The Heart of the Phoenix by Brian Knight Read Free Book Online

Susan,” Bowen bent down and put a hand out for Penny to shake. “And you, Penny. You should come by some time. I haven’t seen your face in my shop since Zoe left.”
    Penny shuffled her feet but made no promises to visit. Zoe could have spent hours peeking through the rough stones and minerals in the Golden Arts back room, but Penny had enough crystals and rocks at home in her mom’s old collection to keep her happy.
    Bowen’s expectant smile wilted a little at the edges at Penny’s non-response. “How is Zoe doing anyway? I sure miss seeing her in the shop.”
    “You won’t have to miss her for much longer,” Susan said. “She’ll be back in a few weeks.”
    “Fantastic!” Bowen seemed genuinely pleased with the news. “She’s a kindred spirit, that girl. No one else around here to talk rocks with.”
    Penny had to smile at his genuine excitement, and vowed to visit Golden Arts soon and buy something for Zoe.
    Bowen turned his attention to Susan and clasped her arm in his hands.
    “Susan, meet our new landlord.”
    “What?”
    The little man had stood facing the new picture window opening on the empty Sullivan’s storefront, but turned then. He seemed to stare somewhere just to the left of Susan’s face, but smiled widely, then gave her a little bow.
    “Good to meet you ladies,” he said. “Erasmus Pi, at your service.”
    He stuck out a hand as if to shake but it came nowhere near Susan. Penny had to duck to avoid having an eye poked out. Susan stepped closer to Penny to intercept the offered hand and shook awkwardly.
    “Erasmus is an old friend of mine from Seattle, a retired entrepreneur with too much time on his hands. He’s decided to come to Dogwood and complicate my life again.”
    “I could never resist a fire sale,” Erasmus said. “I heard Mr. Price was desperate to liquidate and it was my pleasure to fleece him.”
    “I hope you fleeced him well,” Bowen said with a venom Penny would not have believed the friendly old man possible of. “You’ve restored my faith in karma, and you’re putting this old wreck back together in good time.”
    “I’ll have to take your word for it, old friend,” Erasmus said. “I can’t see any difference.”
    The strange man spun on his heels to blindly face the building and wave a red tipped white cane at it.
    “It’s coming along nicely,” Susan confirmed, favoring Bowen with a strange smile. “But I’m not sure if I’ll be reopening.”
    Susan’s statement took Penny by surprise. She’d been closed mouthed about any plans to close.
    Erasmus flinched back, as if horrified by Susan’s words.
    “I hope you’ll reconsider, Miss Taylor. Good tenants are hard to come by, and Bowen tells me your shop is a Dogwood staple.”
    “Old Cag Sullivan was a good friend,” Bowen said. “It would be a shame to see his old place close.”
    Penny could see trouble brewing in the lines on Susan’s forehead and stepped in to rescue her.
    “We should get back to our deliveries.” Penny grabbed Susan’s hand and tugged her back toward the street. “Bye.”
    She waved at Bowen and Erasmus. Bowen smiled and waved back, and Erasmus swept off his hat and bowed in her direction.
     
    * * *
     
    When they arrived back home the day was just as overcast, only darkening slightly on the eastern horizon, and Penny was almost comatose with boredom.
    “Any plans tonight?” Susan asked as they trudged up the steps to the front door. Susan deposited a large empty bin on the floor and fumbled for her keys. Penny stood behind her struggling with an identical empty bin.
    “I don’t know,” Penny said. She’d planned on calling Katie or Ellen when they were finished with deliveries, but was now thinking longingly about her bed.
    “Do you think I should re-open the shop?”
    Penny hadn’t seen that question coming.
    “I don’t know,” she said again, but felt she owed Susan more. “It sucks that there isn’t a bookstore here anymore, but you have to do