Winter's Secret (29 page)

Was Veda here to confront the sheriff? Had someone told Veda of Wendy's deepening relationship with Rodd? But who would know, apart from Grandfather, Bruno, and Ma? And what was her relationship with Rodd, anyway?

Though he'd called her every day since Christmas, he had been busy with his investigation, and she'd been working overtime at the clinic in addition to her home visits. Flu season had descended.

"Look what I caught." Zak waved a coloring book in her face, catching her attention.

Wendy smiled, peering down at him. "Oh, dinosaurs to color."

"Why isn't the sheriff here?" the little boy asked. "Why didn't you bring him?"

She wondered at Zak's assumption that she could make Rodd Durand do anything. The innocence of children. "He's going to come when he can, Zak. He's working. Being sheriff takes a lot of time."

She glanced at the clock above the kitchen's open Dutch door again. A few more hours until the new year came—and Rodd would be off duty. Would he be able to stop here before midnight? Would he kiss her like they did in the movies on New Year's Eve? The thought made Wendy's stomach turn to jelly.

She couldn't decide whether that was because thinking about another kiss from Rodd took her breath away—or because then everyone would know that they had become more than friends. How much more than friends were they? A tremor shivered through her.

No doubt Veda would use it as a perfect opportunity to rake up every sin a Rieker had committed over the past two generations. Worse, Veda could make it sound like Dutch was the thief and Rodd was shielding him because of Rodd's feelings for Wendy. Wendy wouldn't put anything past that sour old woman. But I can't let her spoil my happiness, our happiness.

Penny called out, "Time for children's games to end. Let's go, kids, to the Sunday school classrooms for the slumber party."

Zak sped off. Other preschoolers and the school-aged children waved good-bye to their parents as they trooped to their separate rooms to watch videos and eat their snacks. Each had brought a sleeping bag and would spend the night under the watchful eyes of a few stalwart grandmothers and some young teens. Now the adult portion of the evening would begin.

Penny had just received her first two foster children, a Native American brother and sister whose Ojibwa parents were having marital problems that had led to an abusive custody battle. The kids held on to Penny as if she were their lifeline. Penny, who looked happier than she had in weeks, waved at Wendy as she led them into the school-aged room where she would stay with them.

"Let's close up, partner." Bruno stood up from his hiding place with a grin. Wendy and Bruno gathered fishing poles, folded up their "ocean," and propped it against the wall. Around the room, the other games, including the cakewalk and pin-the-tail-on-the donkey, were disassembled. Then several men moved the tables and chairs so that everyone could sit comfortably during the auction. Wendy ended up sitting at a table with Grandfather, Bruno, Ma, and Patsy Kainz.

This was the first time Patsy had come to the church. Since Wendy had invited Patsy for the past three years, she was delighted to see her here tonight. Now the plump, white-haired woman leaned over to Wendy's ear and asked, "Did you call to see if Sage's flight would be getting in on time?"

"Yes." Wendy smiled. Everyone in town knew that Sage was flying in tonight. Since the roads had finally been cleared and Harlan and Wendy had volunteered to work at the carnival, Trav had gone by himself to pick her up. "It arrived in Minneapolis on time."

Patsy nodded.

Ma leaned over and whispered into Wendy's other ear, "What gives with Veda showing up?"

Even though concerned herself, Wendy could only shrug and hope Ma didn't feel a need to confront Veda tonight. That would be a battle of the titans.
Lord, you know what Veda's got up her sleeve. Please take care of her.

"We're so happy that so many of you have turned out to this evening's fund-raiser," Pastor Bruce, standing at the front of the room, began. "As you all know, Old Doc Erickson is well past the age of retirement. His founding a clinic here and continuing to work in Steadfast is an invaluable service to our county. But in order to bring in another doctor to take up practice here, we've gone the route of other rural areas in supporting a medical student who will in turn practice here for the first ten years of his or her career. All the proceeds of tonight's auction will go to the tuition fund—just as the funds raised at the Senior Bazaar did."

A nervous rustle went through the audience—some people looking at Veda and some pointedly looking away. Wendy's uneasiness grew. She still hadn't been told what Veda had done at the bazaar. She tried never to participate in gossip, but this time, she'd had to restrain her curiosity.

Whatever Veda had done must have been bad because none of the women who had been involved in the Senior Bazaar would speak to her—not even Miss Frantz. Miss Frantz, who had lived across from Wendy all her life and had spied on her and helped Veda wound Wendy's mom many times by broadcasting gossip about Doreen. The estrangement of the unlikely pair had begun a thread of gossip all its own. A few people had even called Wendy to find out what had caused Miss Frantz's turnaround. Wendy hadn't known what to think. What could Veda have done to cause such a seismic change?

Pastor Bruce picked up a wooden gavel. "Now some counties have people rich in wealth. But here in Steadfast we are rich in willingness to help each other. Over the past two months, residents all around the county—many who are here tonight and some who weren't able to attend—have offered various skills and services to be auctioned off tonight to the highest bidders. Doc is over at the Conlon VFW hall at another auction like this one, and Dr. Doug is on duty at the clinic. Otherwise, they'd be here."

The basement door burst open and Wendy looked back—would it be Rodd or Sage and Trav? It was none of them. To her surprise, most of the men whom they had caroled for at Patsy and Carl's trooped inside. "Hey, Reverend!" Olie Olson called out. "Did we miss anything?"

"Not a thing." Pastor Bruce beamed at them. "Make yourselves comfortable—and I hope your wallets are full."

The men hooted at this and found places around the tables where they were welcomed. Wendy's heart warmed and she felt the tug to cry.
Oh, Lord, soften their hearts so that they may see your love in action here.

Wearing a brighter smile, the pastor resumed, "The winning sums are essentially pledges, with one-twelfth of each pledge due each month to our new church secretary, Miss Mabel Frantz. Now with all the preliminaries taken care of, our first service to be auctioned is from Ma, soon to be Mrs. Bruno Havlecek." The pastor waited for the well-meaning teasing and cooing this occasioned to die down, then continued. "Ma will bake some fortunate soul a pie of his or her choice every month of this coming year. Now what will you bid for this culinary bonanza?"

The bidding started at ten dollars and ended up at fifty-two, bid by Olie Olson. The next service was for free driveway plowing for the rest of the winter and the beginning of the next winter by Harry, the auto repairman. Again bidding went fast, and the final bid came in at one hundred and sixty dollars. Before moving to the next bid, the pastor said, "I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Harry publicly for plowing out the church parking lot for free this winter."

Harry waved the pastor to stop. "My privilege."

Pastor Bruce smiled and moved on. Several more offers of service passed under the minister's gavel. Harlan kept announcing the total money. The figure mounted to just under seven hundred dollars. "Now our next service is a year of two days a month of housecleaning by Mrs. Benser."

As the pastor continued, the basement door opened, and Sage and Trav walked in. Wendy popped up and ran to the back of the room. Sage opened her arms and Wendy hugged her tightly. Missing Sage had been just under the surface throughout Christmas. Now Wendy could only hold Sage close and press back the tears.

Harlan came up behind her and put his arms around both granddaughters. "Welcome home, Sage," Grandfather rumbled close to Wendy's ear. "How is your mother?"

Sage pulled away from Wendy and kissed his cheek. "Mom's great, Gramps. She sends her love."

Harlan offered Trav, standing a little behind Sage, his hand. "Thanks for bringing her home safe, son."

Trav shook Harlan's hand but said nothing.

Wendy became aware of an undercurrent of emotion in Trav. He seemed anxious, jumpy—dark. Had Sage told him something about their mother that Sage didn't want to say in front of Grandfather? Sage glanced at Trav and looked worried about him. Mulling this over, Wendy led them to the table where she and Grandfather had been sitting. Sage took Trav's hand in hers as though he needed her support. Concern creased Wendy's forehead. What was wrong?

The bidding for the year of housecleaning was lively and reaching its end. Wendy looked to their pastor, who was doing a fine job of auctioneering. She knew how much the money would mean to Doc and Dr. Doug.

Clyde Sparrow raised his hand. "Two hundred and fifty dollars."

Veda spoke up for the first time. "And five dollars."

There was a momentary pause, and then Clyde countered, "Two hundred and sixty."

"And five," Veda added.

"Two hundred and seventy."

"And five." Veda grinned for the first time that evening.

Hostile murmuring rustled through the gathering. Clyde looked disgusted.

Wendy didn't blame him. He'd worked up the price and stayed with it until his competitors had dropped out. Now Veda, who hadn't bid earlier, was pushing the price up higher. Was that her game? Did she want to gouge Clyde? Why?

"Three hundred." Clyde declared and glared at Veda.

"And five." Veda crowed.

Silence, an uneasy one, fell over everyone. Something beyond the simple bidding was going on. Wendy folded her hands tightly in her lap so she didn't forget and bite her nails.

"Well, anybody going to bid against me?" Veda demanded, glee in her voice.

"Would it do any good?" Clyde continued to glare at her.

"No." Veda looked smug.

"Well, I have something to say—" Everyone turned to eye Mrs. Benser, who had stood up and was visibly bristling. "Veda McCracken, I wouldn't clean for you—"

Pastor Bruce held up both hands. "Please—"

"I'm sorry, Pastor." Mrs. Benser drew herself up. "But I've kept my peace for over fifty years about Veda McCracken's nastiness, and I won't put up with it anymore."

A bewildered hush fell over the room. The pastor tried to remonstrate with the woman but was ignored.

Wendy's heart turned over. Kind Mrs. Benser had been one of her first Sunday school teachers. Oh no, Lord, don't let evil in.

In the silent room filled with tense waiting, Mrs. Benser declared, "If I thought all you wanted, Veda, was to help out the clinic fund and have your house cleaned twice a month, I'd keep my mouth shut. But we both know—we all know—that you're doing this out of spite. You found out I was the one who exposed you as the Bazaar thief."

Veda sprang up onto her feet. "That's a lie!"

People gasped. Pastor Bruce tried to speak.

Ignoring everyone, Mrs. Benser pressed on. "And I know just what kind of mess I'd find at your house to clean up. You have never had a kind thought or done something good once in your whole life. And I'll withdraw my offer before I'll let it go to you." Mrs. Benser's face flushed pink. "You're here doing what comes natural to you—being nasty. You gave yourself over to the devil from the time we were children together. And I for one won't stand for it another minute."

Spontaneous applause burst over the room.

Pastor Bruce pounded his gavel, but in vain. People stood up and began to berate Veda for past grievances with her. Veda turned red in the face, but she returned fire—blasting long-dead relatives of those who dared confront her and shredding the reputations of the living.

Wendy thought she might be sick. How could evil take over this generous and giving evening and poison it? Trembling, she stood up and shouted, "Stop! Stop it."

Silence. All eyes turned to her.

"This isn't right. It isn't right." Wendy trembled. "We came here to help get a new doctor, not rip each other apart."

"But, Wendy, she's been mean to you your whole life." Olie put in.

Wendy faced Veda. "Yes, but I won't hate her. She hasn't won. I feel sorry for her."

Veda leaped to her feet.

"What's going on here?" Rodd's harsh voice boomed throughout the church basement. Everyone swiveled around. Scanning the gathering sternly, Rodd stood just inside the large room.

"Well, if it isn't our esteemed sheriff." Veda sneered. "Have you arrested the Snowmobile Burglar yet?"

Rodd made his way toward Wendy. People moved to let him through. "I will when the time is right. The investigation is proceeding."

"Ha." On that jeering note, Veda grabbed her coat and stalked out of the church.

"Good riddance," Patsy muttered, giving voice to the mood in the room.

Reaching for her, Rodd gripped Wendy's shoulder. "I'm thirsty. Will you help me get something to drink?" He offered her his hand.