But to Charlie and Julie, retirement didn’t mean idleness. They loved their little home in the village and decided to turn it into a store selling books and gifts. The shop, the only one of its kind in the valley, not only provided added income, it also kept them active and brought new friends into their lives. They both loved books and enjoyed discussing them with their customers. The store operated year-round and, following the busy foliage and Christmas holiday seasons, in January the couple left it in their daughter’s capable hands while they took a month-long vacation.
On this day, during the peak of the foliage splendor, there were many tourists in the village, as there were every year. When the four women entered the shop, Julie Randall waved to Claire from behind the counter in the book section. She had just served a couple who were leaving. As they passed Meg, she recognized them as the buyers of a home she sold in nearby Littleton several years earlier. When she spoke to them, they immediately remembered her and the woman responded by giving Meg a warm hug.
“What a pleasant surprise,” she exclaimed. “Do you have a place up here?”
“No,” Meg answered. “My friend has a year-round vacation home in the area and invited us up for the weekend.” She then introduced Claire and the others to the woman and her husband, whose names were Pam and Bill Roberts.
“We love it up here, Meg,” said Pam. Bill retired last year and we’re living here permanently. We don’t mind the cold winters. In fact, we love New England in the winter and every other season of the year. Like many other retirees, we find we’re as busy as we were when Bill was working. But with different things, of course.”
The conversation continued for a few more minutes, then the Roberts took their leave, Meg returning Pam’s hug as she walked them to the door.
Randall’s book and gift store was a long-time favorite among residents and tourists alike. It had separate book and gift sections, plus a small room in the back where customers could enjoy hot chocolate in the winter and soft drinks in warm weather. In the section devoted to books there were two red-checkered wing chairs flanking a side table providing good reading light from a vintage two-light tole lamp. Both the chair fabric and the lamp were in farmhouse red. The pine plank floor was covered with a large oval braided rug, a family heirloom made by Julie’s grandmother, providing a warm, inviting reading nook. A wide selection of books filled the shelves, including best-sellers and books by local authors whom Julie always supported with book signings.
The gift department featured a wide selection of unique gifts for special occasions, as well as items for home décor. It also offered high-quality arts and crafts by regional artists. Just as Julie supported local authors with book signings, she also invited artists to demonstrate their work or entertain. On this Saturday afternoon, two teenage brothers from Littleton were playing dulcimers in the back room as customers relaxed over soft drinks.
While Anne searched for a gift for her daughter, Meg browsed through the book section. But Claire and Rosemary were more interested in the music coming from the back room and sat at one of the tables to listen while the other two shopped. Meg bought a copy of John Grisham’s latest best seller, The Appeal, which a friend had recommended, and Anne found a pretty sage-colored flameless candle lamp for Valerie’s apartment in Atlanta. Their mission completed, Meg and Anne joined the others in the back room and listened to the gentle sounds of the mountain dulcimers played by the two talented young brothers. After several songs, the women complimented the boys and dropped tips into a large glass jar as they headed out the door, and toward the store beneath the sign reading “Delicacies from Pennsylvania’s Amish Culture.”
As the women entered, Mrs. Yoder smiled and greeted them warmly.
“Did you enjoy the day?” she asked, knowing Claire would surely give her guests a tour of the beautiful foliage mountain views.
“Yes, we sure did,” they remarked in unison. Then one by one they recounted their day’s activities — their trip up Mt. Washington on the cog railway, lunch “with a spectacular view,” according to Anne, and the visit to Flume Gorge.
“We’ve been shopping here in the village,” continued Claire, “and the ladies bought some beautiful gifts to take home.”
“Shopping is always part of the fun, and there are very lovely shops here,” said Anne. “I am thrilled with the things I found.”
“I’m glad you had a good time,” said Mrs. Yoder. Then, moving toward the kitchen, she said, “Excuse me, I will get your things. My husband has them in the back.”
She returned holding two bags, followed by her husband who held one.
Giving one of the bags to Meg, she said, “These are the shoofly pies. I hope you enjoy them.” And, looking at Rosemary she said, “I believe the apple strudel is yours.”
“Yes,” said Rosemary as she reached for the second bag, “thank you very much.”
Taking the third bag from her husband, a round, robust man in a white jacket and baker’s cap, she handed it to Anne, saying, “This is strudel and the raisin cookies.”
As Anne took the bag from her, she laughed, “You have a very good memory. You knew what we all ordered.”
Mrs. Yoder acknowledged the compliment with a gracious smile and wished them all safe travel.
Chapter 21
For more than seventy-five years, residents and tourists alike have played the Jack O’ Lantern golf course in Woodstock.
When newlyweds Anne and Charles Ferguson were guests during their trip to Canada in the early sixties, it was a charming rustic lodge just off busy Route 93, boasting a nine-hole “sporty mountain golf course.” Today it’s a golfer’s paradise. A beautiful, highly rated scenic golf and family vacation resort, it sprawls across ninety rolling acres with majestic views of the White Mountains and the Pemigewasset River. The “sporty mountain golf course” that Anne once played had been expanded to 18 holes with gentle slopes weaving through a natural setting of stately conifers and colorful hardwoods and along the banks of the flowing Pemi. In the evening during warm months, the Café LaFayette dinner train rolls leisurely through the course. Also unusual is the authentic red covered bridge over a gleaming pond with geese and ducks, adding charm and serenity to the picturesque setting. No doubt its natural beauty and unique features led the New England Golf Guide to list the Jack O’ Lantern as “one of the most scenic golf courses in New England.”
In addition to golf, other amenities at the resort include the clubhouse overlooking the course, a golf academy offering PGA instruction, luxury vacation homes, two swimming pools, tennis courts, horseback riding and the Papermill Community Theatre. Ed’s brother, Paul, owns a condo near the first tee, which is where the men are staying this weekend.
The clubhouse overlooking the course has a bar and grill for golfers and other guests, as well as a large dining room on the upper level, all of which are open to the public. Culinary delights such as clambakes, pig roasts and Hawaiian luaus are served at special events, and diners enjoy hearty buffets on weekends. The ambiance is warm and inviting country elegance.
Claire and her friends arrived in the upstairs dining room shortly after six o’clock and took a table on the terrace. After ordering wine from the hostess, they visited the buffet which was generously laden with prime rib, seafood, chicken, pasta and rice pilaf. Side vegetable dishes included fresh green beans, new potatoes, sweet potato casserole, sweet corn, caramelized carrots, oven-roasted asparagus and Brussels sprouts. There were also salad and cheese bars and a dessert table with pies, cakes and ice cream with various toppings.
“Everything looks wonderful.” said Claire. “I’m going to start at the salad bar.”
The others followed her to the salad, then the cheese bar. Returning to their table with ample servings, they raised their wine glasses to toast the day and relaxed to enjoy dinner.
“Very nice,” said Meg, surveying the dining room. “I like the casual atmosphere.”
“I do, too,” said Claire, “which is why I decided on dinner he
re tonight so we didn’t have to change.”
Looking in the distance at the red covered bridge and geese in the waters below, Anne remarked about the beauty of the golf course.
“Yes,” said Claire, “The resort is widely known for its beautiful course. Ed and Paul have been members here for years. They’re also members of the golf and tennis club in Marblehead and love playing both courses.”
“Speaking of the devil,” laughed Meg, looking down at four men emerging from golf carts and entering the grill on the lower level.
Claire caught a glimpse of her husband just before the men disappeared through the door. “I’m sure they’re going to the bar for drinks before dinner,” she said. “They’ll probably eat at the grill, where most of the golfers eat when they finish their game.”
Returning to the buffet tables, Claire selected the seafood casserole, rice pilaf, carrots and asparagus while Meg opted for the prime rib, a sweet potato, carrots and green beans. Both Anne and Rosemary chose the grilled chicken breast with mushrooms and small servings of rice pilaf and several vegetables.
All ordered decaffeinated coffee before heading for the dessert tables. Claire’s destination was the cheese bar, where she helped herself to a small piece of Danish Havarti, several whole wheat crackers and grapes. But the others were not counting calories this weekend. Anne and Rosemary chose German chocolate cake, and Meg had apple pie a la mode.
After dinner they descended the stairs to the first level, and Claire stopped by the grill to speak with Ed. When she approached his table, he rose and greeted her with a kiss and introduced her to the two young men at the table with Paul. Both were new interns at Brookhaven: Bill Haley from Meridian, Connecticut and Frank Briggs from Rehoboth, Massachusetts. Like Ed and Paul, both were avid golfers and were thrilled to be invited to spend a weekend with their boss at his vacation home in the White Mountains.
“Are you girls having a good time?” Ed asked his wife, waving at the other women standing at the entrance.
“It’s been a wonderful weekend,” Claire replied. “The girls loved the dinner train last night. Today we had lunch on Mt. Washington and did a little sightseeing and shopping.” Then, knowing that Ed and Paul always had a friendly wager on their games, she asked, “How about you guys? Who’s the big winner this weekend?”
“We won’t go into that,” laughed Ed, which told her he was not. He then added, “Why don’t you and the girls stay awhile and enjoy the entertainment?”
“Thanks, Dear, but we’re going back to the Lodge. We’ve had a long day and it’s our last night together. The girls will be leaving about two o’clock tomorrow, so I’ll expect you any time after that.”
“We have an early game, and then Frank wants to look at some property in Littleton he heard about. It’ll probably be late afternoon when I get home, and we can go back tomorrow night or stay up for a few more days if you want to.”
Again, Ed kissed Claire as she said goodbye, leaving no doubt that theirs was a long-lasting love affair. At the door, she turned and smiled at the man who had been her friend and lover for more than forty years. He returned her smile with a wave, his eyes lingering on her until she passed out of view.
Chapter 22
When Meg’s SUV passed the cabin that Saturday morning on the way into the village, the Hayes brothers were in their front yard working on their pick-up truck.
“There they go again,” snarled Albert sullenly to his younger sibling. “I seen three cars from Massachusetts go up there yesterday with women in ‘em. Guess they come up to see the leaves.”
“Yeah, I seen ‘em,” said Ray, lacing a diatribe of insulting remarks with profanity toward the women.
The brothers had held a grudge against their affluent neighbors in the big stone Lodge at the end of the road long before the April break-in. Ever since they were young boys, they talked about vandalizing the house and stealing whatever they could. They often walked up the long driveway and peered into the windows of the house and out buildings when they knew no one was there. And they always knew when people were there or not. Since their cabin and the Lodge were the only houses at the end of the road, they heard and saw all the cars that passed by on their way up to “that big muckety-muck’s house,” as they derisively called it.
When Edna Hayes moved into the cabin twelve years earlier, she had no viable means of supporting her three young children, two boys and a girl, and depended on welfare and charities for their livelihood. At the time, Albert was seven, Ray five, and their little sister, Melanie, was a three-year-old toddler. As youngsters, the boys were unaware of their lowly circumstances and seemed relatively happy as their mother made every effort to feed and clothe them with the community’s help. But as they got older, they realized they were different from other kids at school because of their lunch vouchers, hand-me-down clothes, and squalid living conditions. They began to resent their poverty and wanted trendy clothes, a cell phone, and money for lunches and school trips like the other kids.
Edna Hayes understood their feelings; she herself was unhappy with her financial circumstances. Because she married at sixteen, she had no education to speak of and couldn’t find work that paid enough for childcare.
When the boys became teenagers, she could do nothing to curb their growing hostility toward her and society in general. They were disobedient, insolent, and unruly at home and at school. Both boys were constantly in trouble of one kind or another: truancy, fighting, stealing from students’ lockers. They stayed in school only until they, like their mother, could leave at age sixteen; first Albert, followed by Raymond two years later.
From then on, their lives were aimless and troublesome. Edna complained bitterly when they hung around the cabin all day watching television. She felt they were old enough to work and help financially to make life better for her and their sister. There was plenty of year-round work in restaurants, stores and hotels, but they balked at minimum-wage jobs.
Finally, to appease her, at age seventeen Albert took a job at a convenience store, but it lasted only until the owner realized that his new employee could not be trusted. Not only was he letting his friends take snacks and sodas without paying, he was also helping himself to money from the cash register. Having had experience with dishonest employees, the owner had wisely installed a hidden camera above the cash register, but he told Albert only about the others clearly visible throughout the store.
The second night on the job Albert left the register drawer slightly open after a sale and did not ring up the second sale, even though he made change for it. He then pocketed the amount of the sale when the customer left the store. He did this on several transactions that night. The following morning, it didn’t take the owner long to determine the reason for the shortage when he checked the camera above the register. He didn’t press charges, but he spread the word to other stores, and Albert couldn’t get another job that involved handling money. He finally found part-time work with a landscaping business.
It was about this time that he and Raymond, then fifteen, became involved with drugs. They hitch-hiked to Portsmouth to attend a free rock concert and met up with a local gang member who introduced them to marijuana. The following weekend they returned to Portsmouth and looked up the gang to see how they could get in on the drug act. They couldn’t, at least not in the Portsmouth area. The resident drug suppliers made it crystal clear they didn’t want anyone infringing on their territory. If Albert wanted to sell what he bought for himself, that was his business, but the gang was not looking for distributors.
With the money he made at the landscaping service, Albert bought a 1992 red Ford pick-up truck. As soon as he turned sixteen, Raymond left school and began working as a bag boy at the supermarket. He got his driver’s license, and bought a metallic green 1981 Kawasaki at auction for $400.
Meanwhile, little Melanie grew into a pretty teenager with a vision of her own. When she began to visit classmates, she soon learned that the houses they lived in were qui
te different from the run-down, weather-beaten cabin she called home. But despite her dismal family environment, she had become an intelligent, thoughtful young lady. She loved to read and checked out many books from the school library. Her desire was to be a teacher, and she knew she had to get good grades and, hopefully, the right breaks. Fortunately, she got both. When she entered high school, she studied hard, making the honor roll the first year. The school guidance counselor was aware of the family situation and gave her special attention. He encouraged her to study the necessary courses to prepare for college. Melanie differed from her brothers in that she had every intention of fulfilling her childhood dream of having a successful professional career.
On this Saturday afternoon, Melanie was with friends taking in the foliage attractions, her mother was at home resting, and the boys were working on the pick-up. While they worked, the pungent aroma of burnt spice whirled around them in the fall air as they shared a joint of marijuana. Neither had ever had a bad trip or overdosed, because they never got into hard drugs. But they did like the “magical trips” that marijuana took them on occasionally. Soon, the work under the hood finished, they went into the backyard and sat under the apple tree to relax and enjoy the psychedelic effects of the drug.
During the past two days, as they watched Claire and her friends pass the cabin, they thought about the money people like that always seemed to have.
“They got more money than they know what to do with,” griped Albert, taking another drag on the weed. “New cars, vacations up here all the time and we ain’t got nothin’. We work for peanuts and don’t get to save nothin’.”
“Bet all those women are loaded,” grumbled his brother. “They ride around in that big black SUV with dark windows so nobody can see ‘em.”
The more they talked, the more resentful they became. By Saturday evening, as they smoked more marijuana, they were no longer just talking; they were planning. And those plans included their friend Herbie Grogan and a late night visit to the Lodge.
The Mystery Trip Page 13