She Tried to Poison Me novel · Chapter 20 of 24

Chapter 20: Nobody Is Losing a Job

I looked at the forty faces in front of me.

Some were crying.

Some were angry, and some just looked like people who had worked a Saturday and seen the owner led away in cuffs.

I had no speech.

"Nobody here is losing a job," I said.

The cook let out a breath, and it went through the whole group.

"The lodge sits on my grandmother's land. It has for forty years, on a lease, and the lease was in Fern's name."

"Fern isn't going to be running anything."

"Until a court says otherwise, nobody is evicting anybody."

"Who's in charge?" a young man called.

I looked at the cook.

She raised both eyebrows.

"You've run that kitchen for nineteen years," I said. "You know every one of these people and every guest who comes back."

"I'm an ER nurse. I know how to make a schedule."

"I also know when somebody is lying to me."

"I'd like to learn the rest from you, if you'll have me."

The cook looked at me for a long time.

Then she unfolded her arms and put out her hand.

"I'd have to fire the whole front desk for the way they let that woman bully them," she said.

"Do whatever you need."

Somebody laughed, a surprised, wet laugh, and then a lot of people were laughing.

Someone began to clap.

I didn't hear it as noise at first.

It sounded like rain starting.

At the edge of the lawn, a line had formed in front of Seth.

The old man who had gripped his hand was still holding it.

A woman who had gone to school with him said, "I'm sorry, Seth, I believed her," and he said, "It's all right."

"It isn't," she said.

A man in work boots offered him a job.

A man in a fishing hat offered him a beer.

A girl of about nine in braids stood in front of him and said, "Is that your dog?"

"That's Bishop."

"Can I pet him?"

"He doesn't like anybody," said Seth, and Bishop lay down on his back in the grass and showed her his belly.

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