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I ignored him and stayed focused on the chief.
“Where did he fall?” the chief asked.
“Stairs.” It sounded plausible.
“Is that why his ghost is sticking around? Because his death was accidental, so he thinks he has unfinished business?”
“Yes.”
“I looked in the front and back windows, but I couldn’t see a body.”
“No, you wouldn’t be able to from that vantage point,” I said, although that wasn’t true. She should’ve been able to see Bruce’s remains through the kitchen window, unless she didn’t recognize them as such. It was entirely possible she mistook the charred pile of dragon goo for a discarded item of clothing.
The chief tugged her earlobe. “Look, as you’re obviously aware by now, Fairhaven isn’t like other towns. It was settled as…”
“A crossroads village. Yes, I know.” I doubted Chief Garcia understood its full meaning though.
“Do you have experience with crossroads?” she asked.
“Some.” Not like this one, though. The crossroads in Wild Acres was far more complex than any I’d encountered before. Kane Sullivan had explained that an infinite number of realms intersected at this one, instead of the usual two. That meant there was a lot of supernatural energy packed into a condensed area.
“Did you live near any in London?” she pressed.
So much for a casual conversation. Chief Garcia seemed determined to wheedle personal details out of me. She probably considered this part of her duty, protecting locals from unseemly outsiders like me.
“London is full of ancient crossroads and ghosts.” One of the main reasons I left. Too much unwanted interaction. “Can you tell me anything about Bruce?”
“Like what?”
“Did you know him?” If she did, she certainly didn’t know he was a dragon shifter.
“Not really. I don’t think anybody did, and that’s how he seemed to like it. Your best bet is Hailey Jones.”
“Why would the local librarian be a good resource for information? Bruce wasn’t a book.”
Chief Garcia snickered. “You’ve met Hailey. She knows everybody in town, whether they encourage it or not.”
She made a good point. My laminated library card had been ready for pickup before I ever stepped foot in the library, and Hailey had recognized me on sight.
“I’ll stop by to see her.” And check out another book for Ray, the voracious reader, while I was there.
“What kind of information are you looking for?”
“Lost heirs,” I lied.
“I thought Fatima’s team already established there aren’t any.”
“You can’t be too careful with these details. If somebody missed a potential heir, the state could end up in expensive litigation.”
“Lawyers,” the chief murmured with disdain.
“I’d rather do my due diligence and save Big Boss a massive headache.”
“Well, it was your specialty.” She seemed to accept my reasoning. “Do me a favor. When you’re back inside the house on Thoreau Street, will you call me? I’d like to look around.”
“I don’t think Bruce would approve. If I’m trying to get on his good side and encourage him to cross over, I need to be careful. The moment you walk through the door, we might find ourselves tossed out.”
“Is that what happened to you? You pissed him off and he threw you out?”
