The Harbor Preservation Board postponed its decision on the Mercer grant.
Eli sent me no further messages about it. I heard from Janice that he'd submitted a revised application, with himself named as project coordinator and a local contractor listed for the structural work. The board still had questions about the budget. There was no guarantee the grant would come through.
The correction had a cost, but it was the cost of telling the truth. I tried not to treat that as a victory.
For the next week, I worked, packed, and answered questions from neighbors who seemed to know I was leaving before I'd told them. Saltmere was a town where news traveled from one grocery aisle to the next, usually with a few details improved along the way.
At the Lifeboat House, I completed the final report a
