Page 42 of The Seven Rings
Curious, Cleo wandered over. “I love them! Hang these, and we’ve transformed a room. A good day’s work. I’ve got a couple bowl-and-pitcher sets on the other side of the attic. And we’ve got the trunks to get through.”
“What happened to a good day’s work?” Owen wondered.
“Day’s not over,” Cleo told him.
“The trunks can wait. I’ve got about an hour before I have to shift to kitchen duty, and I’m sticking with my system. But I want to see the bowls and pitchers.”
When they walked to the other side of the attic, Owen scanned the space. “You know, all this? It could take months. Literally months.”
Trey just shrugged. “You going somewhere?”
When Cleo let out a laugh and Sonya’s rolled with it, Owen let out a sigh. “Doesn’t look like it.”
Chapter Six
Sonya decided to keep what she thought of as the everyday treasure box in the Quiet Place—the guest room where Cleo had her spillover clothes. They’d add to it, no doubt, on the next search.
Maybe nothing, so far, provided any insight on recovering the seven rings, but every piece gave her more insight on the Poole family.
And yes, she thought again, it mattered.
But it was time to return to the now, and the now meant dinner.
It struck her.
“Shit, shit! I forgot the cake. I probably should’ve made the cake first.”
“Not according to my mama. The shortcake’ll get soggy. I’ll handle the cake.”
“Really? All yours. I have to make the fries—did you know you’re supposed to soak the potatoes?”
“Now?”
“No, after I play the mandoline, which I’m about to do. Then, the barbecue sauce. I didn’t even know you could make barbecue sauce. Why would you make something you can get in a bottle? A deal’s a deal,” she reminded herself, and got to work.
While the pork rested on a cutting board, she started slicing scrubbed potatoes.
“Okay, this is easier than I thought.”
As Cleo slid a baking pan into the oven, the dumbwaiter in the butler’s pantry rumbled.
“Oh God.” Sonya actually felt her blood run cold. “I haven’t touched that thing since the rat incident.”
“Nothing says you have to now. I can get Owen and Trey.”
“No.” Her pulse pounded, but Sonya steeled herself. “I told them to go out and have a beer on the deck. They can’t be here twenty-four seven to deal with things like this. But… stay close.”
“Right beside you.”
Sonya stepped in. “She’s been quiet today. It’d be just like her to… Screw it, and her.” She yanked it open, prepared to slam it shut again.
Inside she found a kitchen appliance.
“It’s a deep fat fryer,” Cleo identified. “I didn’t know we had one. I was going to help you make the fries in a skillet. This is better.”
“You know how to work this?”
“No. That’s what the internet is for.” Cleo hauled it out. “It’s clean as a whistle. Thanks, Molly.”
