Marissa stood up, staring at him. A proposition? What could that possibly be?
“I think we might have some great results if we teamed up and worked together. What I mean is this...let’s say tomorrow, we get together and we’ll run your sluice here. I’ll do the digging and you shake the shaker and put the dirt in buckets. After about an hour, we can move the sluice to my area and do the same thing over there. What we find on your property is yours, of course, and what we find on mine is mine. Maybe this way we could help each other out. What do you say?”
Warning bells dinged in her head. “Why would you want to do that, Mr. Campbell?”
“Digging and shaking that shaker box is hard work. I can do the digging, and you can do the shaking, and it will ease both our backs. And I guess, if I were to be truthful about it, I could use your expertise about digging on my property. I don’t seem to get as good a turnout as I did earlier.”
“I don’t know. I’ll have to think on it.” This could really be disastrous. What if he tries to rip me off?
“I look at my rocks over there, where I can just run through them and toss the rocks to the side. Where do you look at your rocks at?” he asked.
“I take my bucket of rocks home and search through them on the table on my porch.”
“That’s got to be hard carrying those buckets back and forth.”
“Yeah. But I can do it.”
“I can help you with that. I can stop by your place, take the buckets out of your car, and put them where you want them. You’re awfully skinny to be lifting something like that.”
“That’s why I only fill them half full.” Another person mentioning my weight.
“You think about it, and I’ll come back in a few days and we’ll talk more, okay?”
“Okay.”
“In the meantime, let me carry these buckets to your car for you.”
Marissa followed Campbell to her car and popped the trunk for him. He lifted the last of the four buckets and put them in the trunk.
“Thanks,” she said. “You haven’t brought your gems into the store yet.”
“No, not yet. I’ll be by next week sometime.”
“Okay.”
“Are there set hours that you work?” Campbell lifted an eyebrow.
“Yes. Eight AM to four-thirty PM, but the store is opened until six PM.”
“All right. Well, have a good evening. I’ll talk with you next week.”
“Yeah. Thanks again, and good night.”
She gathered her tools and loaded them in the car, then went to the river to get her sluice. She wondered if what Campbell really wanted was her sluice since it was clear that he didn’t have one and gold was a hot commodity right now. She looked under the sluice and found another tiny gold nugget. It was smaller than the two she got yesterday, but she also got a lot of flakes. After putting them in the vial, she loaded up the sluice, got in the car, and drove home.
She sat at the dining room table and faceted the other yellow sapphire and the blue one she had found earlier in the morning. As she worked, she thought about Campbell’s proposition. She had to admit that it was a reasonable idea, and it would benefit them both. She would get help to carry the buckets, and she could add more rocks to them. He would get her expertise, plus gold from the sluice.
But what would happen if it didn’t work out? Would he steal from her? He didn’t seem like the kind of man who would do that. However, her ex-husband didn’t seem like the kind of man who would beat his wife. She didn’t know if she could trust anyone anymore. There were not any resources available to do anything if he stole from her. When it came to gold, it did something to people. When she studied at the university about gold and gold prospecting, she learned that back in the 1800s, gold turned otherwise good men into murderers. She didn’t think things had changed much since then.
Chapter 6
Marissa got up early Saturday morning, ate a slice of toast and some coffee, and then put on a pair of worn-out jeans and a sweatshirt. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail and grabbed her laundry to go to town. When she arrived at the laundromat and discovered how much it would cost her, she was amazed at the price. She decided that she’d have to wait a few weeks before she washed the curtains and throw rugs. She couldn’t wait until she got the hot water tank fixed. She hoped that she’d be able to afford a new washer and dryer. Her parents had taken theirs with them when they moved to Florida. Since they were only in Frankenburg for four months out of the year, they used the laundromat when they were there.
She returned home from the laundromat and put her clothes away, then puttered around the house, before she drove over to Heidi’s place. Heidi and all her kids were ready, and they walked down Main Street to the blinking light. From there they walked one block over to the Firemen’s Fried Chicken Feed at the fire department.
When they arrived, Cindy, Marissa’s employer and her daughter, Katy, were already there. Katy was best friends with Lizzie, Heidi’s daughter. The two of them reminded Marissa of when she and Heidi were younger.
Marissa looked around the area. There were several rows of white canopies in front of the station with rows of picnic tables. Quite a few people were already there, and the meal line had formed, so she and Heidi took her kids and got in line. She spotted Riley off in the distance, talking with a couple of guys. One was in uniform, so she assumed he was a deputy, and the other guy appeared to be a volunteer firefighter. He had on the firefighter’s pants and boots, and a t-shirt.
“There is quite a turnout here,” Marissa said.
“Yeah. They have a large crowd for this event. I find the firefighters are a bunch of high-testosterone, body-building, good-looking hunks.”
“Wow. That’s a mouthful from a woman that has had five kids.” Marissa smiled.
“Just ’cause I have kids doesn’t mean I don’t dream of some man built like Hulk Hogan sweeping me off my feet.” Heidi smiled dreamily. “What about you? I see you looking dreamy-eyed at our beloved sheriff.”
“No. I’ve sworn off men. From now on, it’s just me and me alone.” Feeling sad, she looked over at Riley.
“Why?” Heidi asked.
“All it took for me was one bad marriage.” She did not want to talk about this!
“Pretty rough breakup?”
“Yes. I escaped my marriage to save my life.”
“Well, hello there! You must be Marissa Saxton. I heard you were in town. What brings you back to Frankenburg?”
Marissa turned around to see who had called her by her maiden name. Melody walked up to her along with Casey. They were the girls who had left the note in her locker that was supposed to have been from Riley. Melody and Casey were bullies in school and were always making fun of Marissa. Being shy and reluctant to stand up for herself, she was an easy target for them.
“Hello, Melody.” Marissa looked over at the other woman. “Casey.”
Marissa looked back at Melody, amazed at how much she’d changed. Her hair was bleached blonde, and she was overweight. She had on a pair of stretch pants that was so tight around her it showed all the intricate details of her body. Casey, on the other hand, was still thin, and her hair was still the natural color of dark blonde. She’d maintained her health, but when she smiled, she had a few teeth missing on the left side. Marissa remembered that Casey had braces in grade school. Her parents had spent a lot of money on her teeth for some of them to now be missing.
“So, what brings you back to Frankenburg?” Melody asked again.
“No particular reason, just decided to come back.” Marissa looked at Melody warily. She didn’t trust them when they were young, and she didn’t think she could trust them now.
“You left right after graduation and I haven’t heard of you being in town since,” Casey said.
“That’s because I didn’t come back until now.”
They made their way through the food line. It reminded Marissa of going through an all-you-can-eat-line at KFC and getting t
he chicken with the fixings.
Heidi and Marissa sat down with Cindy and began eating. A few minutes later Melody and Casey sat down next to Marissa. Great, now I’ve got to talk to these two bimbos.
“So, Marissa, where did you go when you left Frankenburg fourteen years ago?” Melody continued pressing Marissa for answers.
“I went to Nevada State University.”
“Did you graduate?”
“Yes, I did.”
“What did you study?” Casey asked.
“Gemology.”
“What’s that?” Casey’s voice implied that she thought it was a made-up degree.
“A science dealing with gemstones.”
“She works as a gemologist at our jewelry store,” Cindy chimed in.
“Oh.” Casey looked over at Marissa, then back at Melody.
“You always had your nose in a book, and you were always so shy in school. I’d be surprised if you ever found anyone that would marry you,” Melody said with a smirk.
“Actually, I was married once. How many times have you been married, Melody?” Marissa asked, feeling irritated.
“Really? You got married? Are you still married?”
“I asked you how many times you’ve been married,” Marissa retorted back at Melody.
Melody blinked and said, “Four times, and right now I’m single.”
“And you, Casey?” Marissa asked.
“I’ve never been married,” Casey said and dropped her gaze to her plate.
And you’re asking me whether I’m married or not?
Cindy spoke up. “What I remember of you two girls, you were backbiting chicks that no one wanted to be around.”
“Yeah, I remember it that way too, Cindy,” Heidi joined in.
“We were not.” Melody’s brows snapped together.
“Oh yes, you were. I remember some of the things you pulled on others. I felt sorry for the girls who were at the receiving end of your pranks and nasty jokes,” Heidi said.
Sensing that the mood was changing to hostility at the table and anything she had to say would make the atmosphere worse, Marissa finished her meal and got up. She picked up her Styrofoam container and said, “Well, it’s been nice visiting, but I’ve got to go now. Talk to you all later.”
She walked over and deposited her empty container in the trashcan, then returned to the beginning of the line.
“Is it okay for me to pay for another plate of food to take home?” she asked the person taking the money,
“Certainly, here’s the Styrofoam container to put it in.” The older fireman handed her a box.
As she walked to the end of the line, Riley came up to her. “Enjoying the chicken, Marissa?”
“Yes, I am. I’m taking some home with me.”
“Good. If you’d like, I can go around with you and reintroduce you to a few of the folks here.”
“Oh. No, thanks. I’ve had my fill with Melody and Casey. Besides, I have a lot to do at home right now.”
“Is this Marissa Saxton?” a voice from behind her asked.
She turned around. “I’m Marissa,” she replied.
“Marissa, this is my brother, Damian McCade. He graduated from school a year before I did,” Riley said.
“I remember you. Heidi said you’re the mayor now.” Marissa held her hand out to shake his.
“Yes, I am. It’s great to see you again. Welcome back to Frankenburg.”
“Thanks.” Marissa looked up at Riley, who, for some reason, had his gaze fixed on her.
Soon there were at least a dozen people standing around her. Riley introduced her to some of them and their partners, while others reintroduced themselves to her. A lot of the classmates she had forgotten, but the ones she remembered had never been unfriendly to her back in school. At that time she had been very shy, preferring to put her face in a book or dig for gems rather than make friends.
One of the firefighters came up and Riley introduced them. “Mike, this is Marissa.”
“Nice to meet you.” Mike shook Marissa’s hand. “Is she your new girlfriend?” Mike asked Riley with a mischievous grin.
“No, Marissa just got back in town.” Riley gave Mike a don’t-start look.
Mike ignored him and asked Marissa, “Did he tell you what happened last year?”
Marissa shook her head, looking from Riley to Mike.
Riley grimaced. “Knock it off, Mike.”
“Have him tell you what happened last year!” Mike snickered and walked away.
Marissa was about to say something when someone called her name.
“Marissa, I didn’t think I’d ever get to see you again!” another voice from behind her said.
She turned around and was surprised to see Mrs. Buell, her fifth grade teacher. “Hello, Mrs. Buell. How are you?” Marissa asked as she gazed at the little, old woman.
“I’m doing fine, my dear. I often wondered where my most favorite student had gone off to. What career path did you end up following?”
“I went to Nevada State University and studied gemology.”
“So you followed your dream.” Mrs. Buell said, smiling.
“Yes, I did.” Marissa smiled back at her.
Riley still stood next to Marissa, watching the interaction.
“Are you in town visiting, or are you going to live here?” Mrs. Buell asked.
“I’m living here. I moved into my parents’ home.”
“Oh, good. Would you be interested in delighting an old lady by stopping by once in a while on Sunday afternoon for tea? I’d love to hear about your adventures.”
Marissa wondered how she could get out of it, but it really was just a simple request. What harm would it do to visit with an elderly woman and keep her company for a while?
“I’d be delighted to stop by and visit with you some Sunday afternoon. Do you still teach, or are you retired now?”
“No, I don’t teach anymore. I retired ten years ago, a few years after you graduated, I think. I’ve got ladies coming over tomorrow, but how about you come by at one PM next Sunday afternoon? I’ll put out petit fours, and we’ll have tea.”
“Okay, next Sunday at one PM would be good. Are you still in the same house?”
“Yes. I’ve lived in that same house for thirty-five years. Can you believe it? It sure has given me a lot of wonderful memories.”
“I can remember happy times there as well,” Marissa said.
Mrs. Buell smiled sweetly at Marissa. “Well, I better get myself in line for some food, or it’ll all be gone. I’ll see you next Sunday.”
“See you then.” Marissa watched as Mrs. Buell made her way over to the end of the line.
“I always thought of her as a hard taskmaster when I had her in school.” Riley had a half-smile on his face as he watched her walk away.
“A hard taskmaster? She was a great teacher! She taught me so much.”
“If I recall, you always were a bookworm, and that was what she liked, wasn’t it? She used to sit the class down for an hour and read a chapter in a book to us.”
“Yes. She did in my class as well. I always enjoyed it. Books can be your best friend,” Marissa commented.
“The longest book she ever read to us was the book about Helen Keller. I don’t think I had the appreciation for the book back then that I do now,” Riley said.
“She read that book in every class. It was a classic read.” Marissa put chicken and two salads in her carryout box then looked up at Riley. “Well, I think I’ll get going now.”
“Where are you parked?” he asked.
“I parked at Heidi’s place and walked over.”
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
Marissa didn’t know whether to be miffed because he invited himself onto her turf or to enjoy the few minutes with him as they strolled through town to her car.
As they were leaving the fire station, Heidi and Cindy walked up to them. “Marissa, don’t let Melody and Casey get to you. They can be so pe
tty sometimes,” Heidi said.
“Yes, you’re right. It was just the shock of seeing them together even after all these years and remembering a specific prank they tried to pull on me. I shouldn’t let myself stoop to their level.”
“I think a lot of girls had problems with them through the years, if I remember correctly,” Riley commented.
“Yeah. Heidi, thank you for inviting me along, and I’ll catch up with you later, and Cindy, I’ll see you Monday,” Marissa said.
“Okay. Stop by one day through the week and we’ll have dinner again. Don’t be shy. I’ve got five kids, so having you stop by gives me the chance to have an adult conversation.” Heidi smiled.
“Okay. I’ll do that.”
“Before you leave, could I ask you a favor?” Cindy asked Marissa.
“Sure.”
“Dave and I have a chance to go to a diamond and gem convention in Missoula next Saturday. Katy has been throwing a fit because she doesn’t want to go, and neither of our parents can babysit. Would you be able to watch Katy on Saturday? I know it’s a lot to ask, because it’s an all-day event. But I don’t know anyone else to ask, and Katy hinted that she’d like you and...you know, I think I’m grasping at straws here.”
“Sure. I’d be happy to have Katy for the day next Saturday if she’s willing to go to Red Rock River with me to pan for gold and dig for sapphires.”
“She would love to do that. At least she always loved it when she went with Dave. Okay, great. I’ll firm everything up later this week with you. Thanks so much, Marissa.”
Marissa had intended to live life quietly and not come to town and meet up with folks unless it was necessary. She should have stuck to her guns and not agreed to go to this chicken feed with Heidi. Now she had two activities to do next weekend that threatened to interfere with her plan to pan for gold and dig for sapphires. Damn. What was I thinking?
“You might as well accept the fact that you will be quite busy here in Frankenburg. If you’re thinking you want to live in isolation, it ain’t gonna happen,” Riley said with a grin. She wanted to smack it off his face.
“Where do you live, Riley?”
“Up the hill from you,” he answered.
Blue as Sapphires Page 6