The Christmas Lamp by Lori Copeland Read Free Book Online

ruthless.”
    “Roni?”
    “She works in the administration office.”
    “Oh yes. The Elliot girl.”
    Grandma admitted that she didn’t socialize anymore, not since Grandpa died. But she still loved her town, and she wanted the community to survive. He told Mary a little about the city administrator.
    Grandma’s voice turned playful. “I’d love to meet her sometime. She sounds delightful.”
    “She is …” Jake paused. “Now don’t get any ideas. Before I’m through here, it’s likely I’ll be stoned or run out of town on a rail.” He was fast becoming the most ostracized guy in town. Returning to the original question, he asked. “What do you think, Grandma? Am I being too hard on the town? Honestly, between you and me …”

    Roni paused in front of Jake’s doorway on her way to the coffeepot. She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but his voice came to her. “… the cuts aren’t going to matter. The town has too many financial obstacles to overcome. I’ll do what I can, but in the end Nativity is probably getting ready to enjoy its last Christmas celebration.”
    Too many financial obstacles to overcome . Roni closed her eyes to a sudden light-headedness. She’d known — or sensed — that this would be the outcome of Jake Brisco’s tinkering, but the knowledge still rocked her.
    “Just give the phone to …” Judy strode past, rolling her eyes at Roni. “Anabelle, give the phone to your older sister. No — don’t — Anabelle! Put the babysitter on the phone. Right now. No . Right now! Is that the sound of the stool flushing? Where’s the cat?” She covered the mouthpiece with her hand. “Have you ever had a day when you wished you could volunteer for a one-way ticket to Mars?”
    Absently nodding, Roni continued to the mayor’s office with papers requiring his signature.
    This was one of them.

6

    Jake reached to switch off the radio. Outside the window, the grass actually looked greener than it had been yesterday. Radio and TV weathermen had been ecstatic about the continuing warm spell. Old-timers were grumbling that “winters weren’t like this when I was a kid.” His eyes searched a clear blue sky for change, but the heavens looked more like May than December.
    Turning back to his desk, he studied the miniature town model he’d started constructing. During a brainstorm one morning, he had driven to Branson and visited a couple of craft shops. Before anyone else came to work he had brought in everything he needed for a town model.
    “Jake?” He turned when he heard Roni’s summons.
    She stood in the doorway, frowning. “The ice rink committee is back again. Do you want to talk to them?”
    Actually he didn’t. This meeting wouldn’t be any more pleasant than the last one. “Send them in.”
    She turned, and then turned back. “Perhaps if you took money from the snow removal fund and temporarily shifted it to pay for the rink …”
    “And when it snows and we need money for road clearance?”
    “It might not; we’ve had many years when we got only a smattering.” She stepped closer. “This year is starting out very mild. It wouldn’t be that hard to move the money. The rink would bring in revenue that could go back into the street maintenance fund.”
    Shaking his head, he sat down at his desk. “Borrow from Peter to pay Paul.”
    She grinned. “I haven’t heard that old phrase since Mom died.”
    “It’s one of Grandma’s favorites.” Reaching for a ledger, he scanned the columns. Gravel, ice melt, snowplows, gasoline, manpower. There were ample amounts allotted to cover several good snowfalls, but his job wasn’t to move checkers. He was there to balance the long-term budget, not gamble on climate patterns. The weather could turn in a matter of hours. He pitched the book on his desk. “No can do, Roni. The rink is out this year.”
    Her crestfallen expression didn’t help his mood. When she turned on her heel and left, he sat back, steeped his fingers, and