Off Season (43 page)

Bartlett, of course, made an appearance, as did Rick Fitzpatrick, who didn’t seem to mind that the hotshot lawyer had saved the day, as long as the truth had come out, as long as Ben was free.

Fern was not there. After Ben brought Mindy back to Menemsha House, Mindy had told the judge it had all been one big mistake that she’d never meant to happen. Fern became exasperated and announced she was leaving the Vineyard and said Rita and Charlie could take care of the kid if they wanted, they’d done such a good job. She’d even tried to straighten the ruffle on Mindy’s dress.

“I guess I’m not much of a mother,” she said.

Mindy had kissed her on the cheek and said Fern was like a scallop and that Mindy was the beautiful shell that the scallop had to leave behind.

Fern didn’t look like she’d understood, but she seemed grateful Mindy had said it.

After the trial and before the party, Fern called Rita and asked her to forward the money from the sale of the house to her in Caracas. That’s when Rita told her there had been no sale, but that when there was, Dave Ashenbach’s will had left everything in trust to Mindy, so she wouldn’t see a dime. In charge of the trust was Bruce Mallotti, one of Ashenbach’s own.

There were others at the party, too: Hattie Phillips and Jesse Parker; Dick Bradley and his wife, Ginny, from Vineyard Haven; and all of the fishermen who’d worked with Dave Ashenbach. They’d known all along about the pending trial, they’d heard gossip last fall, but they’d had the Yankee decorum to not stand in judgment, though Hattie admitted they’d “known damn well Ben wouldn’t do that.”

Ben was on his second beer that was sliding down nicely. He was thinking of Louise, his once-beloved, who
would have been proud he’d stood his ground, and proud that his new wife had had the guts to defend him at all costs. He figured she’d also be pleased that he’d decided to buy Ashenbach’s house to use for his add-ons to Menemsha. Until Sea Grove was a reality, he’d have to rent the property. Bruce Mallotti agreed with those conditions and agreed that the money would be placed in Mindy’s trust fund.

He smiled and set the bottle down, as Jill approached him. Addie and Maurice trailed close behind.

“Honey,” she said, kissing his cheek, “I’ve got good news for a change.”

He looked from Jill to Addie to Fischer, then back to his wife. “Oh, no,” he said. “I have the feeling I’m going to lose you again.”

Jill laughed. “Two days a week? Do you think you can stand it?”

He listened and waited because he’d gotten so good at it.

“Maurice has offered me what’s called a franchise. A twice-a-week segment on the evening news.”

“Network?” Ben asked, because that was the one word he’d learned from Jill that had any clout.

“Yes, of course.”

He took another drink of beer. “Tell me more.”

Maurice stepped forward. “Apparently your wife does not like ‘fluff’ pieces, as she calls them. So she’ll get news. A regular segment about heroes. Something our country needs more of every day.”

“I said I’d only do it if the heroes were kids,” Jill said, her eyes dancing. “And of course, if you agree.”

“What about Edwards?”

“He’ll be doing a sports show. Different days, different times.”

He took her hand. “Then I think this is wonderful.”

“That I’ll be away from you two nights a week?”

“Hey,” he said with a shrug, “it’ll keep the fires burning, don’t you think?” He had long since given up on the idea that she’d want to be there every night, with a pot of clam chowder on the stove and a fire in the grate.

“It would be fun if you came,” Rita said to Mindy as she bundled the twins and set them in the carriage. “Ben would like it, I’m sure.”

Mindy shrugged.

“His grandkids will be there.”

“They’re little.”

“Hey!” Rita said with a laugh. “You were little once, too.” She adjusted the blanket under little Olivia’s chin, then made sure that Oliver, beside her, was tucked in as well.

“Is Dr. Reynolds going to be there?” Mindy asked.

“I don’t think so. But she’s agreed to stay on the island for a while, so you’ll still get to see her. If you want.”

“Yeah,” Mindy nodded, “I like her okay.”

Rita smiled. “That reminds me,” she said, “I bought something for you.”

Mindy looked surprised. “It isn’t my birthday.”

Rita shrugged and walked to the closet in the living room. “Don’t need a birthday to get a present around here,” she said, and pulled out a box that was wrapped in paper with big red and yellow and purple flowers. A pouf of curly purple ribbon was perched on the top. She handed the box to Mindy.

“For me?” Mindy repeated.

“Yeah, special for you. Now hurry up. We don’t want to be late. It’s not every day Charlie Rollins throws a party.”

Mindy stopped before opening it and looked square at Rita. “You ought to marry him, you know. He’s really nice.”

“Yeah, well, one thing at a time. But if you can keep a secret, I’ve decided I’m going to marry him this summer. And you can be a bridesmaid.”

The little girl’s smile grew wide. Then she took off the ribbon and tore off the paper. Inside, looking up at her, was a beautiful red-headed Raggedy Ann.

Rita folded her arms and felt a rush of warmth. She figured it was Kyle, saying she’d done good.

A native New Englander, Jean Stone loves doing the research for her novels set on Cape Cod and the Islands. While working on
Off Season
, she was marooned on Martha’s Vineyard by a hurricane; a later trip to Nantucket had her stranded by a coastal snowstorm. Undaunted, her next book also took place on the Vineyard. She lives in western Massachusetts.