Trouble on Main Street

by Kirsten Fullmer

  “I’m telling you,” Patty said, “I’ve never seen a kid so gut wrenched about something at home, and I’ve had kids deal with divorce and sickness—all kinds of horrible things.”

  “Who is it? Did he say what was bothering him?” Sue asked.

  “Yeah, it’s Tommy Jr., the mayor’s son. He said his dad has some big meeting at the house Tuesday night and he has to stay in his room and be quiet.”

  Sarah’s ears perked at the mention of the mayor. Ever so slowly she backed toward the women, stirring her coffee as she went.

  Sue’s nose crinkled in confusion. “Why would that upset him?”

  Patty shook her head. “Well, he says Tuesday is hamburger night, but because of this meeting with important people, his dad doesn’t want the house to smell like burned grease so they’re having leftover meatloaf. You’d think the world was ending, to hear him tell it.”

  “Meatloaf?” Sue scoffed.

  Sarah sidestepped another teacher to get closer to the women.

  “Anyway,” Patty continued waving off the topic, “It’s going to be difficult to get him to focus and stop thinking about food, or people in his house, or whatever else set him off. I’m telling you, when that kid is so upset he—”

  When the women turned to her, Sarah realized she’s stopped next to them and was staring in fascination. “Oh,” she giggled nervously. “Sorry, couldn’t help but overhear.”

  The other teachers pursed their lips and gave each other a look, letting her know she was out of line.

  “Have a good day,” Sarah said with a wide false smile, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. Her shoulders slumped as she hurried from the room. She berated herself all the way down the hall for her poor sleuthing technique.

  Heidi banged the gavel again. “Come to order!” she shouted, wondering what had happened to the nice controlled meetings they used to have.

  The group quieted somewhat.

  Mildred waved her notes. “I motion we skip roll call and minutes and get on with new business.”

  Three hands went up. “I second,” the women all said in unison.

  Heidi could see that the group was worked up and on edge, and it was time for her to step up and reassure them that all was well. She was well versed at being a calming influence, and now was the time. Even if she didn’t feel sure that her own home was safe.

  “Ladies,” she tried again, this time in a modulated tone. “Let’s talk about this like the organized, methodical group that we are.”

  The room quieted as the women settled back into their chairs.

  “Now, who wants to go first?” Heidi asked. Scanning the mass of raised hands, she chose Sarah.

  The young woman cleared her throat and straightened in her chair. “Thank you, I—I don’t know if this is really something to report.”

  “It’s okay, any news helps.” Heidi assured.

  “Well,” Sarah continued, her gaze bouncing around the table at the other ladies. “It seemed big to me, but then…”

  “Spit it out,” Monique barked.

  Sarah swallowed. “Right, well, I overheard two teachers in the teacher’s lounge talking about a student, the mayor’s son.” She waited to see if her information sparked any interest.

  “And?” Heidi prompted kindly.

  Sarah cleared her throat again. “As you know, the mayor has two children in elementary school, Tommy Jr. in third grade and little Elsa, who is in my class. The student being discussed, Tommy Jr., was upset about his dinner.”

  “Does this pertain to the topic at hand?” Monique criticized.

  “You’re making her nervous,” Jessica accused, tossing Monique a glare. She smiled at Sarah. “You go right on ahead, dear.”

  “Sorry,” Monique mumbled.

  “Well, you see,” Sarah tried again, motioning with her hand. “He was upset because his dad is all worked up about a meeting and didn’t want the house to smell like burned grease. I guess Missus Mayor burns food, but he was all upset about how the house would smell so he said no burgers, that Missus Mayor would have to serve leftover meatloaf, and Tommy—”

  Monique jumped in her chair. “There’s a big meeting at the mayor’s house? Is that what you’re trying to say?”

  Sarah stuttered at the interruption. “Well I—yes, a meeting at the mayor’s house.”

  Chatter broke out around the table, and Heidi banged the gavel. “Order! Let’s talk this out now, come on ladies.” The women calmed and order resumed. Heidi went around the table hearing each of the women report what they’d learned.

  Her thoughts turned to Buford. Monique’s report about Buford’s possible gang ties and Sarah’s information about the meeting had to be related.

  “We need to find out what that meeting at the mayor’s house is all about,” Sam said. “Wait,” she interrupted herself, as she swallowed hard and her eyes rounded in fear. “Do you think the mob will be there?”

  “I guess we’ll have to see. It would explain a lot if they are,” Michelle added.

  Concern and unease rippled around the table.

  Heidi raised her hand to silence the conversation. “Sarah, when is the meeting?”

  “Next Tuesday evening.”

  “Good,” Heidi replied. “That gives us time to investigate this Buford character. I think we should enact Mission Consider Cousin. We need to find out everything we can about this guy.” More excited chatter broke out but she continued. “I’m going to Raleigh tomorrow to deliver the demolition review. I’ll look into the state records there and see what I can find out about him.”

  “How do you know where to look?” Monique asked. “We’ve never investigated anything like this before.”

  Heidi knew Adam was going with her, and with his background he’d know exactly where to look. But she didn’t want to share that tidbit just yet. “I’ll figure it out, don’t worry,” she assured her friend.

  But Monique wasn’t easily fooled. As the meeting continued, the woman’s lovely eyes took in the grand master of the society, watching her movements and wording as well as her gestures. Heidi was hiding something.

  Chapter Twelve

  Adam was in a foul mood the next morning when he climbed in his truck and started the engine. The dog had refused to go out again, no matter how hard he’d tried. How could he explain to the dog that he’d be gone all day? He’d even tried offering him a piece of cheese, but nothin-doin, the dog wouldn’t go out. He was at a loss when it came to making that animal happy.

  He pulled onto the highway, then noticed for the first time how cluttered and dusty the interior of his truck was. Dog hair lay on every surface, dust was thick on the dash, and several fast-food drink cups littered the passenger side floor. He’d planned to pick up Heidi and head for Raleigh, but it looked like he should stop at a car wash first.

  He thumped his hand on the steering wheel. What had he been thinking telling Heidi he’d go with her. Granted, if she didn’t know who to talk to or how to deal with all the red tape, she’d likely drive all the way over there and have no luck getting the review to the right office. But why did it have to be him? He had things to do.

  He pulled into the only car wash in town and couldn’t help but notice that the woman who’d talked to him in the grocery store parking lot was washing her pickup truck. What was her name? Oh yeah, something Brewer, and she owned the pub. Too funny.

  He pulled into a stall and got out, then dug in his pocket for quarters but came up empty. His wallet contained a few crisp bills, so he retrieved one and headed over to the change machine.

  As he tried for the third time to get the machine to take his bill, he noticed the woman watching him. She just stood there, staring at him suspiciously.

  Finally, he got change and headed back to his truck. He purchased the quick wash and inserted his coins. The nozzle came to life in the holder on the wall and he pulled it free. Quickly he sprayed down the truck, not too concerned about details since he was running late, then turned to r
eholster the nozzle.

  “Where are you heading today?” Monique asked, with her hand on one hip.

  Startled to see her standing there, Adam dropped the nozzle, giving himself a good spray in the process. He yanked up the whipping, twisting nozzle, put it in the holder, and then scowled at the woman. “You startled me, what did you say?”

  She motioned with her head toward his truck, looking none too pleased. “Looks like you’re getting all spiffed up.” Her gaze took in his khaki pants, loafers, and collared shirt. “You wouldn’t happen to be headed to Raleigh, would you?” She asked in an accusatory tone.

  He brushed at the water on his pants. “Why?” He was in no mood to play stupid games.

  She didn’t reply, just snorted, as if she’d known it all along and turned away.

  “What is up with this place?” Adam muttered as he walked around his truck and opened the passenger door. Grumbling about strange women and ornery dogs, he collected the trash from the floor. At the trashcan he deposited his garbage and grabbed a few paper towels to wipe off the seat and dash. At lease he wasn’t wet enough to mandate changing his clothes, he should be happy for that.

  All through Sugar Mountain the ladies of the society prepared to spend the next day searching out information on the mayor’s cousin Buford. Mildred, a genealogical professional, was getting together with Michelle to search online records, specifically looking at the family ties between the mayor and Mister Buford. Sarah planned to search social media of both the mayor’s wife and kids, as well as any other Winslow family members she could find.

  As Jessica sat in her school bus waiting to collect the first round of children, she searched through online criminal records on her phone.

  Monique planned to call a meeting at the tavern to question her staff—to ask if any of them had overheard anyone talking about Buford. Due to her altercation with him the week before, no one would question her motives.

  Heidi planned to search through construction records in Raleigh, looking for business licenses and any legit jobs that Buford or his company had worked on.

  All the women were to report their findings to the Grand Master that evening.

  Heidi paced the length of her living room and back and then peeked out the window, but still no Adam. Had he forgotten? Was he running late? Had he changed his mind? Or maybe he’d never intended to show up at all.

  No, that wasn’t like Adam.

  She sighed. Did she really know anything about Adam? What had she been thinking? Why was she standing here like an idiot waiting for him to go with her in the first place? Her home was on the line, she should have had this paperwork delivered to Raleigh days ago. Why was she so intimidated by this whole thing? She was acting uncharacteristically insecure, and that had to stop.

  At least Tyler was upstairs and not down here witnessing her angst. She’d already made sure he was ready for school and his ride was arranged, but she hated not being there to see to things herself. Then again, he’d been more agreeable lately. That was a welcome change.

  The doorbell rang and she jumped.

  “Doorbell!” Tyler yelled from his room.

  “I’ve got it!” she hollered back with a huff.

  Heid snatched up her purse and jacket and hurried to the door. As she stepped out onto the porch and locked the door, Adam stood with his back to her, looking out across the yard.

  She hesitated, wondering what he was looking at. He shoved his hands in his front pockets, and just watching him made her stomach tightened. His stance was purely male and it did something to her insides. Something she still wasn’t used to feeling, even though it was becoming commonplace when Adam was around. She tilted her head to one side. He was handsome in his nice clothes, all freshened up. But then she liked him in his work clothes too. He was a manly man and she found that very attractive.

  “You really do have a pretty little Main Street here,” he commented, enjoying the scene. Tourist traffic had not yet picked up to the crowded point and birds sang in the trees. Flowers overflowed their boxes, the shops were opening and the owners placed signs and samples on the sidewalk.

  Heidi paused, taking a moment to enjoy the hometown scene. She realized that lately, she’d been in a rush to get here or there and hadn’t taken the time to notice her pretty little town as much as she could have. “It’s your Main Street too,” she said, heading down the front steps toward his truck.

  He didn’t reply, but ever the gentleman, he opened her door and she climbed in. He rounded the front of the truck and climbed in beside her. “Ready to go?” he asked. “It’s a good three-hour drive.”

  But Heidi was still hung up on him opening her door. It had been years since a man had shown her such a gesture. Then again, she hadn’t been climbing into men’s trucks lately, had she? She smiled as much to herself as for him. “I think I’m ready.” She considered telling him that she’d gone to the bathroom too, since that’s likely what he was insinuating, but she didn’t.

  He started the engine and tossed her a glance. “You look nice today.”

  “Thank you, so do you,” she replied, hoping that the conversation would get easier. It would be a long day at this rate.

  Adam pulled out into traffic and they made their way down Main Street. “One thing that would ease traffic through here is if you got rid of the parallel parking.” He motioned with one hand to the parking spots already filling up. “When a person stops to back into a spot, the whole lane of traffic comes to a stop.

  “You’re right,” she agreed. “But where would everyone park?”

  He thought for a moment. “You know, traffic problems are really just a lack of traffic management. You don’t want less people to come here, you just need to figure out how to make it work. Have you considered something as simple as a parking garage?”

  She sighed. “We haven’t really thought of any solutions yet, to be honest. She didn’t mention the bloody parcel. We’ve been working on the north side of town for the last few years. They have a lot of problems over there and we hadn’t even gotten to the traffic situation until this thing with the mayor came up.”

  He tossed her a questioning glance. “There’s that mysterious we again.”

  Horrified at her blunder, Heidi blushed. “I mean the city, you know.”

  He offered her a nod but didn’t look convinced.

  “Where would we even put a parking garage?” she asked to distract him. “I mean what location would help the traffic problem?”

  As they pulled out of town and picked up speed, he considered her question. “Well,” he started, “back in Charlotte, we always tried to fix more than one problem when we took on a big project.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know, like when we tore out something old to build something new, we tried to add more green space and upgrade utilities as well.”

  “Oh,” she said, staring to the front. Her brow crinkled. “How does that apply here?”

  He chuckled. “It doesn’t matter if you have a small city or a large city, the concept applies to both. Didn’t you just say that the north end of town has problems? Maybe you can come up with a solution that can help out over there.”

  “I don’t see how—” she hesitated, her thoughts spinning. “But that does sound interesting—” She scoffed and pulled a face. “I certainly don’t see how a viaduct and shopping center will help anything. Maybe it will add a few retail jobs but—”

  “Think bigger,” he said, his enthusiasm growing. “Think about how you’d fix both problems separately, then you can come up with a solution. What kinds of problems have you been working on?” Suddenly, he realized that he was enjoying the conversation. He had to slow down and remember that his job back in the city had ultimately made him miserable. He consciously pulled away from the pleasure he got from talking about such things. It wasn’t his problem and he needed to stay out of it. He was only here to help.

  Heidi watched as his mood shifted. “I guess I’m bei
ng dense, but I just don’t understand how gridlock on Main Street can help anything.”

  He remained silent, wondering how he’d ever manage to be with Heidi all day while she was consumed with the town’s problems and not talk about it. He sighed. He’d just have to walk the tightrope of helping without getting involved. “What problems are the north side of town having?”

  She shrugged. “It’s run down, low income, some crime. It’s sad really because that’s a historic neighborhood too, just smaller houses, and it hasn’t been kept up.”

  “So mostly urban problems then,” he clarified. “Decay, dingy, unattractive?”

  “Yeah, I guess. Some citizens came up with—” she hesitated at her lie, referring to the society, “–came up with an initiative to work on the streets over there. They were in horrible shape, potholes and such.”

  “How did that go?” he asked, knowing the answer before she told him.

  “Not great. There wasn’t enough money to repave, so we mostly just got some potholes filled.” She looked out the window, feeling her disappointment over the situation all over again. “I was pretty frustrated.”

  “Sounds like you still are,” he said, tossing her a concerned glance. He hadn’t realized that Heidi was so involved with city projects. “I’ve seen it many times. People don’t want to put up money for a project unless it benefits them. It doesn’t matter if it lifts the city as a whole”

  “Sad but true…”

  “What you have to do is find a project that benefits everyone.”

  “How do we do that?”

  “Is there any way you could push traffic toward the older area of town, then you’d have to put some money into fixing it up, right? Didn’t somebody tell me that Main Street was pretty run-down until people got involved and opened up shops and such?”