Chapter 26

TWENTY-SIX

THURSDAY 14TH DECEMBER

‘Thank goodness you suggested we buy this second till,' Florrie said the next morning, as she set it up on the counter, its predecessor damaged beyond repair.

Ed gave her a watery smile. She knew from the conversation they'd had over breakfast he was feeling as deflated as she was. ‘Yeah, little did we know just how useful it would be.'

Florrie returned his smile. She'd barely slept last night and was feeling bleary-eyed this morning. Her tiredness had added to her building anger that someone had tried to sabotage their special evening. An evening that so many people had been looking forward to. She was just thankful that her dad and Bear had been around to stop anything worse from happening, glad that, with their quick thinking, they'd been able to turn things around. It went without saying that Jenna's professionalism had helped, too.

‘I can't help but worry about what's going to happen next.' The thought had been running over and over in her mind on an endless loop. ‘I mean, it's not going to stop there, is it?' Her throat tightened and she felt the sting of tears.

‘Oh, Florrie, c'mere,' Ed said softly, stopping what he was doing. In the next moment, he'd enveloped her in a soothing hug, his strong arms wrapped around her. ‘I can't tell you how sorry I am it's come to this.'

‘It's not your fault, Ed. You're hardly responsible for the actions of that horrible thug of a man.'

‘I know, but?—'

A sharp rap at the shop door silenced Ed and made Gerty bark and jump up from her bed.

‘Who the heck's that at this time of the morning?' Florrie's gaze shot to the clock behind Ed. It was only quarter to eight; way before opening time.

‘I don't know.' Ed's tone was threaded with wariness as he followed Gerty to investigate. He peered through the glass, his face breaking out into a smile.

‘S'only me.' Relief surged through Florrie as she recognised her dad's voice.

Ed hurriedly drew the bolt back and opened the door. ‘Come in, Charlie. This is an early visit, not that it's not good to see you.'

‘Morning, Dad.' Florrie dredged up a smile as he stepped into the shop.

‘Morning, flower. You okay?' He smiled back, concern evident in his eyes. He was dressed in his work clothes and had a woolly hat pulled low over his head. ‘I'll just stop here on the mat with me having my work boots on.'

‘S'okay, we haven't vacuumed yet.' They hadn't felt like it last night, agreeing to leave it till morning.

‘Best not, love. Your mother'll be after me if she thinks I've paddled mucky footprints all over the carpet.' It was a regular gripe of Paula's.

‘Florrie's right, and your boots don't look too bad to me, Charlie,' Ed said, sliding the bolt back across. ‘Have you got time for a cuppa?'

‘'Fraid not. I told the Bradshaws I'd land at eight o'clock to make a start on their guttering that's come down after the snow the other day, and I don't want to keep them waiting. Anyroad, I've been trying to call you but both your mobiles are off, so I thought I'd pop in here en route to the Bradshaws. Had a feeling this is where I'd find you.'

Florrie clapped her hand to her forehead. ‘Blast! I'd meant to charge my phone when we got home last night but I forgot, what with everything that'd been going on. The battery must've died with me using the torch. I hadn't realised. Sorry, Dad.' She assumed Ed had kept his phone off as he now did most evenings, and hadn't got round to turning it back on.

‘Not to worry. All I wanted to say was, if you want me to rig up a new security system here at the shop, just let me know. I can do it on Sunday when the shop's closed, that way it'll minimise disruption. Jeff, the electrician, said he's happy to give me a hand, so the two of us should make short work of it.'

Florrie wondered if her dad had read her mind. Last night, while she'd struggled to sleep, she'd started thinking they should maybe have the burglar alarm upgraded. She'd intended to mention it to Ed today. She couldn't remember how long ago the current system had been installed but it was an antiquated affair and, at a guess, at least twenty years old.

She looked over at Ed, raising her eyebrows in question. ‘If it would make you feel better,' he said to her.

Her thoughts briefly hovered on his response, his choice of words setting a niggle away. Why wouldn't it make them both feel better? Why did he single her out? And why didn't he just say he thought it would be a good thing to do anyway? You're overthinking again, Florrie, give it a rest. Isn't there enough going on without you heading down that route?

‘It would.' She nodded decisively, clearing the doubts from her mind. ‘Thanks, Dad, we'd love it if you could rig up a new alarm system.'

He beamed at her, unmistakable relief in his expression. ‘Good stuff, your mother'll be glad to hear it. Right then,' he said, rubbing his gloved hands together, ‘now that's sorted, I'd best be off.' He turned to leave. ‘Oh, and good luck with the bobbies. And don't forget to leave things as they are in the kitchen and around the back door – no wiping around in case you remove any potential fingerprints.'

‘Yeah, we've been mindful of that,' said Ed.

‘Thanks for offering to upgrade the burglar alarm, Dad.' Florrie hurried over to him and gave him a quick hug, dropping a kiss onto his rosy cheek.

‘No worries, sweetheart, happy to help.'

It was after he'd left that Florrie remembered this Sunday was the trip to Danskelfe Castle and the sleigh rides. It had slipped her mind what with the excitement about Jenna Johnstone's reading and the disruption that had followed. She hoped nothing would happen to spoil her surprise for Ed. After all, they were meant to be creating happy Christmas memories, and the events of the previous evening were anything but.