Jen looked at Lane, met his gaze. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea.

“What’s the interest rate?” Lane asked. “And points and fees and all that?”

Evangeline was all business. “Points vary, depending on whether you go fixed or adjustable, fifteen-year or thirty-year. The rate’s actually a quarter of a percentage point lower than we were looking at with Montgomery Community.” She held up the iPad, showing them the numbers. “It’s a good deal, but it’s not one that’s going to last. We either take it or we don’t, because this is like those cheap car prices auto dealers offer to get you onto the lot. It’s a lure. So what I need from you is authorization to start the paperwork.”

Jen looked at the blackness on the other side of the living room windows, thought of that attic entrance in the bedroom, and wasn’t sure she still—

“Do it,” Lane said, making the decision unilaterally.

She stared at him, thinking they needed to talk this over, thinking there should be a discussion, but when Evangeline looked quizzically over to solicit her opinion, Jen found herself nodding in agreement as though she had no will of her own. “Okay,” she said. “Go ahead.”

FIVE

1

It arrived overnight, fully formed.

Kyle drove to work the way he always did, but before he even reached the curve that led into downtown, he spied a string of red balloons trailing upward into the sky above the pine and cottonwood trees that shielded the old business district from the newer retailers on the highway. Once around the curve, he saw vehicles parked on both sides of the street and a crowd of people lined up in front of…the bookstore?

No.

The bank.

He slowed the pickup as he drove by. This was impossible. When he’d closed up last night, the space next to Brave New World had been vacant. But now a tasteful conservative sign mounted above the freshly spotless windows identified the newly open business as The First People’s Bank. Numerous balloons drew attention to a Grand Opening banner strung on a wire above the sidewalk. Through the windows, he could see well-dressed men and women seated at desks.

So overnight, someone had come in and completely cleaned and refurbished the dusty, abandoned formerly empty store? It didn’t make sense, but the evidence was right in front of his eyes.

The bank was…there.

He reached the end of the block, turned right, then turned right again into the alley.

Maybe the bank would bring increased foot traffic to the downtown. As the shop next door, Brave New World would definitely be in a position to take advantage of people cashing paychecks and withdrawing money. And if even half of those former Bank of America customers switched to The First People’s Bank, there’d be dozens of individuals downtown each day who ordinarily would not be in that part of Montgomery, some of whom might not even know Brave New World even existed. As far as he was concerned, this was a prime opportunity to gain new customers and turn around the store’s fortunes.