Room for Murder - Tim Myers [43]
“Folks, I want to thank you for coming out tonight. Give yourselves a big hand.”
Most folks were happy for an excuse to do something, even if it was nothing more than clapping for themselves.
After the applause died down, Grady said, “I don’t have to introduce tonight’s combatants, I mean candidates.” There was a snicker from the crowd at his slip of the tongue.
“Most likely there’s no need to go into long, fancy bios of the Shooks, you’ve known them both all their lives. Conner, Tracy, let’s get this rascal started.”
Conner and Tracy Shook entered the stage from different sides, barely making eye contact as they walked to the identical podiums separated by the moderator’s table. Conner wore a suit that must have cost him a fortune, while Tracy chose a pants suit like the ones women politicos in Washington seemed to favor. Alex thought it was funny that Conner was standing behind a podium draped with Tracy’s colors, while she was behind his. It took them both a full second to realize their mistake, then they awkwardly changed sides like tennis players crossing the net.
Alex was afraid the mayor was going to botch the moderator’s job, and he was relieved when Ernest Faith, a newsman from one of the Charlotte television stations, took a seat behind the desk. Grady slipped off into the wings, no doubt to get away from the heat of the battle, then walked down one side of the aisle to the back of the auditorium, where it was standing room only. It was quite a turnout for Elkton Falls.
Ernest gave the audience his well-practiced smile and said, “Welcome. I’d like to start tonight’s debate by giving each candidate the opportunity to tell the audience why they should be Mayor of Elkton Falls. Both candidates have decided that in order to avoid confusion, we will be using first names only during this debate.” That got a snicker out of the audience. When it died, the newsman continued, “We flipped a coin backstage, and Tracy won. Tracy?”
She looked nervous, staring down at her notes before she made eye contact with the audience. The silence grew on without a word from the candidate, and the crowd started getting restless.
Ernest said again, “Tracy?”
She took a deep gulp of air, then said, “Thank you. I’m running for mayor because I want to make a difference. Mayor Hatch has been doing a decent job, but I feel we need a new, strong leadership to keep the developers in check, to assure the high standards we are used to having here, and to lead our town into growth slowly and with careful consideration. I want to keep Elkton Falls the way it should be: filled with heart, with friendship, and with good neighbors.”
She looked relieved to be finished, and the crowd dutifully applauded.
Ernest waited a moment, then said, “Now Conner.”
Conner shot a look at Tracy, then turned his brightest smile onto the audience. “Folks, my ex-wife has offered you a Mayberry ideal. Well, Mayberry was on TV. This is real life. Elkton Falls needs growth to sustain itself. New jobs, new people moving in, this all represents more for all of us as we expand our tax base. We shouldn’t be discouraging expansion, we should be encouraging it. Tracy, the fifties have been over a long time. We need someone who’s looking toward tomorrow, not living in yesterday.”
There was a louder round of applause than Alex had hoped for. Conner had taken Tracy’s words and wrapped them around her throat. He was much smoother, more polished than Tracy, with his ready smile and sharp delivery.
And it looked to Alex as if the residents of Elkton Falls were eating it up.
At one point, Tracy looked as if she was going to take off after Conner right there on stage, his remarks were so inflammatory, but she kept her temper and instead jabbed jack at him with a few shots of her own.
After the summations at the very end of the debate, both candidates looked as if they’d gone through a battle.
And for the life of him, Alex couldn’t figure out who had won.
Mor stood