Mayor Dwayne Mercer stayed.
He was a broad man in a camel coat too expensive for a town this size, with silver at his temples and a smile that never seemed to involve his eyes. He stepped toward Ellie and Caleb as the cemetery emptied, his polished shoes sinking slightly into the mud.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” he said.
Ellie nodded. Caleb did not.
Mercer looked past them toward the ridge where Ruby’s house sat hidden in pines. “Your grandmother’s place has been a burden on her for years. Hard road up there. Hard roof to keep over your head. If you decide to sell, my office can make that easy for you.”
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