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“We’re here to see Mr. Wells,” Sam said, displaying his badge. “Chief Sam Mason and Sergeant Jo Harris from White Rock PD.”
The receptionist’s nod was quick, a little too quick. “Of course, Chief Mason, Sergeant Harris,” she said, picking up the phone with slightly trembling hands. “Please, have a seat. I’ll see if Mr. Wells is available.”
Sam and Jo took a seat in the sleek chairs lining the wall, the polished chrome and leather clashing with the traditional attire of the town’s residents. Lucy, unfazed by the surroundings, sat obediently at Sam’s feet, her eyes scanning the room.
A few minutes passed, filled with an awkward silence punctuated only by the soft clicks of the receptionist’s keyboard and the distant hum of office machinery. Finally, the receptionist hung up the phone and stood up, her posture rigid.
“Mr. Wells will see you now,” she announced, her voice still maintaining that rehearsed warmth but with an undercurrent of nervousness. “Please, follow me.”
They were led down a corridor lined with abstract paintings, the kind that looked expensive but said little. As they approached Archie’s office, Sam noticed the receptionist’s pace slowed slightly, her shoulders tensed as if bracing for something.
The office door opened to reveal a spacious room with a large, imposing desk. Behind it sat Archie Wells, a man whose appearance was as sharp as the building he occupied.
Wells was a man who knew how to command a room. Tall and impeccably dressed, he wore a suit that probably cost more than what some people in town earned in a month. His brown eyes had a penetrating quality, like they could dissect your thoughts if you held his gaze for too long. Charismatic but not someone you’d want to underestimate.
He rose from behind his large, imposing desk, a monument to his ego or success—Sam wasn’t sure which. Archie offered his hand with a genial smile, first to Sam then to Jo. He moved to greet Lucy next, but the dog stayed put beside Sam, unyielding. Archie’s hand hung in the air for a moment before retreating, a brief flicker of annoyance crossing his features.
“What can I do for you, Chief Mason?” Archie finally asked, resettling into his leather chair.
Sam glanced at Jo. She was scrutinizing Archie, her eyes almost squinting. She had that look—the one she got when she was mentally recording every detail. She would have her opinions, sure as day follows night, but for now, she stayed silent, and so did Lucy.
The dog’s stillness wasn’t lost on Sam. Lucy had a keen sense about people, and her nonreaction was, in itself, telling. Archie might have the charm, the looks, and even the money, but Lucy wasn’t buying it, and that was good enough for Sam.
Sam looked at Archie and leaned forward slightly. “We’d like to ask some questions about April Summers.”
Archie’s jaw tightened ever so slightly. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing just a fraction. It was a game of minute gestures now, and Sam was all in. “I don’t really know her,” he admitted. “Just that she likes to get into other people’s business.”
“Like yours?” Sam probed.
Archie shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I guess you could say that.”
“I heard she was disputing something about the land you wanted to build your latest project on,” Sam continued.
“That’s right,” Archie confirmed. “Said it should be unbuildable as it was wetlands. She was wrong.”
“But it held up your project?” Sam pressed.
Archie nodded, his gesture restrained but conveying a world of frustration. “Yes.”
“That probably cost you a lot of money,” Sam mused.
Archie snorted. “You don’t know the half of it. What’s she done now? I hope someone is finally realizing what a fraud she is.”
Sam found the comment interesting. “Really? Why do you say that?”
Archie locked eyes with Sam, and for a moment, it felt like a measuring contest. “Let’s just say people like her have a knack for making noise but not much else. All talk, no substance. That woman is not what she seems. Why are you asking all this? Something happened, didn’t it?”
Sam nodded, watching Archie’s reaction closely. “Yeah, April Summers was murdered.”
Archie’s expression changed as realization dawned. “You don’t think I had something to do with it?”
“Did you?” Sam returned evenly. “She was costing you a lot of money.”
Archie shook his head. “Was. Past tense. We resolved our issue. But if someone killed her, you might have a long list of suspects.”
“How so?” Sam asked.
Archie looked uneasy as he spoke. “Look, I guess it’s okay to say this now, but you didn’t hear it from me. When I said April was a fraud, I meant it. Sure, she acted like she was gung ho about the environment, but she wasn’t above looking the other way if you paid her off.”
