A variety of business was swiftly brought up and voted on without any comment from members of the public. This was not surprising since the room was not quite half full, and I suspected attendance was greater that night because the volunteers of the MFD were there.

Clearly, the town of Magdalene didn’t involve themselves too much in town business and from how very boring it was, I didn’t blame them.

Ash and Cill were playing games on their phones (due to the Rhiannon situation, Cill now had his own) when the issue of additional town resources allocated to the Magdalene Fire Department was raised.

Evidently, the head honcho sitting in the middle thought it would be voted through without demur because when he asked for public comment, he missed movement in the room and immediately started, “Right then we’ll vo—”

“One moment, Councilman Whitfield,” a smooth voice I knew called out.

I looked to the side, my neck muscles tensing, and watched Boston Stone strolling arrogantly (and you could stroll arrogantly, he was proof) up the center aisle.

“Boston, of course, take the podium,” the head honcho, apparently Councilman Whitfield, invited.

Boston did just that, lifting an attractive, slim leather briefcase in front of him to rest it on top of the podium and pulling out papers.

Once he had them, he started, “I can only assume with this referendum being raised, our town council members aren’t aware that, nationwide, the incidence of fires is on a dramatic decline and has been for the past decade.” He then raised the papers he’d gotten out and shook them officiously.

The inference the council had not done their homework was not lost on any of them, they didn’t like it and they showed it.

“We are aware of that, Boston,” Councilman Whitfield retorted, sharing this verbally.

“Then I must admit to being curious, since that’s the case, as to why you’d be allocating more funds to a city service that should, in fact, be getting less,” Boston replied.

Mickey straightened beside me and both his children looked up from their phones.

On my part, I found my hands forming fists.

“Due to their function and its importance to public safety, I can’t imagine anyone would begrudge the current funds the MFD receives,” a female council member off to the left stated.

“I’m a citizen of Magdalene and I’m doing just that,” Boston returned.

“I would assume you’re in the minority,” she retorted.

“Please don’t assume, Louise,” Boston replied condescendingly, shifting some papers. “To that end, I’ll present you with a requested action, voted approved by the members of the Magdalene Club, that this referendum be deferred until further research into the need of fire services and the funds allocated to that need are thoroughly researched. After which we call for a report to be offered to the citizens prior to an open public vote on this issue.”