“No harm done,” Barney said, going back to his serviette stuffing.
Completely dumbfounded, I watched Bill leave, his head down.
Why would he put up with that? And why was Uncle Barney unconcerned about what happened?
4
Before 9 a.m. Glacier was like an abandoned movie set. No traffic. Not even curtains moving in windows as I passed by. It was as if Glacier was waiting for the actors to appear on stage.
I held Su-Jitzu’s leash in a loose grip, allowing him to sniff his way along the sidewalk of Main Street. He was happy exploring the cornucopia of scents at the fence posts and trees. As we strolled, I recalled all the mornings I’d spent doing much the same thing as an idle teenager. I’d often walked Su-Jitzu in silence. That was before such things as iPads, iPods and cell phones existed to distract one from solitude. The world was a quieter place then, and I’d entertained myself with my imagination. I’d match the buildings to stories I made up about the residents inside, about the unknown lives unfolding behind the curtains. The mysteries. Sometimes I’d find a shady spot and wait for signs of activity. Often that took a long time. The residents of Glacier, it seemed to me, liked to hide themselves in the morning.
I got to the end of the street, passing false fronts and red steel roofs, and crossed at the stop light. Walking down the other side, we finally reached the doors to the Lee Hotel across from The Grind. Through the big glass window of the hotel restaurant, I could see customers actually digging into their breakfasts and chatting. That’s surprising. People ARE awake. Maybe I should grab a bite to eat or get a drink too. I looked down at Su-Jitzu. Like the gentleman he was, the terrier sat patiently waiting for me to move on. “You mind if I have something to eat?” Su-Jitzu’s tail wagged his approval in answer. “Okay. I’ll only be a few minutes. Stay here and be a good boy.” I looped the leash over a bike stand by the front door and tied the end in a loose knot. Su-Jitzu lay down with a groan and rested his head on his paws. “I won’t be long. I promise,” I said, patting his head.
I stood inside the doorway for an instant when I entered the restaurant, and again I was flashing back. The Lee Hotel had been my afternoon hideaway during my last couple of summer visits in Glacier. It had been fairly new then. There was a jukebox in the corner of the restaurant that blared rock’n roll. There were booths along the wall. The floor was a checkerboard of black-and-white tiles and on the walls tiny shelves held high school trophies and odd knick-knacks like bobble head baseball players and a scuffed football. The restaurant, during the afternoon, was practically a place in a different dimension. Filled with teenagers, it reminded me of the malt shop on the Happy Days television series. Young. Filled with vibrant energy. Adults didn’t come into the restaurant during the afternoon. It was a teen space. Seems so long ago. Back when I thought my future was bright. Now everything feels sad.
The restaurant had a café-style counter with red vinyl-covered stools at the far end facing the door. Shelves were filled with milkshake flutes that were reflected in a wall length mirror. At the end of the counter was a cubby hole in the wall that gave access to the rear kitchen and was used by the waitress to collect orders for hamburgers and overloaded plates of French fries.
I tugged at the hem of my sweater, a soft purple mohair that matched my worn blue jeans perfectly, and then made my way to the counter, eyed by the already-seated customers. Self-consciously I pulled my long ponytail and draped it over my shoulder. I could feel their curiosity burning holes into my back as I made my way through the tables. Hope no-one recognizes me and asks how my life is going.
The restaurant’s waitress, an older woman dressed in a white and teal service uniform, was quick to approach me once I sat down. I ordered a cherry coke which I remembered was served in a large milkshake flute with two straws and still was. The waitress slid the soda across the counter along with a tiny yellow bill she had peeled from a pad that she tucked back into the skirt of her uniform. She didn’t smile at me or offer any encouragement to speak. Some things have changed around here.
The overweight policeman in his early forties, whom I’d seen the day before in The Grind, sat at the end of the counter sipping from his coffee cup. I didn’t look at him in the wall mirror but could feel his eyes on me. I pulled a tattered copy of a James Patterson thriller novel from my purse and gave it a blurry stare as I sipped my coke.
I felt more than saw the policeman slide in beside me onto the next stool. “Do I know you? I think I know you,” he said, extending his hand. “I’m Chief McCaffrey.”
I accepted his hand with a limp grip. “I’m Melanie Willoughby,” I said, self-consciously smiling.
“Get out! You’re Melanie Willoughby? I’ll be damned. How long’s it been?”
Confused by his familiarity, I continued to offer my pasted-on smile. How long has what been?
“Ten? Fifteen years?”
“I’m sorry, Chief, I don’t…”
The policeman patted his chest with one hand. “Sean McCaffrey,” he said. “I caught you driving your uncle’s car without a license when you were fifteen, remember?”
The sudden memory of a young police officer who’d stopped me early one evening when I ‘borrowed’ Uncle Barney’s car to meet friends at Medical Lake came flooding back. I felt an uncontrollable blush. “Oh, I remember. The kids called you Cop Irish.” I gripped his hand more tightly and shook it again. “You let me off with a warning. Even let me drive the car home.”
“I sort of broke the rules a bit,” he said, laughing. “But I was a rookie and single back then. Trying to make friends.”
“I was a little young to be a friend,” I answered with a laugh.
“But you were so damn pretty I couldn’t help myself.” He returned my blush with one of his own. “So are you moving back to Glacier?”
“No, I’m here to visit my uncle Barney at The Grind,” I said. I felt a wave of mistrust building and was certain I didn’t want to give him any more information than I had to.
“That’s right! You used to come to Glacier every summer and work there. Or in the bookstore.” He finished his coffee with a big gulp and signaled with a finger wag to the waitress for a refill. “When did you get to town? I heard there was a bit of a fracas up at Barney’s yesterday. I was there buying apple turnovers for the crew but left before it happened. Were you there? Sorry to say I didn’t notice.”
“It was pretty busy.”
“Pastry day,” the chief said, nodding. “What happened?”
Not wanting to cause trouble for anyone, I decided to be vague. “Just an argument between Mrs. Podeski and a customer over who got the last piece of carrot cake.” I tried to make light of it with a little laugh.
The chief chuckled back. “I heard Mrs. Podeski was attacked.”
“Bill was trying to keep her and the customer apart.”
“Bill Reamer protected Dr. Santos? I heard he pushed her over.”
I tried to hide a fake start of surprise. Does he know more than he is letting on? “He gave Mrs. Podeski a little shove because she was being aggressive. She was poking the air with a pastry knife so Bill gave her a little push back. She fell down. Really, it was an accident.”
“Nothing about Bill Reamer and Utta Podeski happens by accident,” the chief said, turning away and shaking his head.
“It really was accidental,” I repeated.
“Well, those two have a history.” He shook his head again. “It isn’t the first time.”
“Do you mean the fender bender?” I smiled sweetly.
The chief turned back and leaned towards me, his eyes wide. “You’ve been here one day and know about that?”
“Nancy,” I said. “She’s the waitress at The Grind,”
“Woo-woo girl,” the chief said, nodding. “A bum deal and not my finest hour as a cop.” He stood up. The waitress had delivered his coffee in a to-go cup. I guessed his second one always went with him. He held out his other hand to shake mine again. As he l
eft, I considered his last words. What on earth could that mean?
Leaving the hotel, I decided to head towards the railway tracks that skirted town beside the Mole River. Su-Jitzu had been a good boy, not barking or bothering passersby in front of the hotel while I was inside. I could give him some time off the leash by taking the long way down the street before crossing back to The Grind.
I crouched to untie Su-Jitzu’s leash from the bike stand and was startled when a woman in a short tennis skirt, and a young girl in skin-tight shorts, filled my vision. I looked up to see the broadest, most happy smile I could remember! I knew in an instant I was seeing a mature version of the girl who befriended me on my first visit to Glacier. “Carol?”
The woman clapped her hands in glee. “Mel! I can’t believe it!” She gave me a fierce hug. “My stars! Lizzie, this is my best friend from elementary school through high school! Mel Willoughby! How the heck are you? It’s been years.”
I felt a flood of joy and hugged her back. “Tons,” I replied. “I’m fine, I guess. How are you? Is this your daughter?”
“Elizabeth,” she said, nodding.
“You were going to go to Hollywood and become a movie star. You decided to stay in Glacier?”
Carol tipped her head and laughed, then pointed at her ring finger. “You remember Billy Mason?” She laughed again and shrugged.
“Billy? Billy with the lisp?”
She nodded happily. “He’s a shift foreman at the mine. What about you? You married? You moving back? We have to get together real soon and trade memories!”
“I’m here on a visit, but that sounds perfect.”
Carol draped an arm over her daughter’s shoulder. “How’s tomorrow? Lunch here at the hotel? I’ve got to take Lizzie to Dr. Santos to babysit right now.”
I nodded. “Tomorrow sounds great,” I said enthusiastically.
“Noon. See you then.”
As the two moved away I could see Carol sharing a memory with her daughter and laughing. I was genuinely pleased to have bumped into her and already excited about the visit to come.
I let Su off the leash and he tore away like a rocket. It was fun to watch how the little terrier exploded with energy the minute the leash was removed. Chasing something unseen, he disappeared into the brush beside the tracks. I could hear him tramping through, sniffing and snorting. The faint smells on the fence posts of Main Street were nothing compared to the wild, wonderful scents he no doubt found among the trees. I left him on his own, not calling him back. Occasionally he barked so I knew he hadn’t fallen into the river. Eventually Su-Jitzu got worried about my whereabouts though. He appeared on the tracks ahead and waited for me. I could see him panting with his ears perked and his pink velvet tongue hanging loose. The sight of him waiting for me patiently gave me another happy feeling. What a wonderful day this had turned out to be. I really loved that pesky little animal. When I reached him, I rubbed his face and ears with both hands, cooing to him as if he were a baby.
The two of us had a great time wandering about town and in the forest. I hadn’t felt that free in years and I didn’t give a single thought the whole time to Jim, my life, or the future. I simply relaxed in the sunshine, watched Su swim in the river and chase sticks. It was simply brilliant! It was afternoon by the time that Su-Jitzu led us back through the bush towards town and we emerged from the tree line at the edge of the playground at Elbow Park. I re-clipped Su-Jitzu’s leash and the two of us strolled back towards The Grind along Main Street, in the direction opposite to the one we’d begun with that morning. Upon entering The Grind, I realized it was nearly closing time. I released Su-Jitzu from his leash one last time and he quickly disappeared into the kitchen, searching for his water bowl.
Barney and Nancy were huddled at the display case upfront, two cups of coffee between them. The café was empty but I noticed there were several cups still on the tables that Nancy had yet to clear.
“What mischief are you two cooking up?” Neither of them responded.
“Can you close up? I’m going over,” Barney said to Nancy. She nodded her head and finally turned to me as Barney left. “You missed the whole show.”
“What do you mean?”
“Dr. Santos was here and, boy, was he in a fury. He says Mrs. Podeski is telling everyone in town that he attacked her. He says she even went to the police.”
“I thought maybe that was what had happened,” I replied. “I talked to Chief McCaffrey over at the hotel just before noon and he asked me about what happened yesterday.”
“The chief?” Nancy’s face pinched as she considered what she’d just been told. “It’s ridiculous!” She gathered her coffee cup and Barney’s and moved towards the sink. “Everyone knows the doc is the gentlest guy around and he didn’t lay a hand on her. Besides, it was Bill who gave her the shove.”
“Bill says he barely pushed her. Do you think she fell by accident?”
Nancy shrugged her shoulders. “Who can tell with her?” She finished washing the cups and set them on the drying rack. “The doc is chasing around town looking for Mrs. Podeski. He wants to have it out with her.”
“That sounds like trouble.”
Nancy smirked. “If he catches her, maybe. He’s angry enough. Barney has gone over to Mrs. Podeski’s place in case he shows up.”
“What a tempest in a teapot.” I poured myself a cup of the ‘coffee of the day’ before Nancy turned off the pot and sat in the window seat. The coffee had the strong aroma of something dark and Turkish and the flavor of chocolate. “Mmmmm. This one’s pretty good!”
Nancy sat down opposite me and wrung her hands. “This isn’t going to turn out well,” she said with apprehension. “It has a dangerous vibe, don’t you think? The energy around this place is all muddled.”
“Don’t be silly. Everyone’s making a big deal out of nothing.”
“I don’t know. Barney’s aura was all dark too. He’s so angry about how Mrs. Podeski treated Dr. Santos. The doc is one of Barney’s favorite customers, you know. It’s not like Barney to be giving off such a negative vibe.”
I choked back a snort and sipped. “It will all be over by tomorrow. You’ll see.”
“No, I have an uneasy feeling.”
“Come on, Nancy. It’s no big deal. I told the chief that Bill pushed her over by accident. It’s nothing.”
Nancy bit her lower lip.
“Are you worried about Dr. Santos doing something?”
She shook her head.
“What then?”
“It’s the vibe,” she said, slowly rising. “Things are out of balance.” She patted the table. “My number is in the book by the register. Call me when Barney gets back?”
“Sure.” I nodded and waited until she closed the back door before I sat back and relaxed in my chair. Now this is the Glacier I remember!
5
“No! Now leave me alone. Can’t you see I’m working?”
I watched my mother stuff unsliced loaves of bread into plastic bags and line them up side-by-side on her pastry/bread racks. I loved the smell of fresh baking. Had since I was a kid. It almost hid the basement odor. When Mom baked I always got a fresh treat, but not today. Wasn’t feeling the love today.
“You treat me like I’m ten.”
“Then don’t act stupid. All you ever say is gimme. You got your allowance three days ago. If you spent it all that’s your problem. Let your friends buy the beer for once.”
“A hundred bucks a month isn’t enough, Mom.” I flopped onto a rickety wooden chair perched by the freezer. “I’m not a kid! I want to do things. I want to buy a car and have a girlfriend and …” I rubbed my face. “I’m only askin’. If you gave me a couple of your suckers I wouldn’t have to come begging all the time.”
My mother could spin the bags and seal them with those plastic ties without looking at her hands. All she said was, “Watch your mouth.”
“All I want …”
“No!” She was going to start one of h
er lectures but stopped when she heard a knock on a door upstairs. “Go see who that is.”
Why me all the time? Like I’m her butler or something. “Only one. If you give me one I won’t have to keep askin’…”
“Find out who it is. If they want pies, tell them to come back tomorrow.” My mother pulled another tray of bread loaves across her worktable so it was close to her pile of bags. “Tell them I’ll only have apple,” she said almost happily. “Only apple.”
I slowly climbed the stairs out of the basement and made my way down the hall to the front door. I could see in the window glass who was out there. Reamer! Looks like I’ll get some cash today after all.
I hadn’t heard Barney return from his visit to Mrs. Podeski’s so I was a little surprised to find him inside the café grinding coffee beans when I navigated my way downstairs the next morning. I watched him from the bookstore doorway and noticed he was still wearing the same clothes he’d had on the day before. Did he have a sleepover?
“So how did it go? At Mrs. Podeski’s. I didn’t hear you come home.”
“Fine.” Barney’s reply was curt and distracted. He banged the bean basket on the counter a little too hard, spilling the grinds.
“Is everything okay, Uncle Barney?”
“Sure. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“You seem a little, I don’t know, distracted or something.”
“I’m fine.” I watched him pour the ground coffee beans into the paper filter of the drip machine, not looking up. “We had an argument. I told her I didn’t like the way she was treating the doc and she told me it wasn’t any of my damn business. I told her it sure as hell was and I wanted her at stop acting that way. We both got kind of loud. She said he’s getting exactly what he deserves. It made me mad so I left. I went to the Long Branch for a beer. That’s why I was late.”
The fact that my uncle would’ve gone to the local tavern surprised me. Is he drinking again? I decided he must’ve have been more upset about his argument with Mrs. Podeski than he was letting on.
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