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“I have to know what’s wrong in order to help her.”
    He hesitated, looking distressed. Finally he nodded. “Your grandfather decided, a few years before his death, to sell most of his properties. He didn’t want to take care of them.”
    “I thought he enjoyed that.” One of her earliest memories was of riding along with Grandpa when he went out the first day of every month to collect therents from his tenants. That had been her first taste of business, and she’d wanted to be just like him.
    Uncle Nick shrugged. “People change. He wanted to invest the money himself.” His gaze dropped. “He wasn’t very good. If only he’d held on to the property until the real estate market went up, your grandmother would be sitting pretty.”
    “As it is…” She could hardly take it in. Still, she’d certainly known how determined Grandpa was to do as he chose. Something chilled inside her. She, of all people, knew just how stubborn he could be.
    “She has this place left, but not enough to maintain it.” His voice was brisk, as if he didn’t want to dwell on what had been. “I’m not sure how you feel about this idea of theirs to turn the place into an inn.”
    “I think it’s a bad move,” she said promptly. “Rachel is a great cook, but she doesn’t know anything about running an inn. And Grams doesn’t need the stress at her age.”
    Nick beamed at her as if they were the only two sensible people left on earth. “The practical course is for your grandmother to sell. She could pay off the home equity loan she took for the renovations and have enough to live very comfortably for the rest of her life.”
    “I wish she agreed.”
    He nodded. “She has her own stubborn streak, that’s for sure. I was worried about her living here alone since your grandfather died, but she’d never listen to me. It was a little better after Rachel moved back, but even so…”
    “Cal Burke is out at the barn.” With the phone he never answered. What good did that do?
    “Burke.” He repeated the name. “I suppose he’s better than nothing, but what do we know about him?”
    Not much. She shared his concern.
    “And there have been a rash of thefts. People breaking into isolated farmhouses. You know what this area is like—folks have lived here for generations, never giving a thought that Great-aunt Eva’s dough box might be worth a small fortune to a crooked dealer.”
    She almost wished she hadn’t asked, but it was better to face the facts, no matter how unpleasant.
    “What are we going to do?” It was good to feel that she had an ally. “Rachel and Grams want me to stay and open the inn. They don’t seem to understand that I have a position I can’t walk away from.”
    He patted her hand. “If you make it clear you can’t, they’d have to face facts.”
    “I’ve tried. Without success.”
    “You’ll have to keep trying.” He rose. “Give my best to your grandmother, and tell Rachel that I’ll see her later.” He gave her a quick hug. “I know you’ll do the right thing. You always do.”
     
     
    “Can I carry that for you, Andrea?”
    Andrea stopped reluctantly. She’d noticed Cal down the block when she’d left Snyder’s General Store to walk back to the house, but she hadn’t been eager to talk to him. Just because he was right about her grandmother’s finances didn’t mean she had to like it.
    He caught up with her, and she handed over the shopping bag, taking in the dress shirt and neat gray slacks he wore. She blinked, exaggerating her surprise.
    “You didn’t know I’d clean up this well, did you?” He smiled, apparently ready to forgive and forget.
    “Have a hot date?”
    “No, just out for supper at the Dutch Inn. It’s chicken and dumpling night. What about you?”
    She gestured toward the bag he now carried. “Grams needed a few things from the store, and I didn’t want to drive to New Holland to the supermarket.”
    “So you went to Snyder’s, where you get a hot