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I looked up, hearing the echoing noise. From the footsteps alone, I could tell the shoes were fancy. I bet they were paired with a suit, and the only person who wore one was Mayor Toby himself.

“We gotta get out of here and cover ourselves.”

“The one time he decides to show up,” I groaned. “Let me just get a picture of this.”

I snapped a picture of who bought the land. Then I put everything back where it had been and hurried into the hallway with Marjorie. We ran into Mayor Toby as we walked out.

“People are here.” His thick eyebrows drew in tightly. “You know, when this town hall was redone, I didn’t think anyone would ever be in here. And look, you proved me wrong. Can I help you ladies with anything?”

“It’s Marjorie.” Her voice was flat. “Do you really not use names, or did you forget the tons of times I’ve told you mine?”

Mayor Toby’s face went blank. “Uh, I remember. I’ll use it next time.” He looked at me and gave an awkward smile. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that he didn’t know who the hell I was.

We watched him leave and disappear into his office before both of us tore out of the building and went to the library.

“That was close,” she said. “If it were anyone else, they might have pieced it together.”

“Good thing he’s an idiot.” I shook my head and got my phone back out. “It was too close, but we managed it.”

“Do you want to talk to your friends?”

“I should.”

“I’ll set something up, if you want.”

“Please and thank you.”

“I’ll do it for the low, low cost of you telling me who bought that land. The last thing I want is for someone to do something with it. The spring is on that, right?”

“Yeah, it is.”

I pulled up the photo and Marjorie got close to read it too.

The name was one I didn’t recognize.

“Shit,” Marjorie said. “That’s not the same one that bought the library.”

My shoulders tensed. I knew how the STM grant worked. Even if I didn’t know their intentions, for now, they were safe.

This was someone new. Someone none of us knew.

“I’m calling the girls.” Marjorie put a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll figure this out, kid.”

It would’ve helped more if she didn’t sound as panicked as I was.

Numbly, I made my way to one of the meeting rooms and sat, still staring at the document.

Wren was the first to arrive. “There you are. Marjorie made it seem like there was an emergency. Did you make a breakthrough with the grant?”

“No, this is unrelated, but no less important.”

Wren’s eyes widened and she sat. “Then we’ll figure it out. I know everyone else is on their way.”

My leg didn’t stop bouncing until all my friends were there. When the five of us were at a table, I finally spoke. “Hugh sold a bunch of land to someone we don’t know.”

“What?” Mollie asked.

“We all agreed not to!” Grace added.