Perhaps when Betsy had been officially named as personal representative, they would consider making a loan against the assets of the shop in order to buy more inventory, because of the fact that the business was of long standing. Perhaps the loan would be as much as one hundred percent of the value of what she was purchasing. They might also lend her money based on the insurance settlement for the burglary.

Even this was not usually done, the banker concluded, but after all, it appeared that Betsy would be coming into a lot of money one of these days, and the bank would love to do business with her, as they had with Margot.

With an effort, Betsy refrained from leaping across the desk and watching the vice-president’s pink complexion turn to mauve as she throttled him. Instead, she pointedly snapped the attaché case shut, shook his hand perfunctorily, and left the bank.

First State was on the comer of Water and Second, where she’d almost missed the turn the first time she’d come into Excelsior. She walked toward the lake and reached the tavern, but couldn’t make herself turn down Lake Street toward Crewel World. She dreaded going back to the shop. She had been so sure she’d come bursting back in with the glad news that their troubles were over, the shop could keep running, and everyone would be paid. Now...

She dithered awhile, and finally crossed Lake Street and walked down to the wharves. They barely met the definition of the word, since no actual ship tied up here, only excursion boats. Still, the boats were large, multidecked objects, painted white, made of Formica. Or was it fiberglass? Queen of Excelsior, one was named. Beside them, the streetcar boat Minnehaha looked very odd and old-fashioned. Betsy walked out on the wharf it was tied next to.

The Minnehaha was made of wood painted a brownish red with mustard-yellow trim. A black metal chimney stuck up from its midsection. Its stem sloped sharply away from the rear, like a warship back in the days of the Great White Fleet.

The lake twinkled in the sunlight. Betsy looked down into the clear water. She could see three good-size crappie swimming among the waving water weeds, into and out of the shadow cast by the Minnehaha. How much was a fishing license? Maybe it would be a savings to invest in one, and a cane pole. If she ate fish a few times a week, it would cut back on her grocery bills.

Sophie would probably like that, too. She thought of Sophie, curled on a cushion in the shop, injured leg uppermost so everyone would see her cast and offer sympathy and treats. Sophie, regaining weight almost hourly, had not stopped purring since she’d returned from the hospital.

Some way would have to be found to pay the vet.