Less than ten minutes later, everything was under control. All of the exits were staffed with deputies, Herb had gone to find Mike to see if there was anything he could do to help, and Hannah and Lisa had helped Edna carry out the last few desserts. Norman had taken pictures and Hannah was about to give Mayor Bascomb the okay to invite people for dessert, when she saw Mike make a beeline for the mayor.

Mike and Mayor Bascomb conferred for long moments. Then the mayor walked over to Kirby Welles and the jazz ensemble stopped playing abruptly, right in the middle of “The First Noel.”

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Mayor Bascomb sounded very serious as he took the mike and addressed the crowd. “I’ve got some news you’re not going to like.”

Lisa looked surprised as she nudged Hannah. “I thought you said Mike didn’t want to tell anyone.”

“That’s what he said, but maybe he changed his mind.”

Mayor Bascomb looked around the room, and a grin spread over his face. “I know how tough this is going to be, but I’m afraid we’re stuck here for at least a couple more hours, maybe longer, with all this good food and music.”

There were several hoots of laughter from various tables and the mayor acknowledged them with a smile. “It’s a good thing we’re having fun in here, because it’s not fun outside. The national weather service is predicting a blizzard and I believe they’re right, for once. I was just outside, and the wind nearly knocked a big guy like me off his feet.”

Laughter rang out from several tables again. It was no wonder that Mayor Bascomb was serving his fourth term. He really knew how to talk to a crowd.

“Anyway, you’re a lot safer here than you would be out on the roads and the community center can accommodate everyone until the winds die down and it’s safe to go home. If you absolutely must leave, tell me or one of the sheriff’s deputies I’ve stationed at the doors, and we’ll arrange for a snowplow escort to get you wherever you need to go. Barring an emergency, I want everyone to sit tight. I value each and every person here, and a winter storm as bad as this one isn’t anything to fool with.”

Many heads nodded at the mayor’s last statement. Minnesotans who’d survived other blizzards weren’t about to take the chance of getting caught alone and exposed to the elements.

“While we’re waiting for the weather to clear, Janice Cox is going to open Kiddie Korner for the little ones. She’s got games, books, and toys. She’s even got blankets and cots, if this ends up being a long night. I think we’ve got some high school student aides here tonight, don’t we?”

There was a cheer from a table near the back where a crowd of Lake Eden teenagers were sitting together.

“I thought so! Well, this is your big chance to get some more on-the-job training. If some of you want to help Janice entertain the kids, she says she’d appreciate it.”