Lauren listened patiently,controlling her expressions each time Anderson Archer told a mistruth, a misdirection, or out-and-out lied. All with a facade of patronizing concern and privileged superiority. Be fucking for real.
There were teenagers from her old neighborhood who could manage people and money better than this man.
“Before I turn the stage over to the council president, I just want to acknowledge the death of my colleague, my friend, and a long-standing member of the Shrouded Lake community, Bailey Joe Williams. Now don’t get me wrong, Bailey Joe wasn’t always the nicest or most patient person?—”
“God rest his soul,” someone in the crowd said behind her and there were a few good-hearted chuckles.
“—but he was ours, and he was Dottie’s, and he was yours, and we honor those who have given their lives in service of our good town.”
It was almost as if the mayor already knew and was trying to counteract and discourage Lauren discussing Bailey Joe’s incompetence and illegal activities and discussing them tonight would be tantamount to sacrilege. She would be tearing a good man down in the townspeople’s eyes. She looked down at thestack of papers on her lap. Then looked up and stared him down. She would not be silenced or shamed. She would tell the people what she came here to tell them, and he would hear it and face the consequences right along with her.
“I’m pleased with this large turnout,” the council president, Dave Flemming, said to the crowd.
“I reckon that just like me and our good mayor here?—"
Was “good” a euphemism for corrupt to these assholes?
“Many of you are here to get answers to the strings of death and crime plaguing our city these last few weeks. And as the sheriff has joined us in person this good evening, let’s have him tell us what he and his deputies are doing to keep our homes safe.”
All eyes turned to Santiago. He pocketed his sunglasses and walked to the podium where the audience was meant to address the council—the podium she’d be using soon enough. Santi bent the microphone toward him and faced the crowd instead of the council.
“As many already know, the sheriff’s department is investigating the deaths of Mrs. Willoby and Bailey Joe, and here recently Cody Earl. We don’t have any current evidence that proves the deaths are in any way linked, but as the investigations are ongoing I can’t draw any definitive conclusions yet.
“The department is also investigating the drug and gun ring that had been operating out of Vince Lewellen’s garage, so any information you think would be helpful to the investigation, please let us know. The marshals are currently hunting for Tommy Lewellen and unknown accomplices, so be aware and know that harboring a fugitive is also a felony. The budgetary cuts have hamstrung our department, and that’s no fault of ours or the mayor’s. These are dangerously lean times for the whole state. I was able to fill a full-time position this week, and that has already begun to make a positive difference. I know that we’dall hoped the revitalization initiative would bring money and people back to Shrouded Lake, but it hasn’t found the legs that the mayor and council hoped it would. What I do know is that the people of this town have always survived as community. We know how to roll up our sleeves, share our resources, and invest in each other when the world doesn’t acknowledge our existence. I’m sure the council will inform you of the services, programs, and volunteer opportunities available for those in need, so I’ll leave you with this: statistically speaking crime is down; we’ve had less crime and more importantly fewer drug overdoses as we continue to institute our diversion program. Any questions before I turn the mic back over to the council?”
“How do we stay safe in our homes when the lord only knows who got into at least Mrs. Willoby’s and Mr. Williams’s homes and killed them?”
“Again, ongoing investigation, but both those victims were prominent members of the community and also...eccentric members who were often...less cautious than most of us. Lock your doors and windows, make sure your people know where you are or where you’re headed, and call us if anything feels off—especially those who live alone or in more isolated spaces.
“Even if you don’t have your phones, you have your walkies and you know the channel to reach the department.” Lauren knew what he didn’t say because it was probably a given for the folks here: take up arms and protect what is yours if need be. Santiago returned to his corner and donned his sunglasses again. She was gonna break them as soon as she had a chance.
“Thanks Sheriff. Mrs. Maitland, if you could update the community about programs and services then we’ll get to the agenda.”
Lauren was the last item on the agenda. The mayor was probably hoping she wouldn’t have time to present. But theway Ms. Audrey kept things moving, it was no wonder she was Santiago’s administrative right hand.
Lauren’s turn arrived and she placed her binder on the podium and put her reading glasses back on. “Good evening. As you may know I’m a new resident of Shrouded Lake. Not long ago, I bought the Moor home.” She’d intentionally used the name of the original owners and not the house’s last resident. “There’s a ghost in the house. I’d heard the stories before I moved there, but I didn’t believe them. What I did have concerns about were the ghost of the woman who recently died there…howshe died.”
She turned around to address the crowd directly.
“I despised your sheriff when I first arrived in Shrouded Lake. I like him a great deal now, and I didn’t think that would be possible.” She smiled.
“They’ve been shacking up,” someone in the crowd said low, as if to his neighbor, but it might as well have been shouted into the microphone.
Someone tried to shush the man as others failed to suppress laughter.
“The sheriff has been generous enough to share his home with me after someone broke in and left a severed deer head at the top of my stairwell.”
By the sharp intakes of breath, that was not a well-known fact.
“One thing I can say with all confidence is that your sheriff is very, very devoted to performing any job given him with extreme competence and expertise,” she said a tad too sensually because Santi’s face flushed and some upstanding citizen in the crowd whispered she was a wicked woman. “And in so being dedicated to his job, the sheriff hired me to do a forensic audit of Bailey Joe’s books and by extension the town’s books. I found several discrepancies.”
She discussed her qualifications, education, and background so everyone would know she could have done the controller’s job with one hand and one leg tied behind her.
“If you would like a second or third evaluation, I have three firms willing and ready to do their own independent audit.”
“Our town doesn’t have—” the mayor tried to interrupt.
“At a significantly reduced fee to accommodate the current limitations of the town’s depleted funds, which are the reason I’m here tonight. The town’s funds.” She looked at Santi.
