Don't Open That Door - GoM 1

15

At Jill's, the sheriff captured the children's attention. He ended up sitting between them, making up some crazy story about chasing little green men in the woods to try to find out whether they were aliens or goblins. While the children laughed and celebrated Graham's tale, Tom flashed a questioning look at Alex. She sat opposite him, face to the door, and shook her head slightly. Whatever Tom wanted to know, she didn't have any answer. Bass asked Tom about hunting in the Ross Lake area and they engaged in some absorbing conversation. Alex didn't pay them any attention. She kept her eyes on the door, expecting to see Claire come in.

But Claire didn't.

Soon Tom made the others look out and see the sun was shining again.

"We could take the kids to the playground," he said.

Samuel was about to protest, arguing he was way old for playground games. But Felicity grinned at hearing the word and the boy set his jaw and said nothing.

Alex was relieved when everybody agreed to go back to the park.

Claire and Ollie joined them at the playground, and Alex couldn't spot a single sign in her niece to even suspect anything was off. Which didn't ease her doubts, but rather the other way around. They strolled up and down the lanes all together, spending a funny while at the games stalls, where Bass won a huge teddy bear that went straight to Felicity's arms. Back to the food lane, they all regretted being late for any of Sophie's pies. The girls were closing their stall, because they had to bake about a dozen orders for next morning.

Finally the sun understood that it wasn't invited for the fireworks. It took offense and left to hide behind Mount Baker, giving room for night to fall. As a little vengeance, it left a notorious trail of big fat clouds that looked down at Bold Peak as if discussing the notion of snow.

When the park's old iron lamps flickered on, people headed in no hurry toward the City Hall side of the park. Across the street, at the City Hall sidewalk, a very simple stage with a microphone had been set, for Mayor Dickinson to address his fellow neighbors, like he did every year before the fireworks.

Among the people moving around the stage, Alex spotted Markus and Alice near the steps, among city officers and some VIP locals.

"Look at them," said Bass in her hear, mockingly. "Now they befriend the royals."

Alice saw them too and waved at them to join her. Alex and Bass crossed the street toward her. Alice greeted them with an excited grin. She was dressed up as if she were at an indoors summer party, instead of a November outdoors event.

Alice pointed at Ian Blake talking with the Mayor, Markus and George some steps away. "Guess what! Major Dick invited Mr. Blake to join him on the stage, considering his investments in town."

"An outlander on stage?" asked Bass, not sure it was a good idea.

"Some ain't gonna like that," said Alex.

"Yeah, but they're gonna like the jobs George's project is gonna create," Alice replied.

"You can bet on that."

Markus saw his friends and said something in Blake's ear. A moment later they joined Alex, Bass and Alice. George stayed behind, absentminded eyes moving over the park.

"Al, Bass! Ready for the thrill of the year?"

"The chill of the year?"

They laughed at the mandatory Anniversary joke. Blake stretched out his hand to shake Alex's.

"Dear Miss Corban, so glad to see you again," he said with his classy, confident smile.

Alex felt a little awkward when he held her hand a moment longer than necessary, looking straight into her eyes. But he let go a heartbeat later and turned to Alice.

"They're saying it may snow. Is it true?"

"On Anniversary night? That'd be a first," said Alice.

"Yeah, but look at those clouds," said Bass.

While they discussed the odds of the first snow coming down on their annual town event, Alex looked past Markus. Dickinson's secretary said something to George, who approached them only to speak from behind Blake.

"It's time, Mr. Blake," he said.

His eyes avoided Alex's carefully, and he turned his back to them right away. She forced a smile to say goodbye to her friends and headed back across the street with Bass, still trying to stomach George's deliberate low blow.