She knew from past experience how effective that look was at getting people on Walter’s side. It was like a bizarre personal magic.
But Father Aguirre had a far more potent magic of his own. He kept his eyes on Grandma Billy’s figure, and the small smile quirking his lips didn’t change.
“Has she killed him yet?” a voice whispered in her ear. Selena jumped, startled, but it was only Lupé, who had just come in the front door. Her dark eyes were snapping with anger and delight.
“Not yet,” Selena whispered back.
“Good, then I haven’t missed it.” She scratched Copper’s ears. Behind her, Gordon came in, still clutching his binoculars.
“Ma’am,” Walter said, “I’m sorry if I overstepped. But Selena and I have been together for years, and I know that she has these little episodes, and it’s important to—”
“Oh, fuckoff,” somebody said.
It took a moment for Selena to realize that somebody was her.
Walter turned, looking rather stunned. She’d never talked back to him like that. She’d certainly never told him to fuck off.
“Selena!”
“I told you, it’s over,” she said. She wanted to be firm, but her voice shook a little and she hated it, because that meant Walter would hear the shake and not the words. Nevertheless, she plowed forward. “I’m sorry for how I ended it, because I could probably have done that a lot better, but I’m not sorry that it’s over.”
“Selena ...” he said, reaching for her again. His hand closed over her wrist, not hard, but firmly. A proprietary grasp, as if it was his right to hold her back.
“I think that’s enough,” Mayor Jenny said, and something about the way she stood changed. Selena had always known that the mayor was a stocky woman, but she’d never thought about how much of that was muscle. Jenny suddenly looked less like a mild-mannered postmaster and more like a bouncer at a particularly rough bar.
Walter was oblivious to this.How odd,Selena thought.He always picked up all the things I didn’t, saw all the people I made uncomfortable. How does henotsee that Jenny’s about to drag him out of here?
Unless maybe he hadn’t seen as much as he thought he had.
Unless maybe he’d been wrong.
You ain’t bad with new people, you know,Grandma Billy had said, months ago now, sitting on the back porch, drinking tea. Selena had filed the words away because it was the first time anyone had ever told her that. It had been so novel and so counter to everything Walter had told her that it couldn’t be right.
Unless it was.
Something inside Selena’s chest unfolded, like a squash blossom opening out of its tight spiral bud. She felt as if herselfwas growing larger, expanding outward, to encompass the sanctuary of the church and the people who stood there, Copper and Jenny and Father Aguirre and Grandma Billy and Gordon and Lupé and even Connor’s son, whohad poked his head in the far door after Billy, but was obviously afraid to come in any farther.
But not Walter, who stood apart, like a boring beetle on a petal. He didn’t have to be part of her any longer.
Mayor Jenny’s hand closed over Walter’s shoulder. Clearly startled, he dropped Selena’s wrist.
“You’ve said your piece,” Jenny said. “Probably time that you clear out, don’t you think?”
Whatever Walter saw in her face didn’t give him much hope. Still, he tried to rally. “I’ll get a hotel room,” he said, “and we can talk about this later.”
“No hotels in Quartz Creek,” said Jenny shortly. “Nearest one’s about thirty miles away.”
“Then I’ll go there.” He looked over her head to Selena. “Don’t worry, I won’t abandon you here. I’ll come back tomorrow.”
“I think you probably shouldn’t come back,” Jenny said. “I think Selena’s said all she needs to say.”
Walter seemed to finally notice the threat exuding from Jenny’s sturdy frame. “I don’t see how it’s any of your business, madam.”
“It’s definitely my business,” said Jenny, “seeing as I’m the mayor.” She leaned her head to one side then the other. Her neck cracked like a gunshot.
Walter’s eyes went wide. “You can’t just force me to leave!” he sputtered.
“Sure I can.” Jenny reached into her shirt pocket and pulled out a badge. “I’m also the chief of police.”
