Not Even Close || Number Five x Fem!Reader

Chapter 92

He thought it would be best to strike up a conversation, "First time in New Grumpson?" He asked Ben.

Ben, however, wasn't planning on acting so kindly toward the man next to him. His fingertips plopped back onto the counter, "Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't have the bandwidth for whimsical small-town bullshit right now." He huffed.

"Don't mind him. He likes to talk."

A waitress walked in on their small conversation. Ben couldn't help but be confused about her sudden interjection. His face expressed it evidently. "Gary." She referred, "Head of the Rotary Club." She explained. "You didn't have to bite his head off."

The old man, Gary, could only shrug at the newcomer as he agreed with what the waitress had said. His silence explaining how he was not amused of Ben's rude response. 

In which Ben showed no remorse from. "No, but if I didn't, he'd still be talking to me instead of you." He replied with the intention of charming the waitress.

Unfortunately, she wasn't as charmed as he thought she would be. "Buddy... I'm gonna let you in on a little secret, okay?" She frowned, "This is not the kind of place where the customer is always right." She said, "It's the kind of place where the customers are frequently wrong."

She continued, "and when he's rude about it, he gets boiling liquid poured down the front of his chinos."

Ben found it outrageous, he can't help but shake his head in disapproval, "You know what? Your attitude sucks!" He complained, "Where's your manager?"

"Oh, boy. Bad move." The older man named Gary winced next to him.

For the Nth time since they waltzed in this small town, Ben found himself puzzle once again. That is, until he hear the waitress scoff. Her face growing smug as if she was ready to enforce a huge pill to his throat. It wasn't long before he figured out.

He just didn't think she was more than a manager.

"Not only am I the manager, but I'm also the owner." The waitress said, "So if you're worried about somebody threatening your person, I would love to call the police. Have them sort it out."

Ben shook his head in shame, "No," he denied, "no cops. That won't be necessary."

"Well, then may I suggest being nicer to Gary. He's the town sheriff."

Gary merely waved at Ben, who showed a subtle perplexity and humiliation rather than fear. "Of course." He sighed out. Guess it's better to wait outside, he thought, now that it was starting to occur to him that the scene he was close to instigating was unnecessary. Knowing that he had already overstayed his welcome, he grabbed his coat and headed out.

****

Allison, Viktor, and Luther led themselves at Dottie's Antiques. It was an antique shop owned by an old lady named Dottie who sat on her electric wheelchair wearing a scarf made out of crocheted granny squares. It was their first stop to look for Jennifer, although Allison did most of the looking.

Viktor was merely waiting for Luther while he looked through every piece of antique he laid eyes on. Once each of them caught his attention, all he could think about was how nice those antiques would look in his home. Perhaps this town had other stores as fascinating as this one, he thought.

"Do you think there's an old market for an erotic dance studio in a town this size?" Luther asked Viktor.

"Doubt it, Luther." Viktor responded with a lack of enthusiasm. "Can we just get out of here?"

"Yeah, sure. Just give me a second. This place is a gold mine."

Viktor didn't understand what made Luther find this town so appealing at all. Everyone in the town seemed so positive -- too positive. He wasn't sure if he liked it.