“Trudy, dear, you know Mars is totally unreliable in the things he says. He’s a dear, sweet man, but he sometimes makes things up,” Inez pointed out.
Old man Mars was crotchety, mean, and known to throw fruit at cars if he was in a foul enough mood. Damon waited for lightning to strike Inez for her blatant lie, but nothing happened. The worst of it was, Damon wanted to know what old Mars had said about Sarah, even if it was a blatant lie. And that really irritated him.
Trudy leaned even closer, looked melodramatically to the right and left without even noticing he was there. Damon sighed heavily, wanting to shake the woman. “Do you remember the time little Paul Baily fell into that blowhole?”
“I remember that, now that you say. He was wedged in so tight and no one could get to him, he’d slipped down so far. The tide was coming in.”
“I was there, Inez, I saw her get him out.” Trudy straightened up. “Penny said she’d heard from her hairdresser that Sarah was working for a secret agency and she was sent to some foreign country undercover to assassinate the leader of a terrorist group.”
“Oh, I don’t think so, Trudy. Sarah wouldn’t kill anything.” The store owner’s hands fluttered to her throat in protest. “I just can’t imagine.”
Damon had had enough of gossip. If they weren’t going to say anything worth hearing, he was going to get the hell out of there before Inez turned her spotlight on him. He plunked his groceries down on the counter and looked as bored as he could manage. “I’m in a hurry, Inez,” he said, hoping to fa-
6 CHRISTINE FEEHAN
cilitate matters and avoid Inez’s usual attempts at matchmaking.
“Why, Damon Wilder, how lovely to sec you. Have you met Trudy Garret? Trudy is a wonderful woman, a native of our town. She works over at the Salt Bar and Grill. Have you been there to eat yet? The salmon is very good.”
“So I’ve heard,” he muttered, barely glancing at Trudy to acknowledge the introduction. It didn’t matter. They’d all made up their minds about him, making up the history he refused to provide. He felt a little sorry for the returning Sarah. They were making up things about her as well. “You might tell me about that beautiful old house on the cliffs,” he said, shocking himself. Shocking Inez. He never gave anyone an opening for conversation. He wanted to be left alone. Damn Sarah for being so mysterious.
Inez looked as if she might faint and for once she was speechless.
“You must know the one I’m talking about,” Damon persisted, in spite of himself. “Three stories, balconies everywhere, a round turret. It’s grown over quite wild around the house, but there’s a path leading to the old lighthouse. I was walking up there and with all the wild growth, I expected the house to be in bad shape, dilapidated like most of the abandoned homes around here, but it was in beautiful condition. I’d like to know what preservatives were used.”
“That’s private property, Mr. Wilder,” Inez said. “The house has been in the same family for well over a hundred years. I don’t know what they use in the paint, but it does weather well. No one lurks around that house.” Inez was definitely issuing a reprimand to him.
“I was hardly lurking, Inez,” he said, exasperated. “As you well know, the sea salt is hard on the paint and wood of the houses. That house is in remarkable condition. In fact, it looks newly built. I’m curious as to what was used. I’d like to preserve my house in the same way.” He made an effort to sound reasonable instead of annoyed. “I’m a bit of a chemist and I can’t figure out what would keep a house so pristine over the years. There’s no sign of damage from the sea, from age, or even insects. Remarkable.”
Inez pursed her lips, always a bad sign. “Well, I’m certain I have no idea.” Her voice was stiff, as if she were highly
Magic in the Wind 7
offended. She rang up his groceries in remarkable time without saying another word.