“Can’t do anything until we get details,” Russ said. “No use worrying until we do.”
“There are some uses that might not cause problems,” Drew mused. “Companies use old mines to store data and records. That wouldn’t bring in tourists; those sites are usually pretty well locked down. Might encourage the developer to contributeto road maintenance and general area cleanup. I don’t think those sorts of places have much regular staff, so I doubt it would bring a big rush of strangers.”
“Scott talked to someone at the Institute,” Justin spoke up. “They confirmed that there are ghosts near the mine, but not in it due to the iron. As for the creatures it was a similar answer, the iron was likely to keep them away. The Fox people didn’t elaborate more, but they also didn’t rule them out.”
“The Fox Institute might have already quietly done some magic to keep the mine sealed,” Brandon said. “Maybe they need to refresh their spells. It wouldn’t hurt to ask them directly. They may be more open with us since we’re local. No offense, but they may not trust Scott enough to be honest.”
“Let’s hope,” Liam said. “I’ll keep my ears open. Libraries are usually in the first wave to hear about new corporate projects, especially local ones that might create jobs.” He paused. “I’m worried less about creatures than bad people. Scott asked about the company that bought the mine, and when I did some research. I didn’t like what I found.”
“Oh?” Justin asked.
“Scott said there are rumors they’re tied to the Mob. He also wondered if the original mine owners also had ties to organized crime; maybe even Mafia witches,” Liam replied. “I didn’t find proof of that, but I also didn’t find anything thatdisprovedit. Which is dangerous for the area, and risky for Scott being curious.”
Justin and Russ exchanged a look. Justin had no doubt that his friend would brief Drew and the others in private, but the mention of the Mob just made Justin surer the poacher’s death was really a hit.
“I’ll see if I can get him to stop digging. He’s like a dog with a bone. But I’ll try. I’m also hoping with the weather turning colder, we’ll see an end to the poachers,” Justin added. “It’s beenworse this year than the last few. We catch one group, and two more seem to pop up. Sooner or later, they’re going to get a shifter by mistake, and we’ll have a homicide to deal with and a big chance of blowing the secret.”
The conversation veered away from rumors about the old mine to television shows and the weather, and then to preparations for Halloween.
“Fox Hollow is always small but mighty when it comes to Halloween,” Russ said. “We get the last of the leaf-peepers, and it’s a big deal for the stores. I’m pleased with what I’ve heard from the events committee.”
“They try to outdo themselves every year,” Drew agreed. “And they succeed. I’m always astonished by the decorations and the parade.”
“Oh, the library has been making plans since the summer,” Liam assured them. “We’ve got a very tuned-in committee. They just love an excuse to throw a big party.” He grinned. “Plenty of spooky story hours, a costume contest based on book characters with a march around the building, and a float in the parade. Probably other stuff they haven’t even told me about yet.”
Liam winked at Justin. “And Scott’s already joined the committee. Putting down roots?”
Justin returned an innocent grin that didn’t fool anyone. “Maybe.”
“Lowe’s Auto Shop will represent, as usual,” Russ said. “We’ll have our usual float in the parade, and Drew is running the annual soap box derby,” he said with a nod to his younger brother. “All the derby cars need to be decorated like ones from spooky movies. The older kids and younger teens really love that.”
“I’ll be doing flyovers during the parade, and there’ll be a lot of short tour flights,” Justin added. “I love the festivals. They’re some of my favorite times all year.”
Unlike some of his friends, Justin had grown up in Fox Hollow. He tried not to take the town’s special charm for granted or forget the value of its secret welcome for shifters.
He hoped that would be one more thing in his favor as he tried to convince Scott to relocate.
“I think we’ve got all of our regular contributors and exhibitors returning,” Brandon reported. Justin knew it would be unusual for a local company not to return at some level, barring an unexpected big expense or investment.
“Good. It’s always one of my favorite events of the year,” Justin said. “I hope it never changes.”
His friends said goodbye outside the restaurant as they headed to their cars. Justin’s phone rang just as he got home, and he smiled to see Scott’s number.
“Hey. How was your day?” He pulled into the garage and shut off the engine. Justin had bought the house from his parents when they retired and moved south, and he valued the memories it held.
“Not very exciting,” Scott admitted. “How about you?”
Justin shrugged even though Scott couldn’t see the gesture. “Kept busy. Poacher got killed in the woods, so we got called out. Then I went for dinner with the guys. Just got home.”
“Still open for putting up with me this week?” Scott asked.
“Of course.” Justin hoped Scott could hear his grin. “Got a plan?”
“I got the final approval and go-ahead for the story about the old mines in the area,” Scott said. “Apparently those rumors about them possibly being repurposed are true.”
“Congrats! We were just talking about that at dinner,” Justin said. “Liam always hears all the news first. Do you have any scoop?”
Scott laughed, a deep, rich sound that went right to Justin’s heart. “No. Although the stories about them having some shadyhistory appear to be true. That’s not the point of the articles, but it’s interesting. It’s a grant-funded project, so they want to focus on the positives. If I focus on how the mines brought newcomers to the region and encouraged local business, I should be able to avoid the ‘dark’ side: the Mob money, what gets left behind, and the pollution.”
