My Sweet Valentine by Jill Sanders Page B

cracks. Now, however, it looked like someone had thrown a brick through it. Rushing to her car, she stopped just in front. The glass was punched through completely in one section and a large gaping hole was letting all the water in as the light rain continued. She noticed something dark sitting on her front seat and rushed to unlock her door.
     
    How could this have happened? The front windows overlooked the parking lot. When she finally had the door open, she looked down at a large chunk of stone. Turning, she looked at the side of Patty's building. Nothing looked like it had fallen off it. The tall stairs leading up to Amber's apartment looked sturdy. Sara locked her door again and walked to the front of the store.
     
    Patty O'Neil was a larger woman in her late sixties. She wore bright colors and almost always had a smile on her face. Sara had always thought of her as Pride's very own welcome wagon. Patty was the person organizing all the get-togethers in town, although most people didn't know it. Sara had found out one day when she'd been coming out of the bathroom of the store. She'd overheard Patty on the phone with someone. She was busy telling the person who to call and what dishes they should bring.
     
    When Sara walked into the store, Patty smiled and stopped her conversation with another woman. Ruth was as high society as Pride got. She was always meticulously dressed and Sara had never seen a hair out of place on the older woman's head.
     
    “Well, hello there, Sara. Ruth and I were just saying we can't wait til your bakery opens. Weren't we Ruth?” Patty looked to the other woman for confirmation.
     
    “Yes, it's on everyone's minds what you'll be calling it.” Ruth and Patty leaned forward a bit.
     
    Sara smiled. “Sara's Nook.”
     
    “Oh, how wonderfully fitting.” Both women smiled and Ruth clapped her hands.
     
    “Patty, I wanted to stop in and let you know, I think part of your building fell off and hit my car. I'm not a hundred percent sure, but it looks like part of the stone from the back wall.”
     
    “Oh, no! How dreadful. Are you alright?” The larger woman rushed over to where she was.
     
    “I'm fine. It must have happened sometime during the day. I'm afraid it went right through my windshield, though.”
     
    “Oh goodness. Let's go take a look. Ruth, would you mind the store. Oh, and give Robert a call would you. Just in case. He can take a look and make sure nothing else is loose.”
     
    Patty put on a large purple raincoat and grabbed a bright yellow umbrella.
     
    As they stood in front of Sara's car, Patty shook her head and made a tsking noise. “It sure looks like that's what happened.” Then she turned and looked at the side of the tall building. “How on earth do you suppose that happened? It doesn't look like anything is missing.”
     
    “That's what I thought. Wouldn't there be a hole somewhere?” They both stood there looking up into the rain at the side of the building. When a car pulled up they both greeted Robert, the local sheriff. Robert was almost ten years older than Sara, but they'd always gotten along well.
     
    “Well,” he looked at the old building and pointed his searchlight at the side of the wall. “I don't see anything out of place. But just in case, I'd hire an inspector to take a look first chance you have, Patty.”
     
    “Most definitely. Do you think the building is safe?”
     
    “Yes, I see no reason to be concerned. It's just a small chunk.” Robert pulled the piece out of Sara's front seat. “Do you have a garage to park this in tonight?”
     
    Sara nodded her head. “I can have my mother park in the driveway.”
     
    “Well, my insurance will pay for the replacement. Just call Rusty and have him do it. Tell him to bill me and we'll take care of it all.”
     
    “I'd suggest telling everyone to park away from the building until you get it looked at.”
     
    “Of course. We're just lucky no one was hurt.”
     
    Robert