“Where are the roasting sticks?” Jo circled the firepit and grabbed the bag of marshmallows from the table.
“Right here.” Delta snaked her hand behind Jo and held out a stack of metal grilling forks. “Gary found more at Wayne Malton’s hardware store so now we have enough for everyone and…” She triumphantly hoisted a cast iron cooker into the air. “We can cook pizza pies, fruit pies, hot ham and cheese sandwiches. The list is endless.”
“Dinner by a campfire with an easy, breezy cleanup,” Jo quipped.
“Are Sherry, Miles and Leah still coming?” Delta asked.
“They’re on the way. They should be here any time now.”
Kelli, Michelle, Raylene, Laverne, Carli, and Courtney traipsed across the driveway, carrying folding chairs. They arranged them in an orderly fashion, surrounding the firepit while Delta and Jo ran back and forth, setting the table with condiments, hotdog buns, loaves of bread, pizza sauce, packages of pepperoni, shredded mozzarella cheese, and bags of chips.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a campfire,” Courtney said.
“Me either,” Michelle said.
“Same here,” Kelli chimed in.
“I have, but it was a long time ago,” Raylene said.
Nash arrived with bundles of firewood. He built a teepee of chopped wood before tucking crumpled newspaper beneath it.
While Nash tended the fire, Gary helped organize the drink station and ran whatever errands Delta asked him to.
Sherry’s baby blue Cadillac Coupe Deville flew into the driveway, stirring up a small dust storm. She sprang from the driver’s seat while Miles climbed out of the passenger side and Leah exited from the back.
Jo hustled across the driveway and met them halfway. “You need to slow down. It’s only a matter of time before you get a ticket.”
“I’m trying to drive slower, but Lady Luxe needs to speed.” Sherry hugged her. “Thanks for inviting us.”
“And thank you for giving Leah a lift.” Jo hugged her former resident and now neighbor. “I’m glad you could make it.”
“Thank you for inviting me. I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”
“How is it going over at Dave’s farm?” Jo asked.
“So much better now.” Leah swiped a hand across her brow. “It’s like night and day now that Sandi and Buzz are in jail.”
“I still can’t believe they confessed they were behind Shane Barr’s death,” Nash said. “I had serious doubts Sandi was involved.”
“Because no one, not even Dave, knew Barr was messing around with her,” Jo said.
“Sandi found out she was being used after getting her hands on Barr’s cell phone and reading his texts. He had no intention of ending his relationship with Robyn. She was so distraught, she confessed to Buzz she would do anything to pay him back. Buzz saw an opportunity to make some extra cash. They came up with a plan. Buzz jumped him from behind and held Shane down while Sandi was the one who actually killed him,” Leah said. “The cops were back at the farm this morning, boxing stuff up and taking it from the office.”
“I suppose now that they have the real story about what happened to Shane Barr, they can start filling in the blanks and building their case,” Nash said. “I’m sure the five grand Sandi gave Buzz will help.”
Jo shook her head. “To think Robyn or Leah almost took the rap for his murder while Sandi and Buzz slipped under the radar.”
“If not for Carli reading their lips the other day, we never would have found out.” Leah held up a small box. “I have a gift for her. It’s a silver cross. I bought it at the Kansas Creek Indian Reservation’s store this morning when Dave took us over there to pick up some supplies. I wanted to thank her for helping when she didn’t have to.”
“You’re so sweet, Leah.” Jo tilted her head. “I think Carli got something out of this, too. She helped not only you, but Robyn Colburne.”
“She sure helped me.” Leah shifted the gift box to her other hand. “It isn’t much, just a small token of my appreciation.”
“It’s the thought that counts, and I’m sure she isn’t expecting anything.”
Leah, Sherry and Miles caught up with the others. They began hugging and all talking at once, while Carli and Courtney stood on the sidelines watching.
Laverne must’ve noticed, because she stepped away and then coaxed them into joining the circle of friends.
“Look at Laverne, making a point to include Carli and Courtney,” Jo said.
“She has a soft side even though she pretends she doesn’t.”
“I think you’re right,” Jo agreed.
Raylene began waving at them. “Hey. The party is over here!”
Jo turned to go, and Nash stopped her. “The campfire was a great idea. We might have to make this a regular springtime / summer activity.”
“I was thinking the same thing. What’s better than being outdoors in the fresh air, cooking meals over an open fire, disconnecting from the outside world and simply spending time together?”
“It’s like an impromptu family reunion.”
“It is.” Jo pressed a hand to her chest, her heart swelling with pride as she watched her “family” gather. “God has truly blessed me with the best residents, best friends, all in one wonderful bundle.”
“None of us would be here without you, Joanna Pepperdine, without your determination, tenacity, and grit to make things happen. It’s good to stand back once in a while and celebrate all you’ve accomplished.”
“I was so sad when Leah left, but I’m excited to see what the future holds for Carli and Courtney. There were a few times I wondered if I had signed myself up for a double dose of trouble, but I’m thrilled to discover I was wrong. I can already see small changes in the sisters.”
“I think you’re right, especially when we found out about Carli’s special talent.” Nash reached for her hand. “Joanna Pepperdine is still working her magic, changing the world one person at a time.”
The end.