‘Thanks. I’m renting it.’
‘Lucky you. So, you’ve no idea where the old bakery was?’
‘Nope, sorry.’
‘No worries.’ The woman smiled, her eyes lingering on Nina for a moment. ‘I'm Lindsay, by the way.’
Nina wondered why this woman was introducing herself and put it down to the fact that people in Lovely Bay seemed to do that if they’d never met before. ‘Nice to meet you.’
The woman beamed sounding overly friendly and gushing. ‘I'm a very old acquaintance of Nancy's, actually. As soon as I walked over the green, I remembered she’d just bought the place back then. Years ago, that was. I thought I might…’
‘Oh, yes, right.’
‘Do you know her? Being a neighbour and everything.’ The woman was unduly smiley and happy. Her voice chirped.
Nina didn’t know why, but something about the woman wasveryoff. It stirred a slight unease somewhere inside. She tried to keep her tone neutral. She knew Nancy had said she was going to one of her other jobs that afternoon but Nina wasn’t going to volunteer any information about Nancy’s whereabouts. ‘Yes, I know her quite well. She’s at work at the moment.’
Lindsay's smile widened and there was something in her gaze that Nina couldn't quite decipher. ‘I've been trying to reconnect with old friends on Facebook. It's been a long time.’
Nina nodded, feeling her unease grow. She made light of the situation and smiled. ‘Ahh, good old Facebook.’ Nina picked up a watering can and made to get on.
Lindsay clearly didn’t want to finish the conversation. ‘Yes, it’s good, isn’t it? I love it, though I probably spend way too much time on it. You know how it is.’
‘Hmm.’
Lindsay nodded and continued. ‘You can find out all sorts on Facebook.’
Nina frowned. ‘Like what?’
It was as if Lindsay was quickly backtracking. ‘Oh, you know this and that. Sometimes, you just find yourself on there for hours, wasting time. At least I do anyway…’
Nina wasn’t really interested. She picked up one of her gardening gloves. ‘Well, nice to meet you. I hope you find the old bakery.’
‘Likewise, Nina,’ Lindsay said, turned and continued along the pavement.
Nina watched her cross the road and take the path under the conker tree and across the green. She squinted and turned her head from left to right. She hadn't mentioned her name, had she? Shaking her head, she thought that she must have done. She picked up a broom and started sweeping the weeds she’d pulled from the basket into a pile and wondered who the woman was. No doubt she’d find out. Lovelies would be all over it.
4
Nina stood at the jetty watching as the riverboat puttered along towards her. The sun glinted off its polished wooden exterior, and the little lanterns that were lit in the evening swayed back and forth in the wind. She could see Colin in the Lovely regulation coat with the striped hood standing near the back and hear the now familiar hum of the engine as it chugged along. The boat’s wake created ripples on the water's surface and caused the waves to lap against the shore.
Colin skilfully manoeuvred the boat alongside the jetty, the engine's hum growing quieter as he reduced its speed and threw a rope to the mooring post. As Nina hopped on, wobbled a bit and settled into a seat, her gaze wandered over the river, the greenery lining the banks, and the distant sounds of Lovely Bay going about its day.
Colin turned and smiled. ‘Afternoon. How are we today?’
‘Good, thanks. You?’
‘Can’t complain. Where are you off to going this way?’ Colin jerked his thumb downriver in the direction of the sea.
‘I’m going to see a property down by the harbour.’
‘What is this you speak of?’ Colin joked. ‘I don’t know anything about that and I know everything that goes on in the third smallest town in the country.’
Nina chuckled. ‘Ahh, are you telling me I know something about Lovely Bay that you don’t? I thought you knew everything before everyone, or is that Birdie? That’s how it goes around here, isn’t it?’
Colin frowned and continued the banter. ‘I think you could be right that I actually don’t know about this. I’d better call the council and complain. Where is this property, then?’
‘Just along from Robby’s place over on the harbour there.’
