The Rightful Heir

He trotted a couple of paces and caught up to her. “Where are you going with these?” He reached for the papers in her arms, but she pulled back. He put a hand on her arm, giving her no choice but to stop.

“Really, Mr. Ivy, I must insist you not hinder me in my work.”

“Our work.” At her sigh he added, “Until the judge decides, it is indeed our work.” He reached for the papers again. “At least allow me to be a gentleman and carry them for you. You can show me where you sell them. I need to learn as much as I can as quickly as possible.”

Mary Lou’s shoulders sagged just a bit and she handed over her bundle. “I guess it won’t hurt to let you meet the people who allow us to sell the newspaper in their establishments.” She took off at a brisk pace. “But you mustn’t slow me down.”

He chuckled and followed her. Yes, she was someone he’d like to know. If only they weren’t at odds over the only thing either of them wanted. The Pine Haven Record.

Chapter Four (#ulink_85f553bd-225f-5879-b57f-17cfccfd3c44)

Mary Lou drew on all her patience and pushed open the door to the general store. With Mr. Croft having been in the middle of the shooting scene on Saturday, Mrs. Liza Croft was bound to be inquisitive today. There was no way to explain Jared Ivy. Mary Lou would just have to make the best of the situation.

She relaxed when Mr. Croft greeted her. “Mary Lou, how are you today?”

“Well, Mr. Croft. Thank you for asking.”

Jared pulled off his hat and put it into the hand under the stack of papers he carried. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Croft. I’m Jared Ivy.”

The two shook hands. “I heard you’d come to town. Sorry about your grandfather. He’d have loved to see you again.”

Jared dropped his gaze to the floor for a quick moment before he responded. “Thank you. I’d have loved an opportunity to spend time with him, too.”

“So—” Mr. Croft scratched the crown of his balding head “—what’s in the paper this week?” He took a copy from the stack Jared held.

“There’s a fine piece about the—”

Mary Lou interrupted Jared’s attempt to answer. She wouldn’t be pushed aside as if she wasn’t the owner of the paper. “I’ve written about the contested ownership of my paper and about the harvest celebration.”

Liza Croft came through the doors that led to the stock room. “I hope you wrote about the lost business the shop owners suffer when the town closes down for a celebration like that.” Her tone was snooty, as usual. Mary Lou chose to ignore her, but Jared didn’t.

“I would imagine an event that drew everyone from the surrounding area into town would bring extra business to your store.” Mary Lou caught sight of the muscle in his jaw as it worked to contain a smile.

“You’ll never convince my wife that money is made when the hours of the store are shortened.” Mr. Croft stepped behind the counter.

Jared was apparently not a man to be put off easily. “But if more people patronize your establishment before the celebration starts, the volume of sales in a shorter time frame is bound to increase profits. Even if the store closes early.”

Mrs. Croft shifted from one foot to another and spoke to Mary Lou. “Well, I see your new business partner has a good head on his shoulders.” Mary Lou tried to ignore her ire when Mrs. Croft looked down her nose at her. “You could use someone like that at the paper. Things have gone a bit soft in recent years.”

“Mrs. Croft, I—”

This time Jared interrupted her. “I’m certain you didn’t mean to imply that my grandfather didn’t run a serious newspaper.”

“Of course not. But Mary Lou here doesn’t have the strong sense for real news that Mr. Ivy did.”

Mary Lou’s blood began to boil. How dare the woman speak to her like that?

“From what I’ve seen since I arrived in Pine Haven, Miss Ellison knows a good story when she sees it. She’s also very careful to only print the truth.”

Mr. Croft chuckled. “I’d say from what she wrote here—” he punched a line on the paper he’d placed on the counter “—she didn’t hold back on this story about you coming to town.”

Jared laughed along with the man’s joke. Mary Lou had been surprised when he’d jumped to her defense. And more than a bit pleased. She shook her head. He was only defending the paper’s reputation. She wouldn’t let him win her over with kind words meant to protect his own interests.

Not for the first time, she decided to ignore Mrs. Croft. “Mr. Croft, will you please put the money for the papers on my account? We’re in a bit of a hurry today. I’ve got to introduce Mr. Ivy to several people.”

“Sure thing.” Mr. Croft lifted a hand in dismissal. “Good to meet you, Mr. Ivy.”

When they were on the sidewalk outside the store again, Mary Lou headed for the hotel.

“Wait just a minute.” Jared stopped walking.

She turned. “What is it? Can’t we talk as we go? There’s a lot to do today.”

He shook his head. “I need to ask you something.”

“What?” Still smarting from Mrs. Croft’s accusations, she didn’t want to waste any more time on trivialities. She could ignore the insults and bite her tongue at the time, but the accusations always stung. She had to get to work on the next edition. She’d make certain there was something so newsworthy that not even Liza Croft could refute it.

“You asked Mr. Croft to credit your account with the proceeds from the sale of the papers.”

“Instead of paying me for all of the papers when I drop them off, he credits my account for the ones he sells. It’s an arrangement he prefers.” Why did he stop her for this? “It makes no difference in the end. The money comes by week’s end.”

He’d put his hat back on when they’d stepped outside, yet his blue eyes didn’t dim in the shade of the brim. “But all the money isn’t yours.”

“Oh. Is that what has your back up? You think I’m going to control the money and you won’t have any?”

“I’m not accusing you of anything.”

She pivoted on one foot to angle away from him a bit. “Really?”

“I’m saying that things have to change now. You can’t just carry on as if I’m not here.”

“Believe me, Mr. Ivy, this is nothing like the way my day would be going if you weren’t here.”

He didn’t flinch at her biting attitude. In fact, he lowered his tone and spoke with more deliberation. “You get my point.”

She sighed. “I do.” She turned back toward the general store, but he reached out a hand and caught her by the elbow.

“Don’t do it now. Mrs. Croft will never let it rest if she thinks I sent you back in to change things.”

He was right. The woman would never let go of a tidbit like that. Mary Lou nodded. “Okay. Let’s go to the hotel next. They pay in cash. We’ll accept it and divide the profits when we get back to the office, taking the amount that usually comes in from the general store into account.”

Jared smiled at her. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“What?” This man had her flummoxed. He’d defended her when he didn’t have to and protected her when she hadn’t considered the consequences of a quick reaction. Why would he do that?

“It wasn’t so difficult to discuss an aspect of the business and come to a mutual agreement.”

“Hmm...no. It wasn’t.”