WHO: Lola and A Secret Fan Turned New Friend WHEN: Beginning of July WHERE: The River SUMMARY: Someone sends Lola a mysterious note. Lola meets them. A deal is struck. WARNINGS: You can't unread it.
I think the two of us have some common interests. Meet me by the part of the River outside of Ardente at 7 PM.
This was the second mysterious message Lola had gotten since the film crew changed Fall City, but Lola liked this one a lot more. Common interests? A mysterious meeting? Lola was intrigued.
Thanks to her cute little purse pistol, she was also smart enough not to go to the river to meet a mysterious stranger unarmed.
There was no one at the river outside of Ardente when Lola arrived. Fortunately, she didn’t have to wait long, as it wasn’t three minutes later that he walked up behind her, greeting her with a casual, “Hello, Ms. Mayweather. Little late to be poking around the river, isn’t it?”
When Lola saw who it was, she was very surprised, but not at all displeased. She smiled. “I could say the same to you.”
He laughed, clapping a hand on her back as he stepped forward, closer to the riverbank.
“How do you feel about all the buzz this film’s generating?”
“It is no secret that I am not a fan.”
“If this movie does well, it won’t stop… You might consider wanting to get ahead of it.”
Lola had been in talks with lawyers about suing them for libel, but so far it was disappointing and Lola hated courts anyway. They were boring rooms filled with boring people and Lola knew she probably wouldn’t win. All around, it wasn’t her first choice.
“Why do you want me to get ahead of it?” she cocked her head.
“Because I can’t afford to do it alone. Buying land, building condos… Especially around the old March Place...”
“You want me to help you buy land and build condos?”
“Profiting off people who might want to move here… We’re not far from Seattle, and this is going to put us on the map.”
“Mm, I do like a good business opportunity,” Lola said. He did have a point. If the film was going to happen no matter what, they could at least profit off of it. “You want to be on the map?”
“I don’t think Fall City has a choice.” He shrugged. “We’ll need a middle man. Someone to stick the name to, or some kind of LLC... I doubt people would be enthused about any kind of local buying up land and building in it.”
“I did not say Fall City,” Lola said. Her lips pressed as she mused on this proposition. “That would be easy enough to arrange. What is your end goal once we have bought all of this land?”
“I’m already on the map,” he pointed out with a smile, his eyes touching her in all the ways his hands did not. “Condos. Tourist traps. Maybe a real hotel. Think about how good a gift shop would look next to the remains of the March House.”
“Why not add an amusement park too…” Lola shook her head with a light laugh. “The gift shop could sell those keychains where you squeeze Cora’s head and her eyeballs poof out.” The laugh at that thought couldn’t be helped. It was just too funny. He must have agreed, for he was laughing, too. “Maybe I have been looking at all of this the wrong way.” He’d certainly given her a lot to think about.
“Have you approached anyone else about this?”
“Of course not.”
It was the right answer. “Why choose me?” There were other financially well-to do members in their community.
“You have a way of thinking that I can appreciate.”
Lola smiled. “We will have to move quickly. Draw up a fair contract. Get it done as quickly and quietly as we can. I have contacts that could help us.”
“I knew I could count on you to be discreet.” He smiled kindly, despite the words coming out of his mouth. “You pull your strings I’ll pull mine. We’ll be in touch.”
“Most people would be surprised at how well I can really keep a secret.” Her grin spread.
Lola shook his hand and kissed his cheek before they parted. “You and yours should definitely come to dinner. It has been too long.”
He just laughed, placing his hand over her own as he gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll find the time,” he promised as he began walking away. “Until then…”