novelraw Chapter 156: Taking the Blame
Chapter 156: Taking the Blame
Watching Emily pour a drink for Pam, Leon’s gaze lingered on Stardew Valley’s most infamous drunk, and he sighed.
After all, he’d overheard what Pam had just said. She seemed to be buying on credit—and from the sound of it, this wasn’t her first time.
Judging by her flushed face and the sharp stench of alcohol that reached him even from more than a meter away, Leon guessed she’d already had quite a bit to drink before coming here.
That inevitably made him think of Penny—because this drunkard was, after all, Penny’s mother.
When Pam walked off carrying a huge, frothing mug of beer, Leon asked, “How much does she owe the shop?”
“I’m not too sure, let me check… Hmm, six hundred and forty-five gold.” Emily pulled out a notebook from behind the counter, flipped through it, and gave her answer.
“And Gus just lets her run a tab like that?” Leon pressed.
“She’s an old customer, and you know Gus’s personality,” Emily said, her expression tinged with helplessness. It was clear she wasn’t happy about Pam taking advantage of Gus’s kindness to feed her drinking habit.
“Do you think she’s likely to pay it back?” Leon glanced toward Pam, who was sitting alone in a corner chugging her beer. From her slightly shabby clothes, he couldn’t tell what kind of work she was doing these days.
“Probably. She used to be the driver for the bus to Calico Desert. After it shut down due to an accident, I heard she sometimes works at the JojaMart unloading goods.” Emily recalled conversations she’d overheard between Pam and Gus.“Has her family ever come to settle her tab?” Leon asked casually.
“You mean Penny? Of course—and more than once,” Emily said, nodding. “She always came after Pam got drunk, usually when she was here to take her home.”
Leon shook his head silently, saying nothing more. Emily, for her part, couldn’t figure out why he was suddenly so interested in Pam’s situation.
After a pause, Leon spoke again. “Is Pam the only one in town who can drive the bus?”
“No, but she’s the only one living permanently in Pelican Town,” Emily explained.
“If I repaired the bus to Calico Desert, how do you think Lewis would handle the driver issue?”
“I don’t know,” Emily shook her head. “Maybe hire someone new? Or just let Pam run it again.”
“I’ll go have a word with Lewis.” Leon said his goodbyes to Emily and went to find Lewis, who was chatting happily with Marnie.
“Marnie, mind if I borrow Lewis for a bit?”
He cracked a joke as he walked up, giving Lewis a meaningful wink.
“Of course, go ahead,” Marnie said, a little surprised before covering her mouth with a laugh. She started to step away, but Lewis stood up first and moved aside with Leon.
“What’s the matter?”
“I’m planning to repair the bus to Calico Desert in the future, and I have some questions about the driver,” Leon said seriously.
“That’s great news,” Lewis replied, looking pleased. “As for the driver, I’ll leave that up to you—it’s your bus, after all.”
“I don’t know much about the people in Pelican Town. I just wanted to hear your plans.” Leon deliberately glanced toward Pam as Lewis listened.
“You’re worried I’ll let Pam drive again? Looks like you’ve heard about that incident.” Lewis’s expression turned a little awkward.
“Leon, you might not know this, but Pam’s the only person in Stardew Valley with a bus license—even if she is a drunk.”
“So you still prefer Pam,” Leon said, understanding Lewis’s stance from his expression.
“Yes. Pam may drink heavily, but she takes her work seriously, and she never drinks on the job. That bus accident wasn’t caused by her driving drunk, no matter what the rumors say. If she had done something that reckless, the laws of the Fengil Republic would have had her arrested and in prison right away.” Lewis explained patiently.
“What actually happened, then?” Leon asked.
“This was years ago, but I remember it well. Pam was working normally that day. On the return trip from Calico Desert, there were four passengers—three locals and one tourist.”
Lewis’s expression grew complicated at the mention of the tourist. “The problem was that tourist. He turned out to be a spy from the Gottro Empire. Just as the bus was entering Stardew Valley, he jabbed Pam with a tranquilizer needle. She passed out, the bus lost control, and crashed in the tunnel.”
“A spy? Why target Pam?” Leon was floored. The whole thing was wildly different from what he’d expected.
“Remember the museum robbery? When all the ancient minerals were stolen?” Lewis reminded him.
“So the day of the bus crash was the same day the former museum curator fled?” Leon caught on instantly.
“Exactly. Pam was bait. The crash happened close to the valley, and when word spread, a lot of our able-bodied folks rushed to help. That left Pelican Town short-handed, which gave the curator a perfect chance to escape by boat with a haul of treasures.”
Lewis sighed. “When we found Pam, she was still unconscious. The rescuers assumed she was drunk, which is how the rumor of drunk driving started.”
“She never tried to explain? Or was she ordered to keep quiet?” Leon asked.
“The latter. At the time, the Fengil Republic wasn’t at war with the Gottro Empire. To avoid public panic, government agents spoke to her directly. I was there as both a witness and her guarantor.” Lewis shook his head.
“The government gave her some compensation, but it wasn’t much. She couldn’t refuse and didn’t dare to. So she’s carried that blame ever since. The people of Stardew Valley owe her both an apology and a job. That’s why I think she’s still the best choice to drive once the bus is repaired.”
“I see.” Leon now understood a lot more, and most of his misgivings about Pam faded away.
“But if it was an official secret, aren’t you worried about breaking the law by telling me?”
“This war’s almost over. The Gottro Empire’s defenses are about to collapse. They’ll surrender by autumn or winter at the latest. And the secrecy order’s about to expire, anyway.”
That surprised Leon. Why would a small-town mayor far from the war front know something like that?
Seeing his confusion, Lewis smiled. “I have good ties with the governor. Plus, Jodi’s husband is on the front lines. As Pelican Town’s mayor and Kent’s friend, it’s my duty to look out for my friends.”
Pam’s backstory just got a lot more layered, huh? I’ve always liked her—she might have her flaws, but she gives great gifts, and she’s got Penny.