Ryan stops by the counter and tips an imaginary hat.
Nothing in his demeanor suggests he’s a bully.
For a second, I worry that no one will believe me. That it will go like it
always does, and Ryan will somehow convince everyone I’m lying.
I turn my head slightly so my cheek rests against Caspian’s chest. His heart beats steadily under my ear, telling me it’s okay. Then I realize it is okay. It actually is. I know what happened. I know the truth. I know I wasn’t asking for it.
Ryan hasn’t spotted us yet.
“I’m Ryan Rutherford. I just wanted to stop by and say hello,” he says pleasantly to Dorothy, who’s standing behind the till. “I’ve been house-hunting.”
“What? House-hunting, you said? Oh my gosh, you caught me completely off guard!” Dorothy says, her voice unnaturally loud.
Ryan blinks.
“Did you hear that sound?” Delilah asks, equally loudly. “It was my jaw hitting the ground!”
Becky sighs.
Earl takes a step toward Ryan. His owl has materialized in his lap, and Earl strokes its wing.
“This is Bob,” he says, beaming with pride. He thrusts the bird closer to Ryan, who takes a step back. “Bob used to be a bully.”
“Wh—what?” Ryan stammers.
Earl’s sincere smile is the most terrifying thing in the room.
“Don’t worry,” he says kindly. “His skin was removed very gently.”
Ryan pales. Honestly, I think everyone pales. I wonder how well this town even knows Earl.
“We have a motto!” Steve announces so loudly he’s almost shouting. “Die another day!”
“That’s a Bond movie,” Ann-Sabrina groans. “Not a motto.”
“Really? Not sure I’ve seen that one,” Steve says.
Maija steps forward.
”In Finland, we welcome guests into the sauna.”
A pause. A calm sip of coffee.
“Bullies always burn.”
Ryan tries to laugh, but it dries up in his throat.
“Is that a threat?”
Maija smiles broadly. I didn’t know her face could do that. It’s deeply unsettling.
“Only if you’re a bully. Are you a bully, Mr. Rutherford?”
Ugly red blotches crawl across Ryan’s cheeks.
“Fun fact,” Eliot offers. “Men who rely on intimidation often underestimate community response.”
