meet at your office later today?’
‘Welcome to island living,’ Kelley muttered in her ear, ‘where your business is everyone’s business, and everyone drops by unannounced.’
‘We did,’ Killian ignored his brother, ‘but I managed to get an RV for you to use temporarily.’
‘You did?’ her eyes widened a fraction. ‘Wow, that’s really good of you.’
‘I was just bringing it up when I ran into a snag. Did you know one of the trees came down last night?’
‘I didn’t hear it but yes, Bunty here just told me,’ Ava nodded.
‘I saw your car behind it,’ Killian nodded. ‘If you want to give me your keys Mrs McCarthy, I’ll bring it on up for you after I’ve arranged to clear the road.’
‘Thank you, Killian, so kind of you, and how is Hope?’ Bunty smiled, heaving up her swooning friend and dumping her on the cougar who was still eying up Kelley like he was her next meal. ‘Here Ivy, take Betty.’
She reached inside her purse and withdrew a small set of keys which she handed to Killian.
‘She’s doing fine, thank you Mrs McCarthy.’
‘What brought the tree down?’ Ava wondered out loud. ‘I didn’t see any lightning and I didn’t think the wind was strong enough.’
‘It wouldn’t have taken much,’ Killian shook his head. ‘I checked the tree and it was rotten the whole way through, it would have come down sooner or later. Anyway, I’ll call in a couple of the guys and have them help me clear the road.’
‘I’ll come and help you,’ Kelley answered quickly, as Ivy began to edge closer to him, still holding onto the semi-conscious Betty.
‘Coward,’ Ava whispered as he turned and shot her a disarming grin.
The strange little oddball group of women stood and watched for a moment as the two ridiculously good-looking men disappeared back through the trees.
‘Well then,’ Bunty turned to Ava, ‘let me introduce you to everyone. This is Ivy and Betty.’
Ivy had a light fine wave of hair artfully secured behind one ear with a small sparkly clip, the rest of it sat coiled over her bony shoulder in thin waves, so heavily sprayed with lacquer it moved in a giant clump whenever she shifted her head. Her lashes, which may not have been her own, were thick and black, over a layer of pale pink eyeshadow which propped up her penciled-on eyebrows like scaffolding. Her dress was the same sweet candy shade of pink and a riot of ruffles, which hurt to look at too long.
Betty had ceased swooning the minute the boys had disappeared and now stood unaided, clear eyed and assessing, as if she’d never been indisposed. She wore a no-nonsense maroon pant suit and sensible heels.
‘That over there is Barbara,’ she pointed to the woman in the peach twin set with the small gold cross, ‘then we have Esther.’
She pointed to a little woman with a sweet little cloud of pure white hair, and wrinkled skin.
‘Esther,’ Bunty said loudly, ‘SAY HELLO TO AVA.’
Esther glanced over at Bunty who was waving to get her attention.
‘No thank you dear,’ she replied in a soft voice, ‘it’s too early for dinner.’
‘She’s always forgetting to change the batteries in her hearing aids,’ Bunty rolled her eyes as she turned to the last woman in the group, ‘and this is Norma.’
Norma stood with knitting needles in her gnarled hands as she clicked away quietly. Her yarn bag had big hooped handles which were looped over her bony wrist. A winding trail of deep green yarn trailed from the bag to her needles where it was knotted and looped ruthlessly to become part of the long green shapeless ooze, which every so often she would tuck into her bag.
‘What’s she knitting?’ Ava asked curiously as she eyed the sickly green monstrosity.
‘A scarf,’ Bunty replied, ‘it’s all she can knit. She attempted a sweater once; it was so large you could fit two people in it.’
‘And that was just in the sleeves,’ Ivy laughed, though not unkindly. Instead she stared at her friend with honest amusement and affection, as opposed to the predatory smile she’d sent Kelley.
‘Well that’s everyone then,’ Bunty clapped her hands together. ‘Now you’ve officially met the Midnight Island Historical Society and ladies weekly luncheon club, you should join us. We’re always looking for new members, in fact you can take your grandmother’s place, God rest her soul. We do miss Hari something dreadful.’
‘I knew a Harry once,’ Ivy mused thoughtfully, ‘a sculptor he was,’ she winked at Ava. ‘Good with his hands.’
‘We