Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 102523 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102523 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
She sits down with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest so that the only visible part reads “Chaos,” which seems appropriate. “I’ll be back.”
“I’m sure you will. Now, new business?”
A cacophony of voices fills the room, almost all of them wanting to talk about the rezoning plan.
“My taxes—”
“Where the hell am I gonna hunt come fall?”
“I’ll tell you what you can rezone . . .”
“Lining your pockets—”
Some of the comments are funny, some are ridiculous, but most are just angry and pissed off. Most of the people here feel one overwhelming thing: they’re not being listened to by the very people they elected to do just that.
As the roar continues, Hazel whispers, “I thought you said Winston was coming? I know Avery told me she scheduled an aide for Grandpa Joe.”
I look at my watch, noting that Winston is now twenty minutes late. Since returning from his honeymoon, he’s been working on analyzing every angle of the subdivision plan. Maybe it was the honeymoon phone call, or maybe it was the meeting at Avery’s house, but he’s no longer sitting on the fence on this.
Still, he’s between a rock and a hard place, professionally responsible for the success of the project, but personally wanting to stop it from going forward. I’ve been helping, researching the way the initial property tax law was passed, but since I’m not a tax attorney, I haven’t found anything suspicious there.
Then I tried looking into Jed, but he’s as slick as always. Nothing illegal, just an asshole. As far as I can find, he’s not even cheating on Aunt Chrissy, which is something I’ve always assumed based on his history.
I check the door, which hasn’t moved, and tell Hazel, “He should be here.”
Finally, the council gets some semblance of order, and a line forms behind the microphone. The cavalcade of comments goes on for a long time, person after person having their turn behind the microphone. Sue-Ellen even waves around the petition before reading off every single signature. All this in an attempt to persuade council members to vote one way or the other.
Well, no one is speaking in favor of the rezoning, but Jed’s presence is felt all the same.
Finally, the door opens silently, and Winston comes in, turning around to hold the door for Avery and Grandpa Joe. Avery helps Joe to the back row of chairs, where he taps on the leg of the aisle seat with his cane, making the guy sitting there move so he can sit down.
Once he’s settled, Avery comes to stand with Winston next to me. “Grandpa Joe refused to stay home,” she explains, “so it took us a while to come to an ‘agreement.’” She uses her fingers to make air quotes.
Grandpa Joe turns around and hisses, “You mean it took too damn long for you to give in and help me to the car. We missed most of the hearing now.”
Avery rolls her eyes, used to Joe’s grumpiness, and he turns back around, grousing and muttering to himself.
Now that Winston is here, I ask, “Find anything?”
“Yeah, but . . .” Winston says, before pausing.
I cut my eyes to him hard. “But what? Can it stop this shitshow?”
Winston looks to Avery, obviously having already talked about this with her. She nods encouragingly. Before Winston can give me a clue about what he’s discovered, Dad speaks. “If there’s nothing further, we’ll hold the vote.”
I push Winston forward, and he stumbles over his own feet but recovers quickly enough to glare at me. Holding his hand up, he says, “Excuse me, may I speak?”
Dad’s eyes narrow sharply, and Jed takes a step forward, his jaw tight.
Winston ignores both silent orders to stop and steps up to the microphone. “My name is Winston Ford. Full disclosure seems prudent, so Mayor Bill Ford is my father, and I work for Jed Ford as lead architect.”
He scans the table full of council members, several of whom smile back, likely thinking they know what side of the issue Winston is on. But out of the corner of my eye, I see Jed’s face . . . and he knows.
“It’s been my role to oversee the Springdale Ranch subdivision, from inception to design, and depending on tonight’s vote, potentially to actualization. I feel it is necessary for all parties to have complete information so that you can make the important decision you’re tasked with tonight.”
I whisper to myself, “Get on with it, Winston.”
At my side, Avery bumps me with her elbow. “This is hard for him. He’s torpedoing his career over this.”
“What did he find out?” I whisper, keeping my eyes on Winston.
“It doesn’t matter,” Avery explains. “Just by getting up there against Jed, he’s done.”
I wonder if she knows about Jed paying for the wedding, and how much of a hold Jed has over Winston because of that. But now isn’t the time to have that discussion.