“Go be boring somewhere else. You’ll get your money.”
We left them to it, and I waited until we were in the backyard. “Did you ask Bathin about the attack?”
Myra nodded. “He didn’t know the people. As far as he can tell, they are just humans who stumbled into a deal where they thought if they kidnapped you, they’d get paid.”
“Neat.” We made our way around to the driveway where we’d both parked. I frowned. “Lots of traffic for a Wednesday,” I noted.
“It’s Patrick. Someone leaked a video of him saying he was going to be filming here. Ever since then, there’s been a pretty steady stream of cars coming through.”
“Do we need to put more people on traffic?” I asked.
“I don’t think so,” she said. “It’s not that bad yet. You coming into the station?”
“I have to go see Bertie first. Angry Valkyries wait for no man. Or woman, apparently.” I gave her a wave and strode back to my Jeep, Than beside me.
Bertie perched behind her desk,her sharp, bright orange nails clicking on the smooth dark wood.
“Sorry I’m late,” I said.
She glanced up at Than. “You may close the door.”
He raised one eyebrow, but turned and did as the Valkyrie commanded.
She waited until the door latched, then sat back with a small grunt. “You’ve seen the list of festivals already. I have made a few changes I want to run by you.”
“All right.” I sat in the only available chair, spinning the folder on the desk toward me. “I notice you’re not asking my permission.”
“Nor would I, as it is not your place to coordinate the events. Unless you would like me to create a larger role of involvement for you in the ongoing festivities?”
“Nope. I am all the involved I prefer to be.”
“Mr. Baum has offered us the honor of sponsoring some of his videos. In return he would create extra footage.”
I glanced over the events and didn’t see any change drastic enough to get me involved with it. I pushed the folder away. “Why am I really here?”
“Have you seen his reporting on Boring?”
“No.”
She nodded, her lips pressed tightly together. “Let me show you.”
She typed on the keyboard next to her, then turned the screen so I could see the paused video.
She pressed play.
Patrick Baum had a snappy intro flashing pictures of him posing in all sorts of places, with all sorts of animals and food. He looked like he was having a rollicking time, and unlike some of the other people doing videos like this, it looked sincere.
Man might be handsome in person but he positively oozed charm over the camera. From the opening, it cut right to theEntering Boringhighway sign. Patrick pretended to fall asleep as soon as he crossed the city line.
The rest of the clip or stream or whatever it was called was fun, funny, and over quickly, with a promise for more.
I immediately wanted to see the next one.
“That,” Bertie said, “is our problem. He loved Boring. It’s gotten more likes and hits and attention than any other series he’s made.”
“Boo?” I said. “Boring sucks?”
“That is not the point. The point is, if he likes our town, we will, for some time, anyway, receive a lot of extra attention. If he hates Ordinary, we will receive hate tourists.”
