Free Easy Bake Coven: Book One of the Vivienne Finch Magical Mysteries by J.D. Shaw Page A

Meeker Jewelers .”
He spoke just a little too slow, as if placing an order at a fast food
drive-thru speaker. “My concern is the funding for this project.”
    “What
is your exact concern?” Mona asked.
    “The
state is flat broke right now.” Raymond wrapped his thumbs around the red
suspenders he wore over his starched white dress shirt. “Are we supposed to
foot the entire bill for this on our own?”
    Mona
put on her best smile. “Think of it as a short term personal loan to the town.”
She took a sip of her ice water and swallowed hard. “You see, once we get all
these improvements made, your investment is going to pay off double, maybe
triple when all those tour busses pull into town and mob the local stores. If
the state-funding is approved down the road, each business will be reimbursed
equally.”
    “Do
you want to put that in writing?” Raymond asked her.
    “I’m
not a psychic, Mister Meeker.” Mona shook her head. “I can’t guarantee an exact
return any more than I could predict the next lotto numbers.”
    “Then
why not wait on this until the state can provide funding?” He asked.
    “He
might have a good point.” Cassandra Pembroke spoke up much to the surprise of
everyone. “If not full funding, perhaps we can work out a deal for matching
funding?”
    “That
could take years.” Victoria Clemens interrupted with a wave of her bejeweled
right hand. “As someone who knows the wine trail inside and out, I can tell you
the longer we wait, the less chance we will ever get put on the map.”
    “As
someone who knows banking from the inside out, I think we need to put more
effort into funding this project through grants and government loans.”
Cassandra snapped back.
    “Your
ex husband knows banking inside and out.” Victoria cast an icy glare at
Cassandra. “I hardly think that qualifies you as a financial manager of this
project.”
    “Any
more than being married to a winery owner qualifies you as a vintner.”
Cassandra rebuffed the challenge.
    “I
told you putting her on the board would create problems.” Victoria tried to
whisper to Mona, but the microphone picked it up and amplified regardless.
    Mona
put her hands up in protest. “Ladies, please. This is a hot bed issue to say
the least, but we are not here to make personal attacks on who is qualified to
do what.” She gave a stern look to each end of the table. “Next question
please?”
    “I’m
Tony DiSanto , from The Leaning Tower of Pizza .” He was dressed in a pair of
flour-stained black workpants and a simple white button up shirt that had faded
red tomato sauce stains on the sleeves. “So just how much is this going to cost
each business owner? Is everyone going to be charged the same amount for the
refurbishment?”
    Mary
Ellen pulled out an electronic tablet device and tapped the screen with her
slender fingers. “If we go with the plan presented as of tonight, divided by
the number of shops on Main Street, each business would spend approximately
three-thousand and fifty dollars and some change.”
    An
elegantly dressed woman with a bun of salt and pepper hair atop her head
approached the microphone next. “I’m Evelyn Hart from Lakeside Gift Emporium .” She spoke softly. “That’s quite an
investment from each business. I can’t speak for everyone here, but I’m not
afraid to tell this board it hasn’t exactly been a banner year for my store.”
She raised a piece of paper up and adjusted the gold wire frame glasses on her
nose. “My profits are actually down forty percent from last year.”
    “We’re
not asking you to refurbish the inside of your shops.” Victoria Clemens fielded
the question. “We are only talking about a small cosmetic change to the
exterior of each business and a uniform sign to tie it all together.”
    “That’s
easy for you to say.” An anonymous male voice shouted back from the audience.
“You don’t have a business on Main Street.”
    Victoria
peered into the crowd to