Zack Meadows hugged the wall as he made his way to the front window. He craned his neck to see what Hershel was talking about. He blinked. There were indeed many people out and about on Magnolia Terrace. It was impossible to tell if they were law-enforcement people or tenants.

“I’ve been watching for a while now. I think they’re going door to door. I guess they’re looking for you. What’s your plan when they knock on my door?” Hershel asked.

“How stupid can you be, Hershel. No wonder you couldn’t make that casino work. You’re just too damn stupid. You ignore it. Most people do not open their doors to strangers, especially elderly people. Just be quiet and stay away from the window.”

“I think you must have forgotten what kind of place this is. Management does wellness checks on us twice a day, and we get one personal visit, sometimes two, depending on the staff. They know our patterns. Whoever the door checker is, he or she will go back to Gentry Lomax if I don’t open the door, and he’ll show up with his master key and open the door. For someone who owns half this place, you certainly do not know the inner workings of Happy Village. Like I said, we all have patterns. They’ll also notice I have not been on the front porch.” Hershel craned his neck to see better what was going on outside. “There are three guys out there, and they’re two doors away. I don’t think they are on the Happy Village payroll, so I’m guessing they’re some form of law enforcement.”

Zack Meadows digested Hershel’s words and knew the old man was probably right. All this wellness crap had been a big bone of contention between him and Cosmo Cricket. Cricket said it was necessary, and he’d countered with it was an unnecessary, exorbitant expense when all the tenants had to do was press the button on the mandatory emergency necklaces they all wore. Cricket was adamant, and the wellness checks continued.

“Okay, okay. When they ring the bell, you open the door. I’ll be right behind you on the left, so don’t think you can outfox me, you old buzzard. You breathe wrong, and I swear I will shoot you and take my chances on getting out of here. I might make it and I might not, but you’ll be dead. Do you understand what I just said?”

Hershel just nodded as he let his brain race all over the map as he tried to figure out what he could do or say to whoever knocked on his door. If only the pizza delivery was sooner, he might have a prayer. Someone with a brain would put it together, why he would be buying two large pies when he normally only ordered one small one. Then again, maybe not. He waited.