The Nice Girl Gets Even novel · Chapter 7 of 24

Chapter 7: Inspection

Eleven eight-year-olds turned around in white gloves and stared at him.

The boy who'd just said his name stuck his hand out.

The inspector looked at it.

Then, because nobody can resist an eight-year-old with a hand out, he shook it.

"Firm grip," the boy told him. "Eyes up. Say your whole name."

The inspector cleared his throat and said his whole name.

"Good," the boy said, and went back in line.

I walked over with my best smile.

"Good morning. Would you like some coffee while I get the paperwork?"

"I'd like the paperwork, ma'am."

"Of course."

I went to the little office under the stairs.

My grandmother kept every license this building ever had in a frame on the wall, all the way back to 1971.

I kept mine right beside hers.

Business license, current. Fire inspection, October. Certificate of insurance. Background checks for me and Gussie, in a plastic sleeve.

I brought him the whole frame.

He read every line of it.

I could see him wanting to find something.

He didn't.

"Who made the complaint?" I asked.

"It was anonymous."

"Of course."

He tucked his pen in his pocket.

"Lady said she was in the etiquette business herself. Said she was concerned for the children."

Gussie, behind him, mouthed a word I won't repeat.

"That's so thoughtful of her," I said. "Would you like to stay for the bow? They've been practicing all month."

He looked at his watch.

He looked at eleven small faces.

"Five minutes," he said.

He stayed forty.

He watched them bow and shake hands and introduce their partners.

He watched a girl with two front teeth missing pull out a chair for a boy who couldn't believe it.

At the end, every child lined up and shook his hand and thanked him for his visit.

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