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His glare might still intimidate some of Curiosity’s younger residents, but I had outgrown Mr. Murphy several times over by senior year. “Why is there someone new coming around?” Mr. Murphy grumbles through his infamous scowl. “The last thing this town needs is more riffraff.”
“Her name is Gabriella Perez, and I doubt she’s here to cause trouble,” I say easily, grabbing a few leftover crates for the Murphys’ supplies. “It looks like she’s going to take over Ms. Maria’s place.”
“Chet thinks she’s nice,” Veronica sing-songs, while she and Mrs. Murphy exchange puckish glances. Before I can protest, she turns to tap a box, which then seems to fall into the basket, like an invisible hand putting it there.
Hiring Veronica a few years ago was an easy choice for me. She needed a job, and her unseen companion can be pretty helpful, when he isn’t being moody. Billy doesn’t care to be seen too often, but he has ways of making himself known that can lead to trouble. As helpful as they both are, I hardly need them scheming on my behalf, feeding rumors to the town’s leading gossip and her grumpy husband.
Over the next week, there is more of the same. The unofficial game of small-town telephone is in full swing. Gabriella is unknowingly a participant, with the loud sounds of small construction, but otherwise no appearance, which only adds to her mystique. It also sends the rumors skyrocketing.
We see an unsurprising uptick in business, as a sudden influx of orders has most of the town passing through the shop at some point. Veronica suspects it has very little to do with actual need, however, and more to do with the people’s interest over the newcomer. It’s an observation I’m inclined to agree with, especially after the fifth,“Oh, I just thought I’d swing by,”in as many days.
“At any rate, you’re the local bloodhound, Mr. Wilson, and you can sniff out trouble better than most. So tell us, what kind of read do you get from the new girl?” Lilah asked, dropping off scones in exchange for a new set of bolts for her bakery’s glass display, and the latest news.
What is Gabriella Perez like? The question runs through my head, as I remember how she smelled like a field of wildflowers. I also haven’t forgotten how her oversized sweater did nothing to hide how inviting her curves looked.
Cute, my mind supplies, complete with images of curtain dark hair and doe eyes. Gabriella Perez is cute.Tasty, a more primal side of my mind replaces and I shake my head, unwilling to address that part right now. Not during work hours at any rate.
“She seems nice actually,” I answer, almost distractedly. “I don’t think she knows what she’s getting into. I’m doubtful that Ms. Maria told her much about the town, to be honest.”
The baker snorts affectionately. “That seems just like the sort of trick Maria would pull. But if this Gabriella doesn’t know anything about Curiosity, oh, then she’s in for a real treat.”
“So, what is she like, then?” my best friend Fred asks, coming in through the back, on his way from lunch. “Is she like one of those big-city, influenza types?”
“I think the word you’re looking for is ‘influencer,’ Fred,” Veronica answers, restocking one of the nearby shelves. “She seems to be becoming a small-town celebrity here though.”
“She doesn’t strike me as the influencer type, Fred,” I reply automatically, passing him some bags to help me organize. Fred isn’t the type that’s big on complexity, but he’s always willing to help with the easier, menial tasks. “If anything, she just seems a little shy to me.”
“Well she’s hardly stuck a foot outside that cafe, so I would have to agree with that. You don’t think she’s avoiding us, do you?”
“I simply think she’s busy,” I respond, when Mr. Osborne, the local vet, asks something similar. Osborne only raises a skeptical eyebrow at my response though.
“One would think that with being a newcomer, she would make more of an effort to get to know the people around here, especially before making changes to a town landmark,” he replies disdainfully. “Unless she’s the kind that has something to hide.”
“Naturally, I did a thoroughly extensive background check on her,” Sergeant Adams explains calmly one day, when the drilling and banging next door is especially loud. “No priors, which is a point in her favor, but not validation. Plenty of criminal masterminds hide in plain sight.”
“What? Dylan, she’s five-six and grieving for her deceased aunt,” I respond, looking at him incredulously while it’s my turn to stock the shelves. “She’s not about to be the next capo for the Cosa Nostra.”
“One can never be too careful with neighbors,” one half of our local law enforcement replies evenly.
“Nope, not how the expression goes at all,” Officer Kelly interjects cheerily, chewing on a chocolate-glazed donut. “As for my two cents, I’m just happy there’s another ‘normie’ around to help put up with everyone’s antics.”
“Yeah, about that,” I hedge, scratching the back of my neck awkwardly. “We might want to give her some breathing room, when she does start coming out. I don’t think Maria told her about all of us.”
“Ms. Maria never said anything about Curiosity’s curiosities? Yeesh,” Carolyn Kelly answers, casting a glance over at her partner, whose permanent stitches are difficult to conceal. “That’s not something that’s going to be easy to hide. For some of us especially over others.”
That was the crux of everything, summed up by the town’s most recently promoted deputy. Because the reality is that Gabriella Perez is an outsider, which means that she doesn’t know the real truth about our cozy, little town. About how different most of us really are, myself included.
This opinion is shared by others, whose comments start to grow more barbed.Just who is this city princess, who moved here to judge us? Why is she suddenly wanting a life here, away from her big plans elsewhere?
Gossip and speculation is one thing, but these rumors were starting to get out of hand, especially if it was enough to prompt local law enforcement to run a background check on her. Although my interactions with her have been limited and brief, her bashful sweetness left me smiling for hours. At the very least, she doesn’t deserve to be the subject of a witch-hunt.
“Alright everyone, let’s get a few things cleared up here!” I bark out to the general store. Everyone stops and looks up at me, which includes the two cops I’ve been conversing with, and a few other of the town’s more inconspicuous residents.
I cough awkwardly, never enjoying being the center of attention, but I want to get this addressed. “Ms. Gabriella Perez is a newcomer to our little town of Curiosity, this is true. We know as little about her as she knows about us, so I imagine there will be a few kinks to work out, as we all learn about one another.”
A few of them I eye pointedly, for while many of us can pass as human enough in the day, most of Curiosity’s residents are in fact, pretty monstrous. “Our town has a history of tolerance and compassion towards others, given many of our unusual histories. Ms. Perez is a young woman who has experienced a loss. She doesn’t pose a danger to anyone.”
Grabbing a few sandwiches from the snack counter, I button my flannel and stalk out the door, determined to brighten my mood, but not before I turn back to them, admonishment lacing my tone. “I hope you all keep that in mind when you extend a neighborly hand of friendship to her.”
