Page 16 of Holding on to Chaos
Jax slapped at his hand. “Dude, we had an empty house for the first time all week. We weren’t going to waste it.”
Joey, a leggy brunette who took exactly zero crap from anyone, kicked her husband in the shin. “Jesus, Jax. Keep it down.”
“That’s what she said ten minutes ago,” Eva quipped.
“Ohhhh!” Gia offered her an enthusiastic high five.
Joey gave Eva’s hair a playful tug. “You’re just jealous.”
“Yes, yes I am.”
The house lights flickered, signaling everyone to take their seats and wrap up their conversations. A minute later, Beckett and Donovan took the stage followed by deputies Colby and Layla in uniform.
The crowd buzzed with excitement, and Eva felt her pulse quicken when Donovan’s eyes scanned the theater. He saw her, his gaze lingering a moment, before moving on. Mr. All Business. She wondered what went on beneath that stoic surface?
It was crowded. Everyone was undoubtedly curious about what prompted the emergency town meeting, and the town had turned out in full force. Rainbow Berkowicz, bank president and wife of a hapless hippie, was live streaming the meeting to the Blue Moon Facebook group from the front row.
Beckett put his hands on the lectern and leaned in to the mic.
“Okay, everyone. We’re going to get started here. I’d like to thank Sheriff Cardona for bringing this issue to our attention, and I expect you’ll be interested in what he has to say.”
Beckett backed away as the applause started and motioned Donovan up to the mic.
“Thanks, everyone, for coming out. I won’t keep you long. Who here remembers the summer of 1987?”
Eva looked around at the scattered hands that rose.
Donovan looked around. “How about who remembers everybody going crazy and acting like the Higgenworth Communal Alternative Education Day Care kids?”
Hands flew up everywhere. It looked to Eva as though everyone over the age of forty had a recollection. Eva leaned over to Gia. “Someone’s going to have to explain that one to me.”
Summer poked her head between their seats, her blonde hair falling over her face like a curtain. “HCAEDC is a free-range daycare that doesn’t believe in discipline. The kids are little monsters who never hear the word no. Don’t ask Carter about them. He’s still scarred for life.”
Carter shuddered convincingly behind her.
“Oh, my God. I love this town so damn much,” Eva sighed.
“I don’t want to alarm anyone,” Donovan said. “But we’re looking at a similar situation now.”
Soap opera-worthy gasps went up around them.
“Now, astrology isn’t my strong suit. So, I’ve invited Charisma Champion to give you a little overview on what we might be facing.”
A woman with black hair that curled to her waist took the stage to enthusiastic applause. “Thank you, Sheriff,” she said grandly before addressing the crowd. She jumped into a description of the solar system, planetary alignments, and astrological signs.
“I’m only catching every other word,” Eva whispered to Emma.
“I’m on every third word. Moon! There. I know that one,” Emma whispered back. “I can’t believe I worked the lunch shift for this.”
Emma managed John Pierce Brews, the Pierce’s brewery and business was booming… or brewing.
“Totally worth it,” Eva predicted. “Just you wait.”
Charisma was finishing up her technical description. She scanned the audience. “Are there any questions?”
Every person present raised a hand, and Eva had the pleasure of seeing the crack in Donovan’s façade as sweat broke out on his forehead.
“Hang on,” he said, leaning into the mic, to quiet the crowd. “This is what you need to know. You might be tempted to do something out of character. You might feel compelled to act out in some way or to make a big decision this month. All we’re asking is that you don’t do anything at all.”
