aimed a snowball in their direction which narrowly missed, and Maggie's eyes widened in surprise. What had she come to?
CHAPTER 2
" W hat's going on?" Maggie asked. She peered at the group milling about menacingly in front of the school.
"I don't know," admitted Dyna. She pulled the car into an empty space in the parking lot, and some of the marchers glared in their direction. "But whatever it is, I'll bet Regina White is at the head of it." Dyna seemed unconcerned, so, taking her cue from her, Maggie climbed out of the car and followed her toward the building. "Uh-huh," Dyna said over her shoulder, "I was right. There she is. Hi, Regina!"
A thin, wiry woman dressed in a navy pea jacket and knitted cap from which a few wispy grey hairs escaped, looked over and squinted at them. Maggie saw that her face was lined, but full of energy and set with determination. She appeared to recognize Dyna and gave her a curt nod before turning back briskly to the matters at hand. And the matter at hand seemed to be to keep her small, but loud group shouting and picketing. Whoever Warwick was, Maggie thought, he obviously wasn't on the A-list with this group.
An icy wind suddenly blew around the corner of the school. Maggie pulled her jacket collar closer and hurried with Dyna past the picketers. She helped Dyna tug open the heavy door to be greeted by welcoming warmth and an enticing aroma of coffee. They bustled in, dropped their jackets on a row of empty chairs next to the wall, and followed others gravitating to the refreshments table. Perhaps two dozen people milled about in this combination gymnasium-meeting room, some beginning to take seats in the rows of chairs set up before a table and a podium. Two young women busily worked at laying out cookies and paper plates at opposite ends of the food table.
"Elizabeth! How you doing?" Dyna called out to one of them.
A slim, small-boned woman of about 25, with delicate features and a long, soft cloud of light brown hair looked up and smiled at Dyna.
"Liz, this is my friend Maggie Olenski. She's staying at our cabin for a few weeks. Maggie, Elizabeth Kerr runs the book shop on Main Street."
Elizabeth and Maggie smiled at each other and before Maggie had a chance to say anything Dyna asked, "What's going on out there?"
A tiny frown formed on Elizabeth's face. "The meeting tonight is to discuss changing the zoning law so that Jack Warwick can buy Big Bear resort and turn it into a mining operation, for granite. Some people are opposed to it, and Regina and her group are very opposed for environmental reasons."
Dyna's jaw dropped . "Sell Big Bear for mining? But it's such a great ski mountain." Maggie looked at Dyna's shocked face and feared for a moment she might run back out to join the picketers.
"Karin, does Alexander want to sell?" Dyna called to the other woman behind the table, making a hasty introduction to Maggie. Attractive, and about thirty, with sleek, chin-length, dark brown hair and large brown eyes, Karin Dekens was married to one of the major owners, Dyna expl ained, of Big Bear. Karin rearranged a couple of finger sandwiches before answering Dyna's question, then nodded. Maggie noticed her face had a studied neutrality.
"Alexander feels it would be a good idea to sell. The ski resort has been struggling financially for the last few years, and Alexander thinks this is our best option."
"But Paul loves the place. What about him? Does he want to sell?"
Karin looked at Dyna with her large eyes and said cool l y, "Paul doesn't agree with Alexander."
At that point a tall, ruddy-cheeked man whose blue ski sweater stretched over a paunchy middle, came up beside Karin and reached past her for a sandwich.
"These are for after the meeting," Karin said.
"But dear one, you know I'm a growing boy." Alexander Dekens winked, patted his stomach, and grinned at Dyna. He acknowledged her introduction to Maggie, reached for a cookie, and sauntered away with another wink. Maggie
CHAPTER 2
" W hat's going on?" Maggie asked. She peered at the group milling about menacingly in front of the school.
"I don't know," admitted Dyna. She pulled the car into an empty space in the parking lot, and some of the marchers glared in their direction. "But whatever it is, I'll bet Regina White is at the head of it." Dyna seemed unconcerned, so, taking her cue from her, Maggie climbed out of the car and followed her toward the building. "Uh-huh," Dyna said over her shoulder, "I was right. There she is. Hi, Regina!"
A thin, wiry woman dressed in a navy pea jacket and knitted cap from which a few wispy grey hairs escaped, looked over and squinted at them. Maggie saw that her face was lined, but full of energy and set with determination. She appeared to recognize Dyna and gave her a curt nod before turning back briskly to the matters at hand. And the matter at hand seemed to be to keep her small, but loud group shouting and picketing. Whoever Warwick was, Maggie thought, he obviously wasn't on the A-list with this group.
An icy wind suddenly blew around the corner of the school. Maggie pulled her jacket collar closer and hurried with Dyna past the picketers. She helped Dyna tug open the heavy door to be greeted by welcoming warmth and an enticing aroma of coffee. They bustled in, dropped their jackets on a row of empty chairs next to the wall, and followed others gravitating to the refreshments table. Perhaps two dozen people milled about in this combination gymnasium-meeting room, some beginning to take seats in the rows of chairs set up before a table and a podium. Two young women busily worked at laying out cookies and paper plates at opposite ends of the food table.
"Elizabeth! How you doing?" Dyna called out to one of them.
A slim, small-boned woman of about 25, with delicate features and a long, soft cloud of light brown hair looked up and smiled at Dyna.
"Liz, this is my friend Maggie Olenski. She's staying at our cabin for a few weeks. Maggie, Elizabeth Kerr runs the book shop on Main Street."
Elizabeth and Maggie smiled at each other and before Maggie had a chance to say anything Dyna asked, "What's going on out there?"
A tiny frown formed on Elizabeth's face. "The meeting tonight is to discuss changing the zoning law so that Jack Warwick can buy Big Bear resort and turn it into a mining operation, for granite. Some people are opposed to it, and Regina and her group are very opposed for environmental reasons."
Dyna's jaw dropped . "Sell Big Bear for mining? But it's such a great ski mountain." Maggie looked at Dyna's shocked face and feared for a moment she might run back out to join the picketers.
"Karin, does Alexander want to sell?" Dyna called to the other woman behind the table, making a hasty introduction to Maggie. Attractive, and about thirty, with sleek, chin-length, dark brown hair and large brown eyes, Karin Dekens was married to one of the major owners, Dyna expl ained, of Big Bear. Karin rearranged a couple of finger sandwiches before answering Dyna's question, then nodded. Maggie noticed her face had a studied neutrality.
"Alexander feels it would be a good idea to sell. The ski resort has been struggling financially for the last few years, and Alexander thinks this is our best option."
"But Paul loves the place. What about him? Does he want to sell?"
Karin looked at Dyna with her large eyes and said cool l y, "Paul doesn't agree with Alexander."
At that point a tall, ruddy-cheeked man whose blue ski sweater stretched over a paunchy middle, came up beside Karin and reached past her for a sandwich.
"These are for after the meeting," Karin said.
"But dear one, you know I'm a growing boy." Alexander Dekens winked, patted his stomach, and grinned at Dyna. He acknowledged her introduction to Maggie, reached for a cookie, and sauntered away with another wink. Maggie
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