Did I want to hear or see Carol Billingsly? No. But I did want to hear what the mayor had to say. “Sure,” I groused. “Let’s watch, but I’d appreciate the volume lowered until the mayor comes on.”
“You got it,” Jeanna said. “Nobody wants to hear that windbag, anyways.”
“Carol or the mayor?” I asked.
“You got me there.” Jeanna barked a laugh. “It’s a coin flip.”
JP began to fuss. “I feel the same way, Jordy, Jr,” I told my godson. I reached down and unlatched him from the bouncy chair, picked him up and began to bounce the sweet boy on my knee. JJ squealed with delight as her baby brother vibrated right in front of her eyes. She was still at that age where object permanence wasn’t a thing, so when he was on the floor, she’d probably thought he’d disappeared. My picking him up was like magic to her.
“He’s probably getting hungry,” Pippa said.
“I’ll make him a bottle,” Jordy said, grabbing the diaper bag and taking it behind the bar.
Jeanna turned the volume up on her phone with the camera zoomed in on Allison Green.
Mayor Green stood resolutely at the grandstand outside the courthouse, her auburn hair catching the afternoon sunlight.
“Good evening, citizens of Garden Cove,” Mayor Green began, her voice projecting through the speakers of Jeanna’s phone. “I understand there has been concern over the incidents this Memorial Weekend. Let me assure you that the reported shooting at the street fair was a false alarm. A harmless prank perpetrated by a disruptive sort. There was no danger to the public at any time.”
The crowd around the grandstand murmured doubtful exchanges. I glanced at my friends, knowing we shared the same reservations. Edgar had been injured by shrapnel from the kettle—not exactly harmless, even if he was the one responsible.
“The bomb scare at the church was also baseless,” Mayor Green continued, her tone firm. “It was a stink bomb, intended to cause panic without posing any real danger. Our police force responded promptly, prioritizing public safety.”
“Hah!” I scowled. JP reached up, tapped me on the cheek, blew a bubble, then flashed me a big toothless grin. Using baby talk and addressing the three-month-old, I said, “Mayor Green wouldn’t even think about shutting down her precious fundraiser.” She seemed more concerned about votes than public safety.
Mayor Green added, “Our officers are actively investigating both incidents and we expect to make an arrest soon.”
My fingers tapped nervously on the table. I had spent the weekend piecing together clues and trying to make sense of it all. The threat to myself and my friends seemed far from ending.
“And I want to reassure everyone,” Mayor Green intoned, “that Garden Cove remains a safe and welcoming community. Our tourism industry is crucial to our economy, and we won’t allow these incidents to deter us.” She raised her fist in the air. “You can trust in our police and local government to do their best for you.” She gave the group a broad smile. “Go Green with Green!”
As the speech concluded, there was a smattering of applause from the crowd in front of the courthouse, but it was clear the citizens of Garden Cove weren’t convinced.
My friends and I exchanged solemn looks. “She’s full of hot air,” I said with a lively tone. I finished by tapping my godson on the nose. “Isn’t that right, JP? Yes, it is. She’s full of nonsense.” He grinned again, his face turning red as his smile widened. “Uh oh. That’s not sulfur gas,” I joked before handing him quickly to his mom. “Aunt Nora is not on diaper duty.”
She chuckled and loudly said, “Jordy, come get your boy. He’s left you a surprise.”
I glanced at Jeanna’s phone. She turned the volume down as Carol finished her report on the event. I spotted Ezra swiftly moving in the background. Reese and Broyles appeared on screen from the other side.
“Hey, there’s Easy,” Tippi exclaimed. “What’s he?—”
Allison Green screamed and stumbled away from her podium as a man holding his arm ran up the steps to the grandstand, his face as red as JP’s had been, sheer panic in his eyes as the camera zoomed in on him. The mayor’s people surrounded her for protection while Ezra tackled the man, grabbing his legs and bringing him down, while Reese climbed over him and slapped the cuffs on. Several people in the crowd cheered louder for the arrest than they had for the mayor’s speech.
“Oh my God,” Pippa said. “Is that our banker?”
“Yep,” I confirmed. “That’s Edgar.”
Still, something didn’t sit right with me. I’d been with Edgar in that booth after his injury. He’d been genuinely scared, and the entire time we were together, I didn’t see him with popcorn. The evidence my point in his direction, but I didn’t buy it. Something was foul in Garden Cove, and it wasn’t just JP’s diaper.
ChapterSixteen
They’d built a new police station in Garden Cove about five years back. When Gilly was arrested, it was the first time I had stepped foot in the place since my dad passed away. I thought going to the station would bring up too many painful memories, but it was the opposite. It looked completely different from the old building, so I found I had no emotional attachment to the place whatsoever.
The same couldn’t be said now. This was where my sweetheart worked, and I had spent a lot of time inside these walls assisting with cases. The cops inside were once again like family to me. If I had to give it up, I’d miss it. Unfortunately, if my character continued to be smeared in public, I might not have a choice. I’d be a liability for cases going to trial, not an asset.
Shawn had called me shortly after the arrest and summoned me to the police station. He said that Mayor Green wanted a word with me, and he didn’t make it sound like a good thing. However, I didn’t go running there like a lapdog being called to its master. I was still in my pale pink sweats, and there was no way on this “Green” earth that I was going to meet with the Mayor looking like I was on a trek to the grocery store.
Instead, I went home, showered, and changed into something that would give the mayor pause before she came at me. I’d worked as a corporate leader for years, and I knew how to pull off a power suit. I picked a tan linen blazer and wore a chocolate brown vest beneath it. The vest was fitted, like my slacks, and didn’t require a shirt under it. My arms were decently fit, even at fifty-six, and I wanted to be able to show them off with a casual drop of the jacket if needed. I chose a pair of Gucci signature mules. The chunky heel made walking easier and standing for long periods tolerable. I tucked my hair into a bun and pinned it with a diamond hairpin that had been my mother’s, making sure my makeup was appropriate for daytime but added a touch of bronzer for a bit of glam.
