Upstate Uproar (22 page)

Another siren sounded and Vivian looked
across the water to see a long, flat, white boat cruising in their
direction. “Lake Placid Fire Department” shouted in big red letters
on the side. One guy stood in the cockpit, earphones on, mic at his
mouth. Another man sat on a bench seat in the back, black bag slung
over his shoulder, and a third guy stood behind a red hydrant in
the bow of the boat. They pulled in front of the boathouse, but at
a reasonable distance, and water shot out of the hydrant onto the
fire.

The fireman operating the hydrant sprayed
water back and forth across the boathouse and on the dock. He
didn’t waste effort on the boat as it was now three-quarters of the
way sunk. The spray of the hydrant had plenty of reach and could
douse the nearby trees to prevent them from catching. The water
wouldn’t make it to the house from where they floated, but the
velocity from the hose was fierce and Vivian had no doubt they
could get closer and save the house if needed.

Kate sat back and crossed her ankles. “I like
watching firemen work.”

Wendy pointed to their boat. “The guy in the
back’s not doing anything.”

“But he looks muscular and he’s prepared,
look at his black bag. He’s ready to jump into action and save
someone.”

Stokola overheard their conversation and
smiled. She turned her attention to Dale and Shawna, who sat across
from each other in the pontoon. Neither looked happy. “Start at the
beginning,” she said to Dale. “How did the fire start?”

He looked up at her. “I just finished
restoring that boat. Nothing was wrong with it. I just had her out
a few days ago, ran her all over this lake with no problems.”

“What were you doing here?” Stokola looked to
Shawna.

“We just stopped here on the island to get
out, walk a little. We didn’t mean to burn anything to the
ground.”

Stokola looked from one to the other. Vivian
thought maybe Stokola didn’t buy it, but why would he blow up his
own boat?

Dale slapped his knee. “There was nothing
wrong with that engine. I’m a mechanic, for god’s sake.”

The two guys from the jon boat walked up.
“There’s something you need to see over here,” Camo said.

Stokola followed them, along with Larson, to
the middle of the lawn. Camo pointed at a piece of debris and made
scissor motions with his fingers. Larson bent down and took
pictures with his phone, then looked at Stokola and shrugged. They
chatted for a while, examining the item from all angles before
returning to the boats.

Stokola called Dale over to shore. He hopped
off the Aqua Holic with ease, leaving the girls rocking in the
water.

“This is a big mess we’ve got here,” Stokola
said, looking at him sternly. “Anybody hate you so much they’d want
to kill you, Dale?”

W
-w-what the hell do
you mean?” Dale stammered at Stokola’s words. “Nobody’s got it in
for me. I pay my debts and keep my nose clean. I’m not doing
another stint in county. I learned my lesson after that first round
of bullshit.”

Stokola looked unmoved. Larson showed Dale
the pictures he had taken with his phone of the blown-off boat
part. “The fuel line was cut, look at the sliced line. It’s too
clean to have happened during the explosion.”

Dale handed Larson back his phone. “I don’t
know who would have done this. My customers leave happy and I
haven’t pissed anyone else off — lately.”

“Maybe you’re not as good a mechanic as you
think you are?” Larson said.

“Fuck you, hose boy. I’m not an idiot.
There’s no way I would have missed a slice like this. I rebuilt
this engine and replaced everything, that hose included.” He looked
at Shawna.

She averted his gaze and focused on the
fireboat. “I don’t know anybody who’d try to kill him,” she
muttered.

Larson stuck his phone in his pocket. “I’ll
get these pictures to the arson investigator, but let’s just be
thankful you two weren’t on the boat when it blew. With the fuel
line cut and the vapors mixing with the heat of the engine, this
could have taken two minutes or two hours. Miraculous. You two are
very lucky.”

Dale stared at the spot where his boat once
floated. Vivian couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

The boathouse fire was almost out, and the
dock was reduced to pilings. A few pieces of boat still burned on
the water, casting a brownish orange glow as the sun set across the
lake. That combined with the fall leaves reflecting in the water
created an almost magical scene. Vivian imagined tiny fairies
flitting around, waving their wands, turning everything a brilliant
shade of orange and red.

“I could use a real restroom,” Kate said to
Larson. “Any chance we’ll be leaving soon?”

“We’ve got this under control,” Young
said.

Vivian ran her hands up and down her arms.
“It’s a bit chilly, I need one of Tracy’s hot toddies! Plus,
Brandon promised us s’mores tonight.”

Shawna snapped her head up and met Vivian’s
gaze. It was only a moment, but anger flashed behind her eyes. She
turned and got off the boat.

What’s with that? She got something against
marshmallows?

Larson untied, pushed off, fired things up
and turned the boat south. They cruised across the lake toward
Turlington Farms B&B. The temperature had dropped at least 10
degrees, and Vivian’s sweater was no match for the wind. She looked
at Larson and envisioned him wrapping his muscular arms around her,
whispering naughty nothings in her ear.

As they approached the dock Vivian saw two
people in rockers on the back porch. “Is that Wendell and Mitzie? I
thought they left.”

Kate squinted toward the house. “It’s not
Wendell, that guy’s bald, and even over the noise of the engine, we
could probably hear Mitzie yapping from here.” Kate concentrated a
bit more. “Oh my gosh, I think it’s Lucy! But wait… who’s she
with?”

Wendy made binoculars with her fists and
shouted, “It’s Pierre! I’d recognize that chrome dome
anywhere!”

The girls had met Pierre LaRoche in Playa del
Carmen on their first trip. He was the best friend of Jon Tournay,
the soap opera star Vivian had spent a romantic evening with. His
last, unfortunately. After returning home to Montreal, Pierre
opened a gym with the money Jon had left him. Pierre was as big and
buff as ever and still sported a Mr. Clean hairdo.

Kate clapped. “Yay, Lucy’s back! But she’s
got some explaining to do.”

“I expect she’s got some sex-plaining to do,”
Wendy said.

Vivian bounced up and down in her seat,
waving at them. “That slut! It’s about time!”

Larson slowed to no-wake speed and cut the
engine right before reaching the dock. He jumped out and tied up,
then helped the girls disembark. Lucy and Pierre walked down to
meet them at the shore.

Vivian hugged them both. “Hey, strangers,
glad to see you!”

Lucy gave her a sheepish look. “Sorry about
running off. I sorta freaked out.” She hugged her again, then
apologized to the other girls before introducing Pierre to
Larson.

Vivian ran her hand down Larson’s arm. “Y’all
missed quite an adventure today. Larson saved the day.” She looked
up at him and smiled. “He’s our fireman hero.”

Larson shook his head and wrapped an arm
around Vivian’s shoulders. “I had Wendy call in the troops, and
other than that, it was a group effort.”

Lucy looked back and forth between them.
“What happened? You all smell like burnt plastic, but I thought
maybe that had something to do with the exhaust from the boat.”

Larson’s grasp slipped from Vivian’s
shoulders and made their way to her waist. He grazed her ass before
casually lifting his arm to look at his watch. “I need to run, but
how about we meet later? It’s chili night at the Lake Placid
Brewery. Let’s say two hours?”

Vivian looked to the girls and Pierre, who
all nodded. “See you there.”

Larson leaned down and gave her a quick peck,
then untied the line, jumped back on the Aqua Holic and headed out
across the water.

Vivian’s heart went thumpity-thump-thump
watching him. She composed herself, then turned to Lucy and Pierre.
“We’ll tell you all about our fiery adventure inside by the fire.
You know, since it’s fitting.”

They walked to the house and Pierre held the
back door open for the girls. Everyone took a seat in the living
room, but the fireplace was dark. Vivian stood in front of the
hearth and threw a couple of pieces of wood on the grate. She
picked up the box of matches just as a freshly showered Tracy
walked into the room.

“I didn’t realize you were back,” she said.
“I was just about to get the fire going.” She took the box from
Vivian and grabbed some newspaper. She stuffed it underneath the
grate, struck the match and held it to the paper. “How was your
day?”

“Exciting!” Vivian responded. “A boat
exploded out on the lake!”

“Oh my gosh, that’s terrible. Was anyone
hurt?”

Vivian sat on the bricks and watched the
flame consume the paper. “Thankfully, no. But it sounded like the
fire could’ve easily started while they were on the boat. The
couple probably would’ve been toast.”

Kate grabbed a blanket off the back of the
couch and draped it over herself.

“I want to hear this, but let me get you
something warm to drink. You all look chilled to the bone. Be right
back.”

“So what have I missed?” Lucy asked.

Wendy, Kate and Vivian filled her in on the
events from the day before, from the fall festival and the pumpkin
drop to Mike Grimm and Nicole’s grandpa’s files, but Vivian didn’t
feel like she could get into a lot of details.

Vivian leaned toward Lucy’s chair and said in
a whisper, “We’ve found out some interesting info we’ll tell you
about later.”

Lucy nodded.

Tracy walked into the room carrying a tray of
hot cocoa and a bottle of Bailey’s. Vivian smiled in
appreciation.

“I’m so glad to be back,” Lucy squealed.

Tracy handed out drinks, then sat next to
Vivian and slapped her knee. “Okay, now tell me what happened
today.”

Vivian put a generous helping of Bailey’s
into her cocoa, stirred it, then told the story with the help of
Kate and Wendy.

“Dale and Shawna are lucky to be alive,” Kate
finished.

“And unhurt,” Wendy said. “It’s a good thing
they decided to go ashore for their, uh hummm, activities. Dale
could’ve sustained a burned weenie.”

Tracy’s eyes got wide. “Excuse me?”

“Wendy!” Kate yelled.

“Oh, come on! He had his wiener between
Shawna’s buns when that boat exploded. She came out carrying her
bra! And his pants were undone! You can’t tell me you didn’t
notice.”

“I noticed.” Vivian grinned.

Lucy shoved her knee. “Of course you
did.”

Tracy laughed. “You girls are too much. I
know Shawna. I’m glad she’s all right.”

“Do you know Dale?” Kate asked.

“Not very well. I used to take my car to
him.”

Brandon walked in carrying a bundle of wood
and set it in a rack by the fireplace. She reached out and touched
his arm. “But since Scooter Bill and I have been married, he’s my
mechanic now.”

Brandon looked at Tracy. “He’s not much of a
mechanic, if you ask me. I’d never recommend him.”

Tracy sighed and shrugged. “You’re probably
right, especially since his boat blew sky-high.”

Vivian couldn’t tell if Brandon’s face was
red from the heat of the fire or if he was upset by something, but
she had an uneasy feeling. She finished off her mug of tastiness.
“I’m going to go get cleaned up so we can meet my hot fireman.”

Wendy stood. “I for sure need a shower, all
this smoke smell in my hair. Yuck.”

“Me, too,” Kate said.

“We’ll wait for y’all down here,” Lucy said,
squeezing Pierre’s leg.

Vivian walked into her room and fell across
the bed as Kate got into the bathroom first. For a pregnant woman,
she moved quickly when it came to getting cleaned up. Vivian vegged
out to the sound of the shower running and the comfort of knowing
her friend was back. When her turn came, she was in and out of the
shower in a hurry. Larson awaited.

Vivian, wrapped in a towel, walked to the
closet for something semi-sexy to wear and noticed Lucy’s bags
weren’t there. She went into the bedroom and double-checked, but
nope, they were nowhere in sight.

She jumped into jeans, knee-high black boots
with a low heel and a V-neck red sweater. She threw some mousse in
her curls, hit them for two minutes with the blow dryer, threw on
some powder, mascara and lipstick and was ready to roll.

The other girls were similarly dressed, Wendy
in a brown sweater, jeans and her cowboy boots and Kate in black
jeans and turtleneck, plus leather Clark’s accented with a button
on the side.

As the girls and Pierre walked down the front
steps, Vivian bumped hips with Lucy. “Where’s your luggage?”

Lucy looked at Pierre and grinned. “I’m going
to be staying down the hall.”

Naughty girl.

T
he girls and Pierre
loaded up, with Kate serving as designated driver. They made their
way down the long driveway of Turlington Farms and turned toward
town. Wendy rode shotgun, and Pierre sat between Vivian and Lucy in
the back.

Vivian stretched her right arm around
Pierre’s shoulder. “Catch us up, Pierre. How’ve you been doing in
Canada? Been hitting the Canadian Club? The Molson? The Canada
Dry?”

He ignored the beverage list. “You know I
opened a gym a couple of years ago with the money Jon left me. I
think he’d be proud. I just opened my third location and am
scouting for a fourth in Toronto.”

Wendy turned around and gave him a high-five.
“That’s awesome. Any plans to open a gym in the states?”