Page 43 of Patio Lanterns (The Blue Canoe Cottage #1)

When she opened her eyes, Dove was standing in front of them wearing a scowl. Both of her hands were anchored on her hips. “So, it’s really true?”

Shit. One sister down, one more to go. Well, if there was one good thing, it was that there was nothing spiteful Dove could say that Lark hadn’t already spewed.

“Yeah, it’s true,” Robin said with a little shrug.

“I’ll give you two a minute. I’m going to go find Aidan,” Rick said, kissing the top of Robin’s head before walking off and leaving the sisters alone.

“I’m sorry, okay? Things just happened so fast, that we really—”

Dove put her hands on Robin’s shoulders, shaking her so forcefully she thought she

might knock a filling loose. “THIS IS HUGE!”

The shockwave from Dove’s proclamation shot above the party noise, echoed across the lake, and bounced off the surface of the water into the sky. Robin was sure it had been heard pretty much across Muskoka. Dove recalibrated herself with a deep breath. “Tell me everything, Rob. Ev-reee-thing.”

“W-what?” Robin gasped. “You mean you’re not pissed?”

“What right do I have to be pissed other than you didn’t tell me first?” Dove said, waving it off. “You and Rick Hunter? What? When? How?”

Robin shrugged. “I couldn’t help myself. There is just something so sexy about him,” she said. “We hooked up the first night I was here, the night before you and Lark arrived, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him since.”

“Wait a minute. So, that means when he came over with Aidan for dinner, you’d already…?”

“Boarded the beef bus?” Robin grinned. “Oh yeah.”

Dove laughed. “You’ve really outdone yourself, little sister. You and Aidan’s dad?” She clicked her tongue. “How old is he?”

“Fifty-four. I mean, it’s not like he’s sixty.”

“Right, because sixty would definitely be crossing a line,” Dove teased. “Oh my God, I just realized that we were joking about you being a sugar baby, and now, here you are.”

“I’m not a sugar baby because he doesn’t give me an allowance. But he does give me the D, and girl, he gives it gooood.”

Dove squealed and clapped. “Honestly, Rob? I kinda love this for you. I mean, I’m not into men who are that much older than me, but I’m not about to yuck your yum. If you like him and he treats you well, that’s all I need to know.”

Robin smiled. “Thanks, sis.”

“But a word to the wise? Stay away from Lark for a while. At least until she’s done screaming into her pillow.”

“She’s just pissed because she knows she can’t control me. She can threaten to withhold my inheritance, kick me out, or cut me off completely, but it won’t keep me from seeing Rick. We’re consenting adults, and we’ll do as we please.”

Dove hugged her tightly. “I’ve never seen you like this. I’m so happy for you.”

“Thanks, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner,” Robin said,squeezing back. “Believe me, I wanted to, but I didn’t think you could keep a secret like this inside your leaky little vault.”

"Haven't you heard? I've replaced my oldvault with one that has reinforced doors and added extra security features.” Dove winked. “I'm the Fort Knox of secret-keeping now. Try me.”

Robin wrinkled her nose. “Try you?”

“Yeah, come on. Confide something in me highly confidential, and I swear, I will take it to my grave.”

Robin had her pick of secrets to choose from.“Okay, this one ought to put your vault to the test. I found out who the big star is that Aidan might be building a cottage for.”

Dove's eyes lit up. “Who is it? C’mon, Rob, you can’t leave me hanging. Tell me.”

“Barrett Kemp,” Robin said with a sly smile.

“ The Barrett Kemp?” Dove gulped.

"There's more than one?” Robin questioned. “I also suggested that Aidan get some advice from you because he’s definitely way out of his depth.”

Dove pressed a hand over her heart. “So, you recommended me?”

“Who better to teach Aidan how to finesse the rich and famous than the best… er, remind me. What’s your job title again?”

Dove sighed. “I’m a luxury concierge.”

“Right. Who better than the best luxury concierge in the GTA?” Robin said. “And wouldn’t hearing that you’ve helped land one of the hottest celebrities in the world knock Shandy Mundy flat on her thieving ass?"

Dove plowed into her with another bear hug. "Oh my God, Rob, you are the best!"

Robin pressed a finger to her lips. "Shhh. It's a secret. Remember, you’ve got to keep it in your high-security vault.”

“Oh, I will, I will,” Dove said, beaming. “Come on. Let’s get back to the party, and I’ll buy you a free drink.”

While the crowd thinned out, the revelry continued after midnight. The circle of friends gathered around the fire had grown a bit smaller, with two, maybe three dozen of the hardier partiers staying to enjoy the hospitality.

As the music continued playing and people continued dancing, Robin couldn’t help but think how much her mother would’ve loved that the festivities were still going strong. Back in the day, Micki and Marc were infamous for being among the last to leave the neighbourhood dock parties. Legends.

As another of her mom’s favourite songs began to play, Robin found her hips swaying to the disco beat. After slipping in with the other dancers eager to get down, she spotted Rick engaged in conversation with Carl Koskie and a few of the other neighbourhood men. There’s my boyfriend.

They locked eyes and he held her gaze. She wiggled her fingers at him.

He returned her smile with a knowing wink, watching her boogie.

A moment later, he excused himself and made his way to her, nestling his hand on the curve of her hip and falling in step with smooth moves of his own.

Either the hot gossip about them—gasp!—dancing together was already old news, or else no one had ever really given a rat’s ass, because no one was making a fuss now.

Obviously, their canoodling hadn’t stirred quite the uproar that Lark made it out to be.

The thumping bass reverberated in Robin’s chest, pulsing through her endorphin-fuelled body as she lost herself in the rhythm.

Rick took her hand and twirled her around.

She threw her head back laughing, dancing without a care in the world, and spinning freely as an electric rainbow of lights whirled by in euphoric flashes of colour.

The reds. The blues. The lights burned so bright it was almost blinding. Red. Blue. Red.

Wait a minute. Those aren't patio lanterns.

The cops.

Robin froze, as did the rest of the party.Dizzy from spinning, her eyes needed a moment to re-focus as a pair of uniformed officers climbed out of the Ontario Provincial Police cruiser in the driveway.

“All right, who's the party pooper who called the fuzz?” she joked.

Rick immediately went to the van to turn down the volume as Robin dutifully strode past her neighbours to face the music.

“Good evening, officers.I'm sorry, we'll try to keep it down,” she said apologetically. “We held a celebration of life for my mother earlier this evening, and it's evolved into something of a dock party.”

A rather sombre-looking officer with a serious mustache looked down at his notes as he walked towards her. “We’re looking for a Miss Robin Pelletier.”

Shit. Was this a bust? Nah, she had nothing to hide. “Y-yes, that's me,” she said, her heart pounding all the same. “I'm Robin Pelletier. What's this about?”

The second officer politely tipped her hat. “Constable Hayward. I’m afraid it’s a matter of a rather sensitive nature. Is there a more private place we can talk? Perhaps indoors?”

Robin led the police inside the cottage, with Rick and Dove following close behind. Even Mutt seemed to understand the gravity of the situation enough to leave the snack table and go inside with them.

Aidan and Lark, sitting together on the couch, were startled by the sudden presence of law enforcement. “What's going on here?” Lark asked, scrambling to her feet.

“That's what I'd like to know,” Robin said, perching on the arm of the chair behind her. “Did we need a permit for scattering our mother's ashes?”

"No permit is required to scatter ashes on Crown land as long as it's unoccupied," muttered the mustachioed one. His name badge read SINCLAIR.

Well, if it wasn't about disturbing the peace, or contraband, or disposing of cremains without a permit, Robin couldn't figure out for the life of her why the cops were standing in the Blue Canoe Cottage.

"I'm afraid we're here to deliver some rather difficult news," said Constable Hayward, as stoic as her stodgy partner, but with a slightly kinder, gentler expression. "Miss Vera Crawley died this evening. You were listed as a secondary contact at her place of business."

“What?” Robin clapped her hand over her mouth. “B-but I was just with Mrs. C at the store earlier today. She was perfectly fine. What happened?”

"It appears to have been natural causes, but the medical examiner’s report will be more conclusive," Sinclair stated.

“I’m very sorry for your loss,” Hayward said. “Is there anyone else you think we should contact?”

“Anyone else?” Robin searched her mind. “I really don't know. She never married, there were no children or grandchildren. I’m not sure there was anyone else, really.”

Poor Mrs. C, all alone. Robin had known her almost all her life and yet, only really got to know her over the past week. The hollowness in her chest ached. How sad it was that Mrs. C didn’t have anyone closer to her in case of emergency.

“She didn’t have any next of kin?” Lark asked, posed in her usual take-charge stance in the middle of the room.

“She never mentioned anyone other than our great-grandmother,” Robin told her. “They were best friends.”

Dove put her hand on Robin’s shoulder. “I guess in a way, that does make us family.”

Mutt limped over to Robin and rested his chin on her leg. She stroked his furry head and peered into his gentle, consoling eyes.

“What now?” she asked the officers. “Do I need to sign something? Identify the body? I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do.”

“The morgue will contact you about arrangements,” Hayward explained.

Robin looked to Rick, blurred by the tears pooling in her eyes. “What about the store? Crawley’s has been around forever. Lake Whippoorwill needs that place. We still need Mrs. C.”

“I’m not sure what’ll happen to it now,” he said quietly.

“I think I should go down there,” she said, scrambling to her feet.

“In the morning,” Rick told her. “It’s late. We’ll go over there first thing.”

“Rob, we’ll go to the store with you too,” Dove said. “Won’t we Lark?”

Lark nodded, as she and Robin exchanged a long, tearful look. “Count me in.”