bought a keg or two of beer for his nephews and their friends for tonight. Though where he got the money, I don't know. Now I don't want a bunch of liquored-up kids driving snowmobiles onto the ice on Tamarack Lake over here or smashing into trees," she insisted.
"I don't either, ma'am. I'll get right on it."
"Well, I hope so, but don't you let on to them Dietzes it was me that called. They're an ornery bunch, especially that sneaky Elroy. He's just as bad as the Riekers. I hear you're making up to Wendy Carey. Did you know she's a Rieker on her mother's side—"
Rodd cut her off. "Don't worry, ma'am. This conversation is confidential."
"Good. Now don't mess this up like you did that business at Olson's. Good-bye." Click.
Rodd strangled the receiver in his hand. Listening to the dial tone start, he hung up. Mrs. Beltziger needed to reread her copy of How to Win Friends and Influence People . Her comment about Wendy had come close to making him hang up on her. Who cared who Wendy was related to? Then to top it all off, the unpleasant woman had put into words the fiasco at Olson's. That had been his best shot so far at catching the Weasel red-handed. In the weeks since, the snowmobile thief had lain low.
Now a kegger might be on today's agenda. Rodd called dispatch to find the location of another deputy. He was on the other side of the county busy enforcing a no-contact order. Rodd told dispatch to have the deputy contact him as soon as he could.
When Wendy let herself back in, cold air rushed inside the Jeep. She eyed him. "Can you go on, or do you need to be off on a call?"
"I've got time," he said, keeping his tone light. A sharp woman, Wendy had already picked up on his preoccupation. He drove back onto the highway. Now he could discuss his plan to catch the Weasel."I contacted Gus Feeney in LaFollette."
"What did he say?" Her quick interest showed in her voice.
"He said he'd think about it. He seemed to think that I should keep the thief in Steadfast."
"That sounds like someone from LaFollette, not Gus. Maybe it's because you're new in the county."
"Why would someone in LaFollette—"
"It's just an old feud between the two towns. But my grandfather and Gus served together in the Korean War , and vets from any war are welcome at the VFW for bingo. You just have to ask him again."
"I will. The big bingo night fund-raiser is still two weeks away. I want to have time to really build up how successful the event will be so Gus will become a target. Or should I say his house?"
"How will you do that?"
He grinned. "My deputies and I will prime the gossip pump, and I'll ask Old Doc to really promote it and Gus in Cram's paper. Then Gus will have to be overcome with the excitement—his heartbeat becoming irregular—and be taken into the clinic. I've driven past Gus's house, and an ambulance would have to go past Flanagan's both ways. I'm certain the thief, whoever he is, will be there and want to find out who is in the ambulance. And if the thief doesn't nibble the bait, Old Doc could keep Gus over a second night."
"Sounds good. I'll pray about it."
He made no reply. They reached the next stop.
Wendy glanced at him, a worried look on her face.
He paused. Something was bothering her. He looked at the house, then back at Wendy. "Why don't I deliver this one?"
"No, I don't think you'll ..." She confessed, "This is Veda McCracken's house—"
"Then I'm definitely delivering this one—"
"No, I—"
Rodd climbed out and went to the back. The least he could do today was protect Wendy from the woman who counted Wendy her enemy.
"I—" Wendy tried to object again.
"I'll be right back." With tray in hand, he trotted up the rickety steps and knocked on the door.
Veda opened the door, scowled at him, took the tray, and slammed the door.
"Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Miss McCracken!" he said to the door.
"I don't either, ma'am. I'll get right on it."
"Well, I hope so, but don't you let on to them Dietzes it was me that called. They're an ornery bunch, especially that sneaky Elroy. He's just as bad as the Riekers. I hear you're making up to Wendy Carey. Did you know she's a Rieker on her mother's side—"
Rodd cut her off. "Don't worry, ma'am. This conversation is confidential."
"Good. Now don't mess this up like you did that business at Olson's. Good-bye." Click.
Rodd strangled the receiver in his hand. Listening to the dial tone start, he hung up. Mrs. Beltziger needed to reread her copy of How to Win Friends and Influence People . Her comment about Wendy had come close to making him hang up on her. Who cared who Wendy was related to? Then to top it all off, the unpleasant woman had put into words the fiasco at Olson's. That had been his best shot so far at catching the Weasel red-handed. In the weeks since, the snowmobile thief had lain low.
Now a kegger might be on today's agenda. Rodd called dispatch to find the location of another deputy. He was on the other side of the county busy enforcing a no-contact order. Rodd told dispatch to have the deputy contact him as soon as he could.
When Wendy let herself back in, cold air rushed inside the Jeep. She eyed him. "Can you go on, or do you need to be off on a call?"
"I've got time," he said, keeping his tone light. A sharp woman, Wendy had already picked up on his preoccupation. He drove back onto the highway. Now he could discuss his plan to catch the Weasel."I contacted Gus Feeney in LaFollette."
"What did he say?" Her quick interest showed in her voice.
"He said he'd think about it. He seemed to think that I should keep the thief in Steadfast."
"That sounds like someone from LaFollette, not Gus. Maybe it's because you're new in the county."
"Why would someone in LaFollette—"
"It's just an old feud between the two towns. But my grandfather and Gus served together in the Korean War , and vets from any war are welcome at the VFW for bingo. You just have to ask him again."
"I will. The big bingo night fund-raiser is still two weeks away. I want to have time to really build up how successful the event will be so Gus will become a target. Or should I say his house?"
"How will you do that?"
He grinned. "My deputies and I will prime the gossip pump, and I'll ask Old Doc to really promote it and Gus in Cram's paper. Then Gus will have to be overcome with the excitement—his heartbeat becoming irregular—and be taken into the clinic. I've driven past Gus's house, and an ambulance would have to go past Flanagan's both ways. I'm certain the thief, whoever he is, will be there and want to find out who is in the ambulance. And if the thief doesn't nibble the bait, Old Doc could keep Gus over a second night."
"Sounds good. I'll pray about it."
He made no reply. They reached the next stop.
Wendy glanced at him, a worried look on her face.
He paused. Something was bothering her. He looked at the house, then back at Wendy. "Why don't I deliver this one?"
"No, I don't think you'll ..." She confessed, "This is Veda McCracken's house—"
"Then I'm definitely delivering this one—"
"No, I—"
Rodd climbed out and went to the back. The least he could do today was protect Wendy from the woman who counted Wendy her enemy.
"I—" Wendy tried to object again.
"I'll be right back." With tray in hand, he trotted up the rickety steps and knocked on the door.
Veda opened the door, scowled at him, took the tray, and slammed the door.
"Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Miss McCracken!" he said to the door.
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