Page 24 of Tributary

Sara starts chatting about a closing in the Realtor’s office in her building and I tune her out until she says, “Wexler Holdings.”

“Wait, what?”

“Looks like he’s buying up the neighborhood,” Indigo interjects. “I did see a bunch of movers loading stuff into the old Espenshade house!”

“Asa bought a house here?”

Sara turns around in her seat and leans on the console. “Something about wanting to keep a close eye on his investments without inconveniencing the college president.”

“And you’re just telling me this now?”

The Espenshade house is on the same block as Abigail and Hunter, and Indigo screeches to a halt by the curb out front. We all stare at the house, looking at the blue glow of a television shining through the thin curtains over the front window.

“I’m gonna beep,” Indigo says.

“Yes!” Abigail starts clapping her hands. “Maybe he can let me in to pee!”

“No, absolutely not. Jesus Christ, Indigo, no! Abigail, we’re like a block away from your house.” But my protests are in vain, because Sara leans over and presses on the horn.

The tiny little electric car has a tiny little horn, but in this quiet town, late at night, it might as well have been a bomb detonating.

I try to open the door and escape, but too late I remember that the doors are kiddie locked. Sara starts honking out a “shave and a haircut” rhythm, and I groan when I see the front door open and Asa Wexler poke out his dark, beautiful head.

---