Page 36 of Kiss Me at Christmas
“Evaline is a powerful woman, and she maintains that power by ensuring that no one is in any doubt about who is in charge.”
“So essentially this is me being in detention.”
“Correct.”
“How come you got put into detention with me?”
“I’ve been asking myself the same question.”
“And why sell now? It’s been closed for almost half a century—why the sudden rush?”
James paused and leaned back against one of the seats.
“Shouldn’t your students be helping with this?” He waved an empty share bag of crisps like a flag.
He was evading her question. She could push, but it would be unfair if his silence was due to client confidentiality.
“They will.”I hope.
“If they show up at all.”
“They will.”They’d better!
“Your faith in them is rather endearing. Especially after they scarpered and left you to take the blame.”
“That isn’t how it happened.” Harriet would have expanded but for the shouts erupting from the foyer.
She and James hurried out to see what was happening.
“Miss! They won’t let us in!” Carly was brandishing a mop at two burly maintenance men.
Harriet aimed a self-satisfied grin at James before stepping forward.
“It’s okay, they’re with me,” she said, unable to squash the pride exploding in her heart as she saw that all five of them were there.
“Told you,” Billy grumbled at the men. He washolding a can of Mr. Sheen at his side, a yellow duster poking out of his pocket.
“It’s discrimination.” Ricco puffed out his chest.
Harriet flapped her hands to shush them. “They’re just doing their job,” she reasoned, pushing Carly’s mop down into a more passive position. “You don’t exactly look like a traditional cleaning crew.”
Leo—who had blue hair today—looked down at his oversized hoodie and acrylic-paint-splattered work boots and shrugged. Isabel—in a short bomber jacket and boyfriend jeans—jutted one hip out and rested her hand on it, drawling, “So judgmental!”
“I can vouch for them,” said Harriet. But the men only eyed her dubiously.
James stepped forward just as a wall of a man in a yellow high-viz jacket joined them.
“Mr. Knight,” the foreman exclaimed. “Surprised to see you here.” He was a broad, balding man in his early sixties, with deep laughter creases around his eyes and the booming voice of a no-nonsense Yorkshireman used to being heard and obeyed. Harriet liked him instantly.
“Not as surprised as I am to be here, I can assure you,” he replied. “Good to see you, Ken. These people are with me,” he said, gesturing uncertainly to the students. “They are helping with the cleanup. And this is Harriet Smith.” He turned to her and smiled politely. “She is the students’ teacher and responsible adult, and they are her charges. Harriet, this is Ken—Ken is the site manager and general head honcho around these parts.”
Ken nodded and shook her hand.
“Community service thing, is it?” he asked, giving a side nod to the famous five.
“Something like that,” Harriet smiled. “We’ll be putting on a Christmas production for the town, one lasthurrah for the theater before it becomes, well, whatever it becomes.” She tried to make it sound as though she was in control of the situation. If she said it with enough conviction, maybe she’d believe it herself.
“Will you now? Well, I wish you luck with it, I genuinely do. This old building deserves it before it’s overrun with fat cats.”
