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“Yeah,” she sounds unsure. “But there're rumors all over the place. Is it really going to be all right?”
“Of course it is, Angela.” I want to ask her what rumors, but I won’t risk stirring them up for her or giving them fuel.
Her voice is small. “You promise?”
I bite my lip. “I promise, Angela.” Now I have to hang up. I need to wipe my eyes.
Chapter Eighteen
Drago
Farmer Brown greets me like an old friend. He’s upset that I won’t stop and eat with them, and he takes a lot of persuading to let me go with a promise that I will come and eat with them soon.
Before I clamber back onto the bike, I call ahead to Danny.
“The barn is in pretty bad shape, but the farmer says we can have it. It will need some work, but it’s a great space. The great news is, the farmer has his whole store full of food. He’s got turkey, sweet potatoes, corn, greens, fruit. He’s even got a larder full of cakes and desserts. A whole huge Christmas pantry.”
Danny sounds wary. “How come he’s got all of that stock, this close to Christmas?”
“Seems the Chamber of Commerce don’t like him too much, either. He’s been frozen out. There’s word of him competing with Clarkson’s brother-in-law, but it could be that’s just an excuse.”
“What do you mean?”
I tell him, “I think maybe his face don’t fit.”
“Damn. Really?”
I shrug. “These small towns.”
“If the barn is in as bad shape as you say, can we get it ready in time? We only have tomorrow.”
“That’s what I’m calling about. I have an idea, and I want to run it by you.”
“Dit moi. Tell me, Drago.”
The next call, I have to get right. I punch in the number and wait.
A hard voice answers. “The civilian biker?”
“Drill?”
“What do you want?”
“We need to get past what happened yesterday. I can let it go. Can you?”
“I said, what do you want?”
“Someone needs your help. There’s a farmer, going out of business. Good land, good crops, hardworking family. But the Chamber of Commerce don’t favor him.”
“Okay. I hear you, bro. Buddy of mine on the other side of the valley started a store to fix and sell bicycles. Banker set him up with oversized loans on masses of stock, made him cupboards full of phones and electronics other shit he didn’t want. Then, Chamber of Commerce froze him out. Seems Clarkson felt the store was competition the town’s businesses didn’t need.”
I tell him, “So. What could possibly be more of a priority than needy children at Christmas? If that doesn’t make the top of your tree, then you New Englanders are not the men I know bikers to be.”
Chapter Nineteen
Tinka
The barn is cleared, fixed, and spruced by a platoon of bikers. I’m wrapping and helping the bikers put up decorations, all day long.
