turned it around for Mandy to read.
Taking a big breath, Mandy signed her name. “First and last, is that what you said?” She pulled her checkbook out of her purse.
“And damage deposit. It’s there in the lease.” Fran laid a set of keys on the desk. “Utilities are already on. Just call to get them put in your name. I’ve written the numbers on the bottom. If you’ve got a phone card, you can call downriver on the phone, but until you get it set up, no one can call you.”
Mandy wrote the check and gave it to Fran. “Thank you very much,” she said. “It’s lucky I met you last night, though Rael Timberlain told me about your place this morning.”
“Rael lives down Timberlain Road about a mile. He’s as near to the river as you are, but he’s on a high bank.” Fran looked at her watch. “Would you like to have lunch with me?”
“That sounds great.” Mandy stood and followed Fran down the narrow stairs. They turned right at the bottom to enter a small kitchen with white cupboards and a table painted to match.
“I hope you don’t mind a low-carb lunch. I don’t keep bread in the house.”
“I’m grateful for anything. I had Top Ramen for breakfast.”
Fran opened the fridge. “I try to stay below fifty carbs. One piece of bread has thirty-five. We’ll need knives and forks. In that drawer over there.”
By the time Mandy had the table set, Fran brought plates with ham, cheese, celery, cauliflower, and snap peas.
“That looks good.” Mandy pulled out her chair. “I’m glad for the chance to visit with you, too. I haven’t met with a lot of openness, and I’d like to ask a couple of questions.”
Fran set ranch dressing on the table and sat down. “Limestone is your typical small town. People are cliquish. Well, maybe it’s not typical. Most folks here are descendants of settlers who came from the backwoods of North Carolina during the Depression. They came to work in the lumber industry.”
“Is that where the ‘Tarheel’ comes from?”
Fran nodded. “They brought a lot of their culture and customs with them, coon dogs and whisky stills included. In fact, just last year the police arrested someone for operating a still about five miles upriver.”
“They didn’t include that in the fact sheet about the district,” Mandy said.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Fran said. “They’re proud of who they are, but it’s a little hard to get to know them, get them to trust you. I’ve been here three years, and I’m just now feeling at home.”
Fran dipped a cauliflower floret in the dressing. “You mentioned a lack of openness. I have an idea it’s more like hostility.”
Mandy looked up quickly. “How did you know?”
“Grange is well liked. People are angry that he’s been kicked down to assistant superintendent. It’s natural that they would resent your appearance, even though you had nothing to do with what happened to Grange.”
“What did happen to Grange?”
“Vince happened to him.”
“Vince Lafitte? I just met him this morning. He’s on the school board.”
“Yes, I know. He was elected last fall, and the first thing on his agenda was to make sure the district hired a new superintendent.”
Mandy blinked. “I still don’t understand.”
Fran shook her head. “Neither do I. Folks don’t talk about it, but there’s bad blood between Vince and Grange. Something that happened a long time ago.”
Mandy wrinkled her brow. “You’re kidding. How could that be? You don’t just demote a superintendent of schools.”
“It had something to do with state guidelines about qualifications. Several years ago, Grange took over when the superintendent had a heart attack and died. He was doing a great job, and the board kept him on, even though he doesn’t have the right degree.”
Mandy frowned. “Is it guidelines or requirements? If it’s something that the state mandates, it looks to me like Vince is getting a bad rap for bringing the school into
Taking a big breath, Mandy signed her name. “First and last, is that what you said?” She pulled her checkbook out of her purse.
“And damage deposit. It’s there in the lease.” Fran laid a set of keys on the desk. “Utilities are already on. Just call to get them put in your name. I’ve written the numbers on the bottom. If you’ve got a phone card, you can call downriver on the phone, but until you get it set up, no one can call you.”
Mandy wrote the check and gave it to Fran. “Thank you very much,” she said. “It’s lucky I met you last night, though Rael Timberlain told me about your place this morning.”
“Rael lives down Timberlain Road about a mile. He’s as near to the river as you are, but he’s on a high bank.” Fran looked at her watch. “Would you like to have lunch with me?”
“That sounds great.” Mandy stood and followed Fran down the narrow stairs. They turned right at the bottom to enter a small kitchen with white cupboards and a table painted to match.
“I hope you don’t mind a low-carb lunch. I don’t keep bread in the house.”
“I’m grateful for anything. I had Top Ramen for breakfast.”
Fran opened the fridge. “I try to stay below fifty carbs. One piece of bread has thirty-five. We’ll need knives and forks. In that drawer over there.”
By the time Mandy had the table set, Fran brought plates with ham, cheese, celery, cauliflower, and snap peas.
“That looks good.” Mandy pulled out her chair. “I’m glad for the chance to visit with you, too. I haven’t met with a lot of openness, and I’d like to ask a couple of questions.”
Fran set ranch dressing on the table and sat down. “Limestone is your typical small town. People are cliquish. Well, maybe it’s not typical. Most folks here are descendants of settlers who came from the backwoods of North Carolina during the Depression. They came to work in the lumber industry.”
“Is that where the ‘Tarheel’ comes from?”
Fran nodded. “They brought a lot of their culture and customs with them, coon dogs and whisky stills included. In fact, just last year the police arrested someone for operating a still about five miles upriver.”
“They didn’t include that in the fact sheet about the district,” Mandy said.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Fran said. “They’re proud of who they are, but it’s a little hard to get to know them, get them to trust you. I’ve been here three years, and I’m just now feeling at home.”
Fran dipped a cauliflower floret in the dressing. “You mentioned a lack of openness. I have an idea it’s more like hostility.”
Mandy looked up quickly. “How did you know?”
“Grange is well liked. People are angry that he’s been kicked down to assistant superintendent. It’s natural that they would resent your appearance, even though you had nothing to do with what happened to Grange.”
“What did happen to Grange?”
“Vince happened to him.”
“Vince Lafitte? I just met him this morning. He’s on the school board.”
“Yes, I know. He was elected last fall, and the first thing on his agenda was to make sure the district hired a new superintendent.”
Mandy blinked. “I still don’t understand.”
Fran shook her head. “Neither do I. Folks don’t talk about it, but there’s bad blood between Vince and Grange. Something that happened a long time ago.”
Mandy wrinkled her brow. “You’re kidding. How could that be? You don’t just demote a superintendent of schools.”
“It had something to do with state guidelines about qualifications. Several years ago, Grange took over when the superintendent had a heart attack and died. He was doing a great job, and the board kept him on, even though he doesn’t have the right degree.”
Mandy frowned. “Is it guidelines or requirements? If it’s something that the state mandates, it looks to me like Vince is getting a bad rap for bringing the school into
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