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for her spirits.
    “I’ll look at the comps and get back to you with an asking price. Do you want me to schedule an inspector to come and check things out?”
    “Let’s talk again before you do that, okay? In the meantime,I’ll talk to my Dad’s accountant and find out exactly what it’ll take to keep this house up and running.”
    “Good plan. I’ll call you in a day or two, or stop by my office whenever you have a chance.”
    “I will. I need to get back to the Spoonful right now and relieve Jack, but I’ll keep chipping away at clearing the house out.”
    Eleanor turned at the front door and took one last look around. “I have to say, it’s very, very charming. I love the built-in bookshelves and the stone fireplace. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe someone will come along and fall in love with it. You never know,” she said in a tone that didn’t sound very encouraging. Eleanor banged through the front door and hurried to her car without further comment.
    Lucky checked through the house one more time, making sure the kitchen faucet was dripping slowly and all the lights were off. She slipped on her jacket and hauled several boxes to her car—a second car of Elizabeth’s that she had loaned to Lucky. She said a quick prayer of thanks for Elizabeth’s presence and generosity. She had no idea how she’d have been able to deal with everything otherwise.
    Lucky turned on the car heater as soon as the engine fired. She could smell the change in the air—a heavy wetness. She knew from her years in New England this wouldn’t be a gentle snowfall. When Arctic air rushed down from the north, it was brutal, if not deadly. Thankfully, the stove in her kitchen apartment was gas. Even if the town lost electric power she’d be able to stay warm.
    By the time she reached the Spoonful, the sun had dipped behind the mountains, its last rays blotted out by roiling black clouds. A few customers still lingered, one lone man and a couple. All of the locals and most of the tourists had hunkered down. Only die-hard skiers would be happy about this storm.
    “Jack. Let’s close up early if you have no objection.”
    “None whatsoever, my girl. Time to batten down the hatches.”
    “I’ll send Janie and Meg home. I don’t like the idea of their being on the road if the storm hits early.” Lucky flashed on the image of her parents dead by the side of the road in a similar storm not that long ago.
    “I can swab the deck tomorrow morning. No reason it has to be done tonight.” Lucky smiled at Jack’s vocabulary. The floor was always the deck and the walls were the bulkhead.
    She stuck her head through the hatch. “Hey, Sage. We’re gonna close. I’ll lock up as soon as these people leave.”
    “Okay,” he called back. “Not much point in staying open tonight. I’ll put everything away.”
    Janie and Meg were obviously relieved to be let off early. “You girls go ahead. I know your families will be worried if you’re not in early tonight.”
    “Thanks, Lucky.” They smiled with relief. “We can stay and help you clean up if you need us.”
    “No worries. You go ahead. Jack and I can handle it. We can run the dishwasher in the morning.” Without another word, the two girls pushed through the swinging door into the corridor and headed for the coat closet.
    Ten minutes later, Sage had cleaned up the kitchen and stacked the dishes in the washer. “I’m finished now. I’ll be on my way.”
    “’Night,” Lucky called after him.
    The couple at the far table settled their bill and left. The lone man rose from his chair and paid his bill at the cash register. “Good night. Drive safe,” Jack called after him.
    Lucky locked the front door and turned off the neon light. “Jack, before you go, I’d like to talk to you about something.” Lucky grabbed a stool at the counter as Jack sat next to her.
    “What is it, Lucky? You look worried.”
    “It’s just…everything right now, but I’m wondering if you have any