Leanne Delaney twinkled happily. She was a striking woman in her mid-forties with a Pre-Raphaelite look about her that was at once romantic, earthy, and fiery. “Right back at you.” She smiled. “And don’t worry about being late, I’ve only just got here myself. I’ve ordered you a glass of white, tell me I did wrong.”

“You did not. I need it after the showdown I’ve just had with a contractor.”

Curiously, Leanne asked, “Are we talking about the new builds up on Westleigh Heights?”

“The very same. I’m supposed to be dressing the show home this week, but they’re so behind that the decorators can’t even start to wallpaper and half the furniture is about to be delivered.”

“Mm, awkward. Anything I can do?”

“If you know how to make curtains I’d worship at your feet forever. The woman I normally use has just let me down, and everyone else on my list is up to their eyes.”

Leanne grimaced. “Not a part of my skill set, I’m afraid, but I’ll definitely give it some thought and let you know if I come up with anyone. Aha, here’s Fliss, the goddess of grapes.”

They greeted the café’s owner affectionately, and for several minutes the three of them discussed how their various businesses were doing. The Seafront was always busy no matter the time of year, given its status as the town’s go-to breakfast and lunch venue, while Leanne’s vintage emporium further along the Promenade had done exceptionally well over the summer. Andee, as always, was involved in so many projects besides her design business that there was too much to go into, so she mostly let the others talk.

“So, who’s joining you?” Fliss asked, nodding at the table’s third setting.

“Dan Collier,” Andee replied. “Don’t be surprised if he gets on both your cases to become practitioners in our restorative justice program.”

“Oh, yes, how’s that going?” Fliss asked, waving goodbye to someone who was leaving. “I hear you’ve already got an executive board in place. Are you just waiting for funding to come through?”

“Not anymore,” Andee responded warmly. “Thanks to a very generous donation from a local businessman, we’re already taking in referrals.”

Intrigued, Leanne said, “You mean actual cases? No more rehearsals?”

“We have two genuine cases running at the moment,” Andee told her. “One is a burglary and the other’s a hate crime, but there are others under consideration, so we need to start recruiting. I thought your mother would be a good candidate,” she suggested to Leanne, “and I wondered about Klaudia,” she added, referring to Leanne’s partner in the vintage shop she owned. “Speaking Polish will make her a tremendous asset.”

Leanne blinked. “Mum will definitely want to be involved,” she assured her. “I’ll talk to Klaudia and let you know, but I’m sure she’ll say yes.”