Mayhem at the Orient Express Read Online Free

partiers.”
    “Which only reinforces the fact that I won’t lack for guests. I’ve already taken a
     few reservations for the summer season. Once I start advertising, things are bound
     to pick up even more.”
    “Right.”
    It wasn’t what Kate said, it was the way she said it. And the fact that she
tap, tap, tapped
one finger against her leather portfolio when she did.
    I hadn’t realized I sat up a little straighter until it was a done deal. “What?” I
     asked her.
    Her smile, so leisurely just a short time before, was suddenly tight. “That place
     of yours, I can’t help but wonder if there might have been a better use for land that
     close to the lake. It may have made more sense to tear down that monstrosity of a
     house than renovate it. That way, the land could have been repurposed, let’s say for—”
    “Growing grapes?” No grape was ever as sour as the sudden tone of my voice. But then,
     I’d just realized why those words
repurposed
and
better use for land that close to the lake
and
monstrosity of a house
sounded so familiar.
    “You’re the one.” I pointed an accusatory finger directly at the cute little freckles
     on the cute little bridge of her cute little nose. “You’re the one who submitted the
     objection to the township board of trustees when I first tried to buy the property.
     I always wondered who the troublemaker was. You!” Another jab in her direction, just
     for good measure. “You’re the one who wanted to stop me from opening the B and B.”
    “Busted.” She didn’t sound at all guilty about it. Kate sat back, as nonchalant as
     if we’d been talking about the weather instead of the place I hoped was going to be
     my home and my refuge for who knew how long. “I’ve got nothing against you personally,”
     she said, and she didn’t give me time to throw in a sarcastic
thank you very much
before she went right on. “But let’s face it, you show up here out of nowhere and
     chances are you don’t know anything about running a B and B on an island in the middle
     of Lake Erie.”
    “And that’s your business, why?”
    Her phone vibrated, and she checked the message on the screen before she said, “It’s
     not. And honestly, I don’t care if you succeed or go belly up. I do care that when
     you fail and you go running back to the mainland with your tail tucked between your
     legs, that hulking Victorian house of yours is going to stay empty because these days,
     nobody’s going to be able to afford to buy it, especially after all you’ve sunk into
     the renovations. It’s going to fall into shambles and that’s going to hurt everyone’s
     property values.”
    I didn’t even realize I was clinging to the tabletop until I looked down and saw that
     my knuckles were white. “That’s only if I fail,” I said, snapping my gaze to Kate’s
     again. “And I have no intention of failing.”
    I prayed she was about to give me some smart-alec comeback, because I was ready for
     her. Yeah, I had pledged to be as polite and considerate as my island neighbors, but
     enough was enough.
    And I’d had enough of Kate Wilder.
    Before I could make that stunningly clear, the door popped open and Chandra walked
     in.
    “Oh my, isn’t the feng shui off in this room!” She shivered, reached into her purse,
     and took out a small spritz bottle.
    “I swear, Chandra.” I slapped a hand on the table. “If you spray that, I’m going to
     hurt you.”
    She pouted. “It’s only lavender water. Lavender helps promote serenity. Seems to me
     this room could use a big ol’ dose of that.” She lifted the hand holding the bottle.
    I popped out of my chair.
    Marianne breezed into the room. “I’m glad to see things are going so well.” She was
     either oblivious, or she had nerves of steel; she stepped between me and Chandra and
     took a seat. “You’re all here, and right on time. This is going to be the most fun
     book discussion group ever. We’re going to have such