Expired Cache - Lisa Phillips
One
“Eleanor!”
Everything in her screamed, ambush, a half second before she was engulfed in French perfume and cashmere.
Ellie gave the woman a squeeze. “Ruby.”
“It’s so good to see you again, hon.” The older woman’s skin shimmered like glitter. She did her makeup like a pro, and her white hair had been trimmed to a pixie cut. Ruby had been working the same style since she’d taught Ellie’s fourth grade Sunday school class. Ellie had to admit, it really did work.
“You, too.”
“Smile a bit,” Ruby said, “and I might actually believe it.”
“I never could pull one over on you.”
“Can’t kid a kidder.”
Someone at the far end of the coffee shop called out, “Sugar free vanilla soy latte with whip.”
“Ooh, that’s me!” Ruby retrieved her paper cup from the end of the counter.
Ellie glanced from the elderly woman’s red skinny jeans and white sweater, to her own flats and skirt with her most comfortable jacket. When Ruby came back over, Ellie pushed her glasses up her nose.
“What brought you back to town this time?”
Ellie said, “Meeting with the lawyer. We’re going over grandad’s will.”
Her last trip to Last Chance had been for the funeral. She hadn’t even stayed overnight. This time she’d be here for a long weekend, enough to help her younger sister go through their grandfather’s things.
“And your mama? Is she still…”
Ellie didn’t want to get into that. “She wasn’t able to get the time off work.”
“I see.”
Yes, Ruby probably did. Ellie tried to smile. She moved back to the map on the wall she’d been looking at before the ambush hug.
“The Founders’ Map.”
Ellie glanced over, her frown enough of a question.
“That’s the first map of Last Chance. From the year the town started.” Ruby pointed to the copyright in the corner. July 4th, 1975.
“It’s fascinating.”
Ruby nodded. “Long before I came to town, but I read all about it in a series the newspaper put out a few years ago.” She pointed to the foothills. “This whole section of the mountains was deemed safe, and that’s where all the hiking paths are now. The area above that is out of bounds. According to the signage posted.”
Ellie frowned at her.
“A couple of friends and I hiked up there.” She leaned close like she was telling a secret. “We didn’t see anything dangerous. It was fine.”
“Oh.” She wasn’t sure what to say.
Ellie’s gaze strayed to the bookshelf below the framed picture. A dozen or so books, all used, by the look of them, had slid sideways. In the middle was a thick tome about the Civil War. When Freemen Shall Stand had been a runaway bestseller, written by Professor Eleanor Ridgeman. Unless, of course, the reader was one of the hordes of people who’d hated it. Despite sales, people seemed to be pretty much in two camps—they’d either loved it or decried it as an emotionless regurgitation of facts.
Ellie winced at the sight of it. She hadn’t written a single thing since.
The same barista called out, “Extra shot, extra-dry, dairy-free cappuccino.”
“That’s me.” Ellie stepped away from her old Sunday school teacher. “It was nice to see you again, Ruby.”
By the time Ellie approached the door with her paper cup, the older woman had joined a friend at a table off to the side. She lifted her cup with a parting smile and stepped outside onto busy Main Street. Everything’s fine. Deep breaths.
She took a sip of coffee. Ouch. Too hot.
“Your hot tea is gonna be hot, smarty pants.” Her sister strode onto the sidewalk, a thermos she’d brought from home in one hand. Jess, four years younger than Ellie, was dressed in what she referred to as her “church clothes” whatever that meant. She also had her hair in a ponytail.
Ellie shot her a smile like everything was fine and sidestepped a young woman with a stroller. She glanced over her shoulder at the cars and people passing on the opposite sidewalk.
Going into the coffee shop for a drink was supposed to have settled her.
Why did she still feel like she was being watched?
“You okay, El?”
“Sure.” She smiled at her sister. “Let’s get to our appointment.”
They headed down the sidewalk to the office of Holmford and Watts, her grandfather’s lawyer. Where the will would be read. Once she got through the rest of this legal stuff, she wouldn’t have to come to Last Chance again.
Her sister was Officer Jessica Ridgeman, formerly with the NYPD. Currently an officer with the Last Chance police department. As though moving to a small town and taking a job