by Leona Fox
“What can I do for you today?” the mayor asked.
“I'm not sure, to be honest. I'm here on behalf of the merchants guild. They'd just like some reassurances about the recent burglaries. I think we're all worried that this thief is not going to stop his little crime spree anytime soon.”
“As far as I'm concerned the police have it in hand. I'm not sure I know what you expect me to do about it.”
“Me neither, to be honest, but the guild wanted me to talk to you anyway.”
“I'm sure the matter would have been handled much more competently had Andy not been called away. It's such a shame that he had to go. Still, we have you on the case and that's saying something! In all honesty though, what do you make of this replacement chief, Sergeant Lester?”
“Lister.”
“Hmmm?”
“His name is Sergeant Lister, Jimmy Lister.”
“Ah yes, well, same thing.”
“He seems fine to me. I've only met him a couple of times. If Andy had faith to leave him in charge, then I have faith in him, too.”
“I had a feeling you were going to say that. I'm not so sure myself but we'll see. I'm keeping an eye on him. What do you make of these burglaries? Do you think we're dealing with someone who is going to keep going?”
“I believe so, but so far no clues point to the identity of the thief. So we're still coming up with theories. I've told everyone to be vigilant but, as they point out, they can't run their shops and run security on them 24/7.”
“No, you're quite right. Well, I'm sure the solution will present itself soon. Now then, since Andy is absent I'm sure you could use some company. Would you like to join me for dinner one evening? It would be nice to escape from all these bothersome plans.”
There was a lecherous look in his eyes that made Ellen feel sick, so she quickly declined and excused herself.
However, just before she left her eyes were drawn to the desk and everything that was sprawled over it. She noticed a document that concerned a mall with the word, 'Longthorne' prominently displayed. She left the mayor’s office with much on her mind. If the members of the merchants guild were worried about a thief, they would be distraught at the thought of a mall. Such a thing had been raised for years yet no plans ever had come to pass. If a mall was built all the local shops would be ruined and East Pender would lose much of what gave the town its heart.
She returned home and booted up her laptop. Upon opening her internet browser she typed 'Longthorne' into the search engine. A number of webpages were displayed, so she clicked on the first one. It took her to a company that seemed to deal in developing land and building shopping centers. The site dripped with corporate philosophy and seemed completely at odds with the spirit of East Pender.
If this were true and she inadvertently had stumbled upon plans to build a mall, then she had to do something about it, but with Andy and Kelly gone she lacked the usual support structure. Scampy jumped onto her legs but she looked at him forlornly.
“I appreciate the enthusiasm but I think we're going to need someone else.”
She knew she couldn't take this to the merchants guild because they were skittish already and would not take this news well. So there was only one other person, her new friend Maggie.
Ellen found Maggie working at the cafe again and knocked on the door. Maggie welcomed her in and offered her some lemonade.
“It's a new recipe I'm trying out, I figure it'll be good, especially in summer.” Ellen took a sip and followed it with a long gulp. It was sweet and had a hint of raspberry in it as well.
“You've found something good here,” Ellen said, impressed.
“Thanks, it's an old family recipe actually. Well, it's not, but that's what I'm going to tell people,” Maggie said with a wink. “Is this just a social call or did you have some more advice for me?”
“Actually,” Ellen said, helping Maggie clean up a few things, “I kind of need your help with something. I was in the mayor's office today and I saw something that I probably wasn't supposed to see.”
“This sounds juicy, what is it?”
“Plans to build a mall, at least that's what I think they were. I saw a document and there was the name of a company on it. So I searched for them and it turns out they build shopping malls. This isn't a new thing. Businesses have been trying to get their hands on East Pender's land for a long time, but I've never even heard of the mayor considering it before.”
“Malls pop up all over the place. Is it really that big of a deal?”
“Maggie, you might not know this because you haven't lived in a small town before, but part of its charm is there aren't any of the big chains. When people come here for vacations they get to escape the world they know. Do you really think East Pender is going to be that special if people come and go shopping at Walmart, go to eat at McDonald's and then grab a coffee at Starbucks? How do you think our cafes are going to compete if they open up near us?”
“Hmmm, I see what you're saying. How confident are you that this actually is happening?”
“That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Look, I'm sure you've heard of the local burglaries right now. The rest of the merchants guild is worried about that and I don't want to take this to them just yet. For all I know I'm just overreacting and I've completely jumped to the wrong conclusion but if the mayor is up to something then I want to know what it is. I just need to discuss it with someone. My best friend is away on a honeymoon and my boyfriend is out of town as well. I know you're new around here and this might not be something you're interested in but I really could use the help.”
“Say no more! Maggie is on the case. What have you got for me so far?”
Ellen pulled out her laptop and showed her the Longthorne website. The company was run by Tom Longthorne, who had built it up over the years. Now he worked in conjunction with his son, Steven. They had a history of expanding into small towns. So it seemed that plans to build a mall in East Pender would fit their MO. The more they read, the more they worried about the future of the town. Looking through the other search results they found a number of websites with comments from people who had been put out of business because of Longthornes’ activities. The more they read, the more Ellen and Maggie became worried.
“I think you have to find out if this really is happening. If it is a lot of people could get hurt.”
Ellen made her way back home and printed off all the negative comments she could find and returned to the mayor's office. This time she didn't have an appointment but she didn't care. When it came to protecting the spirit of East Pender nothing would stand in her way as there was no cause dearer to her heart.
“Is this true?” she demanded.
The mayor looked at her with skepticism. His secretary stood at the door and shrugged helplessly, then closed it when they mayor gave her the signal.
“What is this about, Ellen?” he said wearily.
“These are comments I found about people whose lives have been wrecked by the Longthorne Corporation. There are many more out there as well. If you're seriously considering building a mall in East Pender, I strongly would urge you to decline whatever offer they've made.”
The mayor held out his hands in a calming gesture. He picked up the documents that Ellen had brought with her and flicked through them.
“There are a lot here,” he mused, then threw them back down on the table.
“I'm going to be honest with you now because I know you're not going to leave here unless you get answers, but this isn't any of your concern. I'm aware you help the police and you've become something of an icon in this town but that does not mean you deserve to be privy to business like this. But yes, an offer has been tendered for some buildings and if we were to accept that offer the company would build a mall. However, and I will stress this, at this time we have no plans to accept the offer. I know that people have a few opinions of me but I am not someone who is going to sell the soul of the town. Now, you have to understa
nd this isn't as cut and dried as you might think. The offer they are making is extremely generous, and from their predicted numbers there would be a huge influx of people and money into East Pender, but so far they only have made an offer and it has not gone any further than that.”
Chapter 4
Ellen was sitting in The Chrome Cafe with a cup of coffee in front of her and a waffle. Having been reminded of her love of it by Andy, her favorite book lay open in front of her. Yet her mind was wandering and she was unable to immerse herself in the fantasy world. Instead, she idly gazed out of the window to the street outside. The cafe was quiet and usually she liked times like these as it gave her the opportunity to reflect on things, but the last thing she wanted at the moment was time on her own.
Initially she had been heartened by the mayor's refusal to accept Longthornes’ offer but it troubled her that the documents were still on the table. For all of the mayor's posturing she wondered if he just was playing hardball with the huge company. Could the Longthornes eventually make an offer that the mayor could not refuse?
It would be a shame if a mall was built in the town. Part of the town’s charm was its unique identity and to have all the usual stores would make it so...generic. She sighed though. That seemed to be the way of the world. Big companies swallowed up everything smaller than them until there was nothing left but a shred of the original soul. It wasn't like in books, where things were timeless. She glanced down at the book and her lips curled into a wistful smile. Everything always ended the same way for them, happily.
The bell hanging over the top of the door chimed and Richard Robins entered. Richard was a kind man in his mid-30s with a friendly demeanor and never a bad word to say about anyone. Ellen often saw him running when she went out to exercise, although he ran far more frequently than she did. He always was doing some sort of fundraiser for charity and was exactly the sort of person who epitomized the heart of East Pender.
“Hello Ellen!” he said emphatically, “How are you today?”
“I'm fine, just fine, enjoying the peace,” she said with a fake smile, rising from the chair to move behind the counter where she could serve Richard. He ordered his usual, and waited for it to be served.
“How are you?”
“I am well, just doing a bit of re-fueling before I get back to training.”
“You're not doing another marathon again are you?”
“It's all for a good cause.”
“But you have to look after yourself. I know it sounds silly to say, but surely all this running can't be good for you? You have to rest sometimes.”
“I'll rest when I'm dead,” Richard said with a twinkle in his eye, “I couldn't face the shame if I rested. To think of all those people that need help. If I wasn't doing something to help them I'd feel awful. My mission won't be done until I can see that I've made a big difference in the world.”
“I'm sure you've made a difference to a lot of people already,” Ellen said, “maybe we should raise some funds so you can have a vacation.”
“I can't even remember the last time I had one of those!”
“Me neither,” Ellen said.
She poured his drink into a mug and slid it across the counter, then took the crisp bill he handed her and gave him some change in return.
“Thank you for that, I'll leave you to your reading,” he said, smiling kindly.
“Actually, I can't concentrate at the moment, must be something in the air. Do you mind if I join you?” she asked.
“Not at all,” Richard said, and showed her to a table in the middle of the cafe.
“I'm glad we can sit down like this, actually. I've always thought to myself we should have a proper conversation but it never seems to happen.”
“Well, you're always busy doing something for charity, and I'm often busy-”
“Being a hero.”
“I wouldn't exactly put it like that,” Ellen said, blushing a little.
“Hey, credit where credit's due, you've earned the respect of this town and you should enjoy it,” he said, leaning back and taking a long sip of his coffee.
A disbelieving look came upon his face. “You deserve to be a hero for this coffee alone,” he added, and Ellen chuckled softly.
“Thank you, really, but I'm not being much help at the moment. I suppose you've heard about the burglaries?”
“Yes,” he said, and put his mug on the table as a grave look came over his face.
“It's a terrible thing. So you don't have any idea who's behind them?”
“Not yet. I'm sure we will but it's not the same without Andy here.”
“You miss him, don't you? It's only natural, I suppose. I wish I knew the right words to say but, unfortunately, I've never had much luck in the romance department.”
“Thanks. I don't think there are any right words, but the company is appreciated. I thought I'd like the distraction of solving another crime but everyone is worried that they're going to be next.”
“Are they really? I would have thought with all the insurance and things that it would be more of an inconvenience.”
Ellen looked at him and furrowed her brow. “It's not just the fact that things were stolen. It's the way it makes them feel vulnerable. Somebody came into their place of business and did whatever they wanted, like they didn't even care about personal boundaries or privacy. I'm sure if somebody came and stole all the money you raised for charity you'd feel differently about it.”
“Perhaps, but that is a different class of crime altogether. They would be stealing from all those less fortunate than themselves, not me.”
“Stealing is stealing,” Ellen said bluntly.
There was an icy edge to her voice that she regretted. She knew it wasn't entirely due to Richard's opinion but borne of all the frustrations that were plaguing her, and she was glad Richard was an amicable sort as he let the argument drop.
“Speaking of charity, actually,” he said, rifling through his satchel and pulling out a form, “I wonder if you would like to sponsor me? I know you've done a lot in the past, so don't feel obligated, but I do have to ask. Otherwise, I wouldn't raise any money!”
“It's fine,” she said, sliding the form over and entering an amount.
He already had amassed quite a few signatures and the way he always was able to persuade people to donate amazed her.
“I also was wondering if I could leave a form in here, just in case anyone found the inclination to donate?”
“Of course, I'm always ready to support a good cause and I do admire what you do. I love running but I never could do it as much as you do.”
“I am thinking of switching it up a bit next time and doing a skydive.”
Ellen merely shook her head, “You, my friend, are a braver person than I.”
“It's all for a good cause. I'd do anything for a good cause,” he said earnestly, and Ellen did not doubt his sincerity.
After chatting idly for a few minutes, Richard brought up the fact that a new cafe was opening down the street. When he asked if Ellen knew of it, she beamed widely.
“Oh yes! I've even met the owner, Maggie's her name. She's a wonderful person, really friendly. I have a feeling she's going to fit in perfectly.”
“I have to say, I'm surprised you're in such a good mood. Don't you think it's going to be tough having two cafes so close together? I know healthy competition is a good thing but the two of you practically are breathing down each other’s necks!”
“It's not like that at all. We've spoken about it a little bit, but it's fine. We can work together and both cafes can prosper.”
Richard remained unconvinced. “If you say so. If it were me, though, I'd be worried. There are only so many people to go around and they can't all go to both cafes. Still, I guess it could be a good thing. I know that when I'm running a marathon I always try that little bit harder if somebody is close to me. Anyway, don't you also think it's strange that she bought that property right near you? If I were
her I'd have tried to get somewhere farther away, or even in a different town that didn't already have a famous cafe! Still, I guess she has her reasons and if you say she's friendly then that's all that matters.”
Richard finished his coffee, bid Ellen a fond farewell, and said he would be back soon to pick up the donation form. Ellen cleaned his mug and wiped down the table after he left, with much on her mind. Now that she thought about it, doubts about Maggie crept into her mind. It was strange that she would have started a similar business. Of course, Maggie had said she chose East Pender at random but there was nothing to say she had to stick to that choice when she saw there was already an established cafe nearby. Maggie didn't have any ties to East Pender so it wouldn't have been difficult to choose another town, one that had a gap for a cafe. Was Maggie like so many others that came from the city; raring for a fight? Ellen didn't know if she had the strength to make a fight out of it. She liked to think the best of people and so far her instincts told her that Maggie was genuine, but her instincts had failed when it came to Edward Carrey. Could she risk trusting them again?
A tumultuous storm was raging in her mind and all she wanted to do was yell for it to be quiet, to be the thunder that tamed the land. Richard's words had been innocuous and yet had spawned so much twisting angst that she almost wished he had not entered her cafe at all.
No, she paused, and took a deep breath. That wasn't fair to Richard and she couldn't start blaming other people for her own problems. There was something deeply wrong inside and she had to fight her way out, just as she had helped Andy when he needed it. It was only a matter of time.
She repeated this mantra to herself, hoping it would prove more convincing the more times she heard it, but instead it only seemed to lose meaning. But she was sure she didn't want to risk her new friendship, and when Maggie popped in for a quick chat she wouldn't have known anything was the matter.