Scene of the Brine Read Online Free

“That’s the truth. And who knows what the latest trend will be by the time I’m ready to take the plunge?” She tucked away her phone and stood up. “But first things first. Are we making anything today?”
    Piper grinned. “Glad you asked. I came across a recipe for a lime jelly with herbs that looked interesting, so I picked up a bunch of limes. Would you like to get started on juicing them?”
    â€œAbsolutely.” Amy snapped to work, as she usually did when food preparation was involved. She pulled out the limes from Piper’s refrigerator bin and got busy juicing while Piper poured green apple pectin stock into a large preserving pan and gathered the needed sugar and herb sprigs.
    Everything was mixed and coming to a boil under Amy’s watchful eye, when Piper heard an unfamiliar male voice out front. Knowing the jelly preparation was in good hands, she went out front to see what was up. A rather scrawny but well-dressed man was talking to Ralph, and from the expression on his face Ralph wasn’t pleased about it.
    â€œCan I help you?” Piper asked.
    The thin man looked over, his small but piercing eyes taking in Piper in an uncomfortably calculating way. “I was just telling Strawbridge here how delighted I was he found another job after the bookcase project with Mr. Porter fell through.” He didn’t look all that delighted to Piper, but before she could respond the lizardlike man held out his hand and introduced himself.
    â€œDirk Unger,” he said. “I was just passing by, but now that I’m here, perhaps you could explain to me exactly what a pickling shop offers?”
    â€œI’d be happy to,” Piper said politely, though she really wished she could simply put a Piper’s Picklings advertising brochure into his dry hand and send him on his way. “My shop carries all the equipment and seasonings needed to pickle or preserve any vegetable or fruit. I also offer an excellent line of pickling cookbooks. Plus, as a help to anyone unfamiliar with the wide variety of pickles, jams, jellies, and preserves they can make or for anyone just wanting the occasional jar of a particular pickle or jam, I cook up an extensive selection on the premises.” Piper gestured toward the shelves of colorful and carefully labeled jars.
    Unger wrinkled his nose. “Is that what that smell is coming from the back?”
    Piper stiffened. “We’re in the process of making lime jelly with herbs.”
    â€œI thought it smelled terrific,” Ralph said before banging at a nail.
    â€œIf you like boiled lemonade,” Unger said. “Well, I’m sure you draw plenty of customers who do,” he added with a placating smile, though Piper didn’t feel the least bit placated. “Although I frankly can’t imagine making a success of a business with such a narrow niche market. But then, Cloverdale . . .” He left his probably unpleasant thought unspoken.
    Unger gazed around the shop as though inspecting it for spiders or rat droppings, and, disappointed at finding none, finally rubbed his hands together briskly. “Well, I’d best be on my way. It was interesting to meet you, Miss Lamb.” He spun around. “Good luck with the repair work, Strawbridge.” And to the relief of both Piper and Ralph, he left.
    After a moment, Piper said, “I understand why you turned down Jeremy Porter’s bookcase restoration project.”
    â€œUh-huh,” Ralph said, then drove another nail into the doorjamb.
    â€œI heard some of that,” Amy said, appearing at the back room doorway. “Picture our poor A La Carte waiters trying to please a patron like him.”
    â€œWell, for his sake I hope he’s an outstanding accountant,” Piper said. “If he were working for Jeremy Porter as a Realtor, he’d send clients running for cover with people skills like that.”
    Piper thought