Fruit, Flower and Flames by Carolyn L. Dean

Author:Carolyn L. Dean [Dean, Carolyn L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-10-29T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Less than a day later and Amanda was already missing James. He’d texted her from the plane, asking a favor of her, and she headed downtown to help him out.

It wasn’t like James to forget his notebook anywhere, so when Amanda got the message from him, telling her that he’d be an extra day or so in St. Louis and asking if she’d swing by the police station to get the notebook he’d left there from George Ortiz, she was surprised. Still, it wasn’t that far out of her way. She’d been planning on stopping by Petrie’s for a new hose, since one of Pastor Fox’s teenage landscapers had run over hers with the lawnmower the week before, and she needed to go by Madeline Wu’s fish store to get some fresh shrimp. Apparently, the Olin family had read the online rave reviews about Jennifer’s version of shrimp etouffee, and Amanda was happy to accommodate her guests.

Ravenwood Cove’s police station was small and near the town square. Built out of brick and trimmed with white, its sweet little exterior didn’t hint that it that it had a state of the art law enforcement facility inside.

Shutting the front door behind her, Amanda smiled when she saw who was behind the reception counter. “On desk duty today?” she asked Officer Rollins, who was staffing the front desk.

He gave her an answering glare of mock anger. “Don’t ask.”

Amanda bit back a smile. She knew that sometimes the rookie officer on Ravenwood Cove’s police department was assigned office duty when he’d much rather be out on patrol, or when he’d gotten into trouble. “James said George had found his notebook and was holding it for him. Is he around?”

Rollins nodded over his shoulder. “Back in his office. Go on in.”

Amanda knocked quietly on the police chief’s door and when he answered she swung the door open. George was sitting behind his desk, with Zachary sitting opposite him, obviously upset.

Amanda’s eyes widened in apology. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you were talking with anyone,” she said, hastily trying to back out of the room, but George put up a calming hand.

“It’s okay, Amanda. We were just going over a few things. Were you looking for James’ stuff?” he asked, and at Amanda’s answering nod he rummaged in the bottom drawer of his desk, then handed over a small paper bag. “Here you go,” he said. Amanda took it and then smiled at the agitated man across from George. “Hello, Zachary. How are you?” she asked, and Zachary visibly relaxed.

“Fine, thank you, but I’m about ready to walk out of here.” He gestured at the police chief. “He’s asking me a whole lot of questions about what happened at the cannery, like I’m some sort of criminal or something. Is this what cops are like in Ravenwood Cove? Accusing good people of bad things? It’s like he’s been yelling at me.”

Amanda shook her head and patted Zachary’s arm. “I know it may not be fun to answer questions, Zachary, but I know this man,” she said, gesturing to George.

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