shoulders. ‘Tell you what. I’ll do the Googling on Charlotte, in case you need some … time out.’
Ted firmed his mouth. ‘It might be best. I don’t want to start my search and then find myself somewhere north of the Milky Way without means of contacting my loved ones at home.’
‘Don’t worry, mate, I’ll do a thorough job. If there’s something to be found on Charlotte, I’m the one who’ll find it.’
‘Apparently you’re very tired when they return you to earth.’
‘I bet.’
Ted took Dan’s hand in both of his and gripped hard. ‘Thank you, Dan. I appreciate this. You’d look after Grace and the twins for me, wouldn’t you?’
‘You can count on it.’
Ted moved off and Dan headed over to the beauty parlour where Julia was unlocking the door for Mrs J. Mrs J must be getting her hair done or something.
‘You were right, Mrs J,’ Dan said. ‘Looks like Ted’s hoping to be abducted.’
‘Oh God.’ Mrs J stood stock still. ‘Does Grace know?’
Dan shrugged. ‘She’s his wife, she ought to see the signs first.’
Julia grinned and Dan shot her a warning look while Mrs Johnson stared across the street at the petrol station. Suddenly there was female business to be done.
‘Mrs Tam, could you come over here for a minute, please?’ she called, giving Mrs Tam the news when she joined them.
‘Oh good heavens.’ Mrs Tam patted her bun. ‘Does Grace know?’
‘I’m about to tell her,’ Mrs J said. ‘She probably hasn’t noticed, she’s been busy with sewing for the twins for Grandy’s birthday party.’
‘Does this mean you don’t want your facial today, Mrs Johnson?’ Julia asked.
‘Can’t go pampering ourselves while there’s trouble brewing.
Mrs Tam primed herself, heaving her bosom and squaring her shoulders. ‘Ever since the twins came home with all that trouble they brought with them, poor Ted hasn’t been right. It’s like he’s developed stress-related hypochondria.’
She looked more perturbed than Dan liked to see. ‘It’ll be fine,’ he told her. ‘And the twins haven’t been prosecuted and nor are they likely to be—’
‘Please don’t bring that business up now, Daniel,’ Mrs J said, pointing a finger at him. ‘There are more important matters to discuss.’
Dan straightened and gave her a salute. ‘You’re right. What can I do to help?’
‘Once I’ve got the key to the committee safe from Grace, I’d like you to go and grab the gavel. But do it surreptitiously and look after it.’
‘Not a problem. I’ll come with you to see Grace, then nip over to the Town Hall and collect it.’ Last time Ted had gone off into outer space the gavel had gone missing too. He couldn’t remember what he’d done with it and the loss of it put him in bed for an extra week.
Mrs J drew in a long breath. ‘It’s a bad time for Ted to be going into space with his aliens. There are decisions to be made on the committee.’
Julia grabbed the silky scarf around her neck and stuffed it against her mouth.
Dan’s smile warmed his soul. This was one crazy town. How could anyone not love it?
Seven
‘O h, bugger.’
Charlotte slowed to a walk as she entered the town from the southern end. She sucked in air, her lungs burning from the sprint she’d forced herself into for the last two kilometres after jogging up the hillside and down—twice. Maybe she should have given herself a day off. Yesterday’s run had worn her out but somewhere in her mind was the thought that one day she might actually beat Hotshot.
Lucy galloped on with a full tank of youthful vigour and headed for the mob outside Morelly’s hardware store. Were they waging war about her colour schemes again? No. Too many of them. Something else was going on.
Problem was, how to slip past them? If she strode down the middle of Main Street she’d look like she was ignoring them. If she walked up the steps to the walkway she’d look like she was hoping to join them.
Oh great. Lucy
Ted firmed his mouth. ‘It might be best. I don’t want to start my search and then find myself somewhere north of the Milky Way without means of contacting my loved ones at home.’
‘Don’t worry, mate, I’ll do a thorough job. If there’s something to be found on Charlotte, I’m the one who’ll find it.’
‘Apparently you’re very tired when they return you to earth.’
‘I bet.’
Ted took Dan’s hand in both of his and gripped hard. ‘Thank you, Dan. I appreciate this. You’d look after Grace and the twins for me, wouldn’t you?’
‘You can count on it.’
Ted moved off and Dan headed over to the beauty parlour where Julia was unlocking the door for Mrs J. Mrs J must be getting her hair done or something.
‘You were right, Mrs J,’ Dan said. ‘Looks like Ted’s hoping to be abducted.’
‘Oh God.’ Mrs J stood stock still. ‘Does Grace know?’
Dan shrugged. ‘She’s his wife, she ought to see the signs first.’
Julia grinned and Dan shot her a warning look while Mrs Johnson stared across the street at the petrol station. Suddenly there was female business to be done.
‘Mrs Tam, could you come over here for a minute, please?’ she called, giving Mrs Tam the news when she joined them.
‘Oh good heavens.’ Mrs Tam patted her bun. ‘Does Grace know?’
‘I’m about to tell her,’ Mrs J said. ‘She probably hasn’t noticed, she’s been busy with sewing for the twins for Grandy’s birthday party.’
‘Does this mean you don’t want your facial today, Mrs Johnson?’ Julia asked.
‘Can’t go pampering ourselves while there’s trouble brewing.
Mrs Tam primed herself, heaving her bosom and squaring her shoulders. ‘Ever since the twins came home with all that trouble they brought with them, poor Ted hasn’t been right. It’s like he’s developed stress-related hypochondria.’
She looked more perturbed than Dan liked to see. ‘It’ll be fine,’ he told her. ‘And the twins haven’t been prosecuted and nor are they likely to be—’
‘Please don’t bring that business up now, Daniel,’ Mrs J said, pointing a finger at him. ‘There are more important matters to discuss.’
Dan straightened and gave her a salute. ‘You’re right. What can I do to help?’
‘Once I’ve got the key to the committee safe from Grace, I’d like you to go and grab the gavel. But do it surreptitiously and look after it.’
‘Not a problem. I’ll come with you to see Grace, then nip over to the Town Hall and collect it.’ Last time Ted had gone off into outer space the gavel had gone missing too. He couldn’t remember what he’d done with it and the loss of it put him in bed for an extra week.
Mrs J drew in a long breath. ‘It’s a bad time for Ted to be going into space with his aliens. There are decisions to be made on the committee.’
Julia grabbed the silky scarf around her neck and stuffed it against her mouth.
Dan’s smile warmed his soul. This was one crazy town. How could anyone not love it?
Seven
‘O h, bugger.’
Charlotte slowed to a walk as she entered the town from the southern end. She sucked in air, her lungs burning from the sprint she’d forced herself into for the last two kilometres after jogging up the hillside and down—twice. Maybe she should have given herself a day off. Yesterday’s run had worn her out but somewhere in her mind was the thought that one day she might actually beat Hotshot.
Lucy galloped on with a full tank of youthful vigour and headed for the mob outside Morelly’s hardware store. Were they waging war about her colour schemes again? No. Too many of them. Something else was going on.
Problem was, how to slip past them? If she strode down the middle of Main Street she’d look like she was ignoring them. If she walked up the steps to the walkway she’d look like she was hoping to join them.
Oh great. Lucy
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