when my grandfather died?” She sounded slightly outraged, as if lack of the right paperwork was a moral failing.
“Maybe that’s a good job for you.” It would keep her busy, anyway.
“I can’t imagine how long that would take. More time than I have, at any rate. But I’ll call a locksmith and have decent locks put on all those buildings.”
A slight feeling of sympathy surprised him. Andrea was trying to do the right thing for her grandmother, even if she didn’t agree with her decisions.
“I can put new locks on. We’ll get them when we go for the light fixtures tomorrow.”
“We?” Her eyebrows lifted.
“We. Unless you’re well-informed as to the best type of light fixtures and locks to use.”
Her eyes narrowed, and he could almost see her trying to pigeonhole him. “I thought you were a carpenter, not a handyman.”
“I know a little about a lot of useful things.”
“In that case, I’m surprised you didn’t offer to do the lights and the locks before,” she said tartly. “Since you were so quick to warn me about the danger.”
“I did. Numerous times.” He rose, carrying his cup and saucer to the sink. “Katherine always turned me down. She held tightly to the illusion that this place was
Andrea nodded. “Of course.” Her gaze crossed his, and he knew they were thinking the same thing. “It’ll be my contribution to the renovations.”
“I don’t want you to spend your money on this.” Katherine’s eyes darkened with distress. “After all, you didn’t think the inn was a good idea.”
She probably still didn’t, but she managed a smile. “I have to take part. The sign does say The Three Sisters Inn, after all.” She put her arm around her grandmother’s waist and urged her toward the stairs. “You go up to bed, Grams. I’ll just talk to Cal about the lights, and then I’ll see him out.”
“Thank you, dear.” Katherine patted her cheek, and then came over to touch him lightly on the shoulder. “And you, Cal. I don’t know what we’d have done without you tonight.”
“No problem,” he said easily. “Have a good night’s sleep.”
She nodded. “Come, Barney.” The dog padded obediently after her. “That’s my good, brave dog,” she crooned, starting up the stairs. “You were so clever to chase the bad man away.”
He waited until he heard her door close to shake his head. “I’ve never been overly impressed with Barney’s intelligence, and tonight confirmed that. He ran to me, recognizing a friend, instead of chasing the prowler.”
Andrea frowned. “Even if he’s not the brightest dog in the world, you’d think he’d go after a stranger.”
That thought had occurred to him, too, but he didn’t see anything to be gained by pursuing it now. If this was the same person who’d broken into several farmhouses, he could be someone local, even someone who’d been to the house before.
She sat down across from him, apparently willing to forget her annoyance in the need to talk with someone. “Do you think he was planning to steal something tonight, or just checking things out for a future visit?”
“I’m not sure.” He balanced the silver teaspoon on his finger. Silver, good china, antiques—there was plenty here to tempt a thief. “He may have wanted tosee where the best stuff was. I would expect him to come with a truck of some sort if he planned to haul away any antiques. Pennsylvania German pieces tend to be pretty hefty, to say the least.”
“I suppose you’re right. He did break the lock, though.”
“Meaning he wouldn’t have done that unless he planned to take something? I’m not sure you’re right. He couldn’t know what was there unless he got in to have a look around.”
“I guess.” She ran her hands through the silky strands of blond hair in a gesture of frustration. “I don’t even know what’s in the shed. How could they get away without a proper inventory when my grandfather died?” She sounded slightly outraged, as if lack of the right paperwork was a moral failing.
“Maybe that’s a good job for you.” It would keep her busy, anyway.
“I can’t imagine how long that would take. More time than I have, at any rate. But I’ll call a locksmith and have decent locks put on all those buildings.”
A slight feeling of sympathy surprised him. Andrea was trying to do the right thing for her grandmother, even if she didn’t agree with her decisions.
“I can put new locks on. We’ll get them when we go for the light fixtures tomorrow.”
“We?” Her eyebrows lifted.
“We. Unless you’re well-informed as to the best type of light fixtures and locks to use.”
Her eyes narrowed, and he could almost see her trying to pigeonhole him. “I thought you were a carpenter, not a handyman.”
“I know a little about a lot of useful things.”
“In that case, I’m surprised you didn’t offer to do the lights and the locks before,” she said tartly. “Since you were so quick to warn me about the danger.”
“I did. Numerous times.” He rose, carrying his cup and saucer to the sink. “Katherine always turned me down. She held tightly to the illusion that this place was
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