Read Online Impervious (City of Eldrich Book 1) by Laura Kirwan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Laura Kirwan
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younger. Too bad, she thought, that modern culture only values twenty-five-year-olds.
“All right, Miss America,” she said to her reflection. “Good enough.”
Russ had a simple breakfast waiting and had packed her a lunch. “I’m sure they’ll take you out, but in case they don’t, here you go.” He handed her a tiny soft-sided cooler.
She peeked inside. Sandwich, apple, green salad, and some cookies. Good old Russ. “Thanks, Mommy,” she said.
Russ made a face and pointed at the door. “Go and lawyer, smart ass.”
She’d seen city hall, which sat on the block north of the town square, on her trip to the farmers’ market but hadn’t taken a close look.
City hall rose three stories with a clock tower rising an additional two stories above the roofline. A stone layer cake of a building, city hall looked like a Gothic castle. Gargoyles sprang from the roof and ornate carvings covered the stone walls. Around it lay another lush green square, with huge old trees, a fountain, and iron benches.
Meaghan found her assigned parking space in the small circular drive that led up to the building. Most city employees parked in a lot across the street, but as city solicitor Meaghan got to park up close, along with the mayor, the council members, and a handful of high-ranking staff.
For a city as tiny as Eldrich, Meaghan thought, walking in the main door, it was a bit much. The architectural excess continued inside. A reception desk sat in the corner of a large vaulted lobby. An elderly security guard greeted her with a beaming smile.
“I know who you are,” he quavered. “You have your dad’s eyes. How is Mr. Keele doing these days?”
Meaghan wasn’t surprised he recognized her. She doubted more than a handful of unfamiliar people walked by his checkpoint each day. “Well, he has good days and bad days. You know how it is.” She held out her hand across the desk. “I’m Meaghan.”
“Oh, where are my manners?” He shuffled from behind the desk towards her. “Rainy days are hard on the knees.” He took her outstretched hand and shook it warmly. “Moyer. Meb Moyer, Miss Keele. Call me Meb.”
“Only if you call me Meaghan.” He was, she realized, more akin to a Walmart greeter than a security guard. “Good to meet you, Meb. Can you point me towards the solicitor’s office?”
He showed her the elevator and told her to go the third floor. She told him she’d rather take the stairs. With a nervous grin, he told her the tiled stairs were slick and wet shoes made it worse and with the ceilings so high it was really more like climbing five stories than three. He gestured again toward the elevator.
It was like Russ and the drive through the woods. “Do people walk up the stairs and disappear never to be heard from again?” she asked, before she could stop herself.
Now poor Meb looked panicky. And miserable, like he wanted to tell her something he knew he couldn’t.
She let him off the hook. “I’m kidding.” She smiled at him. “I’m sorry. You reminded me of how nervous my brother was the first time I drove up from the interstate.”
Meb relaxed. “Why climb the stairs when you don’t have to?”
“Why indeed,” Meaghan answered. “You have a good day, Meb.” She walked to the open elevator and stepped in. She felt an odd prickle on the back of her neck. She knew she was being silly, but it felt like people were trying to keep a big secret. She thought of her dream and her mother’s cryptic warning to trust her gut. She shivered.
Enough, she thought, disgusted with herself. She’d worked before in organizations poisoned by the dysfunctional antics of a few difficult personalities and she knew what was going on. Matthew had, no doubt, crossed swords with some half-baked martinet or queen bee. Everyone was waiting for the fireworks to being anew now that Meaghan had arrived. What they were hiding from her was the common knowledge that her new job was going to be a monumental pain
“All right, Miss America,” she said to her reflection. “Good enough.”
Russ had a simple breakfast waiting and had packed her a lunch. “I’m sure they’ll take you out, but in case they don’t, here you go.” He handed her a tiny soft-sided cooler.
She peeked inside. Sandwich, apple, green salad, and some cookies. Good old Russ. “Thanks, Mommy,” she said.
Russ made a face and pointed at the door. “Go and lawyer, smart ass.”
She’d seen city hall, which sat on the block north of the town square, on her trip to the farmers’ market but hadn’t taken a close look.
City hall rose three stories with a clock tower rising an additional two stories above the roofline. A stone layer cake of a building, city hall looked like a Gothic castle. Gargoyles sprang from the roof and ornate carvings covered the stone walls. Around it lay another lush green square, with huge old trees, a fountain, and iron benches.
Meaghan found her assigned parking space in the small circular drive that led up to the building. Most city employees parked in a lot across the street, but as city solicitor Meaghan got to park up close, along with the mayor, the council members, and a handful of high-ranking staff.
For a city as tiny as Eldrich, Meaghan thought, walking in the main door, it was a bit much. The architectural excess continued inside. A reception desk sat in the corner of a large vaulted lobby. An elderly security guard greeted her with a beaming smile.
“I know who you are,” he quavered. “You have your dad’s eyes. How is Mr. Keele doing these days?”
Meaghan wasn’t surprised he recognized her. She doubted more than a handful of unfamiliar people walked by his checkpoint each day. “Well, he has good days and bad days. You know how it is.” She held out her hand across the desk. “I’m Meaghan.”
“Oh, where are my manners?” He shuffled from behind the desk towards her. “Rainy days are hard on the knees.” He took her outstretched hand and shook it warmly. “Moyer. Meb Moyer, Miss Keele. Call me Meb.”
“Only if you call me Meaghan.” He was, she realized, more akin to a Walmart greeter than a security guard. “Good to meet you, Meb. Can you point me towards the solicitor’s office?”
He showed her the elevator and told her to go the third floor. She told him she’d rather take the stairs. With a nervous grin, he told her the tiled stairs were slick and wet shoes made it worse and with the ceilings so high it was really more like climbing five stories than three. He gestured again toward the elevator.
It was like Russ and the drive through the woods. “Do people walk up the stairs and disappear never to be heard from again?” she asked, before she could stop herself.
Now poor Meb looked panicky. And miserable, like he wanted to tell her something he knew he couldn’t.
She let him off the hook. “I’m kidding.” She smiled at him. “I’m sorry. You reminded me of how nervous my brother was the first time I drove up from the interstate.”
Meb relaxed. “Why climb the stairs when you don’t have to?”
“Why indeed,” Meaghan answered. “You have a good day, Meb.” She walked to the open elevator and stepped in. She felt an odd prickle on the back of her neck. She knew she was being silly, but it felt like people were trying to keep a big secret. She thought of her dream and her mother’s cryptic warning to trust her gut. She shivered.
Enough, she thought, disgusted with herself. She’d worked before in organizations poisoned by the dysfunctional antics of a few difficult personalities and she knew what was going on. Matthew had, no doubt, crossed swords with some half-baked martinet or queen bee. Everyone was waiting for the fireworks to being anew now that Meaghan had arrived. What they were hiding from her was the common knowledge that her new job was going to be a monumental pain
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