You take a stroll down Main Street

As the reporter walks away you wonder if keeping silent was the best thing. You've seen a few things since you arrive that lend credence to her notion that there is something more than a little strange about Pink Rose Academy. Strange, not bad or evil, you tell yourself. Add in some hormonal rich girls, one them possibly killing herself, and you can see where Holly might have leapt to conclusions. After all, the wilder the story, the better it is, you tell yourself. Doubtless everything she described has a reasonable explanation that doesn't require the creation of a conspiracy. A series of unfortunate coincidences, you tell yourself, pushing aside the doubt that niggles at your mind.

You still have time to kill before you're due to meet Max at the drive in. You've lost your appetite for beer, and you don't feel like taking the bike out for a rip on the highway. Instead, you ride the bike back to the main street and park it, deciding to stroll along the sidewalks and window shop in the mostly closed stores.

It easy to see that the town, this part of it at least, has money. Either catering to the residents of the large estates out near Pink Rose or to affluent tourists. The restaurants are mostly high end, except for a couple of breakfast and sandwich joints which look artfully retro, and probably with prices to match. There are clothing shops that display what look to you like expensive women's wear and shoes, and other small boutiques that reek of money.

You find yourself looking in the window of a real estate office, reading the posters for various properties for sale. You see a moderate estate offered for sale as well as several more modest houses. You're not familiar with real estate prices, but they look on the high side to you. This isn't a large town, and it's a few hours drive from Boston and more to New York, which would seem much to far to commute. Perhaps its the kind of place that wealthy people retire to, you consider as you idly read the posters.

The office has a closed sign on the door, but you can see a young woman inside doing some filing. You smile as you notice that she's dressed in a style more suited to the 1940's or 50's than today. You particularly note that her stockings have a seam running up the back, something you don't think you've ever seen outside of an old movie or a vintage pinup. You watch as she works, enjoying the flow of her knee length dress around her pretty legs, and the way her rump is defined when she bends over. Her light brown hair is in a loose bun, and her youthful face is serious with concentration as she works.

At that moment she turns and sees you watching her. She looks flustered for a moment, then points to the closed sign on the door, miming that the office will reopen in the morning. You're about to respond when you hear a voice behind you.

"Please mister, can you spare some change? I'm really hungry."