year before Moxie had taken over the upkeep of the place. All their interchanges had happened through the mail, a business account and later e-mail.
âWhat does that say about them? You donât want nothing to do with folks like that.â People often described Billy J as full of bluff and bluster, and that was exactly the tone he used now.
It seemed odd in this context. Odder still when her fatherâs voice grew quiet, almost childlike in softness as he added, âDo you, Molly Christina?â
Molly Christina. Her daddy had called her that her whole childhood and his just saying it made her feel all of ten again as she answered, âIâ¦I guess not.â
âGood. Then you get to your work and get gone. The sooner begun, the sooner done.â
âThe sooner begun, the sooner done,â she echoed, barely audibly.
âThen get gone. You done enough for these people.â
âI have done a lot. For a lot of years I took care of the cottage and catered to the renters. These last two, of course, Iâve only had to keep an eye on it. Make sure we didnât have any unwelcome guests.â
âSquatters,â her father grumbled. Over forty years of dealing with the transient nature of things around here had not just made him ornery, but also a bit hardened toward people he didnât know well.
âI was thinking more of mice and snakes.â Moxie shivered. âBut I confess that was more for me than them. I kept thinking weâd get a renter and Iâd have to go in and deal with who knew what if I didnât send someone in every now and then to give the place a going-over.â
âThere. Now see, you already know you donât have to deal with any vermin.â
âOr squatters.â
âI was talking about squatters,â he groused.
âWell, Iâm thankful for that. As for what all this place needs to make it livable?â Another look at the sagging structure. Then a quick check of the clock on her cell phone before pressing it to her overheated ear and saying, âI mean, it was one thing when we had rental money coming in and I could take it out of their profits as a business expense. But with it sitting empty for two years now?â
âMoxie, girl, youâd give a person the shirt off your back. When you work for someone, you give one hundred and ten percent. Time or two, Iâve known you to give certain folks a piece of your mind.â
Certain folks? Moxie could only think of two, and she was talking to one of them.
âBut when it comes to money?â The old man did that familiar laugh-cough thing again but managed to stave off another prolonged fit. âWell, you didnât get where you are today giving money away.â
Where she was today? She exhaled and as the breath left her body, her shoulders slumped. âI hope they didnât expect me to reach into my own pocket to make repairs on their property.â
âItâs enough you giving them so much of your time and hard work. You should bill them for that.â
âI am not going to bill them, Daddy.â Her father would have. The man hadnât built up and maintained Billyâs Jâs Bait Shack Seafood Buffet as a great spot to gather for both tourists and locals without being savvy about business. But sometimes business savvy was not good business. And it very often was not the way to get along with oneâs neighbors. âIn case youâve forgotten, I have new tenants moving in across the street this weekend and I donât want anyone to get off on the wrong foot.â
âTenants? I thought tenants paid rent.â
âAnd I thought waitresses didnât get paid on days they didnât show up to work.â
âThat little girl is a single mom and it was just the one day. Iâm sure things will turn around for her and I wonât have to do that again.â
That âlittle girlâ was the same young