She guessed it was a lie. If he didn’t work with them, he probably wouldn’t have known that they were overworked. And, more than likely, he would not have known the details of a federal act that was three decades old and included directives for remains of people who lived five hundred years ago. Half a damn millennium. She wanted to say, “Thanks anyway,” and hang up. But just as she opened her mouth to speak, Larry beat her to it.

“No promises, of course, but I’ll make a couple of calls.” His voice dropped to a less-intimidating octave. “If only to prove I’m not really an insufferable jerk.”

It wasn’t until after he’d said he’d be in touch in a few days and she’d thanked him and they’d hung up that Annie realized that neither of them had mentioned Mark.

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

“Before we head out, would you like a quick tour of the Inn?” Annie asked when she returned to pick up Donna. “Then you’ll be able to visualize someone’s work in a specific place.”

Donna smiled. “I was going to ask for that.” In a pale aqua cashmere sweater, light gray pants, and short leather boots, she almost looked as if she were going to meet her lady friends for lunch in Chestnut Hill. And though Annie had on black jeans and sneakers, she’d put on a new white sweater. They both wore makeup, though it looked like Donna had applied an extra layer.

Annie had brought her iPad and the list of artists so Donna could see the type of work each artist painted, then suggest a given style that she thought would be a match for a specific location. As they walked through the Inn, Donna nodded and emitted many “uh-huh”s, which might have been a throwback to her antiques-buying days when showing no reaction was a technique for negotiation. After they’d gone through every room and hall, they stopped to say good-bye to Kevin.

“You’ll be glad to hear I have good news,” Annie said. “I contacted an old friend-of-a-friend in Boston who might be able to help speed up the process with the archeologist.”

“Seriously?” Kevin asked, setting down the hammer.

“Seriously. And, believe me, if anyone can make something happen, it’s this guy. So fingers crossed, okay?”

He smiled a little, enough for Annie to know he appreciated that she’d taken the heat off him for not having contacted Gina. Then he went back to work, and the women went outside and got into the Jeep.

“You made his day,” Donna said.

“Having him around often makes my day.”

Donna nodded, most likely because she already knew that. Then she said, “As for the Inn, it’s going to be lovely.”

Annie felt like a child who’d been praised by her mother. “Thank you. It’s been a collaborative effort, right down to the color of the paint. From the start, we agreed that everyone’s opinion matters. We all want the same thing—a place that looks natural and cozy and is beautiful, too.”