Magic Hour

“Too many employees. Sooner or later someone would sell the story.” Ellie frowned. “What we need is a secret location and a cone of silence.”

“In Rain Valley? You must be joking. This town lives for gossip. Everyone will want to talk to the press.”

Of course. The answer was so obvious, she didn’t know how she’d missed it. This was just like that time in high school when they’d stolen the attendance sheet on senior skip day. Ellie had planned the whole thing. “Call Daisy Grimm.”

Peanut glanced at the clock. “The Bachelor is on.”

“I don’t care. Call her. I want everybody who is anybody in this town at a six A.M. meeting at the Congregational church.”

“A town meeting? About what?”

“It’s top secret.”

“A secret town meeting, and at dawn. How dramatic.” Peanut pulled a pen out from the ratted coil of her auburn hair. “What’s the agenda?”

“The Flying Wolf Girl, of course. If this town wants to gossip, we’ll give them something to talk about.”

“Oo-ee. This is going to be fun.”

For the next hour Ellie worked on the plan, while Peanut called their friends and neighbors. By ten o’clock they were done.

Ellie looked down at the contract she’d devised. It was perfect.

I _____________________ agree to keep any and all information about the wolf girl completely confidential. I swear I won’t tell anyone anything that I learned at the town meeting in October. Rain Valley can count on me.

________________________ (signature required)

“It won’t hold up in court,” Peanut said, coming over to her.

“Who are you? Perry Mason?”

“I watch Boston Legal and Law & Order.”

Ellie rolled her eyes. “It doesn’t need to be legally binding. It just needs to seem like it is. What does this town love more than anything?”

“A parade?”

Ellie had to concede that point. “Okay, second most.”

“A two-for-one sale?”

“Gossip,” she said, realizing Peanut could make guesses until dawn. “And secrets.” She stood up and reached for her coat. “The only problem will be Julia.”

“Why’s that?”

“She’s not going to like the idea of a town meeting.”

“Why not?”

“You remember how it was for her in town. No one knew what to make of her. She walked around with her nose in a book. She never talked to anyone but our mom.”

“That was a long time ago. She won’t care what people think of her now. She’s a doctor, for cripe’s sake.”

“She’ll care,” Ellie said with a sigh. “She always did.”

HE IS DEEP IN A GREEN DARKNESS. OVERHEAD, LEAVES RUSTLE IN AN invisible breeze. Clouds mask the silvery moon; there is only the sheen of light. Perhaps it is a memory.

The girl is crouched on a branch, watching him. She is so still that he wonders how his gaze found her.