| |
Jeff Hudson settled against one of the high-backed white wicker chairs that lined the porch of the Mount Washington Resort. History oozed from the walls, floors, and decorations. While he loved that about the hotel, it cost more than he preferred to pay for a hang-out place when he worked a deal. In the rural state of New Hampshire, he hadn’t found many options. Unfortunately for him, the local inn had not a single vacancy. The Mount Washington Resort had undergone a fairly recent renovation and was now under the Omni umbrella. Rooms and suites had been enlarged, but they’d managed to keep the historic charm of the place.
Jeff glanced around. What kept Tony, who prided himself on being on time? Tony Benton and Jeff had fallen into a great working relationship. Jeff knew if something happened to him and he couldn’t carry through on his company’s responsibilities, Tony would. And vice versa.
Jeff sipped his black coffee laced with half and half and decided to relax and enjoy this respite from the rushed meeting schedule he usually faced. After a ton of research, Tony had come up with the idea of building their next retirement center in Tidbury. He’d found thirty families that lived just outside town, all with elderly members. Once the snows set in, it became hard for them to make the trip to town. This would be perfect. All the tenants’ needs would be within walking distance if they couldn’t find it within the center itself. He and Tony hadn’t quite resolved what should be a part of the center, whether it should be only residential with a restaurant or something more elaborate with a variety of services.
“Hey, Jeff. I’m late. I got caught up in drawings and lost track of the clock.” His business partner and friend ran up the stairs to the wide porch running around much of the building.
“Not a problem, I’ve been sitting and enjoying this great view. When the leaves start to change, I bet it will be even more magnificent. You’ve brought your own coffee, I see. Take a seat.” Jeff gestured to another of the large chairs with the soft cushions.
Tony sat next to Jeff, glancing around at the vista. He exhaled a long breath. “Boy, we don’t have an opportunity to do this too often.” He laughed. “I think we must be working too much.”
“Well, you’ve got that right. Maybe come Christmas we’ll take a break.”
“When did we last take off for Christmas?”
Jeff rubbed a hand along his jaw. Damn, it couldn’t be as long as he first thought. “Five years?”
“Yep. I think we’re due.”
“Well, you certainly are, Tony. I’m surprised Eva hasn’t killed me.”
“She enjoys the product of all our hard work. That’s also why she keeps trying to set you up with someone you can settle down with and force us all to kick back.”
“Eva is one determined woman, and I appreciate her concern. She’d make me happy though if she’d give it up.”
“You might buy yourself a reprieve if you give us this Christmas off.” Tony sipped his coffee.
“I hear ya. Right now let’s talk about the Tidbury project. I drove through the town on the way here. It’s quite charming. The Green is much larger than you find in many towns.”
“That’s why I believe this will work.” Tony extracted drawings from his bag, set them on the table, and secured them with his cup on one edge to keep the ends from curling.
“Hey, that’s my coffee,” Jeff complained when Tony snatched the cup from his hand and set it on the other end of the diagrams.
“I’ll give it back. You’ve seen these before, but I wanted to show you a couple of the changes I’m suggesting.”
“Okay. What’ve you got?”
“Well, I’ve taken out a few items I hope will make the project more acceptable to the board of selectmen and the town. I heard there was a person who spoke against the whole project at their last meeting. I thought it was smart to be prepared with alternatives. Maybe we won’t have to make these changes because one of our worst critics has died.”
“What?”
“Yeah. The story is a member of the board of selectmen committed suicide.”
“Boy, that’s rough on family members.” Memories of his brother’s suicide cut through his heart. Ten years ago still seemed like yesterday. Scott had never gotten a handle on his drug addiction.
“So what are these changes?”
“Originally we’d planned to have a beauty and barber shop, a dry cleaner, a trinket shop, and of course, the restaurant. If we leave in the restaurant and take out all the rest, we will be less threatening to the merchants around the Green. However, if we don’t have any issues on the board, we can add them back in.”
“Okay, I like your suggestions, Tony. We can go with either Plan A with the additions or Plan B with only the food service offered in the center if town officials continue to raise objections to the project.”
“What do you want to do now?” Tony rolled up the design papers.
“Let’s take a drive through Tidbury. I’d like to become more familiar with the town. You’ve visited more than I, and I’d like to double-check the space on this famous Green you’ve been carrying on about. I couldn’t quite tell how much space we’d take up when I drove through on the way here.”
“Let’s go. Once you walk around on the Green in person, you’ll have no doubts about the merits of this project.”
♦♦♦
JESSICA WALKED OUT of the Congregational Church where Millie held Lonnie Melton’s funeral. The whole town had been in attendance and at the gathering in the reception hall afterwards. Sheriff Gary Halbert confirmed the rumors that kept swirling around how Lonnie had died, possibly poisoned. While Millie didn’t have a clue why someone would kill her husband, she seemed relieved with the information he hadn’t taken his own life. And while poison was most often used by women, the sheriff didn’t consider his wife a suspect.
“Jessica, wait up.” Mayor Rudy Lopez took Jessica’s arm. “Slow down. I’d like to walk with you.”
“Hi, Rudy. Lovely service, wasn’t it?” She looped her arm through the mayor’s.
“Yes, such a tragedy though. We’ve never had a murder in Tidbury, and for this to happen to Lonnie? My heart aches for Millie and for our town.”
“No one holds you responsible, Rudy. We’ve been sheltered here in Tidbury. Out in the real world, I’m afraid this is more common.”
“So, Jessica, I want to encourage you to seriously consider the idea of running for Lonnie’s seat on the board.”
“What? You, too?” Jessica stopped and shook her head at him before walking on. “It’s beyond me why you think I can do this or why I’d want to. I stay plenty busy with the store, family, and volunteer activities.”
“Doesn’t Lori help out with the store?”
“Yes, she does around her college classes. And that’s beside the point. I’ve never done anything like serving on the board.”
“You were PTA president for years.”
“I’m pretty certain that doesn’t count, Rudy.”
“You didn’t sound inexperienced several weeks ago when you spoke passionately on the subject of saving the Green. And we all know that Lonnie opposed any changes on the Green. You’d kind of hold up that perspective on the board. Promise you’ll at least consider the possibility. We’re planning to call the election for Tuesday, November 5. You’ve got time to file and get a jump on electioneering, though I can’t think anyone would run against you.”
“Okay, I’ll mull over this crazy idea. I’ll talk with the kids and let you know. I am flattered by you thinking of me. Really.” She shook her head.
They’d reached the Green. The city offices were on the other side from Jessica’s store, so they separated. She must be the crazy one to waste a minute on this laughable idea. She let herself into her store and glanced around. She’d have been lost without this place to work and live after Ed died.
Being situated on one of the streets that surrounded the Green made everything super convenient. She walked everywhere in town with the church being up on the hill two blocks and the grocery store two block the other way. It didn’t matter what the weather. Her whole world circled around the Green. And now someone intended to destroy that.
Time for a family meeting.
♦♦♦
“YOU ARE SUCH A GOOD cook, Kathy. Your roast was the tenderest meat I’ve eaten in a long time.”
“Gee, thanks, Mom. I wonder who taught me?” Her daughter, dressed in her traditional navy blue slacks, topped this time with a white turtleneck, chuckled and rolled her eyes like she did as a teenager. “Let’s move into the main room for this family meeting you’ve requested. Everyone bring your drinks with you. I’ll put the snickerdoodle cookies on the coffee table.”
Jessica carried her cup of hot tea and perched on the edge of the stuffed chair to the right of the fireplace. She pulled a tube of lipstick from the pocket of her good jeans she’d paired with another of her purple sweaters. With fresh lipstick, a woman could handle just about anything.
Bobby and Bonnie, the twins, sat on the floor close to the cookies. Didn’t take too many smarts to figure out their plans.
Lori, wearing ubiquitous blue jeans and a college sweatshirt, sat in the chair across from her mom and quickly snatched a cookie. “I can read what’s going on in your minds, guys, but I got mine first.” The twins giggled.
Bob set his coffee on a coaster on the table. “So is this a contest to decide who can eat more snickerdoodles than anyone else?”
“Aw, Dad.” Bobby took two cookies and gave one to Bonnie. “We won’t eat them all.”
“Better not, young man.” Kathy settled next to her husband on the sofa with her cup of coffee. “Okay, Mom. You requested this family meeting. You’re on.”
Jessica clasped her hands around her mug of tea. Should she go through with discussing the issue with the family? She was here now. Might as well pick their brains on the matter. Maybe they would tell her how stupid the idea was of her running for the board of selectmen. Not Kathy, of course, since she’d brought up the issue as soon as they’d heard of Lonnie’s death. Surely Bob or Lori would have a good argument for why she shouldn’t take on the task.
“Several people have suggested I run to fill Lonnie’s unexpired term on the board of selectmen, and I wanted to hear what you thought of the idea.”
Silence filled the room. The grands chewed on their cookies. Jessica’s adult children met each other’s gazes before they focused that collective attention on her.
“We think it’s a super idea, Jessica.” Bob picked up his coffee.
“Yeah, Mom, from when Kathy first mentioned the idea to me, I’ve been all for you taking this on.” Lori took a bite of her cookie. “These are the best, Kathy.”
“Thanks, Lori. I’ve made my opinion clear, Mom. The town would be lucky to have you do this, even if you don’t decide to run for more than one term.”
Jessica looked at each of her kids, considering Bob her kid, too. He’d proved to be an excellent husband and father and a great handyman whenever she needed something, often thinking of tasks before she had to ask for help.
“Lori, this may impact you more than anyone else. If I run and if I win, which isn’t a forgone conclusion, I may not be able to be in the store as much as normal.
“Since my classes are all online right now, I’ve got more freedom to schedule hours at the shop than I did when I lived at college. Worst case scenario, we can hire a part-time worker or two.”
“Well, that would take care of the problem. Huh. So it looks like you’re all in favor of this crazy idea?” Her family nodded. Jessica drew in a long breath and held it before slowly releasing it. “Let me consider this a bit more. I’m probably nuts for spending even a minute studying the idea. Besides, I know nothing about running a campaign.”
“Not to worry. I helped elect our student government president. We had way more voters involved than we have here in Tidbury. This should be a snap. Not to mention you are good friends with the owner of our newspaper.” Lori winked at her mother.
“Come on, Mom. You can do this. Sometimes we have to step out of our comfort zone to grow.” Encouragement sparkled from Kathy’s eyes.
“Huh. You seem to think I need to grow, is that right, Kathy?” And this would stretch her. Working behind the scenes suited her better, but maybe the time had come for her to put her money where her mouth had been for the last five years. Winning a seat on the Tidbury Board of Selectmen would put her in a position to stop Worley Construction. Jessica set her cup on the coffee table and stood. “Okay, I guess I’m in.”
Her family jumped up and swarmed around for a group hug with the grands yelling, “yay” running circles around the adults, even if they didn’t quite understand what the celebration was about.
“First thing is to put together a committee to help elect you, Mom,” Lori said.
“I’m sure Sue will want to be on that committee. When she first mentioned my running, she indicated she’d step in if I needed to palm off anything from the Christmas Festival Committee.” Humm. A tiny thrill of excitement ran across Jessica’s shoulders, and she shivered. Guess they were doing this.