cameras is such a great idea. It’s best this way.” I gathered my papers and folder together. There was no reason to hang around.
“I’d be glad to walk you home if you’re scared,” he said.
“I’m not. But thanks. I’ll see you later.” I smiled as I made my retreat. A group of people were holding a candlelight vigil in Duck Municipal Park. I couldn’t avoid the town meeting since it was part of my job, but now that it was over, I wanted to head down that way. Maybe going through the grief process with the group would be good for me.
“Mayor O’Donnell!” Jerry Richards called out. “Remember me? From the interview after the Fourth of July parade?”
“Of course.” I shook his hand, not looking at the TV camera over his shoulder but aware of it.
“The death of Elizabeth Simpson, of course. It’s such a tragedy. I thought we might talk about it.”
“I don’t think so. Excuse me, Jerry.”
“But, Mayor—”
I didn’t answer and didn’t turn back. Talking about what had happened on TV wasn’t my idea of helping anyone. I hoped he wouldn’t follow me. Luckily, I managed to avoid the second TV crew outside. I checked my watch. It was slightly after eight P.M. The vigil had already begun. I had a white, gardenia-scented candle in my purse from Shayla’s shop. It was supposed to help with grief and give peace to Miss Elizabeth’s soul.
I’d barely stepped off the boardwalk outside of town hall when someone came up beside me. I turned to face the person, ready to fend off another reporter, and was surprised to see Kevin there instead. “I hope you don’t have any questions.”
“Not me. I saw you inspecting that candle in your purse before the meeting. I thought you were probably headed for the vigil.”
“Is there anything you don’t see?” I slowed my pace. Silly, actually, since he could’ve probably kept up without any problem. “What brought you to the council meeting? I’ve never seen you here before.”
“I’ve been meaning to come, but I’ve been busy. You did quite a number up there with that gavel.”
“A good mayor has to know when to be firm. I know everyone is upset about Miss Elizabeth, but we still have to conduct the town’s business.”
“And how are you holding up, Dae?”
“I’m doing as well as I can given the circumstances.” I didn’t want to mention my fears about finding more dead bodies. “I’m not afraid to be out on the streets. Just because one bad thing has happened doesn’t mean the whole town is bad.”
“That’s true.”
We walked along Duck Road in companionable silence as cars crept by us, caught in summer traffic on the two-lane road. Kevin wasn’t a nervous, chattering kind of person like Tim. I was grateful for that.
“I guess everyone in Duck knows that you find things,” he said as we passed Andy’s Ice Cream.
“Everyone who lives here full-time anyway. My grandmother found things too. The older folks remember her. People here accept that I find things the same way they accept that I have blue eyes. It’s part of who I am.”
“You’ve never been tested for the extent of your psychometric abilities?”
“No. I didn’t even know it was called that until we had the Internet.” The night was warm but clear, stars twinkling down at us from the dark sky. Pieces of tree branches still littered the street. I made a mental note to get after the town maintenance people. Sand was everywhere, of course. It wasn’t easy keeping that where it belonged.
I could hear Reverend Lisa leading the singing in the park. Lisa is a large woman who lives life in a big way. She has a booming, unmistakable voice that could probably carry from one end of Duck to the other. Tonight, it sounded like the angels singing from beneath the trees. The lights in the park glowed softly around the candles held by at least fifty hands.
“We can talk later, maybe when you come by to find my lost key.” He nodded toward the group. “I know you
“I’d be glad to walk you home if you’re scared,” he said.
“I’m not. But thanks. I’ll see you later.” I smiled as I made my retreat. A group of people were holding a candlelight vigil in Duck Municipal Park. I couldn’t avoid the town meeting since it was part of my job, but now that it was over, I wanted to head down that way. Maybe going through the grief process with the group would be good for me.
“Mayor O’Donnell!” Jerry Richards called out. “Remember me? From the interview after the Fourth of July parade?”
“Of course.” I shook his hand, not looking at the TV camera over his shoulder but aware of it.
“The death of Elizabeth Simpson, of course. It’s such a tragedy. I thought we might talk about it.”
“I don’t think so. Excuse me, Jerry.”
“But, Mayor—”
I didn’t answer and didn’t turn back. Talking about what had happened on TV wasn’t my idea of helping anyone. I hoped he wouldn’t follow me. Luckily, I managed to avoid the second TV crew outside. I checked my watch. It was slightly after eight P.M. The vigil had already begun. I had a white, gardenia-scented candle in my purse from Shayla’s shop. It was supposed to help with grief and give peace to Miss Elizabeth’s soul.
I’d barely stepped off the boardwalk outside of town hall when someone came up beside me. I turned to face the person, ready to fend off another reporter, and was surprised to see Kevin there instead. “I hope you don’t have any questions.”
“Not me. I saw you inspecting that candle in your purse before the meeting. I thought you were probably headed for the vigil.”
“Is there anything you don’t see?” I slowed my pace. Silly, actually, since he could’ve probably kept up without any problem. “What brought you to the council meeting? I’ve never seen you here before.”
“I’ve been meaning to come, but I’ve been busy. You did quite a number up there with that gavel.”
“A good mayor has to know when to be firm. I know everyone is upset about Miss Elizabeth, but we still have to conduct the town’s business.”
“And how are you holding up, Dae?”
“I’m doing as well as I can given the circumstances.” I didn’t want to mention my fears about finding more dead bodies. “I’m not afraid to be out on the streets. Just because one bad thing has happened doesn’t mean the whole town is bad.”
“That’s true.”
We walked along Duck Road in companionable silence as cars crept by us, caught in summer traffic on the two-lane road. Kevin wasn’t a nervous, chattering kind of person like Tim. I was grateful for that.
“I guess everyone in Duck knows that you find things,” he said as we passed Andy’s Ice Cream.
“Everyone who lives here full-time anyway. My grandmother found things too. The older folks remember her. People here accept that I find things the same way they accept that I have blue eyes. It’s part of who I am.”
“You’ve never been tested for the extent of your psychometric abilities?”
“No. I didn’t even know it was called that until we had the Internet.” The night was warm but clear, stars twinkling down at us from the dark sky. Pieces of tree branches still littered the street. I made a mental note to get after the town maintenance people. Sand was everywhere, of course. It wasn’t easy keeping that where it belonged.
I could hear Reverend Lisa leading the singing in the park. Lisa is a large woman who lives life in a big way. She has a booming, unmistakable voice that could probably carry from one end of Duck to the other. Tonight, it sounded like the angels singing from beneath the trees. The lights in the park glowed softly around the candles held by at least fifty hands.
“We can talk later, maybe when you come by to find my lost key.” He nodded toward the group. “I know you
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