Maple Dale ~ My Forever Home (Maple Dale Series)

by MaryAnn Myers

  “Just Mindy,” Richard said.

  “He’s kidding,” Mindy said, responding to the look on Shane’s face. “All I got was a civil disobedience warning.”

  Shane looked at her and then at Richard, who shrugged. “Semantics.”

  Finally, the meeting progressed to the open forum. “Is there anyone here with concerns, questions, motions?”

  “Yes,” Mindy said, raising her hand.

  “I figured as much, Ms. Morrison. So what’s on your mind today?”

  “Fracking,” Mindy said. “I’m wondering if everyone is aware of the toxic ramifications of fracking and the fact that the industry is not only targeting the more rural areas of our county, but aggressively seeking lease agreements right here in our township.”

  “Well, I’d have to say we are certainly aware of the preliminary testing that is taking place. That is as far as it has gone to the best of our knowledge.”

  “So now’s the time to stop it,” Mindy said. “I don’t think with the health risks associated with fracking….”

  “From all accounts I have heard, there is no proof of any health risks, just speculation.”

  “Seriously?” Mindy said. “You’re going to stand up there and deny… Hold on, just a second,” she said, consulting her notes. “According to the Scientific American, Winner of the 2011 National Magazine Award for Excellence, ‘The closer you live to a well used to hydraulically fracture underground shale for natural gas, the more likely it is that your drinking water is contaminated with methane.”

  “Yes, but….”

  “Wait, there’s more,” Mindy said. “A recently published study by researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington found elevated levels of arsenic and other heavy metals in groundwater near natural gas fracking sites. They found that there were actually quite a few examples of elevated constituents of heavy metals such as arsenic, selenium, and strontium at levels above EPA’s maximum contaminate limit for drinking water. They also found samples that had measurable levels of methanol and ethanol and these two substances don’t occur naturally in groundwater.”

  “From what I understand…”

  Richard raised his hand. “Are you speaking on behalf of the township or personal opinion?”

  The trustee hesitated. “From personal opinion. Just like your daughter, Richard.”

  “Well then in that case,” Richard said. “You need to be sitting on this side of the podium. Otherwise….”

  “Point taken, counselor,” the trustee said. “Was there more, Ms. Morrison?”

  Shane glanced from Richard to Mindy and back to the trustee during this exchange.

  “Yes,” Mindy said. “Closer to home, the EPA began testing water in Dimock, PA after residents complained that their drinking water was contaminated from nearby fracking operations. But the Federal EPA closed the investigation even after the staff members who had tested the water warned of methane, manganese, and arsenic contamination. In Wyoming, the EPA released a draft report in 2011 linking fracking to contamination of an underground aquifer. After drawing criticism from the oil and gas industry the EPA handed the investigation over to the state to be completed with funding from EnCana, the drilling company charged with contaminating the water wells in the first place.”

  “And your point, Ms. Morrison?”

  “My point is that it would appear once an area is contaminated there is virtually no accountability. There is only culpability. The crime goes unpunished.”

  “So you think punishment is in order?”

  “Nope. I think prevention is in order. No fracking.”

  “Well, that is an ardent plea. The trustees will take this into account. But again, we are nowhere even near entertaining the premise of fracking, so I think we can safely shelve this until the next meeting….”

  “Actually, by the time of the next Trustees meeting, our entire county will have been tested for seismic readings not to mention our town.”

  “And that information is based on…?”

  “Opinion,” Mindy said. “Speculation. Fear.”

  “Well, until we have the facts….”

  Shane had been sitting there totally impressed with Mindy’s questions, research, her passion.

  “Perhaps Mr. Thornton would have that information.”

  Shane looked up at her.

  “Under what authority is Mr. Thornton?”

  “He is an employee of GP Industries. He’s the one conducting the seismic readings.”

  All eyes fell on Shane.

  “Mr. Thornton, do you know if there are plans to, as Ms. Morrison put it, to conduct seismic readings of our entire town?”

  When Shane stood up, Mindy sat down.

  “Yes,” Shane said. “That’s my understanding.”

  Mindy smiled. Proud of being right. Proud of Shane.

  “Well then, perhaps you can tell us how these readings are measuring up.”

  “Sorry. That’s not my job. You’ll have to talk to management on that.” Shane sat back down and Mindy stood back up.

  “We have to act now. Prevention is the only way. If the well water becomes contaminated with these fracking practices, it is too late.”

  “Is that all?” the trustee asked.

  “Yes.”

  The meeting was adjourned almost immediately after this, with the trustee saying the township would be looking into the matter. Mindy, Shane, and Richard walked out into the night. Mindy was feeling good about the prospects of prevention. Richard was certainly proud of his daughter’s activism. And Shane….

  “Is it all right if your father gives you a ride back to the barn?” he asked.

  Mindy looked at him. “Why? I thought we were going to go get something to eat.”

  “Sorry. But I lost my appetite. Getting thrown under the bus will do that to a person.”

  Mindy’s stood with her mouth open, watching him walk to his truck. “Shane?”

  “Good night,” he said. “It’s been nice knowing you.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Mindy checked on the horses and drove to Finney’s. It was nearly closing time, but… “Yes,” he told her. “I can make you up a salad.”

  “Thank you.” Mindy plunked herself down on a stool at the counter. “I can’t believe the mess I’ve made of things.”

  “Oh?”

  Mindy told him the whole story. “I didn’t think I’d hurt his feelings.”

  “Sounds to me like you threw him under the bus.”

  “That’s exactly what he said.”

  Finney looked up at her from the salad table. “If the foo shits, wear it.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Hey, I call ‘em like I see it. Come on, Mindy, you put his job on the line, not to mention his integrity.”

  “That was the point. He needs to know what he’s in on.”

  “I’m sure he knows.”

  When Mindy sighed, Finney stopped chopping vegetables. “All right. So…?”

  “So I really liked him.”

  “Ah.” Finney went back to chopping. “So now what?”

  “Nothing.” Mindy rubbed her face with her hands and shook her head. “Nothing. Three strikes and I guess I’m out.”

  “Three?”

  Mindy nodded. “Three.”

  “You want this in a container to go?”

  “Yes.” Mindy laid her money down on the table, took the salad, and walked to the door.

  “It’s always darkest before the dawn,” Finney said.

  “Not if you close the drapes and refuse to leave your room.”

  Finney laughed. “You’ll be fine. Go home. If it’s meant to be, it’ll be.”

  “Thank you for that vote of confidence.”

  “Hey. What are friends for? Thanks for going to bat for Mother Earth. The night wasn’t a total loss.”

  “No, just a personal one.” Mindy waved over her shoulder. As she drove past the entrance to the barn on the way home, she thought she saw a light on in the
barn, but on second glance, all was dark. When she made the turn onto her street and glanced in her rearview mirror and saw another flashing light, she made a U-turn and drove back. When she started down the hill and saw a truck circling the drive, she backed up in between the trees out of sight and turned off the jeep.

  “Who the hell?”

  It wasn’t any of the boarders. None of them had a truck. For a second she thought it might be Shane. She hoped. But then the truck made its way up the hill and she froze. It was the kill-buyer. She’d recognize that rickety truck anywhere. “Oh wonderful.” She waited until she heard him pull out onto the main highway, then drove down to the barn to check on the horses. More specifically, Rex.

  Malaki was all worked up. She squealed as soon as she heard Mindy’s Jeep pull up next to the barn, and squealed again when Mindy got out and turned on the aisleway light. “It’s all right. It’s all right,” Mindy said, stroking her neck. “It’s all right.” Judging from the man-sized muddy footprints on the aisleway floor, the man hadn’t gotten much further than the first four stalls.

  “Did you scare him away? Yes, I know. You’d scare me too.” She patted Malaki and walked down the aisleway, looking at each horse. All of them were wide-eyed and nickering, Rex included. When they all appeared fine, she broke a hard rule and gave them each a flake of hay to quiet them down, then using the barn phone, she called Bill Forbes.

  “I’ll be right there,” he said.

  “No. Everything’s okay. You don’t have to. I was just wondering how we view the surveillance tapes.”

  “I’ll show you. I’ll be there in a second. Don’t move.”

  Mindy walked to the Jeep for her salad and had just sat down on the bench outside the barn to eat when Bill came barreling down the hill in his wife’s station wagon.

  “I’m telling you. Everything’s fine,” Mindy said. “It’s just….”

  Here came her father in his car.

  “I called him,” Bill said.

  Mindy lowered her head and went back to eating. “This has been a great day,” she said to herself. While her father and Bill viewed the surveillance tape on the monitor set up in the storage shed just to the right of the barn, Mindy finished her salad and went to the office for a soda. When she opened the door, she had the feeling she wasn’t alone - that someone was in there. As she started to back out of the door quietly, just in case, she ran into her father and screamed!

  “It’s just me,” he said. “What the hell? You scared me to death!”

  Mindy laughed. With her father and then Bill at her side she went back inside, got them each a soda, and the three of them sat down on the bleachers in front of the observation window overlooking the arena.

  “So, did you see who it was?” Mindy asked.

  “Yes. He actually looked right at the camera on the way out of the barn.”

  “How far in did he go? There’s only mud up past Malaki’s stall.”

  “You’re awful calm about all of this,” her father said.

  “Yeah, I know. It’s weird. All of a sudden I feel so safe. Like nothing can harm me. Or the horses either. Wow.”

  Richard and Bill looked at one another.

  “What?” Mindy asked, from the expressions on their faces.

  They both shrugged. A sure giveaway.

  “Come on. What??”

  “Nothing,” her father said. “Nothing.”

  She looked at Bill. Another shrug. “We used to say the same thing when Leah Oliver was here.”

  Mindy nodded and looked away. “Oh.”

  “You okay?” Richard asked.

  “Yeah,” she said, her mind elsewhere. “I just feel so bad.”

  “Why? What happened?” Bill asked.

  Mindy hesitated and told him the town hall story. “I think Shane hates me now.”

  “No wonder, Mindy,” Bill said. “You threw him under the bus.”

  “If one more person says that I’m going to scream.”

  Bill and her father laughed. And then they all three turned when they heard a tapping sound on the door window. Mr. Thackeray entered with his dogs on their leashes.

  “Everything all right?”

  “Yes. Yes. Everything’s fine,” Richard said.

  “I heard screaming,” the man said.

  “Really?”

  “Quite a bit.”

  “Hmmm,” Richard said.

  Mindy petted the Yorkies. “I think that was probably Malaki. She was all wound up for some reason.”

  “It didn’t sound like a horse. It sounded like a woman.”

  “She has a real high voice,” Mindy said.

  Mr. Thackeray smiled. “Well, if everything’s all right, I’m going to head on home. Sorry I didn’t get to the town hall meeting tonight. June is a little under the weather.”

  “Hope she feels better soon,” Richard said. “Good night.” When the neighbor left, Richard stood to leave also. “Come on. Let’s all call it a night.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Christine was an early riser. She always has been. She loved the mornings. It was quiet time. Time to plan her day. Time to relive yesterday. Early to bed and early to rise, she was half asleep when Richard and Mindy came home last night. Did he say, “Leah Oliver’s back.”

  She stared. Well, at least it’s not winter. She hated the thought of Leah being at Maple Dale that cold frigid winter, all alone. But why now? Why was she back now?

  “Why not now?” she recalled Richard saying. It was all coming back to her now as she sipped her coffee. “She was here when they saved the deer. She comes when she’s needed.”

  “But there’s no crisis. What is she here for now?”

  “Uhhh….”

  “Richard?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe because Bethann had the baby and she thinks she has to look out for Mindy till Bethann gets back.”

  “Oh, right. That makes sense,” Christine had said in that twilight state just before falling back to sleep.

  “It could be about that horse though too,” he mumbled to himself.

  Christine opened her eyes. “Which horse?”

  “The one they stole. Shhh. Go to sleep.”

  Go to sleep? She then lay awake for hours, probably why the whole situation was so fuzzy at the moment. She stepped over their Irish Setters Jack and Jill and poured herself a second cup of coffee. When she heard a thud at the door, she retrieved the morning paper and read the headline: “Horse Thieves in Geauga County.”

  “Richard!”

  Her husband opened his eyes.

  “Richard!!”

  Noting the intense way she’d shouted his name, he figured she’d appear in their bedroom doorway in about five seconds.

  “Richard, wake up! Mindy! Mindy, wake up!” she yelled over her shoulder. “Richard, look at this headline!” He tried to focus on the newspaper held just inches from his face, squinted, squinted some more, then pushed it away and sat up. By now, Mindy was standing in the doorway, rubbing her eyes and looking like she was about five years old in her Scooby Doo pajamas, her hair all mussed.

  “What?”

  Christine waved the newspaper in her direction. “Horse thieves in Geauga County.”

  “Really?” Mindy said, reaching for the paper.

  “Yes! It’s you, isn’t it?”

  “What?”

  “It’s you. Dad said you stole a horse.”

  Mindy skimmed the article and handed it to her father. “It says here eight horses have been stolen in the last two weeks. We only stole one. Dad, why did you tell her?”

  “Uh….”

  “Never mind. I’m going back to bed.” Mindy trudged down the hall to her room, hoping beyond hope…. But no such luck. Her mother followed her. “Why would you steal a horse?”

  “Have dad tell you. I need to go back to sleep. Mom, please, I’m trying to mend a broken heart.”

  “What do you mean a broken heart?”

  “It doesn’t matter. It was over bef
ore it began.” She covered her head with her pillow. “I have a half hour before I need to get up. Mom, please….”

  Christine closed the door and walked back down the hall. Richard was in the bathroom. “I give up,” she said, and stomped down the stairs. “Like I’m supposed to be happy they only stole one horse. What is wrong with this family?”

  Richard came downstairs a few minutes later with the newspaper tucked under his arm and poured himself a cup of coffee. “Before you say anything, they didn’t actually steal the horse. They paid for it with money from Shifting Gears Rescue.”

  Christine sat back. “Then why the reference to stealing it? Why start my day this way? And who broke Mindy’s heart?”

  “Actually she did. She messed up.” Richard sipped his coffee.

  “How?”

  “Oh, this fella she kinda likes. Shane. He works for the fracking company and she had him come to the meeting last night with her and then put him on the spot. I don’t think it was intentional on her part, but evidently he took offense. Rightfully so,” Richard added. “I give the kid credit. He handled himself well. He just doesn’t want anything to do with Mindy anymore.”

  “Oh that’s so sad.”

  “Well, it’s not like she’s known him for a long time. They only just met a little over a week ago”

  Mindy appeared in the kitchen doorway. “Yeah, but I really liked him.”

  Christine sighed. “Honey, I’m so sorry.”

  “Yeah, me too. I blew it.” She poured a cup of coffee and put two pieces of bread in the toaster.

  “I thought you wanted to sleep a little longer.”

  “I couldn’t. I tried. All I kept thinking and seeing in my head was Shane saying, ‘Have a good life’ as he walked away from me. Damn….”

  “Actually what he said, honey, is that ‘It was nice knowing you.’”

  “Same difference,” Mindy said, one of her favorite expressions. “I blew it.”

  Christine got up and put her arms around her daughter. “I’m so sorry.”

  “I know,” Mindy said, resting her head on her mom’s shoulder. “I’m just so sad.”

  Christine nodded and glanced at Richard. He shrugged. “Who knew?” They’d actually never known Mindy to be sad about a boy before. Ever. “Wow,” he said silently.