Fatal Frost by Jess Haven

Author:Jess Haven [Jess Haven]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Witt & Grace Publishers
Published: 2024-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Half an hour later, I took a deep breath outside the station and willed my stomach to settle. I told myself that this conversation would be different from the others I’d had with the chief over the years. I had a simple request, after all. Nothing outrageous.

In fact, maybe this interaction would be exceptionally positive. Maybe Damico would invite me to sit down, offer me some coffee, and happily answer my questions about Eartha. Who knows? He might even fill me in on the murder investigation, and I could catch two birds with one suet ball.

Sure. And maybe when I got home, I’d find a perfectly cooked filet mignon and a twice-baked potato waiting for me.

I lifted my chin, threw back my shoulders, and walked through the doors of the Applewood Police Station and into its expanse of soul-sucking beige. The only points of light in the place were the limp wreath—plastic, circa 1970, with a dusty red ribbon glued to its center—and Sherry, the department admin.

“Phoenix!” she said with an astonishing amount of positivity, given her surroundings. “Nice to see you.”

“You too, Sherry,” I said, crossing the gray tile floor to her desk. “How’re you doing?”

“Can’t complain, but you know that’s never stopped me before!” She chuckled and held out a bowl of orange-wrapped chocolates. How she hadn’t finished all the Halloween candy by now was a mystery, but the least I could do was help her achieve that worthy goal. “How’s business?”

“Not great.” I unwrapped a small peanut butter cup. “Apparently people don’t want to vacation in the murder capital of the county. I’m hoping we find Violet’s killer soon.”

“Yeah,” she said, “you and me both.” She lowered her voice, although I didn’t see anyone else around. “Let me tell you, it’s a pain to operate out of two offices. I’d ask for a raise if I thought there was any chance I’d get it.”

“Two offices?” As I said it, I realized that the space was uncharacteristically quiet.

“Yep, the chief is getting a lot of pressure to solve this. And I mean, a lot.”

“I can imagine. Especially after the last two Winterfest fiascos.”

“Exactly. This is worse than the flaming Santa. It might be enough to get the whole thing canceled. If not this year, then moving forward. Anyway, the mayor told the chief to relocate his operations on-site.”

“On-site?”

“Closer to the scene of the crime. Near the green. Said he’d be able to stay on top of things better from there.”

The police station was about a ten-minute walk from the green, so it sounded ridiculous to me. Then again, I wasn’t a law enforcement professional. “What did the chief think of that idea?”

Sherry rolled her eyes. “Don’t ask.”

Great. This wasn’t going to make him any easier to talk to. “So if I need to see him, where do I go?”

“You don’t. You wait until this is over.”

“And if I can’t wait?”

“Oof. Then go to the marina. He commandeered the Dockside Room. Do you know where that is?”

“I’ll find it.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.