Mayor Cleveland was standing on the opposite side of the room, giving Carla a disgusted look.
"I'm so glad you could make it," the mayor remarked cheerfully, his voice not as hostile as it had been the previous time.
Carla had gone over her options numerous times, evaluating the benefits and drawbacks of donating her soul vs. assisting the townspeople. It was either the risk of incriminating herself or the certainty of the townspeople going hungry.
Carla reasoned that she should at least hear him out. Learn what he expected of her. "Well, it wasn't like I had much of a choice."
The mayor took a step forward. "May I offer you something to drink? We have some extremely fine wine down in the basement that I can have brought up."
"No, thank you," Carla respectfully said. "I'm a bit of a lightweight, and I prefer to keep my wits about me when I'm on the clock."
The mayor nodded thoughtfully, as though unsure whether that was a veiled insult, before finally responding, "Smart woman. Please take a seat then?" He motioned to an empty seat at the far end of the dining table. Carla hesitantly approached it and sat down.
The mayor took his place in his chair and pulled it a bit too close to her own. He leaned in to speak, "I wanted to apologize for my earlier... crassness. It was never my desire to dishonor your history. And I truly apologize for that. This job can get the best of me at times. And I vent my rage on other individuals. It's not a quality I'm especially proud of, but it's one I'm working on."
Carla wondered how long he had spent practicing those words, each syllable meticulously chosen. He was now in sales mode, employing the same demeanor that had worked him well in his prior political career.
"But hopefully, you can look past your first impressions of me, and then hopefully, we can help each other," he continued.
Carla didn't reveal anything since she didn't want to let her guard down for this man.
"I did a fair bit of research on you, Carla Garcia." Carla blinked as her entire name was mentioned. "Don't appear surprised. If you delve deep enough, you can find material. I also had my men dig." She noticed him leafing through a file that was kept together with paper clips. "Given your background, you've certainly come a long way from teaching history." He raised his eyes to her. "You are now in the enviable position of being able to make it."
"How did you come by that information?" Carla asked, curious whether someone she knew had revealed more about her to anyone, especially this creepy guy. Did he know that she’d killed a girl or that her family was a bit insane? Did he know about her encounters with Carson? Thoughts raced through her head like fireworks.
"My methods are my own," the mayor stated flatly, and Carla had the feeling she wouldn't get any more from him.
The mayor went on. "There is nothing in this town that's beyond my grasp. I can have anything I want within a few hours. But when I'm feeling generous, I see no reason why other individuals in my orbit shouldn't be able to also reap the advantages."
Carla saw where this was going and hoped the mayor didn't notice her wriggling nervously in her chair.
"I understand that San Antonio is running low on food supplies, so in exchange for your assistance, I will be willing to set up a more robust distribution route. Let’s say, hmmm once a week, ensuring that everyone in your neighborhood is healthy and fed."
Carla disliked asking the question, but she knew it had to be answered, if only for her own peace of mind. "And what kind of services do you anticipate from me?"
To her surprise, he didn't respond right away, instead shifting his copious weight in his seat. "Well, I can't give you any specifics, because this isn't your typical job description. However, I will make every effort to identify positions that match your 'unique' qualifications. Because I understand you were a teacher, there is a charter school where you can work some shifts.
"Of course, given that you will be spending a significant amount of time in Lehigh, it only makes sense that you have appropriate lodging; I will be provide you an apartment in exchange for your services."
The man's eyes kept roaming over her body; it gave her the creeps, but she was here to see what he had to say. Though the man's words should have comforted Carla, she had to consider who was making the offer and that she would have to leave her family behind to accept it.
"I recognize that this is a big decision to make," the mayor added, sensing her discomfort. But I guarantee you that working for me will provide you with all you need to satisfy both my requirements and the needs of the town of Lehigh."
Carla reasoned that the demands of the community and the mayor were likely the same thing in the self-serving man's head.
"And if you're still worried about your family," the mayor continued, his sales pitch unwavering, "there is a fully-stocked clinic equipped to treat your sister and grandmother's ailments."
Carla remained silent despite the benefits given. The mayor was using her own family as a bargaining chip.
"And I'll say that, while we've had our fair share of problems in Lehigh, we've never had to worry about looting. For us, going hungry is not an option."
Carla could not disagree; she’d seen the abundance this place offered.
The mayor reclined back in his chair, having said what he wanted and now waiting for Carla to do the mental math that told her this was the best option. "You are not required to respond immediately. Take some time for yourself to reflect on it. But I can tell you that this is the best offer you are going to get. I'll do my best to make sure the resources will be waiting for you when you say yes."
* * *
Carla somehow made it out of the mayor's office feeling as if she was going to be sick. Her head was spinning, her palms were sweating and everything seemed to have shifted ninety degrees from normal. Outside, she sank onto the stairs, overwhelmed by the possibilities of what she was offered.
"Hey, are you all right?" a familiar voice asked. Carla's ears perked.
“Carson?”
He stood there looking disheveled, with large bags under his eyes and a scruffy beard. She could see sweat stains on his shirt.
"What exactly are you doing here?" she asked, not getting the usual vibe from the man.
"I'm doing a few extra shifts for the mayor," Carson confessed, before hastily adding, "My kids need the food. And it isn't all that horrible."
Carla, on the other hand, knew Carson well enough to know when he was being dishonest.