***
The next two days followed the same routine. Alex was making steady progress and was spending longer periods awake. He was now eating a soft diet. They had moved him out of ICU and put him on the same floor as Marc. Alex would go to inpatient rehab for several weeks after he left the hospital. Marc was scheduled to come home to Rosemont.
Tonya and Tim intercepted her at the hospital on Sunday. They confirmed that Alex’s accident had been front-page, top-of-the-hour news. Isaac’s people had wasted no time in planting the idea that Alex would not be fit to serve as mayor given his tragic accident and grievous injuries.
Maggie agreed that he would not be able to serve and, although she hated the injustice of the situation, she didn’t see any other course of action but to let them have the election. She didn’t have the time or energy to pursue an alternative if she had seen one.
Tonya made a cryptic mention of having a plan B and tried to elaborate, but Maggie spotted Dr. Mertz heading down the corridor to Alex’s room. She was intent on having a word with the doctor and bid a hasty goodbye to Tonya and Tim, tossing over her shoulder that anything they wanted to do was fine with her. She trusted them to do the right thing.
Chapter 32
Maggie fully expected they would put out a gracious press release, thanking everyone for their support of Alex’s campaign and for their prayers and well wishes. She didn’t think any more about it. And she was most certainly not prepared for what happened next.
When Election Day rolled around that Tuesday, Maggie was so busy helping Marc get in and out of bed and arranging for Alex’s transfer to rehab, that she didn’t even vote. Why bother? Russell Isaac had won this round by default, and, frankly, it made her sick to think about it.
If Maggie had gone to the polls, she would have been amazed to see the volunteers at each and every polling place, from the time they opened to the time they closed, stationed at the required distance, soliciting votes for a write-in candidate. A newcomer to town who seemed like she had been part of this community her whole life. The dynamic spirit behind the successful Easter carnival. The energetic soul who was willing to get creative and roll up her sleeves to pitch in and help others. The new voice and breath of fresh air that this town needed. A successful business owner and forensic accountant with the experience and expertise they needed to lead Westbury forward. Maggie Martin. Write her into our future!
***
Frank Haynes retired early on election night. The tension of the past few weeks had taken its toll. It was all finally over and he felt certain that Isaac was a shoo-in. He hated to admit it, but that accident that Delgado arranged worked like a charm. Voters wanted someone capable of being firmly at the helm in the mayor’s office. Hell—that’s the drum that Scanlon’s own campaign had been beating. What did they call that? Being hoist on your own petard? He kept his ear to the ground, but so far there wasn’t any talk about that tree trunk being anything other than an unfortunate obstruction on the highway. Haynes settled back into his pillows as he patted the mattress and his faithful Border collie jumped up to join him.
Haynes woke at his usual time the next morning. He was in no hurry as he let the dog out, fixed her breakfast, and made his coffee. He picked the newspaper off his front step and proceeded to his bedroom to shower and dress. He flipped it open and the headline assaulted him as he slumped onto the edge of his bed. Good God Almighty, what were they going to do now?
Write-in Candidate Maggie Martin Elected Mayor
Major Upset After Debilitating Injury of Candidate Alex Scanlon
First Write-in Mayor in State’s History
***
When she retrieved her newspaper on Wednesday morning, Maggie also gasped as she read the headline. Her world spun around her as she stood rooted to her porch, paper in hand. She widened her stance to steady herself. How the hell had they done this to her, without asking her? But even as she thought this, a wave of excitement washed over her and a smile broke forth, scattering her doubts and fears. I can do this. I really, truly can do this. She squared her shoulders and set her gaze above the trees. Why not? I can figure out what to do here. With the help and grace of God, I can make a difference. If all of these good people believe in me, then I ought to believe in myself. I will not let them down.
She resolutely crossed her threshold, and when the massive door of Rosemont closed on her this time, the tentative woman looking for a fresh start was gone, replaced by the new Mayor of Westbury.
“Well, Eve, looks like we’ve got a town to run,” she said as she tossed the Westbury Gazette aside. “We’d better get cracking. This is the start of my next chapter.” She turned and raced up the stairs, with Eve bounding happily at her heels.
The End
Thank you for reading!
If you enjoyed Coming to Rosemont, I’d be grateful if you wrote a review.
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In gratitude,
Barbara Hinske
Book Club Questions
1. Have you—or someone you know—been thrust into a life situation like Maggie's where you needed to start over?
2. What personal qualities did Maggie possess that allowed her to lose her entire social support group, the Windsor College community, and rebuild her network?
3. Have you experienced a crisis where the people you thought would "show up" were conspicuously absent and you were surprised and uplifted by the kindness of strangers?
4. Was this a fast-paced, engaging read? Would you say it was plot driven or character driven?
5. How have you encouraged a friend or family member who thinks they will never meet that special someone, like Maggie did for her daughter Susan?
6. Have you ever run for public office or been involved in a political campaign? If yes, would you recommend political involvement to your friends and family?
7. Do you decorate your home for the different seasons?
8. How would you feel about moving to an entirely new area of the country, where you know no one?
9. Would you start over with new furnishings as Maggie did, or would you surround yourself with familiar furniture and décor?
10. Was the plot predictable or were you surprised along the way? Did you believe the ending?
About the Author
Barbara Hinske is an attorney by day, bestselling novelist by night. She inherited the writing gene from her father who wrote mysteries when he retired and told her a story every night of her childhood. She and her husband share their own Rosemont with two adorable and spoiled dogs. The old house keeps her husband busy with repair projects and her happily decorating, entertaining, cooking, and gardening. Together they have four grown children and live in Phoenix, Arizona.
Chapter 1
The Honorable Margaret Martin peered uneasily out the cruiser window at the sea of angry faces as Chief Andy Thomas wove his way to the rear entrance of Haynes Gymnasium. A uniformed officer sprang to open her door. He shielded her from the jeering crowd and quickly escorted her inside.
“I would never have expected such an uprising in Westbury,” she said, turning to the officer.
“People hate pay cuts,” he replied curtly as he opened the door and stepped back outside.
Maggie sighed and made her way to the enclosure at the back of the gymnasium where she and the town council were gathering before the council meeting, scheduled to start in forty-five minutes.
“I’m
sorry I’m late,” she said as she joined them. “I was on my way when Chief Thomas intercepted me. He wanted to bring me in himself.”
“That was my call,” Special Counsel Alex Scanlon said. “I was afraid there might be trouble tonight. As mayor of Westbury, you’re the focal point of all this animosity.”
“I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Councilman Frank Haynes interjected. “Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to move the council meeting to the largest venue in town.”
“You may be right, Frank, but we’re here now,” Maggie replied. “And the people need to know what we’ve decided.”
“Voting to cut employee pay and revoke the cost-of-living increases on town pension payments is idiotic,” Chuck Delgado snapped. “I shouldn’t have gone along with it. None of us will get re-elected.”
Maggie wheeled on him. “We’ve been over this a million times. Until Alex and Chief Thomas finish their investigation into the fraud and embezzlement perpetrated on the town and the pension fund, we have to drastically cut expenses.” She scrutinized each member of the assembled council. “You all agreed.”
“Where’s Councilwoman Holmes?” Russell Isaac asked. “She should be here by now. We said we’d do this together.”
Maggie inhaled sharply. “Tonya called thirty minutes ago. Her son broke his arm at football practice and she’s at the emergency room. She can’t make it tonight.”
“That’s bullshit,” Delgado exploded. “Now she can wash her hands of this entire fiasco.”
“Calm down, Chuck,” Haynes said. “She can’t leave her kid alone at the hospital.”
“Thank you, Frank,” Maggie said. “Tonya’s given me her proxy to vote for the measure.”
“That’s not the same thing as voting in person in front of this crowd,” Isaac observed. He turned to Scanlon. “You could diffuse the situation. Just announce that you’ve finished your investigation and William Wheeler is the only person implicated. That you’ve got your man and you’ll get a conviction. Soon.”
“I can’t do that,” Alex answered sharply. “Our ex-mayor may not be the only one involved.”
“Go to hell, Scanlon,” Delgado spat.
“That’s enough,” Maggie broke in as Chief Thomas approached.
“It’s time,” he said. “Every seat’s taken and more than three hundred people are waiting outside. I’ve got all available officers, plus some off-duty ones, in place. I’ll remain on stage with you. If I think we need to end the meeting for safety reasons, you’ll have to abide by my decision. It’s my call.”
Maggie nodded. How in the world had she gotten herself into this predicament? Less than three years ago she had been the wife of a college president, and a successful forensic accountant with a growing consulting practice. Now she was a widow and mayor of Westbury—as a write-in candidate no less—about to face a town’s wrath over a problem she had no part in making. She shook her head and straightened her shoulders.
“I’ll explain the budget we discussed,” she announced with more confidence than she felt. “Then we’ll all vote for it as planned.”
***
Catcalls and comments from the floor derailed Maggie’s presentation almost immediately. At one point, she felt certain Chief Thomas would step in to close the meeting. She finally finished and called for a motion to adopt the budget that would decrease the salary of every member of the audience as well as her own, a fact she had reiterated to the crowd. Haynes made the motion, which Isaac seconded. Maggie leaned into the microphone and voted yes. The crowd’s boos and jeers drowned out her pronouncement of Councilwoman Holmes’ proxy vote.
“Councilman Isaac?” she queried.
“I vote no.”
Maggie spun toward him. He dropped his gaze to avoid eye contact.
“Councilman Haynes,” she continued.
“I vote no.”
Maggie stiffened. So this is what it felt like to be stranded on the bridge while the rats deserted a sinking ship.
“Councilman Delgado.”
“I stand with my esteemed colleagues in support of our faithful town workers,” he pontificated. “I vote no.”
Pandemonium broke out in the auditorium as the crowd leapt to their feet and surged toward the stage. Maggie felt an arm around her shoulders pulling her firmly toward the rear exit. “You can deal with them later,” Chief Thomas said. “Right now, I need to get you out of here.”
Maggie complied in a daze. “I was set up, wasn’t I?”
“It appears so, ma’am,” the chief answered, sliding her into his cruiser with the practiced motion he employed for suspects heading to jail.
Excerpt from Weaving the Strands, the second
installment in the Rosemont series
Other books in the Rosemont series
Weaving the Strands
Uncovering Secrets
Also by BARBARA HINSKE
The Night Train
Available at Amazon and for Kindle
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Thank You
Book Club Questions
About the Author
Excerpt from Weaving the Strands
Other Books in the Rosemont Series
Connect with the Author Online
Coming to Rosemont Page 21
