Strangers in the Lane (2 page)

The dog ran in circles, ears flapping and stubby tail wagging.

“Hey!” Jessie yelled. “Your dog knocked down my brother!” She saw the boy grab the dog’s collar and then turned to brush snow off Phillip.

“I’m so sorry,” the boy said. “Farley escaped. Is the baby all right?”

Furious, Jessie whirled around and looked into the kindest eyes she’d ever seen.
Boy
,
is he ever cute,
she thought. She couldn’t think of a thing to say.

“Phillip’s fine. Not hurt, just frightened,” her mother said. “Are you our new neighbor?”

“Yes. I’m Bryce Peterson. We moved in today. This isn’t a very good way to start. I’m really sorry about your little boy.”

Jessie just stared. Who gets lucky enough to have a new neighbor like
this
? she thought. She was freezing, but glad she hadn’t put her coat on over her velvet dress.

Bryce looked at her and smiled. “Well, I’d better get home. See you soon.”

Jessie followed her mom and Phillip back into the house. Funny—she couldn’t feel her feet touch the ground.

CHAPTER THREE

The next morning, Jessie woke with the sun in her eyes. It was time to set the plan in action. Mom usually took Phillip to story-time at the library on Saturday, but today she and Tina would take him. They needed to spot that foreign accent.

She sat on her window bench and braided her long hair. Fresh snow twinkled and blinked in the sun. She looked for any activity at the house across Willow Lane. But there was no sign of the new boy or even the silly sheepdog.

In the next room, Phillip jabbered at his teddy bear. “See, Teddy. Here’s a cookie. Mmmm. All gone. None for you.”

Jessie tied a red ribbon at the end of her braid. A year ago he couldn’t do anything, she thought. Now he was a real person. He was finally becoming interesting. She peeked into his room. “Want to go to story-time at the library, Phillip?”

“NO!” Phillip turned his back on her and patted Teddy.

“Come on, Phillip,” Jessie begged. “I’ll pull you on your sled!”

He stood up. “Okay.”

“Mom!” she called. “Is it okay if I take Phillip to story-time today?”

Her mother came into the downstairs hallway and looked up at Jessie leaning on the railing. “What’s with you, Jessie?” She ran her hand through her curly brown hair. “How come you’re giving Phillip all this attention?”

Jessie’s dad stepped into the hall from the living room. He was tall and confident with brown hair and blue eyes. Jessie thought he was the best-looking dad in town.

He took a sip of steaming coffee from his mug and put his other arm around her mother’s waist. “You’re always encouraging Jessie to spend more time with Phillip, Trudy.”

Her mom nodded. “Right. But it’s so sudden. I usually have to bribe her. I’m suspicious.”

Her dad gave her mom a squeeze. “Enjoy the break. Maybe we can read the paper and have a quiet cup of coffee for a change.” He walked her mother toward the living room and called over his shoulder, “Go, Jess. Take the boy!”

By now, Phillip had his arms wrapped around Jessie’s legs. She unwound him and helped him get dressed.

In her parents’ bedroom, she dialed Tina’s number. “Tina, we’re off to story-time. I’ll be at your house in twenty minutes.”

Tina groaned. “Well, there goes my nice, quiet Saturday.”

Jessie laughed. “It’s the baby monitor deal. We have to get busy.”

“I just can’t wait to be around all those squealing kids,” Tina groused. “Okay. I’ll be out in front.”

While Jessie tugged on her boots and fastened her coat, her mom bundled Phillip into his blue snowsuit. They watched through the oval glass in the door as her dad lifted the red wooden baby sled off the porch and set it on the front sidewalk.

Jessie brought Phillip outside and helped him down the steps. She tucked him into the sled with Teddy and then took the pull rope. They waved goodbye to their parents and set off.

Tina and Jessie took turns pulling the sled to the Town Square at the center of Fairfield. They left the sled at the bottom of the library steps and trudged up with Phillip between them. He laughed and pointed at the peaceful concrete lions which kept a vigil on the parapets that lined the stairs. Each had a peak of snow on its nose.

Jessie looked over Phillip’s head at Tina. “I hope he can keep quiet. You know how grumpy Miss Tyler can be.” Miss Tyler, the librarian, discouraged talking in the library. And everyone knew she wasn’t fond of small children who couldn’t read and might actually chew on the books.

When Tina pulled open the big door, a rush of warm air greeted them. Miss Tyler, seated at her tall desk, looked up, her eyes sharp as they entered. Jessie knew she hated to let heat escape.

“Hi!” Phillip called. He waved at Miss Tyler and ran to her desk.

Miss Tyler peered over the edge of her perch and down at Phillip. “Why, hello, Phillip,” she said in a low kindly voice. “Are you here for story-time?”

“Yes. Story-time. Teddy too!” He held up the bear. Miss Tyler took the toy, admired it and returned it to Phillip.

“Bye.” He winked at her.

Miss Tyler broke into a big smile and waved goodbye.

Jessie and Tina stared. They had never seen Miss Tyler like this.

“The winking seems to be paying off,” whispered Tina.

“Good morning, Jessica and Kirstina. Better hurry. The program’s about to begin,” cautioned the librarian.

The girls scurried past the tall desk and made their way to the children’s section.

Parents and their offspring crowded the room. The smell of wet wool mittens—drying on the radiators—filled the air. Rows of tiny boots sat in puddles of melting snow on throw rugs by the windows. Many of the children and their mothers had been at the baby shower for Tina’s mom the day before. They called and waved to Jessie, Tina and Phillip as they entered the room.

Small tots milled about—tripping and falling, laughing and crying, and pulling various toys and books out of each other’s hands.

Tina paled. “Brother,” she moaned.

“Remember, listen to the adults,” Jessie whispered.

Phillip became shy and quiet. Jessie unzipped his snowsuit. She listened while the voices around her gossiped and laughed, but she heard nothing except plain old American speech.

A tall blonde woman in her twenties approached the group. She clapped for attention. “Good morning and welcome. My name is Sylvia Miles and I’m the storyteller today.” She smiled down at a toddler pulling on her jacket. “We have a surprise. A friend of the library will play a short piece on his violin.”

There he was! Bryce Peterson, the new neighbor, with a violin tucked under his chin. Jessie felt weak.

He played Brahms’ “Lullaby” and it was the sweetest music Jessie had ever heard. The whole time, he looked only at her.

Everyone clapped and suddenly he was gone. Behind her, Jessie heard someone with an accent say, “You like music, little von?”

“What’s the deal, Jessie?” Tina was whispering in her ear. “Do you know that guy?” She gripped Jessie’s arm. “I swear, he was playing that music just for you. Oh…is that your new
neighbor
? He is so
cute
!”

Jessie nodded at Tina and pulled Phillip into her lap. The story was beginning. She tried to think. How can I concentrate on this baby monitor mystery when my head’s filled with some boy?

Then she remembered the foreign voice. She twisted around and looked behind her. She spotted a woman in a flowered scarf. Was she the voice? Or the lady next to that swarthy man? I don’t know
them
. But everyone was quiet now—listening to the story. I’m such a crummy detective. She laid her cheek against Phillip’s curls and daydreamed about Bryce Peterson.

CHAPTER FOUR

With story-time over, Jessie pulled the sled past shops bordering the Town Square and told Tina what she had heard.

“There was a foreign accent in the crowd at the library, but I didn’t pick up on it fast enough.” Jessie stopped and fastened Phillip’s hat.

“Did it sound like the one on the monitor?” Tina took the pull rope from Jessie. “Was it the same woman’s voice?”

Jessie shrugged. “It could have been. There aren’t many accents around Fairfield, except Swedish. But it didn’t sound Swedish. More…maybe German.”

Bryce Peterson was passing them on the sidewalk. “Hi!”

“Oh, hi.” Jessie felt her face get hot—even though it was freezing outside. “Uh…this is Tina Adams.”

“I liked your music,” Tina said. “How’d the library people know you played the violin?”

“My dad and Miss Tyler are old friends. She asked me to play.” He leaned toward the sled. “Hi, Phillip. Remember me?”

Phillip clutched Teddy and said, “Big dog!”

Jessie was silent. Oh, fine. Tina talks away and I can’t think of a thing to say.

“See you later. Nice meeting you, Tina. Bye, Phillip.” Bryce waved at the child and moved ahead of them—down the street. Then he turned and walked backwards. “Bye, Jessie.”

She smiled. That’s all she could manage before he disappeared around a corner.

“Brother. You’ve got it
bad
!” laughed Tina. “I’ve never seen you
speechless
before.” She turned around and walked backward, still pulling the sled. “But I have to admit, he’s very cute and has really nice manners.”

“What’s wrong with me?” moaned Jessie. “He probably thinks I’m a total loser.”

“I’ve read about this,” said Tina. “It’s called a ‘crush’.”

“No way. Not me. I have work to do. I have to solve this mystery. I don’t have time for boys—even cute boys with beautiful eyes who play the violin. I love the sound of a violin.”

“Relax.” Tina faced forward again and handed Jessie the pull rope. “Your parents won’t let you go out with boys anyway.”

“Jessie! Tina!” squealed Phillip. He was standing up in the sled pointing at a shop window display.

“What? What? Sit down and tell me what you see.” Jessie steadied him and eased him back to a sitting position.

“Look! Boots! Lights! Please, Jessie.”

Jessie walked up to the window and examined the red rubber boots behind the glass. They were rocking back and forth as if someone were walking in them. Each time the heel or toe touched the ground, little lights lit up.

Phillip was laughing and pointing now and a small crowd was gathering. People were smiling and chuckling at the excited little boy.

Jessie lifted Phillip out of the sled. “Let’s go inside and take a look.”

The store owner, Mr. Zador, smiled when the three entered the shop. “Well, well. What can I do for you?”

“Phillip loves those boots in the window. Do you have them in small sizes?” Jessie unsnapped Phillip’s cap, removed it from his head and smoothed his ruffled hair.

“Yes, we do. Let’s try them on,” said Mr. Zador. “They happen to be on sale for half-price—ten dollars.”

The smallest size fit Phillip. Jessie had six dollars of her babysitting money and Tina had some money left from her allowance.

“I’ll pay you back,” Jessie said.

Phillip strutted out of the store wearing his new boots. Every step he took made the lights twinkle. He walked home.

Her mother was not thrilled with the boots. “He’s got a perfectly good pair of boots and these look a little glitzy, don’t you think, Jess? Besides, it took all of your money and Tina’s too.”

“You had to be there, Mom. There was no way we were going to get past that store without buying those boots.”

He wore them all the time and cried when he couldn’t sleep in them. Jessie put them by his crib where he could see them and she sat in the rocking chair until he fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Sunday, Jessie and Tina took Phillip to the nursery at Tina’s church. The woman in charge seemed delighted when they volunteered to help with the children.

When the parents picked up their offspring, the girls watched and listened. No foreign accents.

“This plan isn’t working very well, Jessie. Maybe we should try something different. Why doesn’t the ‘Accent Woman’ ever show up in public?” They were walking to Tina’s house. Tina’s mom was having a meeting and some of the people were bringing their little kids. This time the girls would be paid for “sitting.” Phillip marched between them, admiring his boots.

When the meeting ended, Jessie looked out the window and saw a storm was brewing. The sky was black and bare trees bent in the wind. She hurried Phillip into his snowsuit, fastened his hat and pulled on his mittens. “Come on, Phillip. We’d better get home.”

“You want my mom to drive you?” Tina had opened the front door and was eyeing the black clouds.

“No thanks,” Jessie said. “We’ll run through the yards by the fields so we don’t slip on the sidewalk.”

Phillip’s boots twinkled as they walked down the Adams’ front steps.

Five minutes later, the whole world changed. Jessie studied the horizon. Flat gray clouds hung low to the ground. “Hurry, Phillip.” She wanted to run, but didn’t want to scare him. She gripped his hand and gently pulled him along.

Now sleet began to swirl down and sting their faces. Tree limbs snapped in the wind and fell into snowy yards.

“Jessie! Look. Here, puppy!” Phillip’s voice was muffled in the roar.

She didn’t answer or look down, but just kept moving. The wind howled. Snow blasted down and dimmed her vision. She felt like she was pushing against a wall. Her red scarf unwound from her neck and shot up into the air. She lunged to grab it, but it was gone. When she reached for Phillip’s hand again, he wasn’t there.

“PHILLIP!” The snow was thick and whirling. On the edge of a cornfield, she saw a single red flash—his boot. Her stomach tightened. Jessie started to run. In a clear spot, she saw a dog fleeing through the dead cornhusks. “PHILLIP!” she screamed. Her voice was lost in the wailing of the wind. Now it was so cold. Oh, no. Oh, no. Please, please let me find him. She wanted to stop and get sick. Please! “PHILLIP!” For a brief second, the blizzard calmed and she heard him cry—a desperate cry, “Jessie—Mama.” Then it was gone.