Cottage on Gooseberry Bay: Charmed Summer by Kathi Daley (big screen ebook reader txt) 📗

cottage, I gave them food and water, and then I headed to the shower. Since I had an hour or so before I had to meet up with Jemma and Josie, I had time to have a cup of coffee and scramble an egg. Once I’d showered and dressed, I headed out onto the deck with my breakfast. It really was another beautiful day in paradise.

Kai and Kallie were tired from our run, so they were happy to lay in the shade while I relaxed in my lounger. I thought about the charms as I sipped my coffee. I knew that the list from the Bay to Boardwalk Run was too extensive to be of much use, but if we had a second list to compare it to, perhaps a second event our charm bracelet owner participated in, we might be able to whittle the list down significantly.

I was interested to learn what, if anything, the woman who’d owned the bookstore could tell us. If the charm had been purchased by someone who was simply a one-time customer, I doubt there was much information she’d be able to provide, but if the charm was owned by a frequent customer, maybe she’d remember her.

And then there was the movie hint. Again, even if we could figure out which movie our woman with the charm bracelet wanted to remember, I really didn’t see how that could help us track her down. Unless, as I suspected, there actually was more to it. Movies on the Beach was a free event sponsored by the town, so I doubted there were employees associated with the event, but maybe volunteers. Someone had to choose the movies, run the projector, set up the screen, and clean up afterward. I might not have been living in Gooseberry Bay long, but I had been living here long enough to know that Hope Masterson was the person to ask if you had a volunteer question.

“Hope, it’s Ainsley,” I said after she answered my call.

“Ainsley, how are you?”

“I’m good. Really good, in fact.”

“I’m so happy to hear that. How is your PI business going?”

“I feel like it’s beginning to get some traction. Listen, the reason I’m calling is because I have a client who is trying to track down the owner of a charm bracelet.”

“A charm bracelet? You don’t say. I haven’t seen one of those in ages, although they used to be quite popular.”

“We have reason to believe the charm bracelet was assembled back in the nineties. Probably the mid-nineties. My client believes the charms are actually clues of a sort. One of the charms is a movie reel. I was chatting with Jemma and Josie last evening, and they told me about the annual Movies on the Beach event. They said the movies were around back then, so I’m pursuing that angle. The reason I called was to ask if the movie event is run by staff or volunteers.”

“The whole thing is run by volunteers. There is a committee in charge of selecting and obtaining the movies. They set the dates and are in charge of marketing and that sort of thing. A woman named Greta Barber chairs the committee. She’s a teacher at the high school during the school year, but she has quite a bit of free time during the summer, so she also takes charge of finding and supervising the volunteers who set up and run the snack bar.”

“Would she have been running the event back in nineteen ninety-six?”

“She would have. In fact, she’s been running this event since the late eighties when she took over for her aunt, who was also a teacher.”

“I’d like to talk to her about the charm bracelet. Do you know how I can get ahold of her?”

“I guess your best bet would be to show up at the high school at three o’clock when they let out. I’m sure she’ll be in her room for at least half an hour after the students leave.”

“Do you know which room I’d be able to find her in?”

“She teaches drama, so just head toward the theater. There’s an office in that building.”

“Okay, I’ll try that. Thanks.”

“Before you go,” Hope said. “Are you still planning to help out at the kiddie carnival in the park Saturday?”

“I have it on my calendar. You said to meet between eight and eight-thirty.”

“That’s still the case. Everyone is gathering at the volunteer table.”

“I’ll be there. Is there anything I need to bring?”

“Everything you’ll need will be provided. I’ll see you then, and good luck with your scavenger hunt.”

In a way, I supposed that my search for the meaning behind the charms was a type of scavenger hunt, although I hadn’t exactly been thinking of it that way. Realizing that I needed to get moving if I was going to meet Jemma and Josie on time, I got up and headed inside.

Chapter 6

Josie and Jemma were ready and waiting when I arrived. Josie had called ahead and spoken to Kendra Hart to confirm that she had planned to volunteer today and that she would have time to chat. The Gooseberry Bay museum was located up on a hill across from the south end of the bay. It was a brick building with a lot of charm that featured large windows and beautiful gardens. I imagined that as a bookstore, the place was charming, although it made a cozy and welcoming museum as well.

Since Josie was the one who knew Kendra the best, she introduced Jemma and me and then explained why we were there.

“I’m happy to help if I can. Do you have the charm?” Kendra asked.

“I have a photo of the charm. My client has the bracelet, but I’m sure she’d be happy to bring it by if you feel that seeing the actual bracelet is important.”