Chapter 5

Morgan braced herself for Brett’s update about the Wynn Harbor Inn project.

He reached into his pocket, pulled out a folded sheet of paper, and handed it to her. “This pretty much sums it up, at least where we stand right now.”

Morgan unfolded the sheet. At the top was an official-looking logo and heading, Mackinac Island Code of Ordinances . On closer inspection, she realized it was a summary of the violations the code enforcement department had levied against the inn, a portion of which had been destroyed by a mysterious fire several years back.

She lowered her gaze, her shoulders sagging when she read the dollar amount. It had several zeroes. Morgan said the first thing that popped into her head. “Paying these fines is going to take most of the money we set aside for the renovations.”

“Exactly.”

Elizabeth cleared her throat.

Brett folded his arms. “Yes, Grandmother? You have something you would like to say?”

“Oh, nothing,” she replied.

“You’re dying to say, ‘I told you so,’ how you warned Morgan and me it was a mistake to partner with David Wynn.”

“I never want to see my grandchildren fail. However, this may become a very valuable lesson.”

“Mr. Wynn…David and I are already preparing paperwork to submit to the department to request the fines be reduced or, if we’re lucky, have them waived.”

“Do you think it’s possible?” Morgan asked.

He shrugged. “Anything is possible. It won’t hurt to try. At the very least, I think we can get them reduced to a more reasonable amount.”

“In the meantime…”

“We’re at a standstill. There is no sense in spending our money paying the fees and having zero cash left to make the repairs,” Brett said.

Morgan tapped her chin. “If I remember correctly Wynn’s daughter, Harlow, was involved in some sort of accident.”

“She was. I questioned Wynn about it. He gave me some very vague answers. In other words, he doesn’t want to talk about it.” Brett told them he was planning a trip to the island so that he and Wynn could meet with the head of the code enforcement department in person. “You’re welcome to go with us.”

“I appreciate the offer. However, this is your field of expertise. I would probably just be in the way.”

Brett promised to keep her in the loop. His cell phone chimed. “I need to take care of a small matter. Before I go, have you talked to Quinn?”

“I have.”

“And?”

Morgan answered as honestly as she could without breaking her promise to keep quiet about the job offer. “She still hasn’t given me an answer.”

“I’m beginning to think she might not come back.”

“I’m getting the same impression.”

Brett placed a light hand on the back of his neck. “I don’t have much luck with women, do I?”

“Perhaps you haven’t met the right one yet,” Elizabeth said. “I’ll be the first to admit we can be a fickle bunch.”

“I second that.” Morgan patted his arm. “I can say with almost one hundred percent certainty it has nothing to do with you.”

“Thanks.” Brett offered them a half-hearted smile. “And thanks again for jumping in to help me out.”

“From now on and going forward,” Morgan promised. “We’re a team.”

“Indeed, we are.” Elizabeth waited for Brett to leave. She turned to Morgan. “Quinn told you.”

“About the job offer?” Morgan nodded. “She isn’t sure what she’s going to do. In her defense, the offer is almost too good to turn down.”

“Galeria d’art is well known. I completely understand her predicament / conundrum. She’s torn.”

“She is,” Morgan agreed. “I’m not going to try to persuade her.”

“Same here.” Elizabeth sighed heavily. “Poor Brett. I can’t help but think about the devious woman he previously dated. What was her name?”

“Jenna Cavendish.”

“A money grubbing liar,” Elizabeth said. “If Quinn leaves for good, I vote for us to pre-screen the next woman Brett shows an interest in.”

Morgan burst out laughing. She knew her brother well enough to know allowing his grandmother and sister to screen his potential girlfriends would never fly. “We have a better chance of it snowing in Miami than we do for Brett letting us have a say in who he dates.”

“True.” Elizabeth chuckled. “I think I might suggest it to him, just to see the look on his face.”

Morgan thought about Amber Marais. “Love can be complicated.”

“Affairs of the heart almost always are. Did you mention Amber to Wyatt?”

“No.” Morgan shared what she’d found out earlier, how Amber was renting a place only steps away from Wyatt’s house. “She’s basically living in his backyard.”

“Have you driven by to see the exact location?”

“No, but that’s an excellent idea.” Morgan glanced at her watch. “I could do it tonight, after I leave here.”

A mischievous expression flitted across Elizabeth’s face. “Can I go with you?”

“To spy on Amber?”

“Tit for tat,” Elizabeth said. “There’s no doubt she’s been tracking your moves. Why not return the favor?”

“Good point.” Morgan snapped her fingers. “Let’s hit the road.”