“With all due respect, sir, with this new information, I think we have enough to reopen both cases. I’d think the families would want to know about this.”
He tips his head to the side, giving me a look that would chill most men to their bones.
“You telling me how to do my job, West?”
I straighten my back, sitting up taller. “Course not, sir. I’m only suggesting that I’d be happy to work the cases if the order was given to reopen it.”
His stone-cold glare fades away, and he shifts his gaze to a file on his desk, flopping it open and signaling our time is almost up.
“Doubtful, West. The mayor was very adamant that the family wanted closure and closing the case provided that. It’s unlikely he’ll want to open old wounds.”
So much about how this town works doesn’t sit well with me, but aside from not keeping Captain waiting, you don’t questionhim either. Knox Harbor politics is beyond his control, as much as he’d like to say otherwise.
Old money holds the power here, and Mayor Dunbar’s family has been at the top of that chain since the founding of the town.
“Leave this alone, West. Hear me?”
“Yes, sir.” I stand, readying to get back to work when Captain speaks. “There’s something else I want to speak with you about.”
“Sir?”
He folds his hands on top of his desk and leans forward. “You holding up okay? I know this time of year brings up a lot of... demons.”
A chill races down my spine and goose bumps pebble across my arms at the turn this conversation has taken.
By demons, he’s referencing my penchant for hitting up the local watering hole to shove down my feelings with a half bottle of Jack Daniel’s. It almost cost me my job. I quit cold turkey and haven’t had a drink in three years.
“I’m fine, sir. It’s been six years.”
He grunts. “That doesn’t mean jack shit and you know it. Time doesn’t make the hurt any less painful on the anniversary. I know that better than anyone.”
He does. He’s lost many in the line of duty throughout the years. Most of them were blood. He comes from a long line of law enforcement and men too brave for their own good.
“I’m fine. Seriously, Cap.”
He clears his throat, waving his hand in the air to shoo me off. Captain is as uneasy with emotion as I am, which makes this whole conversation even more perplexing. It goes to show he might be a hard ass, but he cares.
“Good. Now get back to work, West.”
I nod, hoping to convey that I appreciate his concern and the fact that he doesn’t press. “Thank you, sir.”
My hand’s on the knob when he calls out. “I almost forgot. Nice work on the tip out in Ansley. They found tracks right where you said. They’re digging today.”
My chest tightens and my ears buzz. That was the last thing I expected to hear and possibly the only piece of information that would force me to go against Captain’s order and dig into the other cases myself.
If a body is found, I have to give serious consideration to everything else Alyssa told me.
Things just got a whole lot more interesting.
Nine of Pentacles
IT’S BEEN THREEdays since I involved Nick. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the moment I left, Nick got to work investigating Corinne. He hadn’t bothered to hide his skepticism of her and her motives.
Today is a day of self-care, which has been high on the priority list. Lucky for me, people are always owing Lanie favors. She cashed in big for the sake of this restoration and was able to arrange a spa day for the two of us. It meant that Nina couldn’t join, but she didn’t seem the least upset about it.
Nina doesn’t get caught up in the girlie frills. You’ll rarely see her nails painted, and aside from the highlights she gets every eight months, she doesn’t trip over missing a hair appointment like Lanie would. She’s miserably married and yet perfectly content the way she is. It pisses Richard off to high hell, which is a huge bonus. She doesn’t fit his ideal image for the mayor’s wife, which only fuels her resolve to remain uninterested in beauty routines.
Once upon a time, I actually did care. Before Ava was born, I drove into Boston to work for one of the largest advertising firmson the East Coast. My clients were high-end brands that loved to shower me in gifts. Now, I’m a widow living off my dead husband’s life insurance, barely getting dressed on the daily.
