Chapter 6 - The Price of Staying
The next month turned Belmore upside down.
Wade Holland faced charges connected to fraud, coercion, and the old property scheme. Anthony Moretti was investigated over the deaths of Thomas Cross and Carlo Moretti as authorities rebuilt a case buried for more than a decade.
Jesse pleaded guilty to charges arising from the diner attack and agreed to cooperate.
Lena did not forgive him.
She didn’t need to.
She only needed him to answer for what he had done.
Then something unexpected happened.
People started talking.
A hardware-store owner admitted Wade had threatened him.
A widow produced letters concerning a suspicious inspection.
Two former employees brought records.
Fear had kept Belmore quiet for years.
One person speaking gave another permission.
Then another.
Then another.
Hal’s reopened on a Thursday.
Lena walked through the door and stopped.
Every booth was full.
Dwight leaned through the kitchen window.
“You planning to work or cry?”
“I’m not crying.”
“You’re doing something weird with your face.”
“Shut up.”
Reggie lifted his coffee.
“Miss Lena.”
She smiled.
“Coffee?”
“Always.”
At seven thirty, the bell rang.
Vincent entered alone.
Conversations dipped.
Then resumed.
He sat at the counter.
Lena approached with her pad.
“What’ll it be?”
“Coffee.”
“That all?”
“Apparently Thursday is meatloaf night.”
She stared.
“You remembered?”
“I’m occasionally capable of retaining information.”
“Miraculous.”
She poured his coffee.
He watched her.
“What?”
“I need to tell you something.”
“That sounds ominous.”
“The development deal is dead.”
She stopped.
“Northline?”
“Finished.”
“And the properties?”
“Some will be returned through court proceedings. Others are complicated.”
Lena nodded.
“What about my building?”
“I bought it.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“You what?”
“To keep it from being demolished.”
“Vincent.”
“I knew you’d react like this.”
“You bought my home?”
“The building.”
“With my home inside it.”
“I’m aware of how buildings work.”
She leaned over the counter.
“If you raise my rent—”
“I’m lowering it.”
“That’s worse.”
“How is paying less worse?”
“Because then I owe you.”
He sighed.
“We’re back to this.”
“Yes.”
“Fine. Same rent. Same lease.”
“Good.”
“And the broken window gets replaced.”
“Fine.”
“Building wiring gets repaired.”
“That’s reasonable.”
“New locks.”
“Also reasonable.”
“Security cameras.”
“Vincent.”
“Negotiable.”
She smiled.
He smiled back.
Dwight watched them from the kitchen.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake.”
Lena turned.
“What?”
“Either ask her out or order pie.”
Vincent looked genuinely surprised.
Lena went red.
“Dwight!”
“What? I’m fifty-eight. I don’t have time for slow courtship.”
Vincent calmly opened the menu.
“Pie.”
Lena stared.
“Coward.”
He looked up.
“Dinner tomorrow?”
She froze.
The entire counter went suspiciously quiet.
“You’re asking me?”
“No, Dwight.”
Dwight pointed a spatula at him.
“I’m busy.”
Lena laughed.
A real laugh.
Vincent watched her as if the sound surprised him.
“Tomorrow,” he repeated.
“No bodyguards at the table.”
“Agreed.”
“No restaurant you own.”
“Agreed.”
“No terrifying anyone.”
“That may depend on the waiter.”
“Vincent.”
“Fine.”
She held out her hand.
“Deal.”
He took it.
His hand was warm.
“Deal.”
Outside, November rain began tapping against the windows.
For once, Lena didn’t feel like the building was waiting for bad news.
It felt like something else was coming.
May you like
Something good.
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