Chapter 6
After parking nearthe church at the bottom of Main Street, Gage took Lily’s hand and led her to the police station. They were the only ones on the street, on a Saturday afternoon, and it felt odd. Like somehow the town was unplugged from the rest of the world. “Where is everyone?”
“Probably at the police station, waiting for us.” She pulled on his arm until he stopped and looked at her. She’d taken down her ponytail, and her long brown hair hung loose her bare shoulders. Her black linen dress had a few wrinkles, and her black heeled sandals gave her a bit of extra height as well as that edge of elegance he’d always loved about her.
But it was the intensity in her brown gaze that seized his heart.
“Gage, we need a plan. If we walk into that police station, Ryan will arrest us.” She held up her broken arm. “And, to be honest, I’m exhausted. My arm aches. I just want to go home and take a nap.”
“I know you need to rest.” If she only knew what he’d do for her, like picking her up and carrying her back to... anywhere private... she’d probably run away. Instead, he brushed a finger over her cheek. “I have a plan. But for this plan to work, I need you to follow my lead.”
She blew strands of hair out of her eyes. “Why can’t you tell me what’s going on?”
“Because I don’t want you to hate me.” He took her hand again, and they passed the Town Hall, the old barn used town meetings, and a closed florist shop. A few minutes later, they reached the old brick police building that was last renovated before The Great War. Once they stopped before the stairs, he whispered, “I need you to trust me, Lils.”
She responded with a whisper of her own. “Trusting others is one of my least favorite things to do.”
“I intend to change that.”
She nodded, and they headed up the steps and entered the glass doors. Freezing air assaulted them, and they stopped in the small foyer.
She gasped. “Thank goodness for the air conditioning.”
“I agree.” Still holding her hand, he studied the first floor. An intake desk sat in the empty room on his left, a staircase on the right went up to the second floor—to the old Barber Shop—and a long hallway between them led to the main station in the back. “Where is everyone?”
“I hear voices from the back room.”
As they walked down the hallway, the voices got louder.
“That’s Nana Ruthie,” Lily said. “And I hear Jacob, I think.”
Once in the doorway of the main station, which was much larger than the front of the building, he surveyed the scene. A ten-by-ten-foot cell in one corner held Eve and Mr. Elmer. She still wore her sundress, and he had on a red T-shirt and overalls. They both sat on a bench and were playing cards, and laughing, oblivious to the chaos around them.
Nana Ruthie, in khaki capris and an orange T-shirt printed with the words ‘I’m not mean. I’m spicy’, stood in front of Ryan with her finger in his face. “You let Eve go now.” Every wag of her finger made more gray curls fall from her messy bun.
Damian stood next to Nana Ruthie. His arms were waving, and he was shouting so loud, it was hard to hear him.
Jacob was nearby, pacing, scowling, and throwing out intermittent curses. Townsfolk filled the rest of the room, many of whom he hadn’t seen since he’d left. Some looked much older and some, like Harry who was handing out water bottles, hadn’t changed at all.
As Gage studied the situation, he counted at least forty people, maybe more, mostly screaming at Ryan or Damian. A few were just watching everything.
Gage had to give Ryan credit. He just stood there in his wrinkled khaki uniform, arms crossed, taking it all in. He didn’t engage, and he didn’t react.
“I bet Ryan’s hoping to wait everyone out.” Lily spoke loudly to be heard over the room’s din.
The scene was both comic and heartbreaking, and now he understood why Caleb had come up with this plan. Gage wasn’t quite ready to move on the promise he’d made to his father, but when he noticed a group of Devil’s Renegades in another corner, frowning at everyone, he knew the time had come. “Please remember what I said, Lils. Follow my lead. And trust me if you can.”
Using two fingers in his mouth, he whistled. The loud whistle reverberated around the room, and all talking ceased. Then, slowly, everyone turned to stare at him.
Lilly’s shoulder bumped against his, and he inhaled her scent of lavender mixed with sunshine. She had no idea how much her presence affected him. How much he needed her right now.
Ryan stormed over, holding handcuffs. “You two.” He pointed to the tiny cell that held Mr. Elmer and Eve. “In there. Now. You’re under arrest.”
Lily scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest.
Gage raised one eyebrow. “No.”
It wasn’t an ordinary no. It was a no loaded with threats of armed resistance and violent outcomes.
Ryan’s eyes widened, and he held up his handcuffs. “Turn around, Gage.”
“No.” This no, quieter than the first, carried just as much self-confidence. Maybe even more so because it required Ryan to come closer to hear him.
Ryan’s face turned red. “I don’t think you understand the situation.”
The entire room, including Lily, watched him. It was so quiet, he wondered if everyone was holding their breath. “Actually, Ryan. You don’t understand the situation.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
He pulled a folded-up envelope out of his back pocket. Then he held it over his head. “This is a certified letter from Caleb, written and notarized before his death.”
Nana Ruthie and Jacob came closer, and he could read the questions in their eyes.
“I—” He cleared his throat, uncertain as to why he was hesitating, until Lily touched his arm. Her gentle urging, despite the fact she had no idea what he was about to say, filled his heart with confidence and conviction. “Due to an anomaly written into Kingsmill’s founding documents, Caleb was allowed to choose his successor as temporary mayor until the next election this fall.”
The crowd inhaled at once, making it sound like a storm had blown through the room.
Damian pushed his way through the crowd until he stood next to Ryan. “What are you saying, Gage?”
“I’m Kingsmill’s temporary mayor.” He handed the envelope to Ryan and pointed at the jail cell. “Sheriff Bourne, please release Eve and Mr. Irving. Now.”
* * *
The room erupted incheers and jeers, and Lily moved off to the side until Harry led her to a nearby chair. Then he opened a water bottle and handed it to her. She allowed her head to rest against the wall and drank deeply, grateful for the cold water against her hot throat. When finished, she used her fist to wipe the water off her chin.
Ryan threw the letter onto the floor. “This is ridiculous.”
Nana Ruthie picked it up, pulled out the notice, and read it. “It’s true.” Then she handed it to Jacob.
Jacob read it quickly, and his eyebrows almost met in the middle. He then handed it back to Ryan. “Caleb did make Gage the temporary mayor.”
Lily crushed the water bottle until Harry took it from her. Was she surprised by this announcement? No. It was a classic Caleb Mosby move. Was she surprised Gage hadn’t told her ahead of time? Not really. He’d always been a man who did exactly what he wanted, when he wanted.
Although she was hurt. Until she decided to take control of her emotions. Until this morning, she’d not seen Gage in twenty years. She had no business having hurt feelings over what he chose to tell her or not tell her. Their picnic together had been fun, but it wasn’t like they were friends. More like long lost acquaintances.
A situation which made her inexplicably sad.
Ryan scanned the document, frowned, and moved toward his desk that had an open laptop on top. Everyone parted for him, and they stayed silent as he typed.
Meanwhile, Gage moved to the center of the room with his powerful arms crossed over his chest and didn’t say a word. Between his height and his masculine stance, he was the epitome of an alpha male with a ‘don’t screw with me’ attitude. In that moment, he reminded her of Caleb—although she’d never mention that to Gage.
Everyone’s gazes bounced between Gage and Ryan, and then to Damian who’d begun pacing like a caged animal.
Finally, Ryan shut his laptop and stood. “It’s true. There is a clause in the town’s founding documents that allowed Caleb to make Gage a temporary mayor.”
“This is ridiculous!” Damian swung his arms around like he was reaching for a branch to drag himself out of the river. “How do we know this letter is even true?”
“It’s true,” Mr. Elmer said from his cell. “I witnessed Gage’s swearing in.”
Eve added, “So did I. We did it over Zoom.”
Lily stared at Eve and Mr. Elmer, who stood shoulder-to-shoulder in their cell. They’d both known about this? And not told anyone? Lily shook her head. This town—and her friends—were full of surprises today.
Nana Ruthie raised an eyebrow at Ryan. “What do the town rules say about a mayor correcting the mistakes of a sheriff? Specifically wrongful arrests?”
“Hey!” Damian snarled at Nana Ruthie. “Lily hit me.”
“You’re not hurt!” Nana Ruthie shot back. “Lily’s hand is broken. Because she was protecting Eve. The woman you hurt, so far without consequence. Isn’t that punishment enough?”
“No.” Damian turned toward Lily. When their gazes met, she stuck out her tongue.
Petty. But it made her feel better.
Gage laughed loudly, and she grinned back at him.
Damian’s eyes darkened, and he pointed at her, as if accusing her of witchcraft in the 17th century. “I want an apology.”
She stood and strode toward the bully biker. “Never.”
“Enough.” Gage’s voice carried through the room, and Lily took a step back.
Gage had always exuded confidence and calmness, but it was clear his years in the army had given him the leadership skills to control an unruly crowd. “I have something to say, and then we’re going to disperse, take some time to process this, and come up with a plan.”
Damian spat. “You’re a temporary mayor. Not a king.”
“I think you’ll also find in the town records,” Gage spoke slowly, as if talking to a child, “that a temporary mayor can call on emergency powers, when necessary.”
“What does that mean?” Ryan leaned back in his chair, but his attempt at being casual and chill was destroyed by the way he clenched and unclenched his hands. “Are you bringing in the National Guard? Or maybe a platoon of Army Rangers?”
“Of course not.” Gage released a deep sigh and settled his hands on his hips. “I’m calling an emergency meeting tonight. Eight p.m. In the town barn. If you want to know what will happen next, don’t be late.”
Before Ryan could stand or respond, Nana Ruthie grabbed the keys to the prison cell from his desk, pushed her way through the crowd, and unlocked the cell door. When Eve and Mr. Elmer emerged, with their hands raised in a victory salute, almost everyone erupted in laughter and cheers.
But not the entire room.
Lily took her time to study everyone there. Most were crowding Eve and Mr. Elmer with hugs and high fives, but a small contingent of people were not. All of the Devil’s Renegades members, Damian, and Ryan were huddled in a corner, whispering and glancing at Gage.
Now that his announcement had been made, Gage made a beeline for her. He took her unhurt hand and kissed her palm. “You have plenty of time to rest, but I’d like you there tonight. By my side.”
“Okay.” She tilted her head. “You do know how to surprise a girl.”
He leaned in and whispered, “Oh, sweetheart. I’m just getting started.”
She inhaled sharply, breathing in a good dose of his sexy, masculine scent. “What does that mean?”
“It means,” he kissed her hand again, “that I still need you to trust me.”
Before she could respond, he turned back to the room and whistled. When all eyes were on him again, he held her left hand up until all the talking stopped. “There’s one more thing.” He pulled something else out of his pocket and glanced at her with a wide smile as he slid a diamond ring on her finger. “Lily and I are engaged.”