Thistle Down

Twenty-nine

“THANK YOU FOR SEEING ME on such short notice, Mrs. Shiregrove,” Dusty said as she settled in a wicker lawn chair. A grape arbor behind her hostess’ imposing mansion shaded them from the grinding heat and humidity. The little bit of relief from stray river breezes didn’t reach up here on the third plateau above the Skene River.

“No problem. I prefer to take my afternoon tea with company. What was so important that you left the basement of your precious museum to call on me?”

Dusty blushed. It seemed everyone in town knew how she hid from people among her artifacts and catalogs. Then she mustered her courage to speak, wishing Joe had come to do it for her. “It’s about the Masque Ball, ma’am.”

“I hope you make a lot of money this year. You’re going to need it.” Mrs. Shiregrove looked sharply at Dusty.

“Yes, well, I was hoping you could influence the grant committee to match funds for us, since they’ve denied a flat-out grant.”

“That’s a possibility.” The older woman took a sip of her iced tea, looking out over her extensive grounds rather than at Dusty. “Tell me why the Ball is so important to you. This is the first one you’ve organized by yourself.”

“Only because Mom and Dad are in Stratford-upon-Avon for three months absorbing as much Shakespeare as they can.”

“Your mother can be obsessive.”

Dusty just smiled.

“So why is the Ball so important to you?”

“Because it gives us the funds to keep the museum open. We are an anchor to the community, an important part of our heritage, part of our identity as a city, and part of the state and region as a whole.”

“Commendable. I see you are passionate about the museum.”

“That and our local history. How can we possibly move forward if we don’t know where we’ve been?”

“I agree. But I understand even the Ball is in jeopardy, what with the logging off of The Ten Acre Wood. Hate to see that go, but I don’t see how to stop a steamroller once it gets started.” She paused, her eyes slightly glazed as if she thought long and hard on something important.

“Yes, ma’am. Actually that’s why I’m here. We’re having trouble finding an alternative venue for the Ball on such short notice.”

“Doesn’t surprise me,” she snorted.

Dusty wondered if Mrs. Shiregrove knew more than she was saying about that.

“Your estate would make a lovely background to the costumes and music and Pixie lights,” Dusty whispered, amazed at her audacity.

Mrs. Shiregrove jerked her gaze back to Dusty, forcing her to look directly into her eyes and not the enticing depths of her amber tea. “That it would. Who put that idea into your head, Miss Carrick?”

“I thought of it this morning about six, after the community college turned us down. They wanted seventyfive percent of our gross. We can’t afford that. I know it’s short notice and an imposition, but I was wondering if we could hold the Ball here? Please, it may be our only hope of saving the museum.” The last came out in a rush.

“So you can speak at length about something near and dear to you,” Mrs. Shiregrove chuckled.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Oh, don’t go all silent and polite on me. I’ve been waiting a long time for you to get angry enough to stand up for what you believe in.”

“The Ball is our major source of funding. Tour admissions only make up a part of it, and those are down this year with the economic crunch. We only had about half as many school field trips this spring as usual, and our high school interns are working for class credit rather than money. The furnace truly needs replacing, or we’ll start losing fragile artifacts and artwork to the damp this winter.”

“You’ve convinced me. Actually, some little friends convinced me of it last night. That’s why I asked who gave you the idea.” She beckoned toward the stand of variegated dahlias across a stretch of lawn. Then she held her palm out.

Dusty didn’t see anyone.

“Over here, blindy bat,” a tiny voice said.

Dusty looked closely at the orange-and-yellow being standing on the flat of Mrs. Shiregrove’s hand.

“You, too?” Dusty asked, feeling all the heat and color draining from her face. “First Mabel and then you?”

“Anyone with an old garden who has been in this town for a long time has them. Only not everyone is willing to acknowledge them. I’ve known Dahlia here since my husband and I inherited this house from my parents almost forty years ago. She approached me about the Ball last night. Seems that Mabel’s friend Chicory mentioned it to her. He courted her for a while but decided he didn’t want to move away from all the gossip downtown.” She whispered the last in an aside.

“I’m sorry that didn’t work out, Dahlia. Chicory is a nice fellow,” Dusty said formally.

“Not to worry. I’ve recently become betrothed to Oregon Grape. But the marriage won’t happen unless that self-centered upstart Alder opens the Patriarch Oak to mating flights again. I’m not some frivolous girl who will mate with just anyone. Got to be someone I trust. Someone who’s already a friend.”

Dusty nearly choked. “I understand, Dahlia. My friends and I are doing all we can to make sure the Patriarch Oak is safe. But we are running out of time.”

“Good for you, Miss,” Dahlia said. She rose up with a clatter of long wings and lighted on Mrs. Shiregrove’s glass of iced tea. After a bit of contortion, she bent double over the rim and sipped at the cold liquid. “Nice and sweet with a hint of lemon. Just the way I like it.” She smacked her lips and bent for another sip.

“I know, I do spoil my friends, but they are special.”

“Yes, they are, Mrs. Shiregrove.”

“So, now that you are properly approved of by the Pixies, I have no choice but to allow the Ball to take place here, if I can’t do something about halting or postponing the log off.”

“The mayor refused to hear Joe Newberry’s petition to stop the logging.”

“Seth is an idiot. He’s not running for reelection after his latest stroke, so he’s not worried about voter opinion.”

“I saw in the paper this morning that he’s endorsed Phelma Jo Nelson to succeed him,” Dusty said quietly.

“Not sure if that’s a blessing or a curse. She’s organized and efficient, doesn’t tolerate fools or liars. She’s the only one allowed to lie, cheat, and blackmail,” Mrs. Shiregrove snorted in disgust.

Dusty nodded, not knowing how to respond.

“Let me see if I can do something about the log off.” She pulled a cell phone from her skirt pocket, one of the smart phones that did everything but dry her hair.

“How can you keep that thing working with Pixies nearby?” Dusty asked.

“Compromise. I tell them everything said and they stay at the other end of the property while I talk.” Mrs. Shiregrove laughed as she punched in a number.

“Bill, I’ve got a news story for you.” She listened for a moment.

Dusty held her breath. Bill? As in William? The only William she could think of in the regional media was William Tremaine who anchored the news for a local affiliate of a major television network.

Quickly, Mrs. Shiregrove outlined the situation with The Ten Acre Wood. “Yes, I know it’s too late to get a truck and a team out here before tonight’s broadcast, but surely you can get the ball rolling.”

Another moment of listening.

“Sure, you’ll need to talk to Joe Newberry at the museum.” She rattled off his cell phone number from memory, as well as Phelma Jo’s and the mayor’s. “That’s right. Call all of them. I love you. Dinner at seven. I’ve got lasagna in the oven.” She closed and pocketed the phone.

“Thank you, ma’am. Thank you very much. Um… was that William Tremaine?” Dusty said, eyes wide in wonder.

Mrs. Shiregrove laughed. “Of course it was. I kept my birth name when we married, because he was only a cub reporter and didn’t want people thinking he married me for my money. Which he did, of course. But he makes up for it by loving me.” She laughed again.

“I’m sure he does. Thank you again, for everything. We all appreciate your generosity. Is there anything I can do about the grant?”

“Besides getting Joe Newberry to resign and taking over his job?”

“What?” Dusty turned hot then cold. The top of her head felt as if it flew off with Dahlia to the other end of the estate. She wanted to flee back to her basement but couldn’t move her numb feet.

“That nice Mr. Haywood Wheatland, you know, the young man who works for Phelma Jo now. He said something the other day to Dr. Johnson-Butler that made us ask the Board of Directors for an audit. We haven’t found any funds missing, but suspicion lingers. There are dozens of ways to cover up skimming. Has Mr. Newberry had any unusual expenses of late?”

Dusty barely heard the last part for the roaring in her ears. “I assure you Joe Newberry is honest. I keep the books, not him, and if there is anything funny with the accounts, I suggest you look at the Board of Directors-or the accuser.” She gathered her purse and rose to her feet, as tall and as dignified as she knew how to be, not bothering to finish her tea. “Thank you for your time, Mrs. Shiregrove, and all your help and consideration. I’ll have my decorating and catering committee chairs contact you directly, just in case we have to move the Ball.”

She marched back to her car by way of the gravel path around the side of the home. Her chin wavered, but she wouldn’t give in to her emotions. Not yet.

First, she had to find out why Haywood Wheatland would make such a suggestion. Phelma Jo had to have put him up to it. He hadn’t been in town long enough to know anything about the museum operation.

Then she was going to spend as much time as necessary going over all the books and the bank statements herself.

“I have reviewed the material you brought me,” Judge Pepperidge intoned slowly, never taking his eyes off the sheaf of papers he held. Even with his tie loose and the top button of his dress shirt undone, the white streaks at his temples in sharp contrast to his dark hair, aquiline nose, and chiseled cheeks made him look authoritative and important.

Chase stood at attention in front of the judge’s massive desk, designed to clearly separate His Honor from the great unwashed, and lawyers. Chase didn’t dare unbend even the slightest. Buck privates in the army facing a wrathful drill sergeant couldn’t be more uncomfortable than Chase Norton at that moment. The air-conditioning set at Arctic didn’t cool the sweat running down his back.

Tuesday had come and gone before he got this appointment on Wednesday during the lunch hour. He wasn’t going to blow it with the slightest unbending that might be interpreted as disrespect.

“You realize that seeking an injunction against a city work order should have come from the DA or at least a City Council member.” The judge peered over the top of his reading glasses, making eye contact with Chase for the first time since he’d been summoned to explain himself.

“Begging your pardon, Your Honor, City Ordinance SFCO8795678, November 12, 1932, clearly states that any concerned citizen may seek an injunction against an action they deem harmful or dangerous to their neighborhood,” Chase recited.

“I see you’ve done your homework, Sergeant Norton.” The judge rattled the papers as he sat back in his big comfortable chair and swiveled a bit. “We could use more people like you on the force.”

“I hope you found my petition interesting and worthy of consideration, sir.” Chase’s lower back protested his stiff posture. He shuffled his feet, hoping not to draw attention to his discomfort.

“Oh, sit down, Chase. We’ve known each other since I coached your peewee football team while I was in college.”

“Thank you, sir.” Chase eased into the closest chair, a straight-backed and uncomfortable one designed to keep petitioners from lingering. The only other option was to drag a softer piece of furniture over to the desk from the far wall. If the judge wanted him to linger, he’d have provided the good chair before Chase got there.

“What made you go looking so closely into this matter, Chase?” the judge asked.

“The speed and the secrecy involved. Pixel Industries, Ltd is offering about ten times the amount of money they can get back from selling the timber, including the massive amount of old growth oak from the Patriarch Oak by the pond. Which should have been designated a heritage tree long ago but wasn’t, because people were afraid they wouldn’t be allowed to climb it or dig around it for pirate treasure. The money made me wonder why they wanted the timber so badly and why in such a hurry.”

“Cutting those trees will make a huge mess of the Masque Ball Saturday night if they start cutting on Friday,” Pepperidge mused.

“Precisely, sir. That led me to believe the entire operation was aimed at ruining the Ball, the fund-raiser for the museum. The timber has been there for a long time. Why this year? Why this week?”

“Isn’t this the first year Dusty Carrick has taken over the organization from her mother?”

“Yes, sir. And there is only one person in town who might have a grudge against her.”

“Phelma Jo Nelson. Wow, that feud goes back a few years.” He ran his hands through his hair. “I thought the girls were friends before that. It turned out well afterward since it forced the school authorities to investigate accusations of abuse in Phelma Jo’s home. She went into foster care within hours of the incident.”

“Because Dusty’s injuries got infected and wouldn’t heal, she got an early diagnosis of leukemia and was able to have complete remission,” Chase added.

“Good outcome all around, and yet the feud persists. Who knows what trauma dominated their minds at the age of nine and ten.”

“Yes, sir. I thought Phelma Jo would have forgotten it, especially since she has made such a success of her life, starting from that moment. She has no reason to be jealous of Dusty anymore. But that’s her name and her signature on the incorporation papers, which are dated only a few days before the offer to the city was issued to the mayor.”

“And it went to the mayor privately, not through regular channels and the City Council. I wonder if Seth would have even told the City Council about it until after the fact.”

“I don’t know, sir. You know him better than I do. The fact is, this operation does not look aboveboard and should be investigated fully. There isn’t time to do that before they start cutting timber unless you issue the injunction.” Chase held his breath, hoping he hadn’t been too pushy.

“I agree. That’s what I told Bill Tremaine a few minutes ago when he called. He’s married to Pam Shiregrove, you know.”

“Wait a minute, Bill Tremaine? As in William Tremaine, tall guy, white hair, very distinguished, anchors the local news on KRVR?” Chase gulped. Then he had to swallow a couple of times to get around the lump in his throat.

“Go it in one,” Judge Pepperidge chuckled. “If anyone could get recalcitrant politicians to act on the threat of negative publicity, he can. Seth will be lucky if he’s not run out of town on a rail when Bill gets done with this story. I’m signing this cease and desist order right now, and calling the DA. There may not be anything criminal going on, but I want to find out.” He selected a wooden fountain pen from a cup full of similar writing instruments and signed three copies of a form already prepared.

Chase’s heart soared. He’d done it. At least he and Bill Tremaine had done it. They’d saved The Ten Acre Wood. Surely Dusty would forgive him for accusing Haywood Wheatland of skullduggery. Especially since it looked like he was guilty.

“I’ll let you serve this on Phelma Jo personally. And deal with any reporters hanging around her office. I’ll make sure the DA gets a copy, and I’m keeping one locked in my safe to make sure the mayor-or Phelma Jo-doesn’t steal it.” Judge Pepperidge turned his chair around so the back of it blocked Chase’s view of what he did at the credenza beneath the window.

“Thank you, sir. I hope to see you Saturday night at the Ball.”

“Wouldn’t miss it. I presume you are escorting Dusty Carrick?” He turned back around, hands now empty, and peered at Chase over the top of his glasses.

“I hope so, sir.”

“Good luck with that. She’s worth waiting for.”

“Does everyone in town know my business before I do?”

“That about sums it up. Now get going and deliver that injunction before Phelma Jo gets impatient and starts cutting timber before her own deadline.”