“The police are still investigating, Collin. They don’t know for sure what happened. I’d appreciate if you didn’t jump to conclusions until we know more.”
“But I thought—”
“I can’t remember what happened. I’m not willing to indict David without more proof.”
He glanced over her head and drew in a deep breath. He worked hard and was dedicated to winning the mayor’s reelection. Like everyone else, he had done a good job of spinning what had happened so that the mayor wasn’t at fault.
“Whatever you think, April.” He glanced around. “I need to get moving. I’ve got a lot to do before the fund-raiser. Are you still going?”
The fund-raiser was a major event. It was part of her job to be there in support of the candidate. “Of course.”
“Great. Mark needs all the help we can give him.” Collin waved to someone across the room and walked away.
“Listen, I’ve got to get going, too,” Peggy said. “If you need anything, just let me know.” She hurried away and April started walking. She didn’t get far before Brad Schweitzer spotted her, excused himself from the woman he was talking to and intercepted her.
“April. I meant to call you.” Brad was black-haired, good-looking and smart. He was married, with two grown kids, but he and his wife were estranged. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m okay, Brad.”
“I can’t believe David’s dead.”
The conversation was a repeat of what the other two had said. Brad was shocked and appalled. April was still uncertain.
“If you remember anything about that night you think would help...” she said.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be sure to let the police know.” Brad went back to work and April continued toward the mayor’s satellite office.
On Mondays, the mayor stopped by after lunch to strategize about the campaign and since his personal assistant, Marge Lamb, sat at the desk out front, April knew he was there.
Marge, a heavyset woman with a cap of silver hair and a winning smile, was the person who ran interference between the mayor and his legion of supporters.
“April, I’m so terribly sorry. Is there anything I can do?”
“Thank you, Marge. I’m doing fine, considering, but I appreciate your concern.” She looked at the closed office door. “I see the mayor’s in. I really need to speak to him.”
“His schedule’s packed, but I’m sure he’ll find a moment for you.” Instead of using the intercom, Marge rose from her chair, knocked briefly on the door and went into the mayor’s office.
She was smiling when she came back out. “You can go right on in.”
“Thanks, Marge.” The mayor was sitting behind his desk, an attractive man, fit and trim, with threads of silver in his thick brown hair.
The moment she entered the room, he came out from behind his desk and walked toward her. “April.” Reaching out, he caught hold of her hands and leaned in for a brief kiss on the cheek before he let go.
“I didn’t expect to see you for a while,” Mark said. “I’m so sorry about what happened. I had no idea David was capable of something like that.”
“I appreciate your concern, Mark. I realize this isn’t a good time for a thing like that to happen...not with the election just a few months away.”
“I’ll survive. We’ll replace David and move on. When it comes time to vote, I don’t think people will hold something my campaign manager did against me.”
“The thing is no one really knows what happened. The police think David drugged me. They think he must have been trying to rape me and I killed him in self-defense.”
“Isn’t that what happened?”
“I don’t remember what happened. But I’m not completely convinced it happened the way the police think it did.”
His eyes glinted as he frowned. “You need to consider this carefully, April. The sooner you put this behind you, the better off you’ll be. This can’t be good for your career any more than it’s good for mine.”
“I’m going to find out the truth, Mark. If David was murdered and I was set up to take the blame, the real killer is going to get away with it.”
