Page 32 of Winter Solstice
Raja’s handshake is a baggie of warm pudding. No surprises there.
“Welcome to Nantucket, both of you,” Eddie says. “My car is parked in the lot. We have six properties to look at, so we’d better get cracking.”
Masha lets out a whoop. “I like you already, Eddie. Ha! I’m a poet and I didn’t know it.”
“Right this way,” Eddie says.
Masha is a talker. Between the parking lot and the top of Main Street, Eddie learns the following: Masha is a hairdresser, grew up in Lynn, Massachusetts, and attended Empire Beauty School in Malden. Raja is also from Lynn. Both Masha and Raja attended Lynn Classical, but Raja was three years ahead, plus he was one of the smarties in the chess club, and Masha—as you can probably guess, Eddie—was a cheerleader who hung out with the real popular kids. Raja is an engineer with National Grid, and for fun he plays chess online. They have a West Highland terrier named Jack, who is “basically our child,” Masha says. Jack went with Masha to buy the Powerball ticket from Lanzilli’s, and three of the numbers Masha picked were the components of Jack’s birthday. So Jack is really the person responsible for the Christys’ good fortune, Masha says.
“Jack isn’t a person.” Raja speaks up from the back.
Masha swats Eddie’s arm. “That’s an engineer for you,” she says. “Hung up on details.”
Eddie laughs, then hopes that Raja doesn’t think Eddie is laughing at his expense.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Masha says. “I never shut up. It’s true. I’m a chatty Kathy. Raja is a man of few words, so I talk for both of us.”
Eddie can hold his own with pretty much anyone, but after being in the car with Masha for five minutes, he needs a break. He pulls onto Winter Street.
“I just have to make a quick stop,” Eddie says. “Drop off a listing sheet for some other clients who are putting their house on the market. Won’t take a minute.” He double-parks in front of the inn and slowly approaches the front door, savoring the moment of quiet. Eddie uses the knocker, and a few seconds later Bart Quinn opens the door. He’s holding a large bouquet of flowers.
“Hi?” Bart says.
“Bart, hi. Eddie Pancik,” Eddie says. He holds out the plain white envelope that contains the listing sheet. “Would you give this to your mother, please? Only your mother. It’s something she specifically requested.”
Bart takes the envelope, but he seems to be studying Eddie. “EddiePancik?You’re Allegra’s father, right?”
“Guilty as charged,” Eddie says.
“Is she at work right now?” Bart asks.
“As far as I know,” Eddie says.
“Great,” Bart says. “These flowers are for her, actually. I’m going to surprise her.”
“Well!” Eddie says. “I’m sure she’ll be thrilled. And you’ll give that envelope to your mom? Put it in her hands?”
“You bet,” Bart says. “Thanks for stopping by, Mr. Pancik.”
Eddie heads back to the car, buoyed by the interaction. Bart Quinn is a polite young man, a war hero, and thoughtful! What woman doesn’t want to get flowers? Eddie should bring Grace flowers tonight, for no reason other than that he loves and appreciates her. If it goes well with the Christys, he’ll get the flowers; otherwise, he can’t really justify the expense.
Eddie hasn’t mentioned anything to Grace about seeing Benton Coe. He has given it thought and has decided it’s best if Grace doesn’t know that Eddie knows that Benton has returned. He’s going to watch for changes in Grace’s behavior; you’d better bet he’s going to watch!
When he climbs back into the car, Masha is holding the second copy of the Winter Street Inn listing sheet.
“I want it,” Masha says.
“Excuse me?” Eddie says.
“This inn, it’s for sale, right? And I want to buy it. I’ve always wanted to run an inn. Haven’t I always wanted to run an inn, Raja?”
“This is the first I’ve heard of it,” Raja says.
“Probably because you tune out ninety percent of what I say.” Masha turns to Eddie. “If I’m not talking about dinner, he doesn’t hear me.”
“You’ve never once said you wanted to run an inn,” Raja says.
“Maybe I never said it because I never thought it was possible,” Masha says. “But now, with the money,anythingis possible.” She swats Eddie’s arm again. “For us, a couple of kids from Lynn.”
