Michael Malone - Weebly

years, had been lowered to half-mast for Police Chief
John "Hawk"
Haig. Luke and Polly walked slowly by Barnum's
Antiques, Hobbies, and Appliances store. Though not
empty, it was not open for business; police squeezed
between the cluttered rows of dusty, broken things that
Barnum had sold to vacationers. Next door, the Lattice
Tea Shoppe was closed, and next to that Smalter's
Pharmacy was also closed. Out-of-town reporters
were lounging all over the front office of the Dingley
Day. A man stood beside A.A . Hayes's desk and used
his phone while the editor raised a paper cup to his lips.
In the cream brick offices shared by Dr. Scaper
and Abernathy & Abernathy sat only Ida Sniffell (who
had forced the old physician back home to bed) and
Susan Packer (who told people that Abernathy Jr. was
at Town Hall dealing with the disaster, and that she had
no idea where Abernathy Sr. might be). A new
postmistress and a new mail carrier were in the tiny
office. The weekend volunteer librarian sat alone in
George Webster Dixwell Library. And Ransom Bank
was always closed on Saturdays. People milled around