On Ice (16 page)

“
And,” Cindy said, “Stay out of the woods during your period. If the bears smell blood, you’ll be an appetizer.”

“
Mostly, bears will run away. They try to avoid humans, but if they’re hungry and you leave your garbage around, all kinds of animals will come up to the house.”

Rene swallowed hard. “Ben burns the garbage in a pit between our houses.”

“
I think you’ve scared her enough.” Celia Ryan came back after checking on the children. “She’ll be packing her bags and checking the airline schedules.”

“
No she won’t,” Cindy insisted. “Rene’s tough. She just needs to learn about this strange state she’s come to.”

Rene smiled. “Yes, I’m tough! Bring on your hungry bears and love-starved mooses.” Straightening her shoulders a little, she felt more confident than she had in years. “I’ve got a bunch of errands to do. I wanted to see you and the baby and bring you this little gift.” She handed Cindy the neatly wrapped present.

Cindy opened the package and found cologne and lotion for herself and receiving blankets for the baby. “Oh, this is great!” She unfolded the blankets. “And I love fragrance.” She sprayed on the cologne. “Oooh, sexy!”

“
Don’t worry about being sexy with four children,” Celia said. “You should spray on some bug spray instead.”

“
Wouldn’t drive Buddy away. Face it, Mom, I’m irresistible.” Cindy grinned at her mother, mischief written on her face.

Rene took her leave and drove to the grocery store. She found the brothers sharing a coffee break with Pinky. Three sets of eyes lit up as she entered the store. She was warmly greeted as each man tucked in his shirt, brushed his hair back and seemed to stand a little taller.

“
Hello, gentlemen.” She chose a cart and made her selections quickly, then took them to the cash register.

“
Getting settled in?” Pinky asked.

“
Yes, thank you.”

“I just wondered if you needed anything,” Pinky said. “I mean, do you need a man? I mean,” he blushed as only a redhead can, “to do things--around the cabin?”

“Actually,” she said in a conspiratorial tone, “I have a man. You know, to do things around the cabin.” All three men looked incredulous.

“
Who--?” Hank asked.

“
Ben Franklin,” Rene said in a silky voice. “I just love a man who can--do things.”

Pinky looked uncomfortable while Bernie and Hank laughed out loud.

Rene left the store feeling strangely empowered. “I’m so tough,” she told her children. Starting the motor, she revved it a few times before heading to Ben’s.

~*~

CHAPTER TEN

The road ended abruptly. A cabin, larger and much newer than theirs, nestled under the tall pines. The trees grew much closer to this cabin and the shade looked cool and inviting. Rene and the children stared at the dwelling. A satellite dish and solar panels were affixed to the roof.

“
This must be the wrong place,” she said aloud.

“
I like to watch the animals. Sometimes the moose and elk come right up to the house. I’ve got a feeder for the birds and the red squirrels. Winter, I put food out for snowshoe hares. They turn white then and it’s real hard to see ‘em.”

“
That’s nice, Ben. I’m sure they appreciate it.”

“
Oh, I don’t know ‘bout that, but it’s nice to watch ‘em eat. Real peaceful-like.”

“
I’m sure it is. Your cabin looks peaceful.”

“
Thank you, Miz Reeny,” he said. “Let’s go on in and get started on the laundry. We can talk while it’s runnin’.”

Rene stepped inside the main room of the cabin, surprised by the neat, attractive interior. Not what she expected from this usually unkempt bachelor.

She filled the washer with sheets and towels and returned to find Ben showing the children a large telescope.

“
I was just showin’ Sara and Seth how to see the stars at night,” Ben said.

“
The stars are beautiful and the sky is so colorful. It’s nice to be far away from city lights and pollution.”

“
Yes’m, Miz Reeny. That’s a fact.”

“
Ben, are those solar panels on the roof?”

“
Yes’m.” Ben looked pleased that she had noticed his handiwork. “I done some readin’ up on solar power, ‘n I decided to give it a try. It works pretty good.”

“
You figured it out all by yourself?” Rene was amazed.

“
Yes’m. It wasn’t hard and it keeps the place real warm in the winter.”

“
I’m impressed!” Rene said. “I noticed you have a satellite dish up on your roof too.”

“
Yes’m. I get all kind of programs.”

“
How can I get one?” Rene asked. “The children would love it, I’m sure.”

“
I’ll get the number for you, Miz Reeny.” Ben opened the top of his big roll-top desk, and located the information.

“
That’s a lovely desk, Ben. It looks very old.” Rene ran her hand over the highly polished surface.

“
Yes’m, it belonged to Mr. Pindar. Mrs. Pindar wanted me to have it. I miss him somethin’ awful. He was my friend.”

“
He was like your father?” she asked.

“
Oh no, Miz Reeny.” Ben’s face clouded over. “No one else was ever like my daddy.”

“
You loved your father a lot.” Rene said.

“
No, Ma’am. I hated him!” His brows knit together. “He was mean t’me and my mama. Everyone knows he kilt her. I’m glad he’s dead!”

A coldness enveloped her. Ben spoke with such intensity. She’d only heard him voice simple, happy thoughts.

“
I’m sorry, Ben,” she said. “I know how you feel.”

“
Y’mean, your daddy was mean t’you?”

“
No, Ben,” Rene said. “My father was a kind man who loved his family very much. Someone else treated me badly.”

“
Your husbin’?”

“
Yes.” Rene was surprised she had admitted this to Ben. After all the secrecy, she felt almost relieved to reveal her secret to her gentle friend. “He was brutally abusive.” She shivered, remembering Mark’s twisted, angry face. “But you mustn’t tell anyone. Promise?”

“
Oh, yes’m, I promise. I would never, ever tell.”

“
Thank you, Ben,” Rene said. “I need you to keep my secret.”

“
Miz Reeny,” Ben said. “Your husbin’ ain’t dead, is he?”

“
No, Ben. I ran away.” She silently prayed for his discretion. “If he locates us, we’ll be in great danger.”

Ben digested this information for a moment. “Don’t you worry, Miz Reeny. I won’t tell no one. And, if he finds you, jus’ call ol’ Ben. I’ll help you.”

“
I wouldn’t want to involve you, Ben. He’s a violent man.”

“
Don’t worry, Miz Reeny.” He smiled. “Ol’ Ben can take care of hisself. Yes’m. He can.”

After finishing her laundry, Rene returned to the cabin and fed the children a simple sandwich supper. She dragged out the catalogs and ordered a television and a compact washer and dryer that stacked one on top of the other and required no venting. Things were definitely looking up in the civilized world. She was glad her sign-on bonus had been so generous, but thought she should curtail her spending so she could have a little cash squirreled away.

Sunday, Rene and the children went to church. They sat beside Mrs. Pindar. Rene did not take communion with the rest of the parishioners. She felt content to be a non-participant, not ready to explore her spirituality and, perhaps still feeling a little less than worthy of the sacrament. They adjourned to the community room for the social hour. Rene exchanged light banter with her new friends. Mayor Wolf told her that his son Parker enjoyed school now that Rene taught him.

“
He’s very bright,” Rene said. “He loves reading and science, especially anything having to do with insects.”

Mayor Wolf grinned. “Yes, he’s always collecting bugs. My wife wasn’t too thrilled with his hobby but I told her, it could be worse. He could have been interested in snakes.”

They both laughed. “I don’t think I’ve met your wife, Rene said. “Is she here?”

“
I lost my wife a few months ago. She had multiple sclerosis. She was a beautiful woman, in all ways. Parker and I miss her so much.”

“
I’m sorry!” Rene felt for the sad man and his little boy.

“
Just keep encouraging him. He loves it.”

Mrs. Pindar asked her to help serve the refreshments. Rene dispensed coffee from the huge urn while Mrs. Pindar cut slices of cranberry-nut bread.

“
I wanted to thank you, my dear,” she said, placing thin slices of bread on small plates, “for being so kind to Ben.” She nodded toward him, standing across the room in a rumpled pair of navy pants and a shirt open at the neck. He was deep in conversation with Ernst Schrader, the mechanic.

“
No problem,” Rene said. “He’s much more complex than he first appears and he’s so creative. I honestly think he could make or repair anything.”

“
True. He is a very sensitive person and has been slighted a great deal in the past.”

“
He told me about his father,” Rene said. “He really appreciates what you and your husband have done for him.”

Mrs. Pindar looked up sharply. “What did he tell you about his father?”

“
Just that he was abusive,” Rene said. “He thinks his father killed his mother.”

“
Everyone knew that he did. He was a mean drunk.” She bit out the words between her pursed lips. “There was no way to prove it, but everyone knew.”

“
How horrible!” Rene felt a cold knot forming in the pit of her stomach.

“
He treated Ben even worse after the mother was gone. Then one night, someone killed him.” She said it in a light, matter-of-fact tone.

“
Killed him? You mean, murder?”

“
No, my dear,” Mrs. Pindar said. “I prefer to think of it as being a case of simple justice. An execution, if you will. Preventing a mad dog from further harm to society.”

“
But, who...?”

“
I don’t know, my dear,” Mrs. Pindar said. “No one really cared. We just heaved a collective sigh of relief. I’ve always had my suspicions, of course.”

“
What do you mean?” Rene felt a tingling sensation at the nape of her neck.

“
I always thought it might have been my husband,” Mrs. Pindar said, a tinge of pride in her voice. “Or perhaps, Ben. Horace brought young Ben home and they never spoke another word about it.” She let her voice trail off.

Just then, Nadine and Sam came to the table with the twins. Mrs. Pindar offered slices of nut bread and served punch to the children while Rene poured coffee.

“
Want to come over to the house after lunch?” Nadine asked. “We can visit and the kids can play.”

“
Sounds great,” Rene said. “I hoped something would save me from finishing my lesson plans.”

“
How’s it going? Any teaching supplies, yet?”

“
Not yet, but I ordered a lot of things. I ordered new shades for the windows, too.”

“
I’m so glad you came to Sad Horse, Rene,” Nadine said. “We’ve needed you here for a long time.”

“
You needed a teacher, Nadine,” Rene said. “I have no experience. This is my very first teaching year.”

“
You’ve got the touch. My kids come home and tell me all about their lessons. They think you hung the moon.”

Rene blushed. “The last teacher was so bad, I look good by comparison.”

“
You are good, Rene,” Nadine said. “Just keep on doing what you’re doing.”

Pleased with the recognition, Rene realized she had felt totally ineffective her whole life. Here, she made a difference.

She and the children ate a huge lunch at the hotel and followed the Burkes to their home. Taking a right onto a street named for the stand of Birch trees where it crossed Main Street, they turned into the drive of a two-story log house with a chimney at each end.

A huge, brightly painted totem pole, almost as tall as the house, sat squarely in front of the entrance. Rene and the children stood solemnly staring up at its great height.

“
It’s nice of you to pay homage to my ancestors,” Nadine said.

“
What do you mean?” Rene asked.

“
I carved this to show respect for my ancestors. These are my family members.”

“
You carved this?”

Nadine emitted a low chuckle. “You’d be surprised what happens when you turn a woman loose with a chain saw.”

“
You’re related to an eagle and a bear?” Rene asked.