Hats were thrown in the air, and the people clapped and cheered.
Grant spoke over them again, struggling to make his voice heard over the euphoria. “My friends, our work has not finished. Indeed, it is only beginning. But men of vision and generosity like Mr. Rice and his partner, our neighbor Mr. Silas Van Dorn, cannot be relied upon to do everything. We have an election for mayor coming up in a month, and we are distressed over the lack of interest among all of you to run for office. We thank Doctor Ridley for filling in as mayor after Brian Mason resigned the office to join the company, but we need the good people of Dover Station to elect a good, strong leader, lest all of our hard work goes for nothing. Look to yourselves, and I implore you to consider running for this noble office.”
Mackey looked over the crowd as one man yelled out, “Grant for Mayor!” A few more people took up the chant and, within seconds, it echoed as if one voice through the narrow streets of town.
Mackey saw a few familiar faces in the sea of people, but most were total strangers. The rapid growth of the town over these past six months had served to change it so much that he hardly recognized it anymore.
Four men had just been killed a block away from each other within twenty or so minutes. But no one he saw seemed to care about that. They were cheering for a man they hardly knew to run for an office no one wanted. Grant waved it off, of course, but he accepted it all the same.
No, Mackey decided, he did not know these people anymore. People he considered outsiders, even though the town did not belong to him.
Mackey ducked back inside and began heading downstairs.
He needed a mug of Billy’s coffee more than he needed the adulation of strangers.
Photo by Rita McCauley
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TERRENCE P. MCCAULEY is an award-winning writer of crime fiction and thrillers. Terrence has had short stories featured in Thuglit, Spintetingler Magazine, Shotgun Honey, Big Pulp, and other publications. He is a member of the New York City chapter of the Mystery Writers of America, the International Thriller Writers, and the International Crime Writers Association. A proud native of the Bronx, New York, he is currently writing his next work of fiction. Find him on Twitter or Facebook or visit www.terrencepmccauley.com.
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