GARRETT GOT CAUGHT IN A conversation with the owner of the hardware store. I snuck out the minute the meeting came to an end. There was no way I was going to chance bumping into Mac or April.
“I’ll walk you out,” Hans said, twisting his tool belt.
We squeezed through the crowd. The mood had shifted with the delivery of free beer. Conversations sounded upbeat and jovial. Hopefully, the mood would spill over to election day and everyone would cast their ballots for Valerie. I couldn’t see any scenario in which Kristopher could pull out a win.
Speak of the devil, I thought as we exited Der Keller and stepped onto the enclosed patio. Most people had been lured inside by the siren call of free beer, but a handful of locals were gathered around one of the large tables, warming their hands by the fire. I would have continued on, but a commotion broke out. Seated at the center of the table was none other than Kristopher Cooper. I quickly realized that he was flanked by his fringe group of followers.
“What are you doing here? You’re not welcome.” A shrill voice sounded behind me. Hans and I turned in unison to see April with her hands on her hips.
Kristopher leaned back in his chair and rested his feet on the table. “The last time I checked, Ms. Ablin, it’s a free country. I’m enjoying a nice dinner with friends.”
April’s cheeks puffed out. “I thought you hated beer. If you’re campaigning against the craft, what the hell do you think you’re doing here?”
Kristopher strummed his fingers on his silver beard. “As you can see, my friends and I are sharing our favorite German fare and ice-cold glasses of sun tea. We believe in keeping our bodies pure and devoid of that poison that you all insist on drinking.” The smirk on his face was evidence of the fact that he was taking great pleasure in getting April riled up.
“You are such a hypocrite, Kris.” April shook her finger at him. “There are dozens of other German restaurants in the village, and you decided to eat at Der Keller. Tonight. You’re not fooling any of us. I know what your motive is.”
“And that would be?” Kristopher removed his expensive loafers from the table.
“Valerie’s hosting a huge campaign rally inside, and you’re here to stir up trouble.” April pressed the ruffles in her dress. I shivered at the sight of her bare legs. She had to be freezing.
At the mention of Valerie’s name, Kristopher shot a look I couldn’t decipher to an older gentleman seated across from him. They must have shared some of kind of code because the man pushed back his chair, gave Kristopher a nod, and hurried inside.
Kristopher made a tsking sound under his breath. “I hope Valerie isn’t misusing campaign funding to get everyone liquored up. It would be a shame to have to report her to the council.”
I thought April might attack him. Hans jumped in front of her to stop her from lunging at Kristopher.
Kristopher let out a nasty laugh. “Now, now, Ms. Ablin, that’s no way for Leavenworth’s ambassador to act, is it?” His tone was laced with sarcasm, making his friends laugh.
April tried to free herself from Hans’s grasp.
At the same moment, Valerie, along with a large group of her supporters, came outside. She stopped in midstride when she spotted Kristopher.
“Hey, Val. Funny meeting you here.” Kristopher stood. He was dressed like a politician in a pair of tailored slacks and a buttoned-up long-sleeved shirt. His suit jacket hung on the back of his chair. No one in Leavenworth wore suits. Swimsuits to float the river or ski suits for winter afternoons on the mountain maybe. Kristopher looked out of place in his fastidious outfit.
“Look, Kristopher, this isn’t the time or place to do this.” Valerie’s voice was strong and forceful, much more so than when she was speaking to the crowd inside.
“Why? Are you nervous? Not up to any illegal campaigning, are you?” The arrogant smile on Kristopher’s face made me want to take a swing at him. “It would match the illegal boozing you’re fighting so hard for. All those boozy dollars going down the drain. Who needs it more? Six dollars for a pint of the devil’s drink. Our citizens are literally pouring their hard-earned dollars down the drain, and I’m going to put a stop to it.”
“Save it for the debate.” Valerie motioned for her crew to join her as she brushed past us.
Hans still had April by the elbow. I caught his eye. He mirrored my sense of disbelief. I had made it a point to stay out of local politics. In a town the size of Leavenworth, everyone had an opinion. On the rare occasion that I had had to attend a city council meeting for Der Keller, I had been shocked by how many people used the venue as a forum to vent their frustrations over everything from unleashed dogs to demands for regulating the height of trees and shrubbery in the parks. Why Kristopher or Valerie wanted the job was beyond me.
“Not so fast.” Kristopher blocked the exit. I guessed him to be in his late fifties or early sixties. He moved with lightning speed. “I came to have a word with you in private.”
Valerie shrunk back from him.
“You know what I’m talking about.” Kristopher gave her a knowing stare.
Valerie whispered something into the ear of the guy standing next to her, who proceeded to try and push Kristopher away.
“Hey! Hands off!” Kristopher shouted.
A fight broke out. Kristopher’s and Valerie’s supporters began hurling insults and physically pushing each other around. The commotion must have reached inside because people started pouring out of Der Keller to see what was going on. April, who continued to be restrained by Hans, egged everyone on.
“Get them out of here!” Her high-pitched voice cut through the mayhem. “He’s a Bedrohung! A Bedrohung. He’s ruining our beloved Bavaria.”
I had no idea what April meant by Bedrohung, but then again, she probably didn’t either. She was notorious for creating her own version of German or grossly misusing German words. I watched, dumbfounded, as the fight continued to escalate. Kristopher was outnumbered. His group had backed off the patio but were holding their ground on the sidewalk. No punches had been thrown, just a few shoves and plenty of insults. I didn’t understand why he didn’t leave. If they stuck around much longer, I had a bad feeling that it might turn ugly.
Nothing like this had ever happened, at least in recent memory. Leavenworth political campaigns usually involved a debate at the Festhalle, where candidates sparred over tax policy or parking enforcement issues. I’d never seen a city council race get violent.
A thunderous clap boomed. Everyone froze. I looked to the sky. No one had predicted thunderstorms.
“Break it up,” Mac yelled as he leapt onto one of the tables. He held two beer paddles, or flight boards used for tastings. “Enough. Everyone go home. The show’s over.” He slammed the paddles together again. The sound was so loud, I pressed my fingers in my ears. However, his startle technique worked. The bloodlust energy in the opposing groups dissipated.
Kristopher gave Valerie a triumphant grin before sauntering away.
Had his only mission been to incite an argument?
Hans released April, who shook him off with a huff. She grabbed Ross, the owner of the Underground, and dragged him with her in Kristopher’s direction.
“Should we let her go?” I asked Hans.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve done my duty for the night.”
“That was nuts.” I glanced around us. There must have been at least thirty people outside. I was surprised that no one had called the police. The irony, that Kristopher was campaigning on a platform that alcohol was the root cause of public disturbance and distress, wasn’t lost on me. Had that been his purpose? Did he want a fight to break out at Der Keller, in order to blame it on beer?
Hans frowned. “Nuts, yes, and I suspect also staged.”
“Me too. Kristopher came here to pick a fight.”
“He succeeded.” He tucked his hands in his workpants. “You want me to walk you to your car?”
“No thanks. It’s just down the block.” I kissed his cheek. “See you later. Don’t go getting any ideas about running for city council.”
Hans pretended to gag. I left him and headed down Front Street. When I passed Conrad’s Nutcracker Shoppe, I noticed that he, Valerie, and April were continuing to trade barbs with Kristopher. For a minute, I thought about intervening, but instead I crossed the street and faded into the darkness. Kristopher had brought this on himself. It wasn’t my job to mediate. Thank goodness the election was just a week away. The sooner I could cast my vote and end the craziness, the better.