“It’s about average,” she said, moving to the counter. Though she smiled back, she picked up one of his flyers. “I was curious about this diagram of yours.” She tapped on it. “So I decided to educate myself.”
“Oh really?” he said, grinning. The ends of his mustache lifted, and the surrounding laugh lines deepened. “That’s good to hear.”
“The internet is an amazing collection of information,” she said, starting slowly. “I’d never heard of air guns used to drill for oil. I was reading about how they can ruin an ecosystem.” He nodded vigorously in agreement. “And then one click led to another, since I’m not familiar with any of the science terminology.”
“All you have to do is ask,” he said. “I’ll try not to use my professor voice.”
She smiled, but continued. “I eventually tracked it all down.” She paused, looking down at the flyer. “But it turns out the internet is also a bit of a time machine. There I was, just clicking around, and I came across a patent by a certain young physicist.”
Howard’s smile vanished. For a few awkward moments he simply stared at her, and then he frowned. “I see,” he said. “I’d wondered.” Then he sighed. “But I never managed to find it myself.” His big dark eyes looked directly into hers. “I never imagined it would be used for oil drilling. I tried to stop it, too.” He shook his head. “But you can’t unring the bell. Not a day goes by that I don’t regret putting that technology out there.”
Maris shook her head. “If it hadn’t been you, wouldn’t it have been someone else?”
He shrugged. “Who knows?” He picked up a flyer from the counter between them. “What I do know is that I played a part in it. And now?” He showed her the piece of paper. “Now I’m doing everything that I can to right that wrong.”
“But you couldn’t have known how it’d be used,” she protested.
“Maybe yes, maybe no,” he said, and put the flyer down. “But what’s in the past is done. All that anyone can do in the present is what they think is right.”
There was no arguing with that. “Your logic is impeccable,” she said, with a little smile. “And I’m totally with you on advocating against the NAP oil derrick.” She set her flyer down on his in the stack. “It’s not important where that particular technology came from. No one needs to know.” She nodded at him. “As you say, all we can do is look to the future. Work for a brighter one.”
He finally smiled. “I couldn’t agree more.”
She glanced at her watch. It was time to head home. But Howard moved to the glass candy jars and used a tissue to fetch her favorite. He hurried back and offered it to her. “A barber pole for the little lady?”
She grinned at him as she took it. Despite the rally and the flyers and his anger at a past mistake, he was the same Howard she’d always known. “Thank you. I’ll see you next time.”
29
In the darkness of early morning, Maris reached to the Tiffany lamp on the nightstand and pulled on the chain. Despite the hour and the blaring of her phone, her first thought was about how glad she was to have electricity. Had Bear not replaced the fuses, she’d be rushing to throw on her robe and find her phone elsewhere. Instead, she picked it up from its charger and saw who was calling. As Mojo raised his head to stare at it, she sat up and hit the answer button.
“Mac,” she said, her voice rough. She cleared her throat. “I hope this means you’ve got good news.”
“Apologies for the early hour,” he said, “but yes. That’s exactly why I’m calling.”
For a few minutes he described the details of his findings, and concluded, “I had to spend a few brownie points, and I’ll owe some favors, but this will close the case.” Mojo got up, draped his front paws over her lap, and gave her his signature meow. She heard Mac laugh. “Tell Mojo that, in the words of the great philosopher, ‘Instant gratification isn’t soon enough.’”
Maris frowned a little. “Is that Burns?”
“Carrie Fisher,” he answered.
Maris laughed as she stroked the little cat’s head and back. “When will you be here?”
“I can make it in half an hour,” he replied, “but I doubt that anyone is up but you.”
“Oh, I imagine Cookie is up,” she said. “But you’re right about the guests. Let’s make it after breakfast, and I’ll ask Joseph and Julia to stay until you arrive. Say 10:30?”
“I’ll see you then,” he said.
“See you then,” she said, and hung up.
As she continued to pet a very contented looking Mojo, she had to smile. “It’s finally over,” she whispered.
30
In the living room of the B&B, with the fog outside just clearing, everyone had gathered. Julia sat on the cushions of the bay window that looked out toward the front of the house. Joseph sat as far away from her as possible, near the door that led to the library. As the townspeople who’d helped Julia to clean up after the rally—and also fallen under suspicion—Maris had also invited Ryan and Howard, who sat together on the couch. Mac stood at the hallway entrance to the room, while Maris stood opposite him, in front of the fireplace.
It hadn’t escaped her notice that the B&B’s two other guests, Ralph and Lydia, were lingering with their coffee in the dining room. Though they were out of sight, they could no doubt easily hear the little gathering. For all Maris knew, Ralph might actually be live-blogging what he heard.
“Thank you all for coming,” she said, looking around at the rough circle. “I know some of us have businesses to operate at this time of day.” She glanced at Ryan and Howard, but let her gaze linger on the market owner. “But
