Burke raised an eyebrow.
Scout crossed his arms.
Reid looked amused.
“Those podcast vultures have rolled into town, an’ from what I’ve seen they’ve taken a particular interest in Eleanor Harper.”
Scout tilted his head slightly.
“Why? Has something happened?”
Deck shook his head.
“No.”
Scout frowned.
“Okay… then why are you?—”
Deck lifted one hand.
“I’ll tell ye why.”
“An’ there’s one fella in a canvas coat been lurkin’ outside Harper & Associates and the courthouse near every day this week—just standin’ there watchin’ her like a half-wit scarecrow.”
Burke’s expression sharpened slightly.
“We’ve seen him.”
“Aye, well, I had a wee chat with him yesterday.”
“Turns out he’s one o’ those podcast idiots. Drove up from Knoxville because he thinks Lila Grant’s going to solve the case.”
Scout rubbed a hand over his mouth like he was trying not to laugh.
“What exactly did you say to him?” Burke asked.
Deck shrugged.
“I told him if I saw him loiterin’ near her office again, I’d introduce him to the inside of the Tuckasegee River.”
“Deck,” Burke said dryly, “you might want to leave the warnings to law enforcement.”
“Aye,” Deck said. “And ye might want to be faster about it.”
The room went quiet. Burke looked like he had an answer for that, but thought better of it.
“When people like that start sniffin’ around a case, they’re not after truth. They’re after a story. An’ the quickest way t’get one is stirrin’ up trouble around the people involved.”
He jerked his chin toward the hallway.
“And right now that would be her.”
Burke nodded slowly.
“We’re aware. They’ve been calling all week.”
Deck held his gaze.
