Page 104 of Positively, Penelope

“I promise to act surprised. I’m very good at acting surprised, even when I know the truth.”

“Fine,” he groaned. “Grandfather reserved one of the best rooms at a top restaurant in Port Quinnick, but make certain to dress warm.”

“You’re taking me to Port Quinnick in half an hour?” she repeated, trying to sort it all out.

“Early enough that you can get a tour of the Kirk of Skree, if you’d like.” He added, “Matt said something about meeting you there, but that’s supposed to be a surprise too.”

Matthias was planning to meet her on the Kirk of Skree? She pinched her lips closed to hold in her squeal. How romantic!

She felt the sudden urge to sing “I’m in Love with a Wonderful Guy” fromSouth Pacific. Very island-ish. Of course,lovemight be a strong word at the moment, but her heart was definitely moving in that direction. “Well,thatadds a bit more strategy to the outfit then. I need to look my best for my date.”

“‘Date’?” His sigh blew through the phone receiver. “Of course, the two of you! You’re perfect, aren’t you?” He groaned again. “Well, never mind. I’ll see you in a trice. And don’t forget your coat. Like I said, the coastal winds are baltic this time of year.”

She ended the call and ran up the stairs to her room. For a split second, she thought about texting Matthias but then stopped. What would she say? If it was all a surprise, she didn’t want to give anything away. Her teeth skimmed over her bottom lip with her smile.

A date on Skree and then a surprise party for her? It sounded like the perfect way to celebratePeter PanandThe Sound of Musicand, well, the possibility of falling in love.

Chapter20

Matt searched through another set of emails and texts for the third time, looking for anything to give him a clue as to who had been giving information to Emblem Studios. He’d gone over things with Grandfather last night, after they’d learned of Emblem’s latest scheme. Penelope had mentioned Earnest Stevenson in the last email to GK, so it was likely that the person logging into that account had seen it. But who could have done so?

He looked over his list.

Website design.

The people in those meetings were himself, Grandfather, Gwynn, and Alec.

Newspaper placement.

Again, the same people had been in that meeting, along with Evelyn.

The parade.

Gwynn, Grandfather, and some of the community theater. But Penelope had shared it in an email with GK.

And she’d shared Earnest Stevenson’s name only with GK.

So the culprit had to be someone with access to the in-person meetingsandGK account.

Matt’s phone buzzed.

Text from Gwynn to Matt:Where are you right now?

Matt:In my office.

Gwynn:I’m coming to you.

He stood from his desk and walked to the threshold of his office to find Gwynn rushing down the hallway toward him. Her pale face and large gray-blue eyes sent his body into automatic defense.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Have you been here all morning?” She scanned past him into his office and then down the hallway, looking every bit the part of a scared rabbit.

“Mostly.” He drew closer. “I helped with some of the set preparations in the main theater for a few hours and just finished a meeting.”

“Then you wouldn’t have noticed. Not if you didn’t enter the museum this morning.” She looked back behind her and shook her head. “Someone could easily get in and out of here without being noticed.”

“What do you mean?”

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