Ellie..
“I’m talking possibilities here,” I spoke over her. “Not alibis.
The State Police have to look at everything before they can rule anything out. That’s logical, isn’t it? For all I know, they’ll be questioning you as well, especially given your feelings about the Order.” “What are you saying?” I couldn’t believe I’d been that stupid.
“I’m just pointing out that ps have to look at everybody at the start But Greta was already craning her neck looking around the room, er face flushed. “Where’s Norm? Norm, goddamn it.” “I’m here, I’m here.” A small man with a pencil mustache raised is hand in the middle of the crowd. Just looking at him, I pegged him be one of Greta’s boyfriends.
They came and went, but they all oked roughly the same. I was impressed she got the name right.
“Wasn’t I in bed all last night, after that fight?” There was an embarrassing pause. “Answer me.” Norman gave a limp shrug. “I guess so. I was asleep.” He looked round sheepishly.
Someone snickered, there was a guffaw across the room, and lowly the entire place was swept with laughter. I took advantage of the ap and headed for the door, half-expecting to feel a spear smack me between the shoulder blades. But either Greta was being drowned out, r she too had beaten a hasty retreat, probably to murder Norm.
I found Buster standing at the door. He stepped aside and let me ass into the entrance hall. “Catching some flak?” I brushed it off.
“Not too bad. People get anxious.” He planted one big paw on my shoulder and steered me toward he counter under the main staircase.
“Things are different up here ow, Joey. Folks are angry, and the Order is catching the brunt of it. don’t think anyone’s glad those people died, but they don’t want the lame pinned on Gannet. Look at Greta.
She’s all tied up in knots ause of old-fashioned competition. The Natural Order came in, hrowing money around, and we took it. Hell, she and I are Selecten-we said they’d be good for the local economy. Now she’s going broke ‘cause of the Kingdom Restaurant. There’s a lot of that anger oin’ ‘round, blaming them so we don’t have to look in the mirror.” He tapped my cheek with his hand. “We can’t fight back at the flatlanders, or the economy, or the government, but we can take it out n the Order. They’re right here, in our own back yard; we can reach ut and squeeze ‘em. And unless this shit is straightened out fast, that’s ust what’s going to happen. Somethin’s going’ to blow.” He straightened suddenly, either struck with a new idea or reactng to a crick in his back. Then he mussed my hair. “Well, I think I’ll et one last one for the road. See you at home.” And he lumbered off oward the bar.
It had been a startling little speech, mostly because I’d thought him too drunk to give it, but it left me thinking, and a little worried.
The entire state of Vermont was in the same financial straits, but few places were in Gannet’s extremely tenuous position. Its gradual decline had been kicked into high gear by the arrival of the Order. And as Buster had pointed out, resentments had been given ample time to become properly misdirected. I wondered now if that resentment was burning hot enough to kill five people and turn their home into a crematorium.
I recognized Laura through her car window as she drove by, looking for a parking space. I was standing on the Rocky River’s porch, having left behind the noise, the smoke, the heat, and the stench inside. The cool, fresh air felt wonderful. It was warmer than last night, well above freezing for a change what Buster would call “a warm snap.” I stepped off the porch and met Laura on the sidewalk. “Hi.” She smiled, her face softly lit by the light from the Inn’s windows.
“Hi, yourself. How’s your ear? I thought you’d be in bed by now.”
I made an involuntary gesture toward my ear. “It’s
“I’m talking possibilities here,” I spoke over her. “Not alibis.
The State Police have to look at everything before they can rule anything out. That’s logical, isn’t it? For all I know, they’ll be questioning you as well, especially given your feelings about the Order.” “What are you saying?” I couldn’t believe I’d been that stupid.
“I’m just pointing out that ps have to look at everybody at the start But Greta was already craning her neck looking around the room, er face flushed. “Where’s Norm? Norm, goddamn it.” “I’m here, I’m here.” A small man with a pencil mustache raised is hand in the middle of the crowd. Just looking at him, I pegged him be one of Greta’s boyfriends.
They came and went, but they all oked roughly the same. I was impressed she got the name right.
“Wasn’t I in bed all last night, after that fight?” There was an embarrassing pause. “Answer me.” Norman gave a limp shrug. “I guess so. I was asleep.” He looked round sheepishly.
Someone snickered, there was a guffaw across the room, and lowly the entire place was swept with laughter. I took advantage of the ap and headed for the door, half-expecting to feel a spear smack me between the shoulder blades. But either Greta was being drowned out, r she too had beaten a hasty retreat, probably to murder Norm.
I found Buster standing at the door. He stepped aside and let me ass into the entrance hall. “Catching some flak?” I brushed it off.
“Not too bad. People get anxious.” He planted one big paw on my shoulder and steered me toward he counter under the main staircase.
“Things are different up here ow, Joey. Folks are angry, and the Order is catching the brunt of it. don’t think anyone’s glad those people died, but they don’t want the lame pinned on Gannet. Look at Greta.
She’s all tied up in knots ause of old-fashioned competition. The Natural Order came in, hrowing money around, and we took it. Hell, she and I are Selecten-we said they’d be good for the local economy. Now she’s going broke ‘cause of the Kingdom Restaurant. There’s a lot of that anger oin’ ‘round, blaming them so we don’t have to look in the mirror.” He tapped my cheek with his hand. “We can’t fight back at the flatlanders, or the economy, or the government, but we can take it out n the Order. They’re right here, in our own back yard; we can reach ut and squeeze ‘em. And unless this shit is straightened out fast, that’s ust what’s going to happen. Somethin’s going’ to blow.” He straightened suddenly, either struck with a new idea or reactng to a crick in his back. Then he mussed my hair. “Well, I think I’ll et one last one for the road. See you at home.” And he lumbered off oward the bar.
It had been a startling little speech, mostly because I’d thought him too drunk to give it, but it left me thinking, and a little worried.
The entire state of Vermont was in the same financial straits, but few places were in Gannet’s extremely tenuous position. Its gradual decline had been kicked into high gear by the arrival of the Order. And as Buster had pointed out, resentments had been given ample time to become properly misdirected. I wondered now if that resentment was burning hot enough to kill five people and turn their home into a crematorium.
I recognized Laura through her car window as she drove by, looking for a parking space. I was standing on the Rocky River’s porch, having left behind the noise, the smoke, the heat, and the stench inside. The cool, fresh air felt wonderful. It was warmer than last night, well above freezing for a change what Buster would call “a warm snap.” I stepped off the porch and met Laura on the sidewalk. “Hi.” She smiled, her face softly lit by the light from the Inn’s windows.
“Hi, yourself. How’s your ear? I thought you’d be in bed by now.”
I made an involuntary gesture toward my ear. “It’s
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