CHAPTER NINETEEN
FINN
The morning of the scavenger hunt, I hurry around The Scoop, preparing for the busy day. I implored the protesters to take the weekend off and even offered for The Scoop to sponsor them as a team in the scavenger hunt, but I’m afraid bribes are useless against righteous indignation.
Some of them were confused and blaming the garage for cuts in the festival schedule, the rumor mill run amok. At least I was able to clear some of that up. The garage is responsible for a lot of things, but that wasn’t one of them.
Riley is unlikely to be of help, either, but I tried.
With so much I can’t control, I focus on what I can, and that means making my corner of the gayborhood bright and welcoming for today’s event. It’s not difficult to summon a good mood, either.Rise of the Storm Goddessdoes not disappoint, and NotAnOgre and I have agreed to meet. It’s an exciting, fun light on the horizon, and I let myself smile and fantasize about it as I prepare The Scoop.
Kenneth pops his head in the front door. He’s dressed as a giant banana, and the top of his costume gets stuck on the frame, forcing him to lean in at an awkward angle.
“Sure you don’t need me today?” he asks. “If you need extra help at the shop, I can change out of this costume and come in. I really can.”
I grin, well aware that the scavenger hunt is a family tradition for Kenneth. “And break up the Fruit Salad? Your team is destined to win a championship eventually. We’re well-staffed, and I don’t think your moms would forgive me if I pulled you away.”
Kenneth groans and starts sulking away, but then excitedly hurries down the street.
I chuckle to myself and follow him out, where I see the teams assembling and making their way to the center of the gayborhood. The first clue will be announced down the street, and the crowd will scramble from there. I notice the team from Bloom all sporting '80s neon spandex, and Miranda gathers with her old crew in front of the bakery, The Creped Crusaders each wearing a cape with a pastry on it.
There’s simply no way the representative from the arts organization could see this and turn us down for additional funding. The scavenger hunt is one giant, collaborative community arts event, and everyone comes out to play their part.
Assuming nothing goes sideways between the mechanics and the rest of us.
I tilt my eyes across the street and realize the garage is quiet. Curious, I walk over and find a sign on the door, announcing that they’re closed for renovations and will be open again Monday.
I blink. Riley closed the shop. Did he hear my concerns in the bookstore and decide to shut the business down for the afternoon rather than risk another confrontation?
Surprised, I walk back to The Scoop. He’s seemed so inflexible; I hadn’t expected this. But maybe I made a decent case for our cause, despite the need for discretion. Riley likelycares about the neighborhood for the same reasons we all do, like he told me in the bookstore. It’s the home of his business, and trouble for Allentown means trouble for all of us.
As I’m processing this new information, I spot a small group of mechanics walking down the main drag. A couple are wearing animal masks, an opossum and a raccoon, while two others are dressed as vultures with big black wings. The last mechanic, Little Joe, shuffles along in a red crab costume.
Scavengers, I realize, and laugh to myself. They’re all dressed as animals that scavenge their food. Not only did Riley shut the garage down, but he signed the mechanics up for the event.
For some reason, I feel confident that he came up with the clever costume idea, too.
Impressed, I return to work.
And for the first time since the butterfly landed on his nose, I smile as I keep thinking about Riley.
RILEY
I’m sitting in the office of the shop, waiting for the crew to arrive and install the new lifts while the noise of the scavenger hunt builds on the street outside. It took a while to convince enough mechanics to join in, but when Pirate Bill agreed to lead the crew as co-vulture with Ali, the team came together.
Glad I don’t have to take part in it, I tell myself. Although I’d be good at a scavenger hunt. I’ve got a brain for puzzles and clues. Even came up with the costume theme for them.
The door to the garage flies open, and the team comes rushing in. “We can’t do it!” Little Joe yells out as he pulls his crab claws off. “This is fucked.”
Ali shakes their vulture wings. “Everyone is staring at us! Probably think we don’t belong, and they’re probably right! Just how are we supposed to figure this first clue out?” They pull out a slip of pink paper and read it out loud. “Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold. Thanks to dear Madeline, our history is bold! Your next clue is an open-book exam. Just ask dear Dewey where I am.”
Pirate Bill throws his hands in the air. “Now everyone is going to laugh at us, hate us, and we’ll be the biggest losers of the day. This whole thing was a mistake.”
They all start bellyaching together, so I bark out to shut them up. “Cool it!”
Should have figured these weirdos would cave under pressure.
I grab the clue from Ali and look it over. Open-book… Dewey… When it clicks together, I shove the paper back to them.
