Chapter One
The kitchen was filled with the scent of fresh maple and pecans. On the stove a few remaining sausages sizzled in a pan.
“This is absolutely delicious, and I’m not just saying that because I’m your grandfather.” He sunk his fork deep into the stack of pancakes on his plate. “It’s nutty, and sweet, and rich, all at the same time.” He licked some of the butter off his lips. “It’s amazing.”
“I’m glad that you like it.” Kerri beamed as she took a bite of her own pancakes. “I love having you around to taste my experiments. Now I know I can add it to my list of recipes and maybe bottle some for the shop. It’s no fun to cook for one.”
“No maybes about it.” He took another bite, then chewed for a moment, before he continued. “This stuff would sell like crazy. That is if I don’t buy it all first.”
“You don’t have to buy it, you live here.” She laughed as she finished her last bite.
“For now.” He nodded, as he collected her plate then added it to his own to take to the sink. “But when I get my own place, I’m going to need my own supply.”
“Oh, that’s right.” Her smile faltered some. She’d gotten rather used to her grandfather living with her. After all of the years that she had very little contact with him, it had been a pleasant change to get to know him so well. Although, there was a little time of adjustment, as she decided whether she could trust him, lately their relationship had grown stronger. It was still hard for her to wrap her head around the fact that he was a retired spy, and apparently it was the family business. All of this was news to her, and it had taken some time for her to believe him. But with her father’s confirmation, she discovered that there was an entirely different side to her family history than she ever knew.
“The place I’m looking at today has promise. We’ll see.” He began to wash the dishes.
“You know, you could stay here if you want. I don’t mind.” She began to wipe down the table and clean up the butter and syrup. “I really enjoy your company.”
“That’s very sweet of you, Kerri, but you’re a young woman. You need your freedom.” He turned off the water and grabbed a towel to dry the dishes. “I’d drive you crazy eventually.”
“Maybe.” She laughed as she recalled his lectures about locked doors, determining whether someone is trustworthy, and always having a weapon of some kind at hand. He taught her how to use her keys as a weapon, how to grab whatever was available and turn it into a weapon, and even to use her own body as a weapon. He’d always been adamant about encouraging her to know how to defend herself.
Now she understood why. “But, there’s no rush.”
“Thank you.” He finished putting the dishes away, then turned to face her. “I know there’s still a lot we need to sort out. But one thing you never have to question is how much I love you, Kerri. I had hoped that when I joined you here, we would be able to find some common ground. I had no idea that you’d be so forgiving and welcoming. You truly are a special person.”
“And you’re partial.” She grinned at him.
“If you say so.” He shrugged, then leaned back against the counter as he looked at her. “So, what do you have in store for today?”
“I’m just going to go into the shop. I have to package up the honey roasted peanuts and cinnamon almond biscotti I made yesterday.” She smiled. “I also have an online auction I can watch for some unique items from China I’ve had my eye on.”
“Unique, as in chocolate covered bugs?” He scrunched up his nose.
“For someone who has traveled much more than I have, you have very limited taste.” She tied her brown hair in a loose braid. “It’s not chocolate covered bugs. It’s a collection of panda statues. I think they would make a great filler for an international basket.”
“That does sound better than chocolate covered bugs.” He chuckled. “I’m sure it’ll make a great basket. You have such a creative mind.”
“Thank you. I suppose it’s genetic?”
“Hmm, maybe from your mother’s side. I wouldn’t know how to put a basket together unless it was filled to the brim with weapons and tactical tools.” His eyes widened. “Hey, that would make a great basket, wouldn’t it?”
“I’m not sure.” She shook her head. “It sounds a little too dangerous to shrink wrap.”
“That, it would be.” He grinned. “I’ll check in with you later.” He grabbed his keys, wallet, and sunglasses. Then he headed out the door. She watched him go, and for just a moment she wondered if he would come back. She could never be sure if the wind would blow him in another direction. But as for herself, she was settled. She loved the little town she now called home. Her shop, ‘Nuts about Nuts’, was the best part of her day, and her best friend, Cashew, was always around to cheer her up.
Just then, Cashew skated across the kitchen floor towards her.
“There you are.” She grinned as she scooped up the Yorkshire Terrier. “I’m surprised you weren’t camped out under the table looking for scraps. What were you up to?” She ran her hand over her long fur then set the dog back down. She bolted straight towards the living room. She laughed as she followed her. However, her laughter faded when she saw the state of the couch cushions. “Cashew!” She groaned. “The furniture is not to chew on!” She sighed as she gathered the bits of stuffing off the floor. She loved her dog, no question, but sometimes she was a little too cheeky. After closer inspection, she saw that the cushions would only need a bit of sewing. She put them on the table so Cashew couldn’t reach them, then turned back to her “You know better, silly pup.” She reached down and patted the top of her head. “I guess I’ve already forgiven you. Maybe you need a good long walk?” She hooked on her leash and led her outside.
The town was quiet, and though she’d gotten to know a few of her neighbors, people tended to keep to themselves. She took a breath of the fresh air and savored the way it filled her lungs. Yes, things were slower now that she’d settled down, but that only meant that she had the chance to truly enjoy each moment. Once she returned Cashew to the house, she hopped into her car and headed into town.
* * *
On the drive to the shop, Kerri marveled at the simplicity of Cascade Grove. Its quiet surroundings and pristine reputation were all part of the reason she’d made it her home. However, the things that had drawn her in the most were the endless woods, the waterfalls, and the kindness of the people. In most places, especially small towns, it took the locals a long time to embrace a newcomer, but once they did they were very welcoming. She parked in front of the shop, and stepped out of her car. When she caught sight of Wade, the owner of the tool shop next to hers, she smiled and waved to him.
“Morning, Kerri.” He nodded to her, but didn’t pause to chat like he usually did. “Good morning,” she called out as she unlocked the door and stepped inside.
With her grandfather’s voice echoing in the back of her mind, she locked the door behind her. She wasn’t quite ready to open up for the day. She dropped her purse and phone off behind the counter then headed to the back to pack up some of the honey roasted peanuts and biscotti she had made at home the day before. It was the first time she had made the biscotti, but the peanuts were very popular with quite a few of her customers, including Wade. She intended to take some over to him once they were packed up.
Once she had packaged up the nuts, she grabbed a handful of leftover peanuts and carried them out behind the shop. The shop, like just about everything else in the town, backed up to the woods. Her favorite squirrel bounded out to greet her the moment she stepped outside. He knew that she would have treats for him. He used to just come up to the back of her house, but recently he had made his way to the shop. Maybe he had worked out that he would get more nuts if he came to the shop, because she was there for most of the day. She scattered a few of the nuts on the ground, then crouched down to watch him scoop them up. She kept a few in her hand and held it open to the squirrel.
“Want some more, buddy, hmm?” She smiled as he swished his bushy tail at her.
He eyed her with familiar skepticism. Just about every morning they had the same interaction. She would save a few nuts in her hand, and coax him to come closer. He would gaze at her as if she was plotting to kidnap him, and back away a few steps.
But after a few minutes, he always walked right up to her hand. Today was no different. Once he decided he’d played scared long enough, he marched right up and snatched the peanuts from her hand. She grinned.
“See? Nothing to be afraid of, I will always look out for you. You look out for me, don’t you?” She smiled as he waved his tail and gazed at her with his deep dark eyes. The squirrel had become a friend to her, though it was hard to explain to anyone else. He also seemed to be a very intelligent creature who knew everything that went on in town. She’d seen him hurl acorns at people he didn’t like, and fluff his tail out when someone he did approached. She found it fascinating that the small animal trusted his instincts and always found a way to con her out of more nuts.
Suddenly his ears perked up, as if he’d heard something. In the next second he was gone, his tiny body sprang into action at full speed and disappeared up a nearby tree. She laughed as she watched him go.
“I wonder what spooked him?” She wiped her palms together and stepped back into the shop.
Kerri washed her hands then opened the shop for business. So far, ‘Nuts about Nuts’ had been welcomed both by the locals and the tourists who frequented the small town of Cascade Grove. It would take some time before she turned a profit, but things were going well. As soon as she unlocked the door, a middle-aged couple stepped inside. Kerri guessed they must have been waiting out front for her to open. That wasn’t too unusual, as whenever she posted on her website that she got a new batch of items in, some of her more loyal customers would practically camp out to be the first ones to sort through it. However, this particular couple she didn’t recognize. She assumed they were visiting from another area.
“Oh, I do love this shop!” The woman smiled with delight as she picked up a tiny knickknack off the shelf. “You have such lovely unique things.”
“I’m so glad that you like it. I try to make sure I offer a variety.” She smiled. “What is that delicious smell?” Her husband sniffed the air.
“It’s probably these almond biscotti.” She held up a plate with some on. “Would you like to try one. I personally think it’s great paired with one of the coffee flavors from Peru.” She gestured towards the shelf with an assortment of coffees from around the world on display.
“Yum, you’re speaking my language.” He chuckled as he tried one and handed one to his wife. “Sure, I’ll take some, and some of the coffee.” He picked up one of the boxes. While his wife looked through the items on the shelf, Kerri noticed that her husband strolled back and forth rather aimlessly. Now and then something would catch his eye, but he would move on from it. She decided she needed to make sure she had more items that men might be interested in. Perhaps some foreign knives, or unique card games, to balance out all of the statues and jewelry she offered. As she made a note of that on the pad beside the register, the two customers made their way to the front counter.
“Just a second, I’ll get you the biscotti.” She stepped into the back and grabbed the package. When she returned to the counter, something felt different. The two stared out through the large front window, but were silent.
“Is everything okay?” She looked towards the window as well.
“Yes, fine.” The woman smiled as she slid her selections across the counter. “This will be all.”
“And don’t forget the biscotti.” Her husband winked.
“I won’t.” Kerri smiled as she held up the package. “Freshly packed.” “Mmmm.” He sighed as he sniffed the bag.
“I’ll throw in a complimentary bag of honey roasted peanuts.” “Thanks.” He smiled.
She rang up the items, then scanned their credit card. She tucked a business card and a small pamphlet featuring some of her more popular products into their bag, then handed it over to them.
“Thank you both so much. Have a wonderful day.” “Thanks. You too.” He smiled in return.
“We’ll be back, don’t worry!” His wife laughed before she followed him out the door. Kerri felt inspired by their visit. It always filled her with happiness to know that people found enjoyment in what she offered. Even if someone seemed a little down when they first walked in, after they marveled over the selection, they always left at least a little happier. With the shop empty once more, she ducked into the back and grabbed another bag of honey roasted peanuts. She carried it through the shop, and locked the door behind her as she stepped out. Even though she could see her shop from Wade’s, she didn’t want to take any chances. Her grandfather’s warnings were finally taking hold. She couldn’t blame him for his suspicious nature, with his history as a spy, he’d seen a lot. His motto was to always be prepared. Some of that flew in the face of Kerri’s casual nature, but she was learning that some aspects of his advice were very valuable.
As she removed the key from the lock the first thing she noticed was the horrible scent. Thick smoke filled her nostrils and sent her senses into a whirlwind reaction. She looked up to see flames shooting out of the windows of Wade’s shop.
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