Love Gone to the Dogs (Second Chances) by Daley Margaret

Author:Daley, Margaret [Daley, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-07-04T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

"You might as well come on inside and join the rest of the neighbors." Shane stepped aside to allow Mr. Calvert through the doorway.

Shane waved the older man into the living room, where seemingly a quarter of the people in town were assembled. Drawing in a deep, bracing breath, he listened to the din of voices bombarding Mr. Calvert as he entered the room.

"I was watching an episode of America's Most Wanted, and missed the end. That's one of my favorite TV shows." Ned could be heard over everyone else, Shane realized, and wished he were anywhere but in the midst of a gathering mob in the middle of his living room. Ned was out for blood, preferably Leah's and her grandfather's, with some of Shane's thrown in for good measure.

"I think he did it on purpose. I could have sworn the man they were highlighting looked a lot like Harold Smith. I told you all he was up to no good. What kind of name is Smith, anyway? Only someone out to hide something would use a name like that," Ned finished in a booming voice.

Shane tried to interject some rationality into the situation. "It could simply be the man's name. I think our town librarian, Rose Smith, would object to what you just said." Ned Shiplock would have the mob stirred up so that he would never be able to talk any sense into them. Shane stood in the doorway to his living room and surveyed his neighbors, who normally were friendly, warm people.

"Rose is different. She hasn't set out to disrupt the peacefulness of this town. I think we should have the police look into Harold Smith, aka no telling who."

Ned's declaration, followed by several yeas, propelled Shane forward into the middle of his neighbors. He held up his hand, palm outward, as if he were a cop trying to stop a stampede of protesters. He hoped he never had to find out what it would be like to stand between a surging mob and its intended target. "Let me have everyone's attention, please."

For a few seconds the noise level rose, and Shane wasn't sure what to do next. Crowd control hadn't been covered in medical school. He brought his two fingers to his mouth and let out a loud whistle. His neighbors grew quiet and stared at him as though he had sprouted a second head.

"Thank you," Shane said quickly before he lost the moment. "I think we need to discuss this in a sane, rational—"

"There's nothing sane and rational about that man," Ned interrupted, gesturing toward the front window. "He's a public menace and should be forced to leave this town before something worse happens. A blackout one day, a disaster the next. Do your job, Mr. Mayor."

A few people nodded. Luckily, most turned their attention toward Shane, as if he had an answer to the problem. "You can't force people to leave Shady Oaks. This is America."

Ned put both fists on his waist. "Yeah, we all know why you don't want them to leave town.

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