build a new kingdom that would house many of the deserving citizens. But there was a problem.”
“Let me guess. Della met Brody,” Nate said. “Even now she never takes her eyes off him.”
“Oh yes, the princess saw the young, handsome, virile Sir Brody and decided she had to have him. She had no doubt that she would get him, for she was used to a life of being given whatever she wanted. On the first day she saw Sir Brody, she went to Sheriff Chazen’s office, returned his ring and said she was going to marry someone else.”
“Della must have been livid when Brody met Leslie.”
“Ah yes, the beauteous commoner, a stranger in town, the maiden Leslie. They saw one another across a room and—zap!—true love claimed them. Without thought of the consequences, they married and she was instantly in the family way.”
“But in this case, there was no happily ever after,” Nate said.
“I guess not.” Stacy looked out the window. “The fairy tale ended abruptly on one dark and stormy night.”
Nate parked behind a house, then turned to look at her. “Did Leslie’s, uh...leaving cause the hatred between the town and the lake?”
Stacy’s voice lost its storytelling tone. “Dad said that’s what set it off. Sheriff Chazen was angry about all of it. He told people that Brody was trying to con the dying Mr. Kissel out of millions. When Leslie ran away, he said that was proof that Brody Rayburn was no good. Unfortunately, a lot of people believed him.”
She looked at Nate. “Dad said the sheriff kind of went crazy with his hatred of all things to do with the lake. If a town kid got caught speeding, he’d be sent home with a warning. But if a lake kid was caught, he’d be put in a cell in the back of the office and have to wait for his parents to show up.”
“Why didn’t the people stop him?”
“I don’t know. I think maybe it was the times. People didn’t stand up to authority. And if they did protest, Sheriff Chazen tended to get revenge—like not showing up when he was needed. But Dad said that he did more good than bad. Until...”
“Until what?”
“The Fourth of July weekend when I was twelve, the whole town was getting ready for a parade and a fair. We were going to have rides. A couple and their sixteen-year-old daughter had rented a house at the lake for that month, but something made them have to go back home on the fourth. Their daughter begged to be allowed to stay here and they said okay. It was only for two days.”
“What happened?”
“They didn’t know anyone in town so no one knew the girl hadn’t gone with them. She went to the grocery and the sheriff stopped her and asked to see her license. She was a new driver and she’d left it at home.”
“He didn’t put her in a cell, did he?”
“Yes. The bad part was that he forgot about her. He and all three deputies were out in the crowds so the office was empty. He left that girl in the cell for forty-eight hours with no food or water.”
Nate looked at her in horror.
“It was awful. Her parents came back and couldn’t find her so they called the sheriff. The girl was passed out on the floor of the cell and had to be revived. She spent days in the hospital. Eventually, she was okay physically, but mentally, she was seriously traumatized.”
“Was the sheriff prosecuted?”
“No.” Stacy let out her breath. “He knew what was coming. He went to a cabin in the woods and drank bottles of whiskey. When they found him, he’d been dead for days.”
“Some ending for a fairy tale!”
“But don’t they all end like that? The evil queen sends the hunter after the beautiful young girl, that kind of thing.”
“But in those stories the evil queen ends up being dissolved or something. Nothing bad has happened to Della. She still follows Brody around, still spies on people, still spreads rumors and makes people miserable.” He was getting angry. “She still—”
Stacy put her hand on his arm. “Are you all right?”
“Sure.” He opened the car door and got out. “What fabulous food did you bring for us?”
“I went to a new restaurant just out of town. I think you’re going to love it.”
“If you do, I’m sure I will.” He opened the trunk as Stacy got out.
“It’s called Kale House. Just wait until you see the green