Page 24 of Seabreeze Library

“Since you bought the house from the estate, were you curious to see if she left other properties or projects in her estate?”

Ivy shifted on her feet. “My late husband bought the house. I didn’t know about it until after he died. I don’t talk about that much.”

Libby looked surprised. “Oh. Do you know where the rest of her wealth went?”

Ivy was growing uncomfortable with the conversation centered on money. “As I understand, everything went to charity.”

“But what about that necklace you sold and the other jewelry and art you’ve found? Have you looked for anything else?”

Ivy had heard these questions before from other modern day treasure hunters. She needed to set Libby straight in case she was entertaining the idea. “Most of the items we found belonged to other people. We’ve been over every spot in this house, especially with the renovation underway. I assure you, there is nothing else. I hope that’s not why you’re here.”

Libby’s cheeks reddened, and she mumbled an apology. “I’ve heard some rumors, that’s all.”

“Don’t believe everything you hear,” Ivy said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to tend to something.”

Ivy hurried to the kitchen, where she saw her niece. “I thought you would sleep in.”

“Good morning,” Poppy said. “Turns out I couldn’t sleep very late. Do we have any of that homemade yogurt left?”

“In the fridge.” Seeing Poppy reach for one of the twin turquoise refrigerators, she added, “The yogurt is in Bertie, not Bert. I’ll have one, too.”

Poppy opened the door and pulled out two small cups of yogurt. “Do you plan to replace these vintage beauties with sleek stainless-steel models?”

“I thought about it, but the commercial size we’d need would be expensive. As long as these units are working, we could use those funds for something else. What do you think?”

“I think you’re right.” Poppy handed her a yogurt. “I’d miss these. They’re so cute.”

“Then I’ll have them serviced.” She sat on a stool across from Poppy at the long kitchen island. They stirred honey and cinnamon into the tart yogurt.

She hadn’t planned many renovations to the kitchen or their quarters other than necessary updates to electrical, plumbing, and other systems. The large kitchen was likely designed for the Erickson’s frequent entertaining, so it was suitable for their purposes, too. After Bennett surprised her with a dishwasher, there wasn’t much else she needed, other than additional electrical outlets and updated fixtures for the sink.

She would save money where she could in case there were unforeseen overages.

If there was enough left over, she planned to service the ovens and regrout the tile. She liked the house the way it was,except for the updates needed. It was comfortable, just as a beach inn should be.

Although dependable hot water and electrical circuits that didn’t trip when she plugged in a hairdryer were huge improvements.

Poppy looked up. “Not having guests will seem odd. I would say quiet, but we know it won’t be with Reed’s crew banging around. How are our last guests doing?”

“The doctor is fine. She’s going to the marina with her family to join Mitch on his afternoon coastal cruise.”

“And our bookmobile lady?”

“Libby asked some odd questions.” Ivy told her about the conversation.

“Sounds like she’s done her homework. But you felt uncomfortable?”

“I hope she’s not here to see what she might find.”

The rear door slammed shut, and Shelly strode in. “Who are you talking about?”

Ivy looked up. “The librarian.”

“If she’s one of those searching for hidden treasure around here, I’ll show her the door myself.” Shelly made a face as she kicked off her sneakers. “Tell her we beat her to it. And sadly, there’s nothing else here.” Shelly slid her feet into the gardening clogs she kept by the back door. “We’ll have to figure out how to make squillions on our own. And I’m starting with an overhaul of the vegetable garden for spring.”

“I can film the process for you,” Poppy offered. “I’m posting our progress on social media. I hope people will be excited to visit to see the finished result.”

Shelly glanced up. “When can we start taking reservations for late spring?”

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