Chapter Three #2
“No, but I knew you were going after your shift. I should’ve told you to put your uniform back on, but I was distracted getting the monthly budgets done.”
“Then what does the mayor want?”
“If you’d given me a chance instead of interrupting me, you’d know.”
“Sorry, sir.” Interrupting his superior officers wasn’t something Zach did. In his job, where lives were at stake, everyone listened first and asked questions later.
The captain waved away his apology. “The mayor has requested our assistance with a project that is being planned.”
Zach’s dread returned. He’d never considered himself psychic.
There had been occasions where he’d anticipated what was going to happen with a fire before it did, but that came from experience, from working many fires and understanding how they moved with the wind.
It wasn’t some second sight. But right this second, he knew that the project the mayor wanted their help with was the one Tilly was planning.
“I see. What for, exactly?” Zach responded, feeling like he needed to say something.
“I think it’s the mayor being overly cautious as it’s not taking place inside a venue where there is a limit to the number of people allowed to attend. It’s more about making sure that the person follows through on her promises.”
Now Zach was confused. “Why are we getting involved if it’s not a fire hazard concern? And how are we going to ensure this person does what she says she’s going to do? How is that our responsibility?”
The captain tapped his pen on his notepad. “Son, community is what makes Marietta special. What Chelsea wants us to do may not be part of our normal job descriptions, but when the mayor asks us to help, we do it.”
Maybe this wasn’t about Tilly’s project. “Okay, so what do we need to do, then?”
“It’s a one-night event, happening Christmas Eve. I believe it’s going to be”—he picked up a piece of paper to the right of him and scanned it—“a traveling Nativity play, culminating in a Carols by Candlelight event at the fairgrounds.”
Zach wanted to stand and walk out. He didn’t want to be in the office a moment longer because his gut had been right—it was Tilly’s project.
Yet, he couldn’t. He had to keep his ass firmly planted in the chair and finish listening.
“Sounds like an interesting concept,” he managed to choke out.
Could there be a way to get out of this?
Why had he been asked to help out? Why couldn’t it be someone who’d been there longer? Someone who knew the town better than he did?
“It does, and if anyone else other than Tilly Bloom was organizing it, then I’d say it was going to be wonderful.”
“Why is Tilly doing it a problem?”
“Tilly is a wonderful person. Always helping out when she can, but she never finishes things she starts. Always went from job to job as a teenager. She even left Marietta for a job opportunity in Texas, but she was back after six months. Over the years we’ve learned that what Tilly says and does are two very different things. ”
Zach bristled at the captain’s character dissection of the lovely Ms. Bloom. He may have only met her once, but he’d seen the determination in her eyes. She wanted her vision to succeed. To make the town a part of something big.
“Maybe this time will be different,” Zach said.
“With you involved, it will be. The mayor really does like this idea and wants to see it come to life, so she decided that someone needs to help Tilly make this happen, and that person is you. I don’t have all the details of what’s planned.”
“I’m not sure I’m the right person for the job. I’m not good at organizing something like this.” Especially ones where his mom could potentially turn up and disrupt the new life he was building in this town.
Anyone else would be better than him.
“I don’t think that’s too much of a concern. You would be more in the background, making sure Tilly keeps up her end of the bargain.”
His palms grew clammy, and beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. The more they talked, the more he realized there was no chance of him getting out of this task. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Certainly.”
“Why me? Wouldn’t it be better to have someone Tilly is familiar with and more comfortable with?”
“I had considered a couple of the other guys on the team, but I thought this was a good opportunity for you to get familiar with the town. You’re new, and from what I’ve heard, you don’t seem to get out much. This will be good for you.”
It was becoming more and more obvious that any question he asked, the captain had an answer for. There had to be a way he could get out of this.
Wait . . . the event is Christmas Eve.
“I can’t do it,” he blurted out. “I’m working Christmas Eve. I can’t be part of planning an event I’m not going to be able to attend. Not to mention, it wouldn’t be fair to one of the other guys if they have to work after knowing they had the time off.”
The captain gave him a look, and his relief at being able to get out of it was quickly quashed. “I’ve played around with the roster. You’re off now. And before you ask, the person rostered on is fine with taking the shift. Seems they were looking for a way to get out of a family Christmas party.”
Zach opened his mouth to argue more but snapped it shut. There was no point. For whatever reason, he’d been given this assignment, and no one else would do.