away with this, I’ll be robbed blind.”
Gabriel rubbed the back of his neck. “Then by all means fill out a report on Bess Anderson. I wouldn’t want anyone taking advantage of you.”
Ben glared at Gabriel. “Are you making fun of me?”
“I wouldn’t do that. A crime has been committed, and you have a right to report it.”
Rebecca observed Bess standing next to the officer who had brought her in. She whispered something to the young policeman, then brushed a piece of lint off his navy blue shirt. Next she pulled out a handkerchief and began to polish the officer’s badge, all while Ben demanded justice in a loud voice.
“Where’s the paper I need to fill out?”
“Come into my office, and I’ll fill it out for you.”
“What are you going to do about her?” Ben jerked his thumb at Bess, who continued to rub the policeman’s badge.
“My staff will make sure she’s processed.”
While Ben stalked into the office, Gabriel hung back and said, “Make sure Bess is comfortable, Officer Morris. She can sit at Rebecca’s desk.” Gabriel gave Rebecca a look that spoke volumes. This was not a part of the job he enjoyed. “Rebecca, please get Bess something to drink until I can have a word with her.”
When the door to Gabriel’s office closed, Officer Morris motioned for Bess to follow him. “Ma’am, you need to have a seat over here.”
“Where will you be, young man?”
“I need to fill out a report on this incident.”
“You’re going to leave me alone?”
Rebecca moved forward. “No, I’ll keep you company. Chief Stone wanted me to get you something to drink. What would you like?”
“Tea, with honey and lemon, if you have it.” Bess sat in Rebecca’s chair, placed her black pocketbook on her lap, then straightened her white gloves and gripped her purse handle.
“Now if I can only find where to get the tea,” Rebecca mumbled and plodded to Mabel’s desk. “Excuse me. I hate to bother you, but where can I get—”
“Through that door next to the women’s rest room is a kitchen. There should be hot water and some tea bags. I don’t know about the other stuff. Most of the people around here drink coffee, black.” Mabel pulled open a drawer in the bottom of her desk and rummaged through her purse until she produced a packet of honey. “Use this.”
“No lemon slices in that purse?”
Mabel almost smiled. “Afraid not.”
“Thanks.” Rebecca made her way to the kitchen, amazed that the Dragon Lady had a heart, after all.
Five minutes later Rebecca entered the police station with a cup of tea minus a lemon slice but sweetened with honey. As she crossed the room, she heard Ben’s raised voice followed by Gabriel’s soothing one and cringed. Evidently Gabriel was having a hard time calming the man down.
“Oh, my, that young man is really angry at someone.” Bess took the cup Rebecca handed her.
“He says you took some perfume from his store,” Rebecca said, pulling up a chair next to Bess in hopes of being able to get some work done while the older woman was at her desk.
“Oh, my, why would he say that? I’d never steal a thing from anyone. Goes against my beliefs.”
Rebecca peered at the high pile of folders that still needed to be logged in, shrugged and replied, “Perhaps you didn’t realize it.”
“Not realize I stole something? Oh, my.”
The hair on the nape of Rebecca’s neck tingled. She peered at Mabel. The Dragon Lady shot her an exasperated glare. Rebecca sent her a look that silently asked Mabel what was she to do, toss Bess out of her chair? Rebecca glanced away before she received her answer.
“Maybe you forgot you had it.” Rebecca concentrated her full attention on Bess, determined to ignore the look she was receiving from Mabel. Rebecca chose to remember the packet of honey Mabel had given her. That gave Rebecca hope that just maybe she and Mabel could get along.
“I so like to shop, and the home won’t let me go to town.”
“They won’t?”
“No.” Bess sipped her tea, her pinkie finger sticking up in the air, her posture prim and proper.
“I wish we had a lemon.”
“Why, my dear?”
“Because you asked for it. All we had was honey.”
“This is fine. You should come to the home and have afternoon tea with me sometime.”
“I would love to. May I bring my grandmother?”
Bess smiled, took another sip of tea and said, “That would be nice.” Then she leaned close to Rebecca and whispered, “I don’t hear any more shouting coming from that office. Do you suppose the young man has calmed down?”
“I hope so. If anyone can calm him, it’ll be Gabriel.”
“That man with the nice smile?”
“Yes,” Rebecca answered, remembering Gabriel’s smile and deciding that was the nicest thing about him. When he directed one toward her, her insides melted and her stomach fluttered.
“People shouldn’t waste their energy getting mad. It’s so much nicer if people got along with each other. Don’t you think so?”
“Yes.” Rebecca turned toward Mabel and blew out a relieved breath. The woman was busy working at her desk, her attention on the computer screen in front of her.
“We sometimes have to work extra hard to win some people over, but it’s worth it in the long run. I need to bake that young man a chocolate cake, then maybe he won’t be so angry.”
Rebecca chuckled. “Chocolate works wonders on me.”
“Then I’ll bake you one, too. How about Sunday afternoon?”
“You don’t have to bake me a cake on Sunday.”
“No, to come to tea, since you work during the week.”
“I’ll have to check with Granny, but that sounds fine to me.”
“Good. I love to have company. Since moving to the home, I haven’t had many people stop by.”
Rebecca heard the loneliness in Bess’s voice and vowed she would be at tea on Sunday afternoon if she had to bring the whole family, which might not be a bad idea.
The sound of Gabriel’s office door opening brought Rebecca to her feet. She chewed on her bottom lip and tried to relax, but in a short time she’d started to care what happened
