Thick As Thieves (Kenni Lowry Mystery Book 11) by Tonya Kappes

Author:Tonya Kappes [Kappes, Tonya]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tonya Kappes Books
Published: 2025-02-23T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Of all days for the entire town of Cottonwood to congregate on the courthouse lawn, it had to be today. I stood at the top of the courthouse steps, the mayor beaming with pride on my right and Finn stoically holding his usual composed expression on my left. The spring sun was merciless, making the already uncomfortable situation feel like a slow roast.

The moment I walked up the steps, I could feel the eyes of the townsfolk glued to me, not just the usual polite stares reserved for their sheriff but the wide-eyed, unblinking, can’t-look-away kind of stares. My cheeks burned, but not from the heat.

It didn’t take long to figure out why.

Tiny Tina’s masterpiece of an updo, a towering, teased, hair-sprayed confection of curls and tendrils was the unwelcome star of the show. The style had gone from "elegant trial wedding look" in Tina’s mind to something that could double as a protective helmet in a windstorm. The slightest breeze made the tendrils dance, as if my hair had developed a mind of its own.

I caught a glimpse of Edna Easterly in the front row, her signature lime-green fedora feather bobbing in the wind. She squinted up at me then leaned to the person next to her and whispered something, her finger pointing directly at my head. That person leaned to the next, and soon, heads were swiveling and eyes were narrowing all across the lawn like a slow-motion wave of confusion.

Finn shifted beside me, leaning slightly to whisper, “You’re doing great.” His tone was steady, but his lips twitched, betraying a smirk he was desperately trying to hide.

"Thanks," I muttered back through clenched teeth. "Next time, warn me before I walk out here looking like a Southern belle gone rogue."

The mayor, meanwhile, had no such reservations. He tapped the microphone of the karaoke machine he’d set up, complete with disco lights that thankfully weren’t turned on, and cleared his throat.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Sheriff Lowry has an update on the investigation into the tragic death of Judge Horace Blackwell."

The crowd hushed, their murmurings dying down, though several sets of eyes remained fixated on my hair. I stepped forward, gripping the mic, which screeched with feedback as I adjusted it. Great. Just great.

“Thank you, Mayor Ryland,” I began, the sound of my voice magnified and distorted by the cheap karaoke machine. "As you all know, Judge Horace Blackwell’s death is currently under investigation, and I want to assure everyone that we are working diligently to find answers."

A baby cried somewhere near the back, and Polly Parker, dressed head-to-toe in her trademark pink, began fanning herself with a pamphlet. Her eyes squinted at me as if she were trying to figure out what exactly was perched atop my head—she’d not seen the final updo because she’d left Tiny Tina’s before Tina finished making me look like a darn fool.

Edna shifted to the center of the crowd, her notepad poised and her eyes gleaming with mischief. I knew she was gearing

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