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By the end of Harper’s first week on the job, she realized her duties were more about keeping Susan in line than anything else. The mayor bulldozed everyone else, including her press secretary, so it was always up to Harper to keep the train moving in the right direction. Two years into Susan’s four-year term and Harper was already running out of steam. This was not going to be good for her, for the town and most especially, for Astrid’s family.
As she watched Lazlo figure out the tent, she tried to marshal her thoughts. Jason Merritt was a good cop, and she knew he’d do his best to find whoever killed Astrid. She looked over at him. His sandy hair fluttered in the breeze. They’d gone out in a group a couple times after work. She knew he was interested but kept him at arm’s length. Dating the top detective in the department would complicate her work life even more than it currently was.
Still, Jason was attractive and smart, always a winning combination, in her mind. Cedar Bluff was still small enough that there weren’t a ton of options in the dating pool either. She could do a whole hell of a lot worse. Currently, however, he had to be freezing his ass off. His navy sports jacket and a light blue button-down with a pair of khakis were likely not useful in keeping warm. At least she had a black wrap over her suit jacket and she’d thought to put on tights under her slacks this morning.
Winter wasn’t far off. The air had a bitter edge to it for the last week or so. Fair enough. It was late October. The cold, and this murder, were going to put a damper on Halloween. They were going to have to figure out something to make sure people came to the annual Halloween extravaganza in the square. She needed Chief Clark on her side on this one. He had to make people feel safe if the event was going to be the success she wanted it to be. The mayor had started it a few years ago and needed an easy win. Maybe if they billed it as an event to bring the town together?
“Her Honor?” Jason asked, gesturing to her phone.
She dropped the cell phone into her purse with a sigh. “Yes. I think she’s on her way.”
“So is Clark. Fingers crossed they keep their shit together.”
Harper frowned. “Where’s Detective Crawley?” She hadn’t seen his bulky form at the crime scene anywhere.
Jason grimaced. “George is on a leave. He had to get a hernia operation last week. He’ll be out for a little while longer.”
“Oh no. Will you be on this all by yourself? With Lazlo too, but well you know what I mean.” Harper could see trouble brewing a mile off. Susan would have a field day if Jason was the only one working the case.
“It’s just me and Laz for now. If the chief thinks we need more help he’ll bring in George.” At Harper’s glum expression, Jason sighed. “Don’t worry. Lazlo is good. He’s new but he will be a solid detective one day.”
“One day…” Harper tried not to let the idea of Jason being the sole detective on the case get to her. She wanted this solved as quickly as possible.
“Besides, you know what George is like. The investigation will move faster with him out of commission.”
She bit back a snort as she acknowledged the truth of Jason’s statement. George Crawley had one speed; glacial. His plodding pace was known far and wide. Nothing seemed urgent when George was working a case. Jason was likely right; this would be better.
He looked over and nodded hello to the medical examiner as she arrived. “Hey, Mandy.”
“Hey, Merritt.”
He gestured to Harper. “This is Deputy Mayor Harper Edwards. Harper, this is Mandy Paulson.”
The two women shook hands. “Sorry to meet you under these circumstances,” Harper said. Then they all turned to watch as two uniformed officers put up the tent.
Mandy turned to Jason, “Who told them to do that?”
“I did. Storm is coming in.”
“Good thinking. Let me get to it then. Hopefully, I will be able to get something for you in the next day or two. The morgue is busy these days.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Harper said. The thought of all those people out there mourning someone made her heart heavy.
Mandy turned and studied her for a second before saying. “Thank you for saying that. In my job, it’s easy to forget that more work means more loss to others.”
Harper’s cell buzzed again. She withdrew the device from her pocket and glanced at the screen.Susan.“It was nice to meet you, Mandy. Please keep me informed if you can. Astrid,” she gestured toward the tent, “was a beloved member of the community.” With that, she stepped away, answered the call, and moved down the bluff toward the parking lot, dread building in her stomach with every step.
CHAPTERTHREE
“Maine? Why do I get all the best assignments?” Flynn O’Connor sighed as he took a sip of his beer. He hated small towns. And a small town in Maine was not somewhere he’d ever wanted to go. Growing up in Woodside Queens was just like a small town. The close-knit Irish community might be in the heart of bustling New York City, but that didn’t stop everyone from always getting up in everyone else’s business.
Not his thing. Not at all. He liked his anonymity.
“It could be worse,” Sterling pointed out. “You could have to go to Lancaster, Pennsylvania with the Amish.”
Flynn shot his team leader a dirty look.
“Does the Society even have a place there?” Cash Walker asked.
