Absence of mallets, p.8
Absence of Mallets, page 8
I studied the mallet. “He was an artist in wood as well as mosaics.”
“He was. I’m lucky to have inherited his tools.”
“You could sure break some bones with it,” I muttered.
“Oh, for sure.”
“Do you mind if I take a picture of this? I really want to look into getting something like this for my very own.”
“I don’t blame you. Sure, snap away.”
I pulled out my phone and took pictures of the mallet from every angle. I couldn’t wait to show them to Niall Rose, my stonemason. Of course, he probably had something similar in his own tool collection, but nothing as beautiful as this.
I slipped my phone back into the pocket of my tool belt.
Linda’s tools were so interesting and unique, I could’ve spent all day talking about each one of them. It was tool talk, so I wasn’t wasting time, right?
I knew a little something about mosaic tools from working with Niall, so I recognized the hardie that was sticking out of the large wooden block on her table. A hardie was a type of chisel, but not the kind you held in your hand. Instead, it was driven into a heavy block of wood so that only the sharp edge stuck out a few inches. When the mosaic artist balanced a chunk of marble or glass or stone onto the hardie’s edge and pounded it lightly with a mallet, the glass or stone broke neatly in half.
If you ever took a mosaic art class, you would spend plenty of days learning the proper way to work with the hammer and the hardie.
I picked up something that looked like a miniature pickax, about twelve inches long. The business end of this tool was made of heavy steel with an arced head. “Now this looks like it could hurt you.”
“The two ends are pretty sharp.” She pointed. “If you look at this side of the hammer end, you’ll see a little rectangle of a different material along the sharp edge. That’s carbide, and it’s only used to cut glass. The other side is all steel, and it can be used to cut slate or marble or other pieces of stone.”
“What happens if you use the wrong side?”
“If you try to cut stone with the carbide end, you’ll damage the stone.”
“Interesting. I didn’t know that.”
“This is my everyday mallet. It works best with the hardie, unless I need a softer touch. Then I use one of the wood mallets.”
Finally, I reached for Linda’s rubber mallet. “Now this one looks familiar.”
“I imagine you have one just like it.”
“I do,” I said. “Except mine’s got a pink handle.”
“Oh, yeah,” she said with a smile. “Julia told me about your pink tools theory. Very smart.”
“What can I say?” I tested the mallet, pounding it lightly against the palm of my hand. This was a useful tool when you required a softer, more nuanced impact than a steel-headed hammer. I wasn’t exactly the queen of nuance, given that I had a complete tool chest filled with pink tools. But what the heck? Pink had always worked for me.
Chapter Five
When I saw Sean and Johnny walking toward me, I handed the rubber mallet back to Linda and prepared to get to work.
She set the mallet down with the others. “What are you all working on today?”
I tapped the exterior wall of the house right next to us. “We’re finishing the roof on this house, and then we’ve got some windows arriving today. They’re being installed on those five houses over on the north side of the Parkway.” I glanced at my watch. “Which reminds me, have you seen the insides of any of the houses yet?”
“Julia took me on a quick tour of one of them last week. But I’d love to get a closer look at the backsplashes, now that I know I’ll be doing some of them.”
“That’s a good idea. I need fifteen minutes to talk to my guys, and then I’ll come back and we’ll take a tour.”
“Perfect,” she said brightly. “I’ll be here when you’re ready.”
* * *
* * *
Linda and I walked through three houses that were almost finished, but not quite ready to be occupied. In each house, Linda studied the room for a few minutes.
“This is really well designed. And that’s a generous kitchen counter space for what’s basically a single apartment.”
“My crew and I have been building tiny homes for the last few years,” I explained. “We usually add a bonus touch or two, like a loft or a deck or a back porch or an atrium kitchen window. But for these houses, we needed to make them superefficient without making them so small that the vets felt claustrophobic.”
“That’s a thoughtful approach to take.”
“The houses were always going to be one room,” I said, “but why not divide it up a little? Give them both a bedroom space and a small living room space. And then we added a little more area to the kitchen, and this is the design we came up with. So far, everyone’s pretty happy with it.”
“The vets I’ve talked to are very pleased to be here.” She pulled out her measuring tape. “Okay, let’s do this.”
“Let me know if you need me to hold down the tape measure.”
“I will, thanks.” She stared for a minute, then went about measuring across the counter and up the wall. “The main counter area, with the sink, is twelve feet long, and the backsplash extends up the wall eighteen inches.” She wrote it down in a notebook, then murmured, “I should find something heat resistant for the backsplash over the stove.”
“It’s up to you. Most glass or tile backsplashes will work in the stove area in terms of heat resistance.”
She took another measurement and calculated under her breath. “You don’t have a hood or a microwave over the stove, so I’ll keep the same eighteen inches there.”
“We’re willing to add a hood, but most of our residents end up dining in the community center café for their meals. I mean, if they want to stay home, they’re more liable to open up a can of soup or scramble some eggs or heat up some chili rather than cook a big gourmet meal. But we’re giving everyone who moves in a choice of a fancy designer hood if they’d like one. If they’re more inclined to hit the café every day, then we’ll install a simple exhaust vent in the ceiling over the stove. It’s up to the vets.”
“That’s a really nice deal,” she said, holding her tape measure and jotting down the numbers.
“We were able to get such a good discount on the hoods, we can afford to make the offer.”
“Okay, I’ve got my measurements,” she said, then dropped her tape measure into the pocket of her camo tool belt.
I nodded approvingly. “You appear to know what you’re doing.”
“I think I do,” she said with a smile.
“Great. I’ll walk you back to your work area.”
“The sun’s coming out,” she said, gazing up at the sky as we strolled across the Parkway. “I might move my table to the other side of the house in a little while so I can continue working in the shade.”
“I’ll help you move it.”
“Thanks.”
“And I’ll try to find you a more permanent space to work in. Maybe one of the empty offices inside the community center.”
“One of the offices would be fine, until I’m ready to start gluing. Then I’ll need to work outdoors. The glue can be caustic.”
“Oh yeah, glad you mentioned that. Well, as long as the weather cooperates, you’re welcome to work outside.”
“That sounds just fine,” she said with a smile.
I laughed. “You’re too easy.”
“I’m just happy to be working on this project.”
“That’s how we all feel. It’s a good place to be.”
“Linda!” Someone shouted her name.
We both turned, and I wanted to groan out loud. It was Lewis.
Why wasn’t he in jail? That was my first thought, and I had to take a few deep breaths to calm down. This guy had really gotten under my skin! But honestly, what was he doing here? Didn’t he have a life? A book to write?
I wondered if the cops had been too late to catch them inside the lighthouse. I’d have to ask Eric later.
“Hello, Lewis,” Linda said sweetly. “We were just talking about you.”
“Were you?” He raised a cocky eyebrow, and his smile was so smug, I wanted to smack him. Honestly, Linda was the dearest person in the world, but she didn’t have a clue about guys like Lewis.
I cleared my throat and said loudly, “Good talking to you, Linda.” Then I made a big deal about checking my watch. “Wow, it’s late. Guess we’d better get back to work.”
“Gosh, I guess so,” she said.
I waited for a moment to see if Lewis would take the hint and leave, but he didn’t. He just stared at me, clearly waiting for me to leave. I realized that he was actually trying to intimidate me, and that wasn’t going to happen.
“Lewis,” I said finally. “I’m sorry I didn’t mention it sooner, but since this is a construction site, nobody is allowed here without authorization and a hard hat.”
“Linda isn’t wearing one,” he said, challenging me.
“Linda only started working here today, and I was just on my way to get her a hard hat.” A tiny lie, but it worked for me. I stood where I was, gazing at him.
He stared back, and his lips tightened into a thin line. Finally, he huffed out a breath and turned to Linda. “Linda, I really need to talk to you. It’s important.”
“Why don’t you call me later?” she suggested.
He gritted his teeth in frustration. “Fine. I’ll call you later.” Then he strolled away slowly, ambling along the walkway as though he didn’t have a care in the world. But I knew he was angry. He didn’t like being told what to do.
I watched him until he reached the front parking lot and got into his car.
I turned to Linda. “I’m sorry I had to make him leave. I know he’s your friend, but he’s been kind of a pest to me.”
She wrung her hands, clearly uncomfortable with conflict. “I know he shouldn’t be coming here. And Julia doesn’t seem to like him, either, but I think she’s just being protective.”
“She’s a good friend,” I said, keeping it simple.
“When I see him next time, I’ll tell him to stay away.”
But she wouldn’t, I thought. It wasn’t in her DNA to do anything that might hurt someone’s feelings.
“Don’t worry about it.” I smiled. “I know it’s hard to be the bad guy when it comes to friends.”
“I hate it,” she confessed. “Confrontation has always been hard for me. Probably goes back to my father issues.”
I had to smile at her explanation. “If he comes around again, I’ll be happy to handle it.”
If he came around again, I thought, I would ban Lewis from the property. I wouldn’t mind that confrontation at all.
* * *
* * *
I was standing outside house number twenty-six, going over this week’s schedule with Wade, when I heard the heavy downshifting of a powerful truck engine. I glanced toward the main driveway in the distance and saw the glass transport trailer driving onto the property.
“He’s early,” I said. “I’ve got to run down there and direct him where to go.”
“You want me to go?” Wade asked.
“Thanks, but I’d rather have you wrangle the guys to move the equipment out of the gardeners’ way.”
“Oh yeah,” he said. “It’s Wednesday. Duh. I’m losing track of the days.”
“It’s good to be busy,” I said brightly.
He snorted. “That’s what I keep telling my wife.”
I laughed and took off. Wade was a fanatic when it came to scheduling, and he was permanently attached to his tablet. But we were all super busy these days.
I jogged the few hundred yards to the parking lot where the driver was waiting. As soon as he saw me, he honked his horn and waved. I waved back and indicated that he should drive toward me. I led him back across the property to the five houses that would be getting windows today, and he brought the truck to a stop on the Parkway in front of house number twenty-six.
He shut off the engine and climbed down from the cab. “Hey, Shannon, how’s it going?”
“Great, Eddie. How are you doing?” I had known the man for years, since I was a teenager working for my father.
“Couldn’t be better.” He pointed to the row of houses in front of us. “These are the five?”
“Yes. And my window guys will be here in just a minute.”
“Very good.” He circled to take in all the changes. “Boy, you’re whipping through this project. You’ll be finished in no time.”
“It’s going pretty well,” I said. “We’re right on schedule, so that’s a good thing.”
“Speaking of schedules,” Eddie said, “I was able to bring you that special glass you ordered last month.”
My eyes widened. “The beveled glass window?”
“Yeah. It’s on the truck.”
“That’s awesome. But you know it’s going to another site.”
“Sure,” he said. “The Cranberry Lane site, right?”
“That’s right. Carla’s supervising over there.”
“It’ll be nice to see her. When we’re through here, I’ll deliver it to her.”
“Thanks, Eddie. I’ll let her know you’re coming. The owner’s going to be thrilled. And so am I.”
“That’s what I like to hear.”
Wade walked over. “Hey, Eddie. Good to see you.”
“Good to be seen,” the glass man replied with a grin.
“Eddie brought the beveled glass picture window for the Cranberry Lane house,” I said.
“Oh, that’s fantastic,” Wade said. “When we’re done here, I’ll follow you over there.”
“Good enough,” Eddie said. “You two want to take a look at it?”
“Absolutely,” Wade said, and we followed Eddie over to the truck.
The thick, beveled glass was eight feet square, and it would look stunning in the classic Queen Anne Victorian home that overlooked the ocean.
“That is beautiful, Eddie,” I said. “Man, you do good work.”
“Thanks, Shannon,” he said. “It was a challenge, but I think it turned out really nice.”
At that moment, I heard the husky sound of the lawnmower starting up. Checking my watch, I saw that it was ten thirty.
“Like clockwork,” I murmured, and in the distance, I saw the big lawnmower chug into view down by the community center. The head gardener, Mario, was riding it, and I smiled. The man had once confided that he liked to imagine he was on a horse riding the range. And why not?
“Hey there, Shannon.”
I glanced up. “Parks. Hey, thank you again for taking care of business last night.”
The older man squinted at me. “What’re you talking about?”
“You got those two guys to leave the center.”
“Oh, yeah.” He tightened his jaw. “Troublemakers. I didn’t like them hanging around. They were at Mac’s workshop the night before, and I wasn’t impressed. So I told them to skedaddle.”
I chuckled at his language. “Well, I appreciate it.”
He gave me a salute. “No problemo.”
“You on your way to the center?” I asked.
“Yeah,” the older man said. “Thought I’d see what they’re serving for lunch and maybe get a haircut while I’m there.”
“Well, enjoy yourself,” I said, impressed all over again at the many services the center provided for their veterans.
“Always do,” he assured me.
* * *
* * *
My crew and I had been working on the windows for an hour when Linda and Travis walked over to see how it was going. I knew that Travis was installing siding on the current row of houses over by Linda’s work space.
I noticed that Linda was now wearing the hard hat I’d given her earlier. “That hat looks good on you, but I can bring you a different color tomorrow if you’d like.”
“No, I love the pink.”
“I’m glad,” I said. “Because none of my guys will go near the pink ones.”
Travis smothered a laugh. “I don’t know why. I think the pink looks good on everybody.”
“I think so, too,” I said. “It’s cheerful, right?”
Linda giggled. “I just love working here.”
“We’re all glad you’re here,” Travis said shyly.
Linda glanced at someone in the distance. “Shannon, isn’t that your sister?”
I turned and watched Chloe approach. “Sure is.”
She had the camera in her hand and was taking video as she walked up to the group. “Hi, y’all.”
“Hi, Chloe,” Linda said.
I pointed to Travis. “You met Travis the other night.”
“I remember,” Chloe said. “We all had dinner together.”
“That’s right,” he said. “Good to see you.”
“You, too.” Then she looked at the guys working on the nearest house.
“So they’re doing windows?” she asked.
“Yeah.” I pointed down the line of small homes. “These five houses are getting windows today.”
She nodded. “Okay if I get closer? I want to get a good look at the process.”
“Sure. Just let them know what you’re doing so they don’t knock you over.”
“Okay. Thanks.” She walked up to Wade, who was supervising the operation. He gave her a hug, then pointed toward the front of the house so she could get a view from the inside. She disappeared inside the house, and after ten minutes, she walked out and approached the guys doing the exterior work. She held the camera up so she could get the whole view of the window being installed. I could see her zooming in to catch the exciting application of the caulk. I would tease her about that later.
