Page 54 of Threads of Kindness
“Gordon texted me this morning to say he found something interesting in the Rosemont attic,” Anita said. “But he wouldn’t tell me what.”
“Oh, that sounds promising,” Sunday said. “You’ll have to let me know.”
“He’s going to the Olsson House after dinner to look at what Judy found in her attic,” Anita said. “The two of them were texting up a storm last night. I stuck my head in Celebrations earlier this morning to see if Judy would spill the beans. Neither of them is talking. I think they want to put the entire story together before they share it.”
“That’s fun,” Sunday said. “I’m eager to learn what they’ve discovered. It might give me a new direction for my research.”
“Why don’t you join them at the Olsson House tonight?” Anita said. “I’m sure they won’t mind. You’re part of the research team, too.”
“I’d like that,” Sunday said. “I’ll call Judy to make sure it’s okay with them.”
Anita leaned toward her. “If you find out anything, will you let me know?”
“And spoil their surprise? Not a chance,” Sunday said. “Some things are worth the wait—and I have a feeling this will be one of them.”
CHAPTER 27
Anita answered Gordon’s call on the first ring.
“I know it’s almost nine,” he said. “Is it too late for Judy and me to stop by? We think we’ve unraveled the mystery of the Candy Alley bootlegger.”
“That’s exciting!” Anita said. “I can’t wait to hear all about it. Of course you can come over, but I’m still at the bridal shop.”
“I didn’t know you planned to work late tonight,” Gordon said. “I thought business was slow right now.”
“I’m not working on bridal shop business,” she said. “I’m dumping bootleg whiskey down the drain.”
“What?”
“We don’t know if the whiskey is safe to drink, so I won’t want it hanging around. I asked Sam and Jeff to have one of their crew bring the crates up from the basement and over here to the shop. They did that this afternoon. I got busy right after closing time.”
“You’ve been uncorking bottles and pouring the contents down the drain for almost four hours?” he asked.
“I took a break and ran over to Pete’s for dinner. To tell you the truth, the repetition has been cathartic. I pulled up my favorite playlist of Broadway show tunes, and it’s actually fun.”
“Are you almost done?” he asked.
“I’ve got three more crates to go,” she said.
“How about if Judy, Sunday, and I come to the bridal shop to present our findings?” he said. “I’ll stay and help you finish up.”
“I wouldn’t say no to either of those,” she said.
“We’ll see you in about five minutes,” he replied.
Anita finished emptying the bottles in the crate she’d been working on before her friends arrived. She locked the front door behind them and escorted them to one of the high, rectangular worktables that sat empty beneath a bright overhead light.
“Oh, this will be perfect,” Judy said. “Much better than my kitchen table.”
Gordon opened his satchel and spread its contents across the table: dog-eared newspaper clippings, a receipt book, a cloth-bound diary stained with age, a packet of handwritten letters tied with a frayed velvet ribbon, and a folded telegram.
“I believe these supply the answers we’ve been seeking,” Gordon said, gesturing to the items on the table.
Sunday and Judy perched on tall stools, while Anita leaned against the edge of the table, peering down at the items like they were puzzle pieces.
“Candy Alley was started in 1903 by Charlotte’s grandparents,” Gordon began. “Her grandmother’s parents were successful candy makers in Boston, and her grandmother’s older brother was set to inherit the business. Charlotte’s grandparents moved to Westbury as newlyweds with her family’s blessing and the recipes from the Boston store. They bought the building, set up shop, and were off to a fine start in the prosperous, turn-of-the-century community of Westbury.”
He picked up the bundle of letters.
