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“I don’t. Rival, maybe, but not enemy. But I like that you don’t think of me as your enemy, at least for now.”
“Rival, maybe,” she says. “Not enemy.”
I grin at her. “Well, that’s an improvement. I’ll take it.”
“Come on.” Blaze puts a hand on my arm, guiding me across the street to Out of This World. “Just so you know, he’s kind of a character.”
This guy is sounding more and more intriguing. “I can’t wait.”
We arrive at the store only to see that the sign in the window says Closed.
“Looks like we’re too late,” I say. “Maybe we can try tomorrow.”
In response, Blaze raps imperiously on the window. When nothing happens, she raps again.
A moment later, a portly older man with a bushy mane of white hair and a white beard unlocks the door and pulls it open. “Evening, Blaze. Sir,” he nods at me. “We just closed, but if you need a pack of condoms—”
“Not appropriate, Mayor,” Blaze interrupts.
The Mayor’s eyes twinkle unapologetically. “Usually when an attractive young couple is anxious to get into the store, it’s something along those lines. So, how can I help you?”
Blaze ignores the part about being a couple. “We need to talk to you about the Addison building.”
He shrugs and holds the door open for us. “Whatever floats your boat. If you’re here to talk business, might as well get it over with so I can go home and get some dinner.” He fixes me with his sharp blue eyes. “Jeremy Wainwright, yes?”
I put out my hand. “Yes, sir. Have we met?”
“Not formally. You’d remember me if we had,” he replies, shaking my hand with a firm grip. “But I saw your picture in the paper when you started the job. Been meaning to go down to the firehouse and say hello, but it’s moving into the busy season around here.” He sighs. “Always something. Anyway, welcome aboard the crazy train.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“And knock it off with the sir stuff,” he adds. “Everyone round here just calls me Mayor. Come on in.”
He leads the way in and goes to stand behind the counter. Blaze and I stand in front of it like petitioners.
“I’ll cut to the chase,” Blaze says. “The Addison building is up for grabs. The fire station and the library both want it, but we have competition from Scarlett Rice-Johnson, who wants to buy the building and turn it into a day spa.”
The Mayor nods, looking a touch impatient. “Just because I can’t be bothered to go to the meetings in person doesn’t mean I’m not paying attention, young lady. I watched the council meeting on the internet.”
“But we found out that Scarlett is working for a corporation based out in California,” Blaze continues. “The spa will be a franchise, and the company doesn’t have a great reputation for treating its employees right or paying all its taxes.”
The Mayor’s expression darkens. “Don’t tell me those idiots on the council have forgotten that there can’t be any chain stores or franchise businesses on the main drag?” he grumbles. “Or are they planning to change that?”
“I’m not sure if they’ve realized the spa is part of a chain yet,” she replies. “The Chief and I are planning to tell them about it next week. But we wanted to let you know about it because…” Her voice trails off as she looks for the right words.
“Because you want me to help you eliminate the competition so the two of you each have a better shot. Yeah, yeah,” he waves a beefy hand, “got it.”
Blaze looks faintly embarrassed. “Well, and because we want what’s best for the town.”
He gives her a mildly approving look. “I’d have done the same thing in your place. Maybe we’ll make a politician out of you yet.”
“I doubt it very much,” she replies firmly.
The Mayor chuckles. “Your brother still making trouble for you?”
Blaze pauses, choosing her words carefully, though I get the sense that the Mayor already knows exactly how she feels about her brother. “He’s… concerned about the future of the town.”
“But maybe not so much about the future of the library?”
