Page 24 of Reptile Dysfunction
14
MASON
My phone starts ringing as soon as I step into my office after this morning’s volunteer work at the slop kitchen, but Deborah picks it up this time.
“Mayor Wendall’s office. How can I help you?” she asks, absent-mindedly levitating a stapler off her desk.
I’m about to make my way to my own desk when I catch sight of her frowning and decide to stick around in case it’s something urgent. When Deborah drops the stapler and holds her hand over the receiver though, it’s not what I expect.
“It’s Charlotte Lieberman from the Herald,” she says in a loud whisper. “She wants to talk to you.”
For a moment, I’m not exactly sure what to feel about that. On one hand, Charlotte has done nothing but sully my name since the moment she got here, since before she even met me. On the other hand, calling me directly is entirely out of character, and I wonder if she’s finally come around like I always hoped.
“Put her through to my desk,” I tell Deborah before striding over.
“Ms. Lieberman,” I say in my most friendly voice when I pick up the phone, cordless this time. “What can I do for you today?”
I make a point not to mention the inflammatory articles, the invasive snooping, or even the break-in at town hall. I want this to be civil.
“Well, Mayor Wendall,” she says, and I wonder if I hear a hint of slyness in her voice. “The Herald has decided to run a profile piece on you in celebration of your election win, and I’m taking up the story. I’d like to shadow you. See all the ins and outs of your job, get to know you, and see how you run this town. What do you say?”
Of all the things I expected to hear today, this was certainly not one of them.
“Well, that’s a very interesting proposition,” I answer, slipping into my well-practiced diplomacy. “Let me mull it over and get back to you.”
“Of course,” Charlotte replies without missing a beat. “I look forward to hearing your answer and hopefully to seeing the inner workings of the mayoral office.”
Once again, I’m pretty sure I can hear the smirk in her voice, and when I hang up the phone, I’m left with an uneasy feeling. That feeling sticks with me all the way through my morning paperwork, through lunch at Gabriella’s cafe, and well into my meet-and-greet at the police station.
“Mayor Wendall!” comes a booming voice that I’d recognize anywhere. Especially since it’s accompanied by the shuffling sound of a stiff gait.
I turn to see Sergeant Adams loping toward me with Officer Kelly in tow.
“Sergeant Adams, Officer Kelly. So nice to see you both!” I say, shaking both their hands.
“And you,” Officer Kelly replies.
She shoots me a warm smile, though Sergeant Adams remains stoic as he leans forward.
“If there’s any more trouble with that reporter,” he says seriously. “Let us know and we’ll deal with it.”
Officer Kelly shoots him a look. “Mayor Wendall has already told us he’ll drop the charges,” she snaps, even though he’s her superior. “Let it go.”
At this, Sergeant Adams scoffs. “Highly unorthodox,” he proclaims. “The law exists for a reason.”
“Alright, alright,” I say, trying to break up the spat before it spirals out of control. “I appreciate your help, but everything with Charlotte has been dealt with already. Except…”
I don’t mean to let the cat out of the bag, but Charlotte’s phone call has been playing on my mind all day and, as always, I can’t seem to escape her name in this town.
“Except what?” Sergeant Adams asks, his stitched-up brow furrowed in consternation. “Do we need to make an arrest?”
“No, no, nothing like that,” I assure him. From my periphery, I catch sight of Officer Kelly rolling her eyes. “But actually, I could use some advice.”
“Legal advice?” Sergeant Adams asks. “For that, I’d recommend a lawyer. We’re not at liberty to give legal advice.”
Another eye-roll from Officer Kelly.
“Not legal advice, personal advice. Or perhaps professional,” I tell them, suddenly feeling a little unsure of how to proceed.