74 Meet The Mayor, Meet the Presiden (1/2)
Amanda's optimism faded as time went on, and there was no Jeffrey, no sheriff, no mayor. When they eventually showed up, she couldn't help feeling grateful to them just for being there. Then she realized they'd come late on purpose, so that she would feel that way. It gave them an immediate advantage in any negotiations that would follow.
She didn't like that, and she didn't like the mayor either. Luke Kovacs was a tall, thin man with a sallow, cadaverous face with a five o'clock shadow that wasn't cultivated. He also had plenty of hair on his hands, and a few tendrils sprouting from the front of an unbuttoned shirt. There was none on his head: the bald dome gleamed evilly in the sunlight. As if to compensate, the few lanky strands that survived were long enough to curl on his collar. He had deeply sunk, hooded eyes and a mouth like a razor slash. Amanda could see he wasn't going to be easy to deal with.
She wasn't so sure about the sheriff. He was a chubby guy with a mustache like an old hairbrush. He was smiling at her in an easy-going, aw-shucks kind of way, but there was a glitter of ice in the slitted eyes.
”So you're the famous Amanda Queen,” said the mayor, and his voice was unexpectedly deep and rich. Amanda the singer knew a things or two about voices. Luke Kovacs had a beautiful voice, completely at odds with his looks. She could see or rather hear how he'd become the mayor of Skykomish.
”Genuine article,” she said lightly, and tried her appreciative smile on him. It didn't work.
”Luke Kovacs,” he said sourly. ”And this man here is Brian Madison, sheriff. Jeffrey tells us you have a business proposition. We're listening.”
”It's more than a business proposition,” Amanda said. ”It's an offer.”
”We're listening.”
”We're set to establish one of the biggest colonies in the New World. Possibly the biggest. We're asking you to join us.”
”Become part of your colony?” asked Kovacs.
”Yes.”
”No thanks.”
”You might want to think about it,” Amanda said.
”There's nothing to think about,” said sheriff Madison, and Kovacs threw him an appreciative glance.
”There,” he said, turning back to Amanda, ”He said it. But I also understand you have salt for sale. We can do business there. We'll pay you in silver or gold or both, whichever you like best. Deal?”
Amanda was silent. She could feel Sharon watching her, and she knew her reputation was at stake.
”I'd first like to know why you don't want to join us,” she said. ”If I decide you have valid reasons - then we can discuss deals.”
There! She turned the tables on those assholes in an instant. She was back in charge.
”Okay,” said Kovacs, after a pause. ”I'll spell it out for you. These two gentlemen here like the idea of running an independent colony. And I am fully supportive. You see, I happen to be their district governor. I combine the offices of mayor of our town and district governor of the corresponding territory in the New World. Much larger, if truth be known. Do you know Evan Vanderhorn? The Washington State senator? I do. We're good friends. Evan is state governor in the New World. You started your colony from Seattle, he's your state governor too. You want to pick a fight with all of us? Or you want to do a deal? I can't make it any simpler.”
Amanda stared at him for a while. Then she turned to look at Jeffrey, who was hovering to the side with a nervous smile.
”Thank you for your hospitality and the magnificent food, Jeffrey,” she said. She turned to Sharon and said:
”It's time we got going. If we ride hard, we could still make it to Seattle before nightfall.”
”We're leaving like, right now?”
”Yes,” said Amanda. She looked over her shoulder at Kovacs.
”I'm sure your friend Evan Vanderhorn can fix you up with all the salt you need,” she told him. ”Goodbye.”
She nodded to the sheriff and went back inside the house. Sharon followed her, a little reluctantly Amanda thought, so the moment they were alone she said:
”We're leaving in five minutes, so you'd better get ready fast if you want some time with your cousin.”
”Amanda, I - ”
”Get going.”
It took Amanda under a minute to gather up her belongings and straighten out a couple of things in the room: she wanted to leave it exactly as she'd found it. But Sharon was even faster than her; Amanda could hear her going down the stairs just as she reached for her backpack.
When she left the house, she saw Sharon talking animatedly to Jeffrey in the center of the front yard. The sheriff and the mayor were still present. They had parked their butts inside the parked police car, with the sheriff behind the wheel. It didn't seem like they were preparing to leave, Amanda could see they were talking and smoking up a storm in there, the air was blue even though they'd cracked the windows open.
Jeffrey had glanced at Amanda when he heard the front door open and he split with a long, loping stride before she could join him and Sharon. Sharon watched him go, then turned to Amanda and said:
”He's gone to get our bikes from the shed.”
”Good,” said Amanda.
Sharon hissed with exasperation. She said:
”Couldn't we spend one more night here? Then we could leave early in the morning, and get home before dark without busting our asses on the way.”
”No,” said Amanda.
Sharon maintained a hurt silence until Jeffrey returned, pushing the bikes.
”Here you go,” he said, tilting Amanda's bike towards her. She made him wait by strapping on her helmet and pulling on her gloves before reaching for the bike.
”Thank you,” she said. ”Thank you for everything.”