The phone rang. Matthew picked it up, assuming the caller was his wife.
"A loaf of bread, a jug of wine," he jovially answered.
"Matthew?"
"Fred." Matthew was surprised.
"The same."
"Are you working on a snowy Sunday? I don't think the county will pay extra." A hint of sarcasm crept into Matthew's voice.
Fred ignored him. "Do you know who will take over Donaldson Construction?"
"Uh-no. Why?"
"Well, I wanted to go through the Lindsay house out by Beaverdam Road and I don't want to disturb Anne."
"Call Tazio."
"She doesn't work for Donaldson Construction."
"No, but she's the architect. You'd have a competent person with you."
"I don't know. I'd like a company representative. It's always better."
"Well, Fred, I don't think this is the time to bother anyone at the company. They're all reeling. Even the site foreman has got to be upset. Make an exception and call Tazio."
"Yeah." Fred's voice faded, he cleared his throat. "I wish I hadn't had that fight with him."
"Guilt is a useless emotion."
"I didn't say I felt guilty." Fred bristled.
"You didn't have to. Now just listen to me. You were not on your best behavior. You really wanted to hit Josef P. but nailed H.H. instead."
"Well-yeah, but if I told you the times I wanted to slug H.H. Arrogant bastard." He inhaled sharply. "Dead. Gone. No more trouble."
"He was either belligerent or a whiner. Let him lose out on a bid and whoever won it was corrupt, paying off. I mean, it couldn't be because someone else could do a better job."
"That someone was usually you," Fred dryly commented.
"In the last few years it was."
A silence followed. "I'll call Tazio."
"Uh, Fred." A light note lifted Matthew's voice. "I assume my helpfulness will only influence you to find fault with my projects."
A rasping laugh followed. "You got that right, Matthew."
15
This time of year gets to me." Susan folded an empty mailbag. "Spring seems a million years away and the Christmas bills are arriving. Ugh."
Miranda and Harry, having finished the sorting of the mail, had been discussing the merits of painting the small table and chairs in the back.
Harry was happy that no one had called to threaten Susan, because Susan would certainly have told her. So whoever it was had focused on her. Instead of making her fearful, it exhilarated her. Danger got her blood up.
The animals thought she was foolish. She should report the call to the sheriff or Deputy Cooper.
"Red," Miranda declared.
"Yellow," Harry countered.
"Blue." Susan laughed. "Or better yet, paint them yellow with blue and red pinstripes or red with blue and yellow pinstripes or-"
The front door opened, Big Mim burst through. "Why didn't you tell me?"
The three women stared back at her. Mrs. Murphy and Pewter jumped on the dividing counter as Tucker, half-asleep, lifted her head.
"Tell you what?" Harry wondered if Mim had learned that H.H.'s death was suspect. If so, who would have told her but Sheriff Shaw?
"Susan"-Big Mim charged up to the counter-"your husband is going to put together an exploratory committee to consider a campaign for the house seat and you never said a word."
The man who was the state representative in Richmond was retiring that year without endorsing any candidate for the Democratic Party. This was not pique on his part. There were a few good people who might run but no one had declared themselves. Better to wait and see.
Susan blanched. "Mim, it's not my place to make those announcements."
"You knew!" Mim had to know everything.
"Of course I knew. And didn't Ned come and talk to you and Jim?"
"Yes, but you should have called me first." She spun on her heel, opened her mailbox, then slammed it, the metallic thud ringing through the room.
She marched out as resolutely as she had marched in. Outside the day was gray. Inside the clock read eight A.M.
"Monday morning." Tucker dropped her head back on her paws.
"I thought we didn't have any secrets between us," Harry said half in jest, for she hadn't known of Ned's decision, either.
"It's not my secret." Susan held to her position.
"It's wonderful." Miranda took the folded mailbag from Susan's hands, placing it on the shelf with the packages.
Susan walked over to the coffeepot, poured herself a cup, and spoke with deliberation. "Ned has this dream that he can change things for the better. He's been quiet about it but this is his chance. I think he'd make a good state representative. He's honest, fair-minded, and not afraid of tough problems."
"All of that is true, but what do you think for yourself?" Harry pressed.
"Oh Harry." Then Susan glanced at Miranda. "I don't want to be a political wife-watching every word, dressing up, attending all those boring events."
"You don't have to do that." Harry waved as Market Shiflett, in big snow boots, passed by the front window. He owned the convenience store next door.
"She can't hide under a rock." Miranda disagreed with Harry. "She has to show her support."
"She can pick and choose her events. I'm not suggesting she . . ." Harry paused. "Susan, I don't know what I'm suggesting. I really don't know what it takes to get elected to office. Money. After that it kind of looks like a beauty contest to me." She smiled. It faded as Fred Forrest, Mychelle Burns, and Tazio Chappars walked toward the front door. A clean Brinkley followed Tazio.
Neither Fred nor Mychelle lived in Crozet. They were arguing, Fred wasn't paying attention to where he was going, and as Tazio, shaking snow from her boots, stepped into the post office, Fred looked up, his mouth hanging open. He shut it like a bird clamping down on a beetle.
"Hello," Harry, Miranda, and Susan called out.
"Hello," Tazio replied.
Mychelle and Fred merely nodded.
"How are you feeling today?" Mrs. Murphy asked Brinkley.
Tucker came around from behind the divider. Harry had installed a doggie door for her because she grew weary of opening and closing the half-door under the flip-up part of the divider. A lot of times she just left that half-door open but every time she closed it, Tucker would claw at it.
"Much better. Tazio fed me a delicious meal, beef bits over kibble which she stirred all together. I think she stuck a vitamin pill in there but I don't care. I'll take vitamins if it makes her happy."
"She must have given you a bath, too. Your coat looks clean. You know, you'll get some luster once you gain weight." Tucker liked the Lab.
"I feel like a new dog." Brinkley smiled.
"What's going on with Fred and Mychelle?" Pewter inquired.
"Tazio walked out of the bank and Fred was in the parking lot. He said he'd been calling her about the Lindsay house. He's rude. Said he'd read the blueprints for her sports complex design. Design is not his bailiwick but she'd made errors and the construction company would have a hard time building her monstrosity. He used that word. Mychelle nods whenever he speaks. She must be in love with him or something. She agrees with everything he says."
"In love with Fred? Ugly." Pewter wrinkled her nose.
As the three humans began to leave, Tazio winked at Harry.
Mrs. Murphy called out, "Get Taz to bring you to our farm. We'll give you the tour."
"I'll try." A happy Brinkley wagged his tail and followed Tazio out the door.
"If a fart has human form it's Fred." Harry burst out laughing.
"Harry, that is so crude. Your mother would be horrified if she could hear you speak like that." Miranda shook her head although she did agree with the assessment.