Lucky to be loving you
Chapter 11
Page 31
Rick was excited to take Christy for a quick ride to check out some land to consider buying to build their own home. He had spotted a nice parcel that was affordable and still close enough to both grandparents. Mary and Sean were happy to watch Timi Anne and baby Patrick for a little while so Christy and Rick could drive together to see the land.
"Bob and Marie Landoch are moving into a new home that the Coulter Lumber Company built, so that's when I asked Bill about the surrounding parcels," Rick explained to his folks and Christy.
"Now that you have agreed to co-sign a loan, I can finally look seriously for land, and I think this will be a great opportunity. If Christy agrees, then when we get back, I'll take both of you to check it out if we find a good area," Rick said excitedly.
"Oh, I can't wait! This is so exciting," Christy said enthusiastically.
With the growth of the town, there was already a second street of row houses for some of the new citizens, with another row being excavated and readied for next spring. But Bill had a section of land that he was selling parcels to families looking to build in the country.
The young couple drove over to the area between the O'Neill's and Lipinski's homes to search for a plot of land where they would be near the grandparents.
As they drove around, they spotted the Landoch family moving into their new home. Since Bob was working for Lee as a foreman he was fortunate having him as his boss. Lee always took care of his employees. Rosemary often said they were like family to eachother.
"Gee, I never saw Bill's land before," Christy shared with Rick.
"It's nice to stay in the country where both of us grew up in farms. Now, we can raise our own family around here," Rick said.
It turned out to be a beautiful day with the colors of the changing leaves decorating the trees. There were quite a few that had lost a lot of their leaves, but the ones who were still hanging on were vivid. Looking for the markers they compared to the rough sketch Bill had quickly drawn for Rick and spotted a plot that they were attracted to. It had several trees and the view of the Rockies was spectacular. Getting out of the truck, they found the markers and were impressed how much land was assigned to each parcel.
"Oh, Rick. I don't know if we can afford this," Christy said dismayed.
"Why do you say that?" Rick asked.
"Well, I'm thinking about how small the row houses are and how close they are to eachother. I doubt we can afford this much land!"
"This land isn't too large if we have a big family," Rick winked at his wife.
Christy walked around the land and imagined Timi Anne swinging on a swing from one of the trees and their new baby boy walking around while pulling a wagon someday. Looking in every direction she imagined children of all ages laughing and playing in the yard with a dog following them around.
"Do you like this parcel best?" Rick asked.
"Rick, it would be a dream to live here, but really, can we afford this?"
"I have to see how much it would cost us to build a house and then run that by Carl at the bank," Rick answered.
"It is perfect. I could definitely see raising a family out here," Christy smiled, "but I won't get my hopes up until you check with Carl."
In another part of the nearby country, Fiona and James were also looking for land to build their dream home. With their wedding coming up in a few months, they knew they would first have to live together at Fiona's house while their new house was being built. They were already approved so now they were happy to seriously look at the land. James had suggested they take advantage of what quite probably would be one of the warmest autumn days left. Those days had become fewer and fewer and the daylight was getting shorter and shorter.
They went back to the area they had taken James parents and brother. It was as if they were magically drawn to the same spot and it proved to be just as breathtaking as when they first saw it. There in the far side of the land was the little waterfall which originally came from the mountains when the snow had melted and now flowed from the crest of the hill.
Just standing there Fiona took in the smells, sights, and sounds enjoying especially the sound of the water falling as it rushed downwards forming a stream.
"James, I don't think we need to look anywhere else. This spot has captured my attention again and it's just as beautiful as when we first came upon it."
"I know, honey. I thought about the sound of the waterfall echoing through our home and lulling us to sleep at the end of the day as we cuddle together," James said as he wrapped his arms around Fiona.
Fiona looked at James and tiptoed to softly kiss him. James responded with a tighter squeeze as their kiss lingered.
"Our wedding can't come soon enough!" James said. "You are so lovely and I just want to 'have and to hold' right now."
Fiona broke away from James embrace saying, "Oh, Dr. Scholl, you have my heart now, but the rest will come, just you wait."
James laughed at how Fiona teased him and began to chase her around the land. Fiona joined in the laughter and tried zig-zagging around, but he was wise to her ways and caught her. Holding her tight in his arms he drew back and cupping his hands around her face, he looked deep in her eyes and it took his breath away.
She returned the loving gaze with sweet admiration and as if they were under magnetic forces, their laughter turned into an impassioned kiss as they melted into each other.
James knew he had to stop himself. Pulling himself slowly from her lips he kissed her nose and then her forehead and finally he softly said, "I love you Fiona, more than I ever imagined I could love a woman!"
Fiona couldn't help but tear up as he spoke to her, "I love you with all my heart James Scholl and someday we will be in our home here, and I can hardly wait!"
Page 32
Bill was back in Buxton meeting with Constable Christopher Herrmann to go to Benson Hills to meet with Melanie's family.
"From what you told me, since her mother and brother might still be living there, I've already contacted Constable Morgan to let him know we're coming. He confirmed that they were still living in Benson Hills. So, he offered to let her family, Mrs. Forester and her son, know they were coming" Christopher Herrmann filled Bill in.
"Great, I'd hate to surprise them with news of Melanie missing," Bill sighed.
"We don't have any suspicion she is dead, but I'm not too fond of being the ones to tell them that she's missing." Christopher nodded.
As they pulled up to the Benson Hills RMCP office they spotted Constable Morgan was waiting for them with a cup of freshly brewed coffee. "Good morning! Have a seat."
"This is Judge Bill Avery from Hope Valley," Christopher introduced him to Timothy Morgan.
Bill and Timothy shook hands and all three sat down. Bill smiled at Timothy, "You look like someone I think I remember instructing a few years back."
"You're right, Judge. You've got a good memory. You were a little tough if I recall correctly, Timothy chuckled, "but I learned more from you than any other instructor."
Bill nodded, "Would you please put that in writing?" he joshed.
"I haven't been around this southern part of the province until now," Timothy said, "but I really am glad I was assigned here this summer. The folks here are really good people."
"Two of our townsfolk, are regular entertainers at the Benson Hills clubhouse. Have you heard Dr. James Scholl sing or Augustus Landis his pianist perform there?" Bill inquired.
"Yes, I have. I believe James Scholl stars with a lady with a lovely voice, Dianna Starr," Timothy acknowledged, "I've seen them a few times – yes great entertainment indeed."
Christopher Herrman cleared his throat, "Now, about Melanie's family, when are they expecting us?"
"Anytime this morning. They're anxious to hear the details especially considering no one has found her or her body. Let's go in my automobile. Follow me out the back door," Timothy directed.
It didn't take them long to reach the Forester home. There was a ramp where the porch was originally, so Bill surmised the disabled brother was in a wheelchair.
Looking closely around their surroundings, he had felt like someone was watching them, but he didn't see anyone.
Trisha Forester smiled and welcomed the men inside. In the corner of the living room was a small man sitting in a wheelchair next to the fireplace. He didn't seem anxious or startled to see them, so Bill went up to him and introduced himself while the others were greeting Trisha.
As Bill spoke he found out that Gary Forester was clear-headed and conversed easily, but his body was not co-operating. Trisha explained that he was born after a long difficult delivery and now suffered with cerebal palsy, but his mind was sharp as a tack.
After their introductions, they gathered around in the living room where Mrs. Forester had a pitcher of lemonade and glasses for the men to help themselves along with a choice of cookies sitting on the coffee table. The house was simple and plain, yet warm and inviting which seemed to put everyone at ease even with the difficult topic of conversation.
Constable Christopher explained what he and Bill encountered when they went to Melanie's home. "We suspect foul play. There seemed to have been a struggle and that her dog, Sugar was left roaming around the neighborhood."
Then Bill explained why he was involved and the first one to call attention to the situation. "From what we know Mrs. Forester, we have reason to believe your daughter was kidnapped."
Trisha Forester gasped, "Kidnapped? By whom?"
Christopher chimed up, "It's highly possible she was kidnapped by the Salerno brothers who owned the saloon she worked at, or they directed someone they hired to kidnap her."
As Bill and Christopher went through everything they discovered while working the case,Timothy was listening intently and taking it all in. He let his mind follow along as he processed even the littlest of details.
"So, do you think Melanie was taken hostage as a bargaining tool to release the Salerno brothers and their thugs who were running the bootlegging?" Timothy asked.
"Well, if so, the attorneys on the case haven't mentioned anything like that yet. So, it might still happen, but not as of today. Instead we think she was kidnapped after the raid in order to keep an eye on her so she couldn't be subpoenaed to testify against them," Bill answered.
Timothy's mind was still going, "Who saw her last?" he asked.
Christopher looked at Bill and said, "Probably the elderly couple next door, don't you think, Bill?"
"Yes, they said they saw a man come to the house and the dog barking, but they thought it was a gentleman caller. When the barking stopped, they went to sleep."
Timothy sat there and nodded, "Well, that's what they told you."
Bill and Christopher looked at each other with raised eyebrows and pondered what Timothy was implying.
Page 33
Tonight the Hopefuls were hosting a movie night at Billees. It had been quite awhile since the town enjoyed a moving film. Tonight they had luckily obtained the popular movie, Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde starring John Barrymore. Quite a few folks were very excited to see this scary movie. Even Rosemary had talked to her connections from her previous show business years and wrote a promising article on it, but warned it was strictly an adult-only viewing!
It worked out that they planned a chili cook-off before the movie. Anyone who dared to try to top Bill's chili receipe was a glutton for punishment, but it was all done in good spirits. The chili was accompianed with cornbread that Brook offered to bake, before their trip back to visit her parents the next week. A few ladies brought in desserts and others brought in milk and cocoa for the bonfire that would be going on outside.
Since the children couldn't stay for the movie, they ate right away. Bill's chili was challenged, but no other contestant beat him for the tastiest chili yet. Some were mild and others were like a 5-alarm chili.
"Thank goodness for Brook's cornbread," Rosemary said as she swallowed the last spoonful of Bill's chili.
"Mom," Paul turned to ask Rosemary, "can I have some vanilla custard please?"
"Did you finish your chili?"
"Sure did," he showed Rosemary.
"Yes, go ahead. Don't forget to say thank you," Rosemary reminded Paul.
As people were finishing up their dinner, they had a 5-minute warning that the winner of the chili contest would be announced.
The 5 contestants, Mike Hickam, Keith Townsend, Pastor Joseph, Fr. Ricardo, and Bill Avery all stood in front of their pots of chili. The people were surprised who's chili was cooked by who as none of the chili had the cook's name with the pot. As usual, Bill's famous chili was voted the best, with Keith Townend's chili coming in second, and Pastor Joseph's took third place.
When the winners were announced, Lee gave Bill a hard time, "Hey, Bill cheats, you all know that, right?"
People laughed with Lee as Bill pretended to pour the leftovers on Lee's head. Nathan stood up and jokingly said, "I'm prepared to make any arrests if a fight breaks out."
Once dinner was done, it only took a little while to clean up the tables and move them aside to make rows of chairs for watching the movie, while waiting for the clean up to be completed.
A few of the Hopefuls had walked just a little ways away and had gathered together enough twigs and logs that Lee donated. Because the children were not allowed to watch the scary movie, they thought to have a bonfire for the kids to have some hot chocolate and sing some songs around the campfire with Sargent Grant and Allie who brought their guitars along with Bill who came out to join them.
The children enjoyed singing, "This little light of mine," "Hail, Hail, the gangs all here", and "Keep on smiling." Along with the singing they were laughing at the silly jokes they made up and the game of telephone. Some of the older boys who seemed to have bottomless pits for stomachs decided to roast sausages on the sticks in the bonfire.
After Billees was all cleaned up the parents joined their children outside by the bonfire, they stayed and everyone sang together, "By the light of the silvery moon."
"Sorry to break this up," Sam announced, "but the movie is about ready to start."
Sure enough he heard some groans as the children complained, "All ready?"
"Now, you older ones I need to trust that you will watch the little ones so your parents can stay for the movie. Tell me who's going with who?" Nathan asked.
As the children lined up with their sitters, Allie, Karen, and Harper walked with flashlights the short way to the row houses. Lee drove Opal to his house with Paul and their baby Gracie. After he got them settled and in bed, he left Opal in charge and locked the door behind him.
Clara and Jesse as well as Christy and Rick passed up the movie because their little newborns were both going to be baptized Sunday morning. At first they were disappointed to miss out, but they found themselves going to bed earlier than usual.
Over at Billees, Maggie and Sam were allowed to serve beer as the prohibition didn't affect their part of the province. At that time it depended on the local government if alcohol was allowed. Since most of the adults drank very little, this was a treat. As always though lemonade and cold water was always available too.
Bill had put out a donation bucket to cover the cost of renting the movie on the bar which worked out well. While the parents were seeing their children off, the Hopefuls popped some popcorn and cut up the last of the dessert cakes and brownies to enjoy during the movie.
When Violet and Jake Taylor sat down his sister, Ruth sat down with them. Giuseppe Moretti watched her and quickly made his move to sit right next to Ruth. She turned and saw him and smiled shyly.
He returned her smile and asked, "Do you mind if I sit here?"
"No, go right ahead," she answered with a big grin.
The two talked for a few minutes while Debra Blakely was escorted by John Russo sitting right behind them. Rosaleen was disappointed that Debra left with John, but then Gunther asked her to sit with him, and she was glad to. Little by little the couples sat down and soon it was time for the movie to start.
The movie provided a few scary moments when the single girls grabbed the single boys hand and squeezed in fear. This gave the boy the opportunity to put his arm around the girl. The married couples watched the single couples's actions and couldn't help but quietly chuckle to themselves.
The movie was almost over, when they all heard a scream from outside.