THE DEVILS LAKE MYSTERY
Chapter One
Graduation Night
by Ann Carol Ulrich
© 2024 (all rights reserved)
An sample chapter from the 9th Annette Vetter Adventure
"ANNETTE, OVER HERE!"
Turning to her family behind her, Annette called out, “Come on … Penny saved us some seats.”
Her tall blond brother, Terry, shielded his eyes from the late spring sun descending in the west. “I see them.” He beckoned to his family. Behind them was his stepdad, Bob Foley. “She’s saved us some seats near the front,” he told them.
The five of them made their way to their reserved chairs as people continued to flock in. Annette glanced over at the bleachers, where the Ravensville High School band was warming up. Right away, she noticed Pete Randt with his trumpet in his hands. She smiled to herself, pleased that Pete was now Penny’s boyfriend, and that she was now officially Tim Duncan’s girlfriend.
Penny’s parents, Ray and Audrey Duncan, greeted Annette and her family as they took their seats. Annette noticed Penny’s grandparents sitting on the other side of them. Penny’s seven-year-old sister, Karen, squirmed in her chair.
Annette took the seat beside her best friend. Terry sat on the other side of Annette, followed by Ruby, Mrs. Vetter and Bob. They all opened their programs.
“Sorry we’re a bit late,” apologized Annette. “Doc Slater dropped by on his rounds to give the new calf a shot.”
“How is little Twinkle?” asked Penny. Ruby had named the new calf and they had all agreed the name Twinkle was a good name for the heifer.
“She’s frisky,” said Annette. Penny laughed. Then Annette opened her program and scanned the list of all the names of the 1969 Ravensville High School graduates. She smiled as her eyes read “Timothy Raymond Duncan.” He hadn’t made the honor roll, but she was still proud of him.
Penny turned to Annette and lowered her voice. “Have your mom and Bob set the date yet?”
“No,” Annette said in a low voice, “but I hope they do soon.” She sighed. “At least Bob and Jared are making some progress on building the addition to our house.”
“Oh, I’m so thrilled that Bob’s friend, Jared, got straightened around,” said Penny.
Jared, a Vietnam war veteran like Bob Foley, was getting help from the Veterans Administration and had decided to settle in Ravensville while undergoing therapy. He had been camping out in the Vetters’ woods a month ago, afraid of disclosing himself due to the trauma he had suffered overseas.
Bob, along with Uncle Will, who was the brother of Terry’s and Ruby’s mother, had helped Jared find the support he needed. Since Jared had dairy farm experience and preferred small towns rather than cities, he had returned to Ravensville and was supporting himself with odd jobs.
Annette’s mother and Bob had decided to hire Jared to help build the addition onto the Vetters’ farmhouse, which was necessary now that Annette’s family had grown from just herself and her mother to five people.
“He’s a big help to Bob,” Annette commented. Because of injuries Bob Foley had sustained in Vietnam, he had limited use of one of his arms.
The crowd murmur died down as the band began to play music. Glancing behind them, Annette saw the graduating senior class from Ravensville High lining up for the promenade. They were all dressed in light blue caps and gowns.
After the band finished the introductory music, they began to play the traditional Pomp and Circumstance music. The people in the audience stood up and everyone turned to watch as Ravensville’s seniors walked slowly up the aisle, two by two. Hearing the music and catching sight of Tim caused tears of pride to well up in Annette’s eyes. She couldn’t help herself. She was so proud of him.
How handsome Tim looked with his dark brown wavy hair, green eyes and firm chin. Her fondness for him made her proud, especially when his eyes skimmed over the audience and caught her stare. He smiled and then gave her a wink.
After the Class of 1969 had all reached their seats in the four front rows on both sides of the aisle, the audience sat back down, and the music ended just seconds later. The school principal came to the podium and began his speech as everyone settled down. Annette’s thoughts began to stray.
She reflected over all the changes that had occurred for her since Christmastime. That was when Terry and Ruby had come into her life. She’d had no idea that Terry was her half-brother when she had seen him for the first time at the Ravensville post office. That was the day she and Lisa Kowalski had brought in packages of baked goods from the Future Farmers of America club. They were sending boxes of cookies to a platoon of U.S. soldiers in Vietnam.
Dressed in his green Air Force parka on that snowy day, Terry had been ahead of them in line at the post office. She remembered Terry because he had spoken up when a rude hippie girl in line had ridiculed the girls for supporting the troops overseas. At the time, Annette had no idea that Terry was searching for his family in Ravensville. Terry had gotten hired by Pete Randt’s father to work in his dairy barn, and Terry had had no idea that Annette was his half-sister until later, when he found out her last name.
By then, Terry had to escape federal agents who were seeking his arrest for leaving the state of Colorado with his 13-year-old sister, Ruby. They had only fled because of a terrible situation in Ruby’s foster home. Uncle Will in Madison had disclosed to Terry that he might find his father’s family in Jackson County — so that was where he headed, not knowing how much longer he could evade the authorities.
Annette recalled how thrilled she had been on the evening Terry showed up at the farmhouse in a snowstorm and disclosed that he was her half-brother. Despite the trouble that ensued, in the end Mrs. Vetter agreed to adopt both Terry and Ruby. Annette could not have had a better Christmas present.
After another four months, Bob Foley showed up after recovering at Walter Reed Hospital from his terrible ordeal in Vietnam. Annette remembered Ruby’s dreams about her father, how the younger girl would wake up in the night, terrified for him. And when he showed up in Minocqua, Wisconsin, where they had spent their spring break, Ruby feared her dad was going to leave her again.
Instead, he bought a travel trailer and moved onto the Vetters’ property outside of Ravensville. And now, Annette knew they were going to be a real family since he had asked her mother to marry him and her mom had accepted.
Annette felt Penny nudge her. She blinked and let her reverie go as she realized the diplomas were starting to be given out to the graduates. The students in caps and gowns were lining up at the stage steps as the district superintendent began calling them in, one at a time.
When Tim walked onto the stage, Annette and Penny both sat up straight in their seats, with smiles on their faces. Karen gave a little gasp and said out loud, “Look, Mommy, it’s Tim.” A few people sitting in the row ahead of them turned and smiled at the little girl.
After he received his diploma and had shaken hands with the superintendent, Tim turned and grinned as he stepped off the stage. A whole chorus of girls let out wails and cheers as the audience applauded. Penny turned to Annette and rolled her eyes, but Annette only grinned. She knew that Tim had always been popular with the girls at Ravensville High School and had dated many of them.
They sat through the rest of the ceremony as the remaining graduates received their diplomas. Karen squirmed and fidgeted, but it didn’t seem to bother anybody sitting around them. When the ceremony was over, the band played some more and then the high school principal said a few words and ended by congratulating the new alumnae.
Karen laughed and clapped her hands when the graduates cheered and tossed their hats into the air, signifying the end of the ceremony. Then the band played its last selection, which was the Ravensville school song, and people in the audience stood up and began to leave.
Annette breathed a sigh of relief for not having sobbed through the ceremony. A couple of tears had run down her cheeks, but mostly only because she was so proud of Tim. She followed the others as they shuffled out of the rows and merged with the crowd of departing people.
“Hi, Annette!” called out Lisa Kowalski, who had been one of the graduating seniors. She came over and greeted Penny as well.
“Congratulations,” Annette said and gave Lisa a hug.
Lisa let Penny hug her as well and smiled. “Your brother is certainly popular with the girls,” she remarked.
“Oh, I know,” said Penny, then added, “but Annette’s his steady girlfriend now.”
“I know, that’s great,” said Lisa as she patted Annette’s arm.
Then Penny said, “Oops … I see Pete is leaving. I’m running over to say hi.” She waved at her parents. “I’ll meet you at the car!” Lisa smiled at Annette, then left to join her family.
Annette looked around for Tim, and then somebody tapped her on the back. She swung around and there was Tim, grinning at her. “Oh, Tim, congratulations,” cried Annette. He held out his arms to give her a hug, which lasted a little too long.
“Don’t overdo it, man,” Terry joked with a wink at his sister.
Annette laughed as she backed away. “I’ll see you at your house,” she told Tim.
“You sure will.” He winked, then turned to greet a teacher who wanted to congratulate him. Annette followed her family members as they left the football field for the parking lot. There was going to be a party for Tim at the Duncans’ house. She and Ruby had helped Mrs. Vetter make some pies for the shindig. Fortunately, she had done her farm chores before going to the graduation. At least she now had only one cow to milk, since they had decided to keep the new little calf, and its mother needed the milk for her baby.
“Just think, next year it will be you getting your diploma,” Ruby said to Terry as they rode home in the back seat of the Vetters’ sedan.
Bob, who was driving, turned around to smile at them in the back seat, then winked at Ruby. Fifteen minutes later, he drove the car up into the Vetters’ gravel driveway, then parked and everyone got out. “I think I’ll stay here,” Bob told Mrs. Vetter. “That is, if you don’t mind. I want to secure any openings on the new wing in case it rains tonight.”
“It’s not gonna rain, Daddy,” said Ruby as she waited for her brother to get out of the car before she did.
“It might,” quipped Terry, who stepped out.
“I feel it in my bones,” said Bob.
Helen Vetter climbed out of the front passenger seat. “I hope we get a little rain,” she added. “I just planted the tomatoes outside and they could use some moisture.”
Ginger, Annette’s collie, ran up to the parked car, his tail swishing as he greeted each member of his family. As Annette stepped out after Terry, she saw the curly-haired man with a black beard step outside Bob Foley’s Airstream trailer parked behind the gray farmhouse. Jared was staying with Bob in the RV while he helped work on the addition. The younger man of slender build and medium height wore baggy wool pants and a dark blue pull-over shirt. He started toward them, his hands in his pockets.
Mrs. Vetter smiled at the young man. “Jared, did you have your supper yet?”
The man dropped his eyes and stuck his hands in his pants pockets. “I’m okay, ma’am,” he said. “I don’t wanna be no trouble.”
“You’re welcome to come with us to the Duncans’,” Annette’s mother offered.
“Oh no, ma’am, I wouldn’t wanna intrude on the graduation party,” Jared replied shyly.
Bob turned to his friend and said, “We’ll find something in the fridge. Come on, Jared.”
“You’re not goin’ with ‘em?” Jared looked surprised.
“Nah, I’m not much for social gatherings,” Bob told his friend. He beckoned the younger man and led him toward the house. With a look back at the others, he grinned and winked.
“See you later, Daddy,” called Ruby.
“We’re not leaving yet,” said Mrs. Vetter. “I’ve got to get those pies into the car first.” She started for the house while Terry bent down to rub Ginger’s fur. “You’re staying here, boy,” he told the collie.
Ruby ran toward the barn. “Okay then, I’m gonna go check on Twinkle,” she called back.
Annette decided to quickly run upstairs and renew her makeup. Bob and Jared were in the living room as her mother opened the refrigerator in the kitchen. When Annette came downstairs several minutes later, her mother had already gone back out to the car, but Bob and Jared were talking in the living room and didn’t see her.
She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but she paused at the base of the stairway to listen. What she overheard was of interest.
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This page updated November 2, 2024