Chapter Thirty-Six: The Salesman
Graham Pike arrived at the community center the following afternoon carrying a glossy folder and a practiced smile.
Evelyn had invited him to explain his petition in person, and she had told him that two residents would attend.
Pike seemed pleased to find Marcus waiting beside the window.
“Captain Bennett,” he said.
“I’ve heard quite a bit about you.”
Marcus did not offer his hand.
“Then you already know why we’re here.”
Pike placed the folder on the table.
“People are concerned about unfamiliar activity, and my company helps communities respond professionally.”
Evelyn asked who had authorized him to collect signatures at the emergency meeting.
Pike shifted in his chair.
“I understood the meeting was open to concerned residents.”
“You aren’t a resident,” Evelyn replied.
“You represented yourself as a volunteer gathering support for street lighting.
”
Pike opened the folder to a photograph of a patrol vehicle.
“Lighting is part of a comprehensive safety approach.”
Marcus closed the folder with two fingers.
“Tell us what happens to the names you collected.”
Pike’s smile tightened.
“They indicate interest in a proposal.”
“Did you tell people that before they signed?” Marcus asked.
Pike glanced at Evelyn.
“The language was on the form.”
Beatrice entered with a photocopy of the sheet she had recovered from the recycling bin.
The heading mentioned improved lighting, but a paragraph near the bottom authorized follow-up calls about private neighborhood protection.
Several signatures appeared beneath it.
Evelyn placed the copy in front of Pike.
“You can contact these residents once to explain what they signed,” she said.
“You cannot describe this as an association endorsement.
”
Pike sat back.
“You’re making a routine business proposal sound sinister.”
Marcus kept his voice even.
“The problem is that your pitch benefits when people believe a danger exists before anyone checks the facts.”
Pike stared at him.
“I didn’t call the police on you.”
“I didn’t say you did,” Marcus answered.
“I asked what you told the people who signed.”
For the first time, Pike stopped smiling.
He admitted that he had circulated the vacant-house photograph during sales conversations because it made the street look neglected.
He insisted that he had obtained it from a public neighborhood discussion and had not altered the image himself.
Marcus asked whether Pike knew the photograph had been presented as evidence of strangers entering the house.
Pike said he had heard the claim but could not identify its source.
Evelyn told him the association would not consider a contract until the company corrected its marketing materials.
Pike gathered his folder and stood.
“You’ll call when something happens,” he said.
Marcus rose as well.
“If something happens, we’ll respond to what happened.”
“We won’t purchase a story about what might happen just because you know how to sell it.”
Pike left without another word.
Beatrice watched his car pull away.
“That was less satisfying than I expected,” she said.
Marcus returned to his chair.
“Most answers are.”
“The important part is that he doesn’t get to decide what our neighbors are afraid of.”
