Her hand trembles as she pulls out the package and sees the plain white label addressed to her. No return address. Manhattan postmark.
“. . . still watching that blizzard as it makes its way over the central plains,” the television meteorologist is saying in the background over the sound of running tap water as Casey stands at the kitchen sink.
According to the weather reports, the storm is gathering speed and strength. Interesting how that happens. You’d think it might be the opposite: that the storm would wear itself out, expending so much fury.
Then again . . .
It’s the same with me.
If anything, the storm raging inside Casey is gaining momentum with every passing second. Even now, even after . . .
With a sigh, Casey washes the last traces of blood down the drain and reaches for the bleach.
From the Mundy’s Landing Tribune Archives
Commerce
November 20, 2004
Shop Locally This Christmas
The Mundy’s Landing Merchants’ Association has announced that most stores and restaurants in the newly revitalized business district will offer extended holiday shopping hours beginning on Friday, November 26, and continuing through Christmas.
Up and down the Common, special events are planned throughout the season to draw shoppers to the area from throughout Dutchess County and beyond. Santa Claus will hand out candy canes and hot cider and pose for photos with local children on the portico of the Dapplebrook Inn on Sunday, November 28. On Wednesday evening, December 1, Mayor John Ransom will host the annual tree--lighting ceremony on the Common with music provided by the Upbeats, Mundy’s Landing High School’s coed a cappella group. Over the weekend of December 11–12, the Mundy’s Landing Garden Club will sponsor tours of several historic homes in the Heights that have been beautifully decorated for the holidays. And for the fourth consecutive year following its relocation to the Conroy--Fitch mansion on Prospect Street, the historical society will offer a special exhibit throughout December, with rooms decorated to represent holiday celebrations in various eras during which the mansion was a private residence.
Several new businesses have opened their doors this fall, including Tru Blu, an upscale clothing boutique at 25 Fulton Avenue, Bell Tower Books at 16 Church Street, and Valley Roasters Bakery Café at 37 Market Street. Even long--standing institutions have something fresh to offer: The Market on Market has added a line of organic artisanal chocolates, and Vernon’s Apothecary is featuring framed, matted pen and ink prints of local landmarks.
“Area residents welcome the opportunity to shop closer to home, especially now that the Dutchess Mall is closed and Ames and Caldor are long gone,” Merchants’ Association president Stanley Vernon told the Tribune. “Why waste time and gasoline when everything you could ever need or want is right here at your fingertips?”
Chapter 12
Exhausted from a sleepless night and a stress--packed day at the office, Noreen is forced to take the long way home on Tuesday afternoon, detouring to pick up all three of her daughters at their schools and drop them all at various activities. If she didn’t have to make the rounds to gather them all up again shortly, she’d crawl into bed right now and sleep till morning. Oh well. At least she can sit in peaceful solitude for half an hour, check her e--mail, maybe make a cup of tea . . .
But as she slows to turn onto the cul--de--sac, she spots Kevin’s Lexus coming from the opposite direction. She has her right turn signal on; Kevin is flashing the left.
Faceoff. She has the right of way. Her first instinct is to complete her own turn and let him sit there and wait to make his left, which could take a while in rush hour traffic. Instead, she finds herself motioning him to go ahead. He waves his gratitude as he turns in front of her.
Apparently, her act of civility has resulted in a truce. As they step out of their respective cars in the garage, he actually stops to wait for her.