A Fatal Chapter

The sun disappeared behind a big fluffy cloud just as Earl halted beside Russ and stood, hands on hips, scowling.

“Good morning, Earl. Come to have your photo splashed across the next issue of the Stoneham Weekly News?” Angelica asked, her voice sickeningly sweet. Tricia took a step back. She knew to watch her back when she heard that tone of voice, for Angelica only used it on people she could barely stand.

“Hardly,” Earl answered. “I have more self-respect than the rest of you publicity hounds.”

“Oh, come now, Earl. All of us who’ve attended town meetings know how much you love the sound of your own voice,” Pete said. He was no fan of Earl, either.

“You’re blocking the sidewalk, which is against the law,” Earl asserted.

Angelica’s eyes narrowed. Tricia took another step back. “There is no one around—except you, and we will happily stand aside while you pass.”

“I’m not going in that direction,” Earl declared.

“Then why are you here? Did you need to speak to one of us?” Pete asked rather sharply.

“No. I just wanted to encourage you to hurry up and clear the sidewalk for pedestrian traffic.”

Russ replaced the lens cap on his camera. “I think I’ve got enough for the paper, although I may come back later in the day when the sun will make the gold leaf on that sign glow.”

Earl turned his angry glare on Tricia. “And what are you doing here anyway?”

“I’m a resident of Stoneham. I don’t have to have a reason to stand on the sidewalk at any time of the day or night,” Tricia said politely.

“Don’t get snippy with me, young woman,” Earl warned.

Before Tricia could defend herself, Angelica, bristling with indignation, stepped forward. “Please don’t speak to my sister in that tone of voice.”

Tricia reached out to touch Angelica’s arm. “Ange, don’t bother—”

“You’re a bully, Earl Winkler,” Pete accused. “You may now be just a ski

Earl glared at Pete. “That sounds like slander to me.”

“I hear tell that in the past you operated with questionable business practices—what some might even say were highly unethical.”

Earl’s eyes blazed while the rest of them stood there in stu

“And that was a mistake made by far too many of Stoneham’s honest businessmen,” Pete asserted.

“Now, now,” Russ said, spreading his arms and patting the air in a gesture of peace, for which Tricia was grateful.

“Ange, we need to move on,” Tricia told her sister, hoping to further deflate the tension. “You’ve got a meeting in Manchester later today, and you have a lot to accomplish before you leave.”

“And I need to check my messages,” Russ said.

“Any sign that baby is on the way?” Mary asked. She’d knitted the most adorable outfits in shades of blue for Russ and his wife Nikki’s first child. They’d decided they wanted to know their baby’s gender and had selected boy-friendly colors for the baby’s nursery.

“About a week or two,” Russ said. “I’ll be glad when it’s all over.”

“Ha! That’s what you think,” Pete said, and laughed. “Once the baby arrives, your life will never be the same. I speak from experience.”

Oh? Tricia knew Pete lived alone, yet in all their conversations he’d never mentioned his living situation. Did he get cards on Father’s Day from his offspring?

Earl’s face twisted with anger. “If you people are finished with your business and gossip, you should just move along.”

“Oh, you are a party pooper,” Mary said, and turned to enter her store. “See you later,” she called to the others.

Since the rest of the group was all heading in the same direction, they turned en masse and headed up the sidewalk with Earl following a few steps behind—and, truth be told, not enough steps behind, as he was obviously trying to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“Angelica, I’d like to formalize plans for the Chamber’s sponsorship of the upcoming ghost walks. Will you be available to talk later this afternoon?”

“’Fraid not, Pete. I’ve got a networking session with other Chamber presidents in Manchester this afternoon. But I could pencil you in for tomorrow morning.”

“Great. How about ten o’clock?”

“Make it eleven. I’ve got a grand opening to attend at ten, but after that I’m free. Come to the Chamber office, and I’ll have coffee and warm muffins waiting.”

“I’ll be there,” Pete said, and gri

“It’s desecration,” Earl said from behind them. Pete stopped dead, and Earl nearly ran into him.

“What is?” Pete demanded, sudden anger flushing his face.

“People traipsing across the cemetery looking to be entertained. It’s hallowed ground. The dead deserve respect.”

“The cemetery can’t support itself. The money the ghost walks bring in will help with the property’s maintenance. Of course, they wouldn’t have to worry about fund-raisers if one of the village’s selectmen hadn’t instigated a vote to kill their funding.”

“The property needs to be self-sustaining,” Earl very nearly shouted.

“That’s hard to do when all its clients are dead—and some for hundreds of years,” Pete pointed out.

“Please, gentlemen,” Russ said, again playing peacemaker. “Why don’t you take this up in an interview in the Stoneham Weekly News? It would be a great forum for you both to get your points across to the rest of the villagers.”

“I’m game,” Pete said, squaring his shoulders.

“I’m not so sure,” Earl hedged. “I’d want to see a draft of the piece before you print it.”

Russ shook his head. “There’s such a thing as freedom of the press.”

“If Earl won’t talk to you, I’d be glad to do so anytime you want,” Pete offered.

“How about later this afternoon?”

“Four o’clock?” Pete suggested.

“Great. Do you want to join us, Earl?” Russ asked, pointedly staring at the Selectman.

“No,” Earl barked, then stormed off down the sidewalk.

Angelica sighed. “He’s not the nicest man in the world.”

“Come on, Ange. You’ve got a lot to accomplish before your meeting later this morning,” Tricia said.

“You’re right, Trish.” Angelica turned to the others. “Pete, Russ, it’s been a pleasure.” Tricia nodded a good-bye to the others, and she and Angelica jaywalked across the quiet street, which they hoped would be full of cars and tour busses within the hour.

“That Earl,” Angelica grated as they headed for the Chamber’s office. “He’s as likable as the Wicked Witch of the West. He ought to be careful, or someone might want to drop a house on him!”

“I think Pete might agree,” Tricia said, trying to suppress a grin, “but don’t let Earl bother you. Most of the Board of Selectmen are on the side of village development, and they’re in our court.”

Angelica stopped suddenly, her frown turning upside down. “You said our court.”

Tricia smiled. “I did, didn’t I? Well, Stoneham is my home, and I want to see it prosper.”

Angelica positively gri

But Tricia shook her head. “No. Playing office at the Chamber these past few months has been fun, but I want to go home! I want my old life back—and the sooner the better.”

“Well, I can dream, can’t I?” Angelica said wistfully.

“Dream on,” Tricia said, and laughed.

Tricia and Angelica returned to the neat little building that housed the Stoneham Chamber of Commerce and were joyfully greeted by Angelica’s bichon frise, Sarge. “Was Mommy’s little boy the best ever?” she asked as Sarge bounded up and down as though on springs.

Mariana Sommers, the Chamber’s receptionist, laughed from her desk in the heart of the office—what had once been a living room. “As good as gold.”