Best Laid Plans

by Martha Rogers

  The grin on his face contradicted his words, and Hal didn’t buy the explanation. He’d have to speak to Ed Barnfield. The old editor should be retiring anyway if he let something like this slip by.

  “I see, but I read in that same paper a while ago that the town planned to apply for Founder’s Cottage to be on the historic register and receive recognition as such. What happened to that?”

  Woody’s face reddened and the Adam’s apple on his skinny neck bobbed up and down. “Well, er . . . uh . . . there seems to be some problem with that. It could be designated as such after we finish the improvements.”

  “What kind of problems?” From what he’d heard at the tearoom, the problem was all Woody.

  “Nothing I can’t handle once we get the new project going.”

  That wasn’t really an answer, but from the look on Woody’s face, that’s all Hal would get for now.

  “What do you say, Hal? You willing to help me with this design?”

  “I’ll consider it. Let me have the plans and I’ll study them to see what might work.” If he had a copy of the plans to show Caroline, maybe he could work out something that would save her ancestor’s cottage on the site where it belonged.

  “Sure, I’ll be glad to make a copy for you. City council meets tomorrow night and I plan to present the proposal to them. Think you’ll have an idea by then?”

  Twenty-four hours to come up with a stall didn’t give him much time, but he did want Caroline to know exactly what she faced. “I should have some ideas in time. I’ll be there.”

  Now all he had to do was face Caroline and make sure she understood he was on her side and he’d do all he could to help her save the landmark.

  Caroline finished with the last clean-up in the tearoom and headed for the kitchen to start baking for the next day. They’d almost run out of pecan pie and peach cobbler so they needed to make extra of those. She’d get the crusts all ready for both then make the fillings tomorrow.

  Before she reached the kitchen door, Victoria Masters swept into the room followed by Sherry Butler. Both of them wore frowns of disapproval which meant they either supported her and disliked Woody’s idea, or they were in favor of the idea and not happy with her criticism in front of so many people.

  “Caroline, I’m so glad you’re still here.” Sherry waved to her. “We need to talk. Your phone call nearly did me in.” She sat down at a table and plopped her purse on it. Victoria sat beside her.

  “Can I get you ladies a glass of tea?”

  Sherry shook her head. “No. This is too important to wait for that. After you called, I read the paper and almost fainted. I called Victoria and she was just as surprised as I was.”

  Victoria tapped her perfectly manicured nails on the table. “That’s right. I don’t usually read the Gazette until afternoon, so I had no idea what was going on. Woody hasn’t mentioned this at all in our past meetings. I called his office and asked Blanche if she had the agenda ready for tomorrow night’s council meeting. She said she was just getting ready to e-mail them to everyone. When she did, I printed it out, and when I saw what Woody had on there, I wanted to . . . well, never mind what I wanted to do.”

  “Can he do this? Legally, I mean?” Caroline banked on Victoria’s support. She usually voted against anything that might bring about big changes in Bloomfield, and this would be a huge change.

  “If it isn’t on the historical register yet, he can. He was supposed to have set aside the Founder’s Cottage as a landmark. I don’t know what happened there. We voted on that several meetings ago.” Victoria’s mouth narrowed into a firm pink blush lipstick line.

  Sherry shook her head and frowned. “It wouldn’t surprise me any if Woody had this plan in mind long ago and didn’t intend to send off that request.”

  “Woody’s done some wonderful things for this town, but this isn’t one of them. He’s been a good friend since our school days, and I would never have believed he could hurt my family like this.” Come to think of it, he had been avoiding her the past few weeks. He hadn’t even come in for lunch for a while.

  Victoria tapped her nails with that rat-a-tat on the wood again. “Well, you can be sure I’ll be asking a lot of questions tomorrow night about this item on the agenda. You’ll be there too, I assume.”

  “You can bet your life I will. He’s not getting away with this.” Caroline picked up the newspaper again. “There has to be some other way to improve City Hall and the courthouse.” The places did need a good remodeling, but it wasn’t going to come at the expense of her great-grandparents’ home.

  Victoria pushed back her chair and stood, placing her hands on her hips. “I’m going to call some of our other ladies and get their input. Surely among the lot of us, we can come up with a solution before anything is set. I know I can make sure we don’t take a vote on this tomorrow night.”

  Sherry pursed her mouth and tapped her palm on the table. “We’ll get the girls together in an emergency meeting. I know most of us will be on your side. Progress is one thing, but tearing down or moving a landmark is not progress. It’s plain old destruction of our history.”

  She joined Victoria as they made their way to the door, and Caroline followed them. “I do appreciate your coming and being on my side. It would break my heart if they moved that old house. Too many children have gone through there to see what life was like over a hundred years ago.”

  Victoria hugged Caroline. “We’ll do all we can to make sure nothing happens to it. This is one change we have to stop.”

  Caroline stayed on the porch while her friends climbed into Victoria’s car. When the sedan turned the corner several blocks up the street, Caroline crossed her arms and ran her hands over them. Despite the warmth of approaching summer, a chill spread through her bones. She hated confrontations, but this was one time she’d have to go in with plenty of ammunition and guns blazing.

  “Mom, where are you?” Selena’s voice carried from inside the house.

  “I’m on my way in.” Caroline straightened her shoulders and headed back inside.

  “I just got off the phone with Josie, Mr. Tatum’s caregiver over at Lake Bliss. He read the article and is as furious as you are about the mayor’s announcement. I asked if we could come for a visit, and she said that would be fine as long as it didn’t interfere with his dinner time.”

  Of course! Homer Tatum was the perfect person to help fight this move. Nobody knew the history of Bloomfield better than Homer. Ninety-plus years old and still going strong, he had been a good friend of Caroline’s parents. He was bound to have plenty of good ideas.

  “That’s wonderful, Selena. I should have thought of him right off. This is one visit I look forward to.” Caroline turned toward the kitchen. “I’ll be in back making up the crust for the cobblers tomorrow. Soon as I’m finished, we’ll go.” She stopped at the kitchen door. “Pack up a few pieces of that pecan pie. Homer always liked it and we already know how he likes to eat. He won’t miss a meal for anything or anyone.” At Selena’s wave, Caroline pushed through the kitchen door.

  They’d talk to Homer first before she called Don. No need to bother him if she and the ladies could handle the problem. After the flour and shortening had been blended and ready to roll into a crust, Caroline slammed the wad of dough onto her pastry board and picked up the rolling pin. One thing she liked about pie and cobbler crust, she could expend all her pent-up anger on the task and she could pray. One thing she needed now was prayer, and lots of it.

  Chapter 3

  Caroline followed Selena into the two-story building housing the assisted living residents at Lake Bliss where Homer lived. Someday she might like to live here in one of the condos surrounding the area, but only if she had someone to take over the inn. Her friend Libby enjoyed volunteering there, and the garden club participated in a lot of activities with the residents. T
he aroma of cranberry potpourri filled the expanse of the main foyer. Comfortable lounge chairs and sofas invited people to sit and chat.

  Off to the side, the clink of silver let them know supper would be served soon. Caroline glanced at her watch. They’d have at least half an hour before the meal carts made the rounds for those who didn’t go to the main dining room. With Homer’s struggle to hear and see, he took his meals in his room, and he’d want to eat as soon as the food arrived.

  Caroline waved to the woman at the registration desk. “We’re here to see Homer Tatum. Josie knows we’re coming.”

  The young woman grinned and nodded down the hallway. “He’s been in a poor mood all afternoon. Maybe you’ll cheer him up.”

  With the news she wanted to share, Caroline doubted Homer would be any happier, but the pecan pie might help. She headed down the hallway to Homer’s room. Although a hint of cranberry still permeated the air, the odor of disinfectants and cleaning supplies came on stronger. “Don’t forget to speak up, Selena. He’s almost deaf, you know.”

  Josie met them at the door before they could knock. “Oh, I’m glad you’re here. I was on my way to the nursing station to check on his meds. Maybe you can calm him down so he doesn’t need anything right now.” She stood back as an invitation to enter.

  Homer sat staring out the window toward the golf course and back gardens. Such a lovely place ought to perk up anyone’s spirits, but the set of Homer’s shoulders and head indicated that wasn’t the case for him today.

  “Good afternoon, Homer. It’s Caroline and Selena Short. We’ve come for our visit.”

  He spun around, much quicker than Caroline would have believed if she hadn’t seen for herself, and he narrowed his eyes at her. “It’s about time you got here. Bring any of your pecan pie with you?”

  She handed him the box with the pie. “Of course, I wouldn’t come empty-handed. Not after the way you once ate several pieces at lunch.”

  His bony fingers clutched the box and set it on the table beside his chair. “Thank you. Now sit. We have a problem to discuss.”

  Caroline pulled up a side chair and sat across from him. His rheumy blue eyes were almost blind, but she’d bet her last nickel he didn’t miss a thing going on around him. “I’m glad you see it’s a problem too.”

  “Now, missy, your ma and pa and I go back a long ways. Your ma was the prettiest girl in high school back in the day. She was mighty proud of her heritage in this town.”

  Daddy always said Mom was the most beautiful woman he knew, so it was nice to hear someone else confirm it. “Yes, she was very proud of her grandparents and their part in building our town, but what are we going to do about Woody?”

  “I’m surprised he’s doing something like this. Josie called a few people for me, and none of them knew what he was planning. Seems to me he’s stepping out of bounds.”

  Caroline swallowed her urge to laugh. Oh, yes, Homer’s mind was still sharp as a tack. “Victoria didn’t know anything about it either, but George Pearson didn’t seem too surprised when Winnie confronted him at lunch today.”

  Homer waved his hand through the air. “That George doesn’t have a clue what’s really going on. He follows Woody like he did when they were boys.”

  Caroline had drawn the same conclusion, but it still didn’t make any sense or give any reason for Woody’s devious planning. “As far as I’m concerned, Woody’s trying to get back at me and my family for not supporting him when he wanted to run for state representative all those years ago.”

  Homer shook his head and pursed his lips. Plain to see there was no love lost between him and Woody. “Woody would have been a terrible representative, but I do have to admit he’s been a good mayor . . . up to this point.”

  Selena stepped to Caroline’s side and bent over toward Homer. “Hal McKenzie came back to town today. I bet Woody is hoping he’ll go along with the plans and draw up a plan for the expansion.”

  Homer’s cackle filled the room. “You can bet your last dollar that Woody already has plans drawn, and he just needs Hal to check them over. Woody knows all about those things from when he took those mechanical drawing classes when he was in high school. Too bad they don’t have courses like that today.”

  Caroline breathed deeply and then let it out. What didn’t Homer know about the people of Bloomfield? “Okay, now what are we going to do about this?”

  “We’re going to fight him, that’s what, and then we’re going to come up with a plan of our own.” Homer clasped his hands and supported his elbows on the chair arms. “If he didn’t file the request for that parcel of land to be designated a historic landmark, then he’ll have some explaining to do. You need to be at that meeting tomorrow night and ask him about it.”

  “I plan to be, but what else are we going to do?”

  “Let me think on it a bit, and I’ll come up with some idea.” He leaned forward and peered at her. “You and Winnie are still good friends, aren’t you?”

  “Of course we are. She may be a busybody, but she’s a loyal friend and will stick with me on this.” Winnie would be at the meeting too. That gal would speak her mind and have a few words for Woody.

  “Good. Woody still has feelings for her after all these years, so that’ll work in our favor.”

  How in the world did he know that? Caroline had suspected Woody still cared because they had been friends all their lives. Back in high school, Woody had dated Winnie until Earl Simpson wooed her away. After Earl passed on and Woody’s wife died, Caroline had seen more than a little interest in Winnie on Woody’s part.

  Homer’s voice brought her back from the memory. He leaned over as though to speak in confidence. A gleam sparkled in his eyes, and his mouth turned into a lopsided grin. “Now there’s something else you should know. Not the details, as I’m not a tale teller, but just let Woody know that I still have some little tidbits of knowledge stored away that he might not like to be known.”

  Selena gasped beside her, and Caroline’s eyes opened wide. That old codger, he still had secrets about people. This was one time when those secrets might work to her advantage. Of course it would be better if she knew the secret, but Homer wouldn’t share. He might know everything about everybody in town, but some things he didn’t tell.

  “Okay, but I’m not sure it’ll do any good. We need a good alternate plan.”

  “I told you I’d think on it a bit. Give me a call in a few days, and maybe I’ll have an idea by then.” He reached for Caroline’s hand. “We’re not going to let Woody ruin what your great-grandparents worked hard to build. I promise you that.”

  “Thank you, Homer.” The rattle of the dinner cart echoed from the hallway, and Homer’s ears perked up. Caroline suppressed a grin. “It’s supper time, so Selena and I will take our leave. Thank you so much for your help, and enjoy that pecan pie.”

  She leaned over and gave the old man a hug. Being here with him made her miss her own parents.

  Once outside and on their way to the car, Selena shook her head. “That old man amazes me. I wonder what kind of secrets he has on Mayor Hansen?”

  Caroline beeped the remote and opened the car door. “Right now I don’t care what it is and don’t want to know, but if it’ll help with this mess, I’m all for using it.”

  On the way back to the inn, her mind raced with all the things she wanted to say at the meeting. Best eat supper and get her thoughts in line and organized. No sense making a spectacle of herself in front of the very council she wanted to influence.

  After Hal left the mayor’s office, he checked into the hotel. He unpacked his one bag then decided to pay the old home a visit. If it didn’t need much work, he’d air it out and move in for the two weeks or so he planned to stay in Bloomfield.

  A short drive took him to the house. Winnie had hit the nail on the head when she said the pla
ce had gone to pot. Weeds threatened to choke out what rose bushes were left in the beds and the grass needed a good mowing and a trim around the edges. That he could do if the lawn mower still worked. He could fix the two shutters hanging loose too.

  Hal selected the house key from those on his ring and inserted it into the door. The key stuck a moment before it turned. A little graphite should fix that. He wrinkled his nose in distaste when the musty odor of a house sitting empty hit him in the face. This place needed fresh air. He flipped the light switch and breathed in relief that the electricity was still on. It should be; he’d been paying the electric bill for the past few months.

  He opened the windows in the living room and then the dining room. An early June breeze wafted in and stirred the curtains. Sheets still covered the furniture, so he began removing them to inspect the pieces for any damage.

  A knock on the door preceded the voice that called his name and drew him back to the front door. Libby Birdwell peeked around the door. “I thought I saw you drive up.”

  “I decided to check out the old place. Come on in.”

  Libby, as fit at fifty as he had been as a teenager, stepped into the front hallway. Since she wore knit pants and top suited for a workout, she must have been out walking. She always had been a health nut. Good to see some things hadn’t changed at all.

  “It’s about time you did something with this house. It’s one of the grandest in all of Bloomfield, and I’d hate to see it fall into disrepair from neglect.”

  That’s almost what had happened, but seeing it now brought back too many good memories to let it go. The time had come to move back home. “I plan on making repairs in the next two weeks so it will be completely restored before I move back in.”

  Libby’s mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. “Hal McKenzie, are you really going to move back to Bloomfield? What about your business in Atlanta?”

  “I’m ready to retire and see what I can do around my hometown. Lots of good memories from around here, and a lot of good friends.” A few bad memories remained, but those he could forget if everything else went well.