Loonies Read Online Free Page B

the paper.
    The Hollow News came out every Thursday, and most people read it to find out about the upcoming weekend’s church suppers, club meetings, school fund-raisers, and auctions. From what Brian had gathered when he took the job as editor, news seemed secondary. There was a small staff—basically Brian. He had a secretary, Beverly Crump, who really kept the paper running. She inputted all the press releases from the various social organizations and clubs, and that filled more than half the paper’s pages. Brian had to cover the local board meetings and do a feature story or two. The only other staff member was Isaac Monck, in his early sixties, who covered the local sports and recreation as well as writing a fishing column.
    Brian remembered how difficult it had been to leave his job and Boston to take over as the editor of The Hollow News . He knew what he’d be giving up with his police beat, but he had no idea what he was actually taking on in Smokey Hollow. But Darcie had pleaded with him.
    “What kind of life do you want for us?” she had quizzed him six months before.
    There wasn’t an easy answer. He had the life he wanted, the job he wanted, and he didn’t see the need for a change. But all that changed when Darcie got pregnant. His initial reaction to her pregnancy was not good and had almost led to a fight. She was supposed to be the one counting days. He had left that control up to her.
    “I told you it might not be a good night,” she had said afterward, almost in tears.
    It made him feel like a jerk, and he apologized. Then he said something even stupider. He wondered whether they should have the baby. The look of horror she gave him sent chills down his spine, and he tried to backpedal. What the hell was he thinking? She was a school teacher for Christ’s sake. She adored children, and for him to suggest something like that….
    It was one of those moments he wished he could take back, because he knew it was something that would mark him for the rest of his life.
    It took a while for him to smooth that one over. By then she was suggesting they move to the suburbs where maybe he could find work at a small-town newspaper. So he scoured around for job opportunities, and that’s when he stumbled upon the job at The Hollow News . The longtime editor was retiring.
    They drove north to check out Smokey Hollow. Darcie fell in love with its small-town charm, of course. He knew she would. Brian felt nothing but a bad taste in his mouth, like he was choking on the mist the town derived its name from. What he saw were his dreams and hopes of a journalism career going up in flames.
    “But just think,” Darcie said. “You’d be the editor of your own newspaper.”
    True. He’d be the editor, reporter, photographer, and copy editor. It was basically a one-man band, and he’d be playing all the instruments, but nobody would be listening except people like Mrs. Picklesmeir and her Women’s Garden Club members. That was his audience.
    He remembered looking at Darcie as she slept in the car on the drive back to Boston. He watched her sleep, usually something he did with great affection, but this time it was with contempt and…what?…speculation? It wasn’t the first time the thought crept into his mind. Did she get pregnant on purpose?
    It didn’t matter. He took the job, and they moved to Smokey Hollow.
    Brian thought back to one of his first feature assignments when he settled in at the paper. Beverly had told him about a visit to the school by the assistant fire chief to talk about fire safety and prevention. He had rolled his eyes and wanted to stick a pencil through his forehead. Damn Darcie for this.
    “Really?” was the only response he could give Beverly.
    If she was insulted by his comment, she didn’t show it. Maybe she already sensed his frustration and understood. Maybe she was just being cordial, like most of the people he had met in Smokey Hollow so far. Certainly not arrogant like a