The Pineview Incident Read Online Free PDF

place. I wanted to clear up this whole mess. Unfortunately, the Gilbertson’s only made things worse with their answers.” Donna waved her hand at the room full of people. “It was these idiots who made it into some kind of sci-fi spectacle.”
    Mark’s mouth twisted to the side like it always did when he was deep in thought. Donna relaxed just a bit. That face had been adorable in first grade, and it was just as cute now.
    Donna blinked twice and tried not to think about the fact she’d just thought of Mark as cute.
    “Meet me out back in five,” Mark whispered. “I have a plan.” Then he made his way to the bar and slipped out the rusted side door.
    “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Donna mumbled. She looked around to make sure no one had seen them talk.
    For the next five minutes she recited every reason she’d ever had to hate Mark Lewis. When the five minutes were up, she shot out the back door by the bathrooms.
    Mark stood along the wooden fence at the back of the bowling alley’s parking lot. Donna had the sudden urge to run away before he saw her.
    Then he looked up and nodded at her.
    Grow up woman! You’re almost menopausal—act like it! The voice in Donna's head sounded way too much like her mother, but it was right. It was time she stopped running from Mark.
    “So, what’s your plan?” Donna forced her voice to sound carefree as she walked toward the man she hated most in the world.
    “The men want me to put together a group to go spy on the Gilbertsons.”
    “Wait, I thought you said this whole thing was crazy.”
    “It is. That’s why I want to be in charge and it’s why I need your help.”
    “You need my help to spy on a family we both believe is doing nothing wrong? How exactly will that help?”
    “If I can show these idiots nothing weird is happening at that farm, then I—”
    The back door to the alley burst open.
    “I saw him go outside somewhere.” Mayor Cassidy’s silhouette appeared in the bright light of the doorway. “Mark? You out here?”
    “Meet me at my shop tomorrow at closing time,” Mark hissed. He walked back toward the bowling alley. “Just needed a little time to think things through,” he called to the mayor.
    Donna backed up into the shadow by the fence.
    “What’s your answer?” asked the police chief as Mark strode through the door.
    “I’ll do it.” The door banged shut behind Mark.
    #
    Donna paused outside the shop and wondered again why she came here. Even with all the customers gone for the day, the place smelled of chew, hair tonic, aftershave and shampoo, and she didn’t want to go any further. The barbershop was no-woman's-land, and she didn't belong here.
    Besides, Mark was her sworn enemy, and she liked it that way. Didn’t she?
    She looked at the dusty windows which dimly reflected the sunset and remembered days waiting for John outside of Mark’s place. Today, however, her husband wasn’t here.
    Except for a few college years, Mark Lewis had plagued her life since she could remember. He was always around, like a wart that wouldn’t go away.
    “This is a bad idea, Donna.”
    She jumped when she realized she’d said it out loud. Even saying it out loud didn't convincer her of the words. Despite all her attempts to convince herself otherwise, something deep inside her wanted this to be a good idea. She wanted Mark to be right.
    “Well, it's not.” She turned on her heel to leave when she heard the tinkling of the door.
    “You wanna talk out here?” asked Mark gruffly.
    Donna stiffened, squared her shoulders, and began marching toward the door. “No, inside is just fine.”
    The cleanliness of the shop surprised her. Given the spit that stained the sidewalk and bushes outside, she’d always believed the barber shop would be a large version of the messy garage her late husband tinkered in, but the place looked pristine. It even smelled rather pleasantly of men's products. The floor sparkled, the chairs were neatly lined up, and