I debated all night about telling Goldie what I learned when I spoke with Rodney. In the end, I decided to keep the information to myself. She didn’t trust me. She believed I was trying to sabotage her job. It hurt more than I thought it would to know she thought I could do something like that, and I couldn’t open myself up to more judgement and anger from her.
The next few days were quiet around the office. Theo and Eve barely spoke to me. They were just as angry as I was, but they decided I was the bad guy, so they were taking it out on me. Goldie was only communicating through email. We weren’t speaking when we passed each other, and I worked with my door closed most of the time.
If I didn’t find a way to fix all of this, I was going to need to look for a new job. Hell, maybe if I did fix it, I needed to look for a new job. I wasn’t sure I could stand being there with all of them when they didn’t believe in me and thought so little of me.
Wednesday afternoon, I left early to meet with Rodney’s lawyer. Once he found out we’d spoken, he was angry, but when Rodney and I explained I was trying to help, he was willing to listen. Rodney approved my involvement in everything, up to and including the conversations the lawyer, Weston, had with Clara.
Everything was falling into place. It felt like a victory. I wanted to share it all with Goldie, but I was too raw and she was too angry.
“Mr. Hill. Thanks for coming,” Weston said when I arrived. “We’re all waiting for you.”
“All?”
Weston was an older man with a kind smile and sharp green eyes. He wore a too-big gray suit and sneakers, which made me smile. His voice was deep and commanding, the kind of man you’d listen to in a courtroom, or anywhere else.
I followed him into the conference room where Rodney and Clara were already sitting, talking and smiling.
“You’re out of the hospital. I’m so happy to see that,” I said to Clara. She had her curly hair tied up away from her face and a bandage on her left hand. Her brown eyes were bright and happy. Aside from the bandage, you’d never know she spent two days in the hospital.
She chuckled. “I’m out. They mostly kept me longer as an extra precaution. I could have been treated and released the same day, but since it was my hand, they wanted me to stay and make sure I didn’t have any mobility or nerve issues.”
“Which they should have done,” Rodney argued sternly. “We are going to cover everything.”
Clara waved him off, but Weston stepped in and said, “Let’s discuss all of this.”
I took a seat across the table from Rodney and Clara, with Weston at the head. Weston handed out stapled packets of paper to each of us.
“What you have is all the evidence we have in this case. The first page is an affidavit from Rodney stating Mayor Levine asked him to serve fried food using a fryer. It details the conversation to the best of Rodney’s memory, stating he mentioned the violation of the contract and Mr. Mayor stating that no one would check and the food would be better.”
I read through the paperwork and knew that alone was enough to run the mayor out of town. If even one news station picked it up, he’d be done.
“Next we have the contract that Rodney signed. It was clear that fryers were not allowed. That’s to show we’re not trying to hide anything. Rodney admits he violated the terms of the contract he signed but only did so when he received encouragement from the mayor prior to the event.”
I scanned over the contract I’d read dozens of times. It was the same one we had all vendors sign. Being in the park, the risk of high winds meant restricting anything that could blow over and burn someone. The fact that it only happened the one time was a relief, but it still happened.
“Next are Clara’s medical records from the hospital. Clara is here because she’s agreed to be a part of this and has given us permission to use her medical records as evidence against the mayor.”
“What about your injuries?” I asked her.
“I’ve been working in restaurants my entire life. I love it. Burns are a part of the job. Not that it was fun, but it’s expected and I’m not upset by it. I knew what the contract said, and I didn’t argue about it. I’m just as liable as Rodney.”
“But you’re the one who was hurt,” Rodney said, putting his hand on her uninjured one. “I’m so sorry for that, Clara.”
“I know you are. And I appreciate you offering to pay my bills.”
“It’s not an offer. We’re going to cover it. I think that’s the next page, right?” Rodney looked at Weston for confirmation.
“It is,” Weston agreed. “Rodney and Liz have agreed to cover all of Clara’s medical expenses related to the incident. The restaurant’s insurance will also cover the damage to town property. We’ve already spoken to their agent and everything is going to be handled appropriately.”
“So, where does all of this leave us with the mayor? He’s the one who made everything happen. Why is he getting off without punishment?”
Weston closed his packet of paper and folded his hands on top of it. He looked at Clara and Rodney, then back at me. “That’s what we’d like to ask you about. Rodney’s insurance is covering the damage. He’s taking the hit for it. Clara is not looking to sue anyone. We can ignore all of this as far as the mayor is concerned, or we can push the issue and force him out of office.”
“He doesn’t deserve that office.”
“Agreed,” Rodney said. “But if I go after him, it’ll be my word against his and I’m not in a position to prove my innocence.”
“Which is what we want from you. You said there were other incidents that you believe the mayor influenced? Is that something you can share with us?” Weston asked.
I drew a breath. “It’s all suspicion. We have no proof. Memorial Day Weekend, we had one chef who didn’t show up because he was asked to come the next day. The same night, the band we booked was told we’d found a better replacement and didn’t want them to come either. We haven’t been able to prove it, but both people were contacted from a generic number in Town Hall.”
“And you believe it was the mayor? Why would he do that?”
“He doesn’t like my boss. He feels as though women shouldn’t be in charge and wants to push her out. He cut our budget by fifteen percent two weeks before our kick-off event and told her if she didn’t hit it, he was going to fire her.”
Rodney whistled. “That’s a big hit. But is that enough to go after him?”
Weston shook his head. “No, but it might be enough to scare him. Patrick, how good is your deception?”
I shrugged. “Okay, I guess. Why?”
“Because I think I know how we can get the mayor to resign without anyone else getting hurt.”
“I’m listening.”
The rest of the week was busy. Weston and I were in touch daily with anything we could find out about Mayor Levine. He wanted time to dig into the man’s background before I confronted him, so we agreed I would request a meeting with the mayor at the end of the following week, which was right before July Fourth.
The weekend events went well. We had no issues and no concerns at all. Everyone showed up, and even the weather cooperated.
Goldie still didn’t speak to me. She sent me texts if there was something I needed to know quickly, but otherwise we didn’t communicate. The entire time, I tried to tell myself it was okay, but it wasn’t. It hurt like hell. I loved her, and she dismissed me like I was nothing. Like what we had was never that important to her.
The only bright spot was Mom was a little happier when I saw her Sunday night. I missed dinner with everyone, but Mom was smiling a little more. When I asked her about it, she said she enjoyed her time with the grandkids.
“I was really hoping you and Goldie would give me another one or two,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
I shook my head. “Mom, I don’t want kids. And Goldie doesn’t want me.”
“You’ll change your mind, and you two will work it all out.”
“Mom,” I said firmly. “I need you to hear me. I know you don’t want to accept it, but I don’t want kids. I’ve never wanted kids.”
She teared up at my harsh words. “I’m sorry. I push too hard. I just always hoped you would decide you did. If you met the right woman. You’re such a good man, and you’d make such a great father.”
“I’m sorry I snapped, Mom. It’s been a long week.”
“Goldie will come around. The ones we love always do.”
“Have you heard from Dick?”
She shook her head. “No. And I won’t. He’s moving on. He won’t put me in a position to turn him down again.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t turn him down again.”
She smiled sadly. “I know you don’t like him. I’m not going to choose him over you.”
“I had no right getting involved in your relationship, Mom. And if I was going to stick my nose in it, I should have at least made sure I knew what was going on. Dick’s a good man, Mom.”
“I know.”
“And he’s not Dad, but he’s kind and he adores you. That’s what really matters.”
“Not if you won’t come around when he’s here.”
“I will. I’ve seen a different side to him. I didn’t want to see who he was before, but I was wrong to think of him as the bad guy. He was there for you when I wasn’t.”
“You’re supposed to have your own life, Patrick. You don’t need to hang around your old mom forever.”
“And you need to have your life, too. Call Dick, Mom. Tell him to come home.”
“He won’t.”
“Yes, he will. He told me he would if you decided you wanted him to.”
“You spoke to him?” she gasped.
“I did. Because I realized after he left that I was wrong about a lot of things, and that I needed to apologize to him and make things right between you. He said my apology isn’t enough and that you have to decide what you want. He’s not going to make you refuse him again.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks. She patted my hand. “Thank you, Patrick. I know that wasn’t easy for you to do.”
“I never should have been so hard on him in the first place. Or on you. You deserve to be loved, Mom. And you picked a man who loves you with his entire being.”
She smiled. “Yes, I did. And you’ll find a woman who’s the same.”
My heart stung at her words. I thought I had when I fell for Goldie. When she let me in and said I gave her hope and she might be feeling the same way I did. But love didn’t seem to be in the cards for me. Maybe one day, but I couldn’t imagine risking my heart again. Not after the pain I was in. It was better to just stop trying. Find a new job and move. Leave the hurt behind and make the most of a new life. One far from Goldie and MacKellar Cove.
My meeting with the mayor was scheduled for late Friday afternoon. Weston and I decided meeting with him going into the weekend was the best. It would take a little while for the news to become public, giving Levine a chance to get out of town. We hoped.
I didn’t bother telling the others I’d be leaving early since none of them spoke to me anyway. After I settled things with Mayor Levine, I would find a new job and submit my resignation. But first, I needed to get Goldie’s job back.
Mayor Levine’s assistant, Jane, was at her desk when I walked in. She gave me a tight smile and said he was ready for me.
I knocked on the door and let myself in when I heard him call out. Mayor Levine stood and approached me, holding out his hand for me to shake. He was treating me like an equal, someone worthy of his approval. And he was expecting the same from me.
“Good afternoon. I heard the events last weekend went well. No doubt because you were in charge.”
“Actually, Goldie was the one who had everything set and ready for the weekend. She’s the one who deserves credit when everything goes according to plan.”
The mayor’s lips tightened and thinned. His eyes blazed with anger. “Yes, well, if that were the case, errors wouldn’t have happened under her watch. Let’s sit and talk about how we’re going to change things within the tourism department for the better and make MacKellar Cove an even more attractive tourist destination next summer.”
I nodded. “That’s exactly why I came here.”
He grinned and rounded his large desk. He sat down and leaned back in his chair. “Well, the first thing I’m assuming you want is to have your budget back. I’m not sure I can get all fifteen percent for you, but I’ll see what I can do. If we’re going to improve the town, it’ll cost some money.”
“Yes, it will. But you won’t be the one approving that budget.”
“Excuse me?” Mayor Levine leaned forward and glared at me. He threaded his fingers together and rested his hands on the desk.
“You’re going to resign. Today. You’re going to tell everyone you got a new job or you’re having a personal issue or you were never qualified for this job and are leaving. I don’t really care what you tell people, as long as the words I resign are a part of it.”
“Why in the hell do you think I would do that?” he snarled.
“Because if you don’t, I’m going to expose you for the snake you are.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about you calling Chef Julian and telling him that he needed to come in a day later and you would pay the extra five percent. And I’m talking about you calling Unhinged and telling them you found a better band. And I’m talking about you telling Rodney from Betty’s that he could bring a fryer to the event two weeks ago, even though you knew it was a violation of his contract.”
“If he chose not to follow the contract, that’s not on me.”
“Actually, according to his lawyer, as a representative of MacKellar Cove, your request and assurance that no one would know constitutes approval of that violation. That means you will be named as a defendant for the injuries and property damage in the event of a lawsuit.”
“That’ll never stick,” he growled. “And you can’t prove anything. It’s his word against mine, and no one will believe that fool over me.”
“Actually, I think a lot of people will. And I think you know that, but even if you don’t, I don’t think you’re willing to risk your reputation on the chance that you’re right.”
“I am right.”
“Well, you might be right, but you have two options. You can take your chances with the public and let the people of MacKellar Cove decide if they trust you or Rodney, who has the support of myself, Ms. Spear, and the entire tourism department, not to mention his attorney and all his staff. Or you can resign with whatever excuse you want to come up with.”
Mayor Levine glared hard at me. I could see the caged animal in his gaze. He was trapped, and he knew it.
“You’ve made an enemy, Mr. Hill. You’re not going to succeed at your job now.”
I laughed. “I don’t want the job you assigned to me. I never did. Goldie Spear deserves that job. And our new mayor will reinstate her the minute you’re out of office.”
On cue, there was a knock on the door. It opened before Mayor Levine had a chance to say anything and Vice-Mayor Omar Knight walked in. “Good afternoon, gentlemen.”
Omar was everything Mayor Levine was not. Forward thinking, supportive of women and nonbinary people being in charge, and competent. He was in his mid-thirties. He hadn’t been in politics long enough and was not next in line when Mayor Sanchez stepped down, which was the only reason Omar didn’t get the job over Levine. But I saw that as a good thing.
“I did not tell you to come in,” Mayor Levine spat. It was clear they did not get along.
Omar met my gaze, then slid his back to Mayor Levine coldly. “Well, considering this is going to be my office very shortly, I don’t care what you did or did not do.”
Mayor Levine sputtered. “You don’t deserve this office.”
“Actually, sir, you don’t deserve this office. You put the town and the residents at risk with the stunts you’ve pulled the last few months. You do not get to sit there and judge anyone else. It’s past time you submitted your resignation and left the building.” Omar crossed his arms and stared down at Mayor Levine.
Mayor Levine rose to his full height, which was still a few inches shorter than Vice-Mayor Knight. The two men squared off silently. Levine turned red and looked like he was going to pop while Knight remained calm and did nothing more than raise a single brow.
“You’ll regret this,” Mayor Levine snarled.
“If you ever say anything disparaging about anyone in this town, including Ms. Spear, Mr. Hill, myself, or anyone else you’ve tried to manipulate in your schemes, you will be the one who regrets this. Legal action will be taken against you for your part in the ruined events this summer. And that legal action will draw all your demons out of the shadows, sir.” Vice-Mayor Knight refused to sink to Levine’s level. He was telling the truth, not making empty threats. He was aware of everything that had happened and didn’t hesitate to believe it all.
Mayor Levine growled at us and slammed his chair back, letting it crash into the wall. He rushed around his desk and headed for the door. When he opened it, Officers Rucker and Masterson were waiting to escort the mayor off the property.
Jane watched the scene with shock and a barely contained smile. Mayor Levine turned back to Vice-Mayor Knight and me, but thought better of saying something and instead stormed out of Town Hall with the officers following closely behind him.
It was finally over.