Page 74 of Valor

Rod grinned and shook his head. “Nope. This was on my own time, but I need to get back home. Keep me posted if you need anything else.”

As Rod left, Heather couldn’t help feeling she was slowly losing everyone. What if Allen decided he had other work to do? Other than Oliver, she didn’t have anyone who would understand her fears about her father and herself.

“I don’t have anyone you can stay with. The civic center will be full of people because there are plenty of folks who don’t think this is right.”

She had yet to hear what he thought about the planning measure that did so much more than offer land up for sale. “You think we’ll be safe there?”

Allen gave a single, firm nod and stood from his chair. He locked the thumb drive in his desk, then shrugged on his coat. “We should go. I let Tommy know that when he’s finished across town, he needs to come and be my backup at the civic center. I don’t like being the only officer there when things could get heated.”

Not to mention this suddenly seemed tied to her in multiple ways. Before, she’d only been concerned with the business zoning. “I appreciate that. Will we go back to the campsite tonight?” If they were, she wanted to stop at a store to grab clean blankets and a flashlight of her own.

“I think it’s the best plan. No one knows we’re there and they would have to risk following us down a road that’s never used to find out where we are.”

As much as she wasn’t a fan of cobwebs in the corners and paint that would give her lead poisoning if a chip of it fell into her coffee, she had to agree about the safety. No one came back there. “Great. Let’s stop and get a few things after the meeting.” There was a risk in going, but the men after her would also have to risk being caught if they appeared there. The room would be jam-packed with people, all of whom had an opinion on the zoning measure.

“Good plan.” He held up her coat to help her into it. Her arm now throbbed, and she remembered she hadn’t taken medication like the ranger had suggested. “I might need a little something to take the edge off this too.” She held up her arm.

Allen opened the door and led her back out of the building. Night covered everything in a filmy haze of fog. The unusually humid day caused low-hanging fog to cling to light poles and diffused every other light near the ground.

“I wasn’t expecting this.” Allen frowned. “Tracking us will be easier. We’ll have to be extra careful after the meeting.”

Her plan was to be careful no matter the weather or where they were.

* * *

Allen bracedhimself to walk with Heather into the meeting. The parking area was full, meaning this was a touchy subject for the people of Wall. Generally, the town did politics like every other city, they only got involved when something was really important to them.

Heather tensed as they neared the door, and she pulled something from her pocket. She held out her hand, and he stopped to hear her.

“I think you should look at this one more time before we go in. The place will be packed, so there’s going to be people in there you or I don’t recognize. If we both know who to look for, we’ll be more prepared.”

He agreed and he grabbed his flashlight from his belt, then held the beam above her drawing. The detail was so complete. It was like looking at a photo. If this didn’t help them find the attacker, nothing would.

“I think I’ve committed it to memory. It’s a good drawing.” He clicked off the light, but not before he caught a brief smile caressing her lips. He wanted to see that more often, but that wouldn’t happen until he caught the man responsible for kidnapping her father and tracking her.

He held open the door and inspected the room before letting her inside. Like he’d thought, it was standing room only. He gently directed her to the front corner, where he could watch everyone. Unfortunately, it would also make her visible to everyone.

She sat in a chair next to him and threaded her hands together in her lap. Tension rolled off of her like waves crashing on an ocean shore. He reached out and took her hand in his, realizing when her warm palm was flush with his that he hadn’t intended to actually do that. He heard her short gasp and felt her turn toward him.

Should he release her? He didn’t really want to, and she didn’t tug away. While he was touching her, he could focus his attention on everyone in the room because he knew exactly where she was. She was safe next to him.

People gathered in small groups, talking in loud voices. Mayor Amber Stiner approached the front of the room and held one hand high. “I’m glad all of you came. We’re here to discuss zoning measure 205b. Oliver Thornquist, you may have the floor.”

Oliver? As in Heather’s neighbor? He hadn’t read anything about him in the zoning submission, though he’d been busy with Heather. He watched the older man thump his cane loudly down the center aisle as he approached the mayor.

“Thank you, ma’am.” His gruff voice carried even without a microphone. He went behind the podium and the room quieted. “Good evening. Most of you know I owned the land in question just fifteen years ago.” That hadn’t been what Allen had seen in the filing. Had Oliver changed his name?

Heather squeezed his hand tighter, and he broke eye contact with Oliver to find out why. She stared at the back of the room and her cheeks had gone ashen. He tried to find the person, but in the sea of people, he couldn’t figure out who it could be.

Oliver went on, “Being that the land was mine and it was taken from me without proper notice, I’m asking you good folks to consider the offer made. If the zoning is changed and that land must be used for agricultural purposes, then it would force the sale of that land.”

Someone in the back piped up, “If you didn’t like that the land was taken from you, why should we get behind having it taken from someone else? I’m not in support of governmental takeovers in the name of progress. They bought that land and should be able to use it as they want to.”

A chorus of agreement sounded throughout the room.

Oliver thumped his cane against the floor three times. “You all talk about wanting a secure economy for Wall that doesn’t have to do with tourism, so do something. Farming brings in money. There’s no other use for that land to bring in more money for the city of Wall.”

Allen watched the crowd, waiting to see who agreed and who remained hidden in the shadows. One man in a suit came forward a few steps and Oliver’s face broke into a big smile. “Wasn’t sure you’d make it tonight, son. I’d like to introduce the man who’d like to buy that land and put it to good use. This is my son, Aaron Greyson.” He stepped aside and the younger man took his place.

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