Page 95 of Enemies in Paradise

White-haired Lester lifts his droopy eyes and takes the gavel with no argument. The mayor obviously has things to say about Bear’s proposal, and she can’t give her opinions as long as she’s conducting the meeting.

Passing her gavel is basically the equivalent of saying, “here, hold my beer.” She’s ready to fight.

But poor, innocent, Bear glances over his shoulder to send his team a final, reassuring grin before stepping to the podium with his notecards.

“Mr. Thomsen,” the mayor says before Bear can say a word. “It’s this council’s understanding that you wish the city to use taxpayer dollars to purchase a property that will bring in no revenue for the city.”

Bear takes a breath and leans close to the mic. “That’s correct, Mayor, except—”

The mic lets out a high-pitched ringing that drowns out Bear’s words.

The ringing stops, and Mayor Voglmeyer leans into her mic. “And all that money benefits only a few girls, is that also correct?”

“Not entirely. The whole town will benefit from having a park and—”

“—But your girls’ hockey team will be the primary beneficiaries, correct?”

I donotlike the way she saysgirls…as if the word has a sour taste.

“They could use the pond to practice during the three to four months of winter that it’s frozen.” Bear doesn’t talk in the mic now, but his voice booms through the room. “The rest of the year, the citizens of Paradise and visitors could enjoy natural green space with a walking trail and birds.”

I’m so proud of him for fighting back. I want to cheer him on.

But then the mayor raises an eyebrow and smirks. “Do you expect the city to also purchase the birds for this green space?”

She makes air quotes when she saysgreen space,which makes me hate air quotes even more than I already do. And I really hate air quotes.

The tips of Bear’s ears go red. “No. They… they’ll… the birds will… come on their own.”

“Oh, you’ve made arrangements with them?” Voglmeyer smirks again, and I’m one more snarky comment away from my ownhold my beermoment.

“No. Birds like water and trees. The green space will have both, which will attract the birds.” Bear’s voice is steady and emotionless, so I sit back in my seat.

I don’t know why I’m suddenly feeling protective of him. Probably because I hate bullies. And Darlene Voglmeyer is a big bully.

“Maybe,” she bites back.

“Come on, Mayor!” Zach calls from the audience. “Let him speak.”

The girls erupt into chants of “Let him speak!” and I can’t help it. Maybe I don’t want him to win, but I do want him to have the chance to speak. So I join the chanting.

Lester wakes up long enough to bang the gavel until the room quiets to a low hum. Voglmeyer covers her mic with her hand and whispers something in his ear. He gives her a side-eye, but then speaks into his own mic.

“Order! Everyone quiet down! No more yelling.” Eventually Lester’s pleas do the trick of shutting everyone up. When the room is quiet, he turns to the mayor. “Give the young man his opportunity to speak. You allowed Ms. Lee her presentation. I’d like to hear what Bea—Mr. Thomsen—has to say.”

Bear adjusts his microphone, but the mayor beats him to speaking first.

“Just one more question, Lester.” She shoots a glare at the old man that stops him from raising the gavel in his hand. Then she turns back to Bear. “Mr. Thomsen, the primary purpose of the city-owned pond would be to provide a place for one team of ten-year-old girls to play hockey. Is that right?”

This lady missed her calling as a prosecutor. She obviously wants to put Bear on trial and make him stumble over his words.

But the mayor must not be familiar with the admonition to not poke the bear.

Bear clutches the sides of the podium so tight; I’m worried he might break it in two. “Anyone can use the pond outside of the four to eight hours a week the girls would be on the ice.”

“Four to eight hours? You really think girls are interested enough in hockey to practice that many hours a week?” Voglmeyer asks. “What happens when the girls grow out of playing hockey and move onto the next thing? The city would have spent money that could have gone to more worthy projects.

The councilman at the opposite end of the table leans forward and says, “Hockey is a boy’s sport,” then sits back as if he’s revealed something that everyone should already know.

---