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Placing my hand on Owen’s back, I give him a little pat. “Why don’t you run see if Holly got donuts on her way in.” He takes off with a little whoop of “Krispy Kreme,” and I turn to the mayor. “I apologize for saying that about Lars. It was insensitive.”
She lifts her chin. “I accept your apology.”
“And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t put ideas in my son’s head.”
“Your son is very bright, Aiden.”
“Thank you.”
“And children are very sensitive to spiritual things. Owen’s fascination with zebras is a clear indicator. They’re remnants of a time when the world was shadows and light.”
“No.” My tone is firm.
She waves her hands. “I’m not trying to start a fight. I simply wanted to let you know I’ve been monitoring this rise in crime lately, and I think we need to bring in some backup.”
My brow furrows. “What does that mean?”
She starts for her office, and I follow. Edna is almost seventy, with silver hair that hangs in a bob to her chin. She’s dressed in a white silk blouse and tan pencil skirt with matching pumps, and in this conservative disguise, you’d never know she’s a former magician and matriarch of the town’s resident band of carnies.
She believes in premonitions and psychics andvibrationsas much as cold hard facts when making civic decisions. It drove my dad nuts, and it doesn’t make me too happy either—particularly when she drags her “psychic” daughter Guinevere into the mix. Gwen is a real space cadet, and sneaky as fuck.
You’d think Edna would be ready to retire by now, but this crazy town keeps voting her back in office every time she runs. If the town of Eureka were a zebra, she’d be the black to my white—and I’m sure she’d say the exact opposite.
“Someone has been nailing messages on telephone poles for a month. Last week, Holly said three of her hens were stolen. Now Terra Belle’s prized pickle patch has been demolished. I think we need someone with special training in this type of work.”
Heat rises under my collar, and a growl enters my tone. “You’re not to call in additional officers without consulting me.”
“I’m consulting you now. Doug’s pushing sixty, but even if he was younger, you know he isn’t up to this type of work. You could use the help.”
I’m annoyed she’s right. Still, the last thing I need is some new person coming in, getting in my way, asking a bunch of questions—or worse, another kooky mystic reading tea leaves and being totally loyal to Edna.
“Who did you have in mind?”
“That’s the best part.” She claps, rising to her feet and smiling like she’s about to pull a rabbit out of a hat. “My granddaughter Britt has been working in Greenville, training at the crime lab at Clemson. She’s got the best possible credentials.”
My stomach tightens. “Britt said she wasn’t coming back to Eureka.”
The last time I saw Edna’s granddaughter—at her going away party, which my youngest brother tricked me into attending—she’d said she wanted to define her life outside this town and her family’s reputation.
“Oh, poo.” Edna waves her hand. “Guinevere will call her. She’ll want to be back in her hometown with her best friends and family.”
I’m not so sure of that. I’m also not so sure about her working with me. Britt Bailey is too young and too pretty, and on the night of her farewell party, things got a little too blurry on the back porch of her friend’s home.
We somehow wound up out there alone, and we started talking about her life in Eureka, my time in the Marines, her dreams, my son. It was the first time I’d seen her as the only sane member of her family.
Our bodies had drifted closer until we were almost touching, and the conversation faded away. She blinked those pretty green eyes up at me, and the starlight shone on the tips of her blonde hair. She smelled like fresh flowers and the ocean, and her pink lips were so full and inviting. It had been so long since I’d lost myself in the depths of a beautiful woman…
Obviously, I’d had too much whiskey.
“I can tell by your pleased expression you like this idea.” Edna nods. “I’ll have Gwen call her today, and I’ll let you know how soon she can get started.”
“That wasn’t what I was thinking.” My expression wasnotpleased. “Is she even old enough to work here?”
“She’s twenty-eight, Aiden. Don’t be ageist.”
Seven years younger than me.
“But this would be her first actual job as a crime scene investigator?”
