Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Several people exchange glances and the room goes quiet. She’s making a good fucking point.
The mayor attempts diplomacy. “Public safety is our top priority.”
“And making sure my employees don’t go hungry is mine.”
Several business owners begin nodding and the momentum begins to shift when one woman near the front stands and turns her attention to Lyra, looking at my girl like she’s a disease. “Businesses like yours are probably what attracted the killer in the first place.”
Big mistake. Huge fucking mistake.
The room falls silent, and I discreetly position myself around Lyra, ready to grab her when this eventually snowballs into a disaster, but she keeps her cool, shifting her stare to the woman like a viper ready to attack.
A slow smile spreads across her face. “Interesting theory.”
The woman folds her arms with far too much confidence, clearly unaware of the verbal disembowelment she’s about to receive. I almost feel bad for her, but then I don’t because seeing Lyra in her element like this has me bricking up like nobody’s business.
“See, I have a theory of my own,” she says, fixing the woman with a look that could strip paint. “I think people like you spend so much time looking for somebody else to blame that you never stop to consider how little you actually contribute to the conversation. You want to blame bars because they’re open at night? That’s cute. Should we blame grocery stores next? Maybe the killer bought milk once. Maybe we should shut down every business across Onyx Heights just to be safe.”
A snort escapes somewhere behind us as the woman’s eyes narrow. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“Oh, I’m being ridiculous?” Lyra says smoothly. “I’m just bringing the same bullshit energy that you are.”
Hunter grins on Lyra’s other side when the woman braces her hands on her hips. “You run a place that encourages drinking, poor decisions, and questionable behavior.”
Lyra scoffs. “Have you met people? They were making poor decisions long before alcohol got involved.”
A few laughs ripple through the crowd, and despite it being more than clear that this woman is losing this battle, she still doubles down. “Well maybe if business owners like you cared more about public safety and less about profit, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”
Oft. The room goes quiet again.
Lyra slowly tilts her head. “You know what? You’re right,” she says, her tone shifting so low. “Let’s close every bar, restaurant, venue, and club in Onyx Heights. While we’re at it, let’s shut down the roads too. Statistically, they’re way more dangerous than serial killers.” The woman opens her mouth, but Lyra steamrolls right over her. “Actually, let’s go ahead and ban stairs too. Those things kill people every year. Should we also slaughter our pets? You know, dogs have been known to attack. Don’t even get me started on planes, trains, and cars. What about surgeons whose patients die on the table? Straight to the electric chair for them.”
The woman is practically vibrating with anger now. “You’re being absurd. You’re making light of murder.”
“No,” Lyra says. “I’m making light of you.”
A few people audibly gasp, and I start preparing for impact, then Lyra glances around the room. “Besides, if statistics are right, I bet the killer is in this room right now.”
The entire building freezes, and every head turns, and just to fit in, I start looking around too.
Lyra pretends to scan the crowd, then holds her hands up around her mouth and calls with her whole damn chest. “Oh hey, killer, if you’re here and looking for your next target, might I suggest the haughty bitch at the front?”
The room erupts into chaos. People start yelling, offended on the woman’s behalf while others snicker under their breath.
“Okay, okay. Everybody settle down. This is getting way out of hand,” the mayor calls before fixing his heavy gaze on Lyra. “I understand your concerns. You raise some very good points, and while valid in their own right, I must stand with the people. The safety of our citizens is top priority. The curfew stands.”
Lyra scoffs. “This is ridiculous. Have you even bothered to search the police records?”
He just stares, and she scoffs again before asking the whole room. “Has anybody? Because I have. And the man who was murdered in his apartment two weeks ago was killed in the afternoon. That’s daylight hours for any of you small-minded people. This curfew is not going to dissuade the person responsible for this. All this curfew is going to do is cripple our local economy.”
That starts another round of chatter, but the mayor isn’t having it, and he grabs his gavel as though it gives him real power. “The curfew stands. Thirty days. All residents must be in their homes before 10 p.m., and all businesses closed. Failure to do so will result in hefty fines.” His gavel comes down, cementing this bullshit into reality. “We will reevaluate in thirty days. You may all be dismissed.”