“First thing first, no one is laughing at you. Sure, you look like jokes, but every damn person in this scavenger hunt is wearing a ridiculous, humiliating costume. So suck it up! Second, yeah, they might hate us. Which is why you’re playing this game in the first place. That means you force a smile on your face, go back out there, and pretend to have fun with everyone else. Because you deserve to be a part of this community, damn it, and we’re going to start acting like it.”
I glance around to make sure my version of a pep talk is sinking in, then grunt.
“The next clue is at the library,” I tell them. “Dewey decimal system. That first line must be a book title.”
They all stare at me for a blank moment.
“Go!” I bark, and the mechanics scatter.
“The library,” Pirate Bill says on the way out the door. “That’s what I was going to say.”
When I see them excitedly jogging down the street, I can’t help but chuckle to myself. This will be good for the team, I decide. They need to start seeing the garage as part of the gayborhood, not just a hub for outsiders and loners. And if they can keep up their manners for a full afternoon, it will be good for the garage’s reputation, too.
This is for our own sake, I remind myself. I definitely didn’t decide to shut the garage down simply because I knew it would make Finn happy and help with his problems. Sure, a part of my brain wants him to like me, but that’s irrelevant. This is business, pure and simple.
After the contractors arrive with the new lifts, I take a minute to step outside. The street is bustling with people, spectators watching while costumed teams run in every direction. I spend a minute standing there and taking in the chaos before I overhear a man talking into his phone.
“It’s nonsense,” he says. “Tacky nonsense. We have substantial funds to invest in community arts, but that is not what I see today. This is nothing more than a frivolous game and cheap fun.”
I turn slightly, looking at him without staring directly. The man sports a dull gray suit, and he stands stiffly near the corner, darting his eyes around while he talks.
Could this have something to do with what Finn mentioned, why the day is so important? If so, it sounds bad.
“No,” the man continues. “There’s no reason for me to stick around. I’ve already seen enough garish costumes and cheesy puns for one day. We should review any standing funding we have here, too.”
Shit.
I feel like I should do something, but I don’t have enough information. My mind racing, I quickly think of the one person who likely does know what’s going on. Steeling myself againstdoubts, I walk straight across the street to The Scoop. A small crowd exits as I enter, shooting stink-eyes my way as I hold the door, but I’m grateful to find Finn alone behind the counter.
“Riley,” he says, surprised, and stands up straight. After a moment, his tense posture eases. “You shut down the garage for the scavenger hunt.”
I grunt. “Yeah, I did. But I’m afraid it might not have been enough.”
“Oh?”
I quickly tell him about the conversation I overheard, and his expression tightens with worry.
“That’s bad,” he says. “Very bad. But if the man just sticks around for the award ceremony, he’ll see so much more. The decorations, performances, live music?—”
“He’s not sticking around,” I say, jumping in. “In fact, he’s about to leave.”
I turn and point at the man outside, who finishes up his phone call and begins to walk away.
Finn slaps his hand to his forehead. “Okay, okay,” he says. “Think. There must be something.” He looks around the ice cream shop, and when his eyes land on the bulletin board, his expression lights up. “That’s it!” He pulls a colorful, sleek flyer from the board. “The art show.”
“The art show?”
“My friend Kavya is curating an art show. It sounds much more like the kind of thing he’s looking for. I’ll just invite him and…” He shakes his head quickly. “I’ve got to try something, right?”
I nod. “Right. An art show. Good idea.”
He hurries out the door first, and I follow. Finn looks to me as we cross the street, and when a car pulls up to the man, he sucks in a breath. “Oh crap, he’s getting away!”
Realizing that we’re somehow in this together, I jump into action. “Hey!” I bark out loudly. “You! Man!”
The man turns on his heel, surprised, and Finn shoots me a smile before hurrying forward.
“We’re out spreading word about the Allentown Community Art Exhibition,” he says, and hands the man the flyer. “I saw you were enjoying the scavenger hunt and thought you might be interested.”
