The police station was silent when I walked through the double doors of the little brick building Sweet Mountain Police used for their station house. They didn’t need a large building, so when the small Baptist church moved locations when their congregation outgrew the building fifteen years ago, the city renovated the building, and the police department moved in. I stood in front of the large, vacant mahogany desk in the poorly lit front room and waited for Rosa to return to her post. I glanced up at the wooden plaque that hung above the glass separating the desk from the waiting area. It read:
“The Sweet Mountain Police Department’s focus is:
“To protect and serve our citizens with a high level of integrity
“To utilize a community policing philosophy
“To strive for excellence in all that we do
“To become less incident driven and more proactive in preventing crime”
“Hey, Lyla.” Rosa’s smile didn’t make it up to her eyes as she retook her seat and smoothed her thick, dark, wavy hair away from her face.
“Good morning, Sergeant Landry. I come bearing gifts.” I presented Rosa with a cup of her favorite brew. She always complained about the coffee they served in the police station. “I’m sorry about the way I reacted last night. We all are. We felt a little blindsided, and you had nothing to do with that. You did try and warn us.”
“This coffee is your peace offering?” On my nod, she smiled again. “Thank you for saying that. You can’t imagine how conflicted I’ve been feeling.” Rosa took the paper cup of mocha java and sipped. She closed her eyes, savoring. “You are my favorite person right now.” She sighed. “Are we okay?”
“Glad to hear it, and yes, we are one hundred percent okay. I get it. You and I are both dedicated to our lines of work. I want you to know I respect you and understand completely.”
“But do Mel and Amelia?” Her shoulders sagged.
“If they don’t, they will. This tragedy has been tough on all of us. You included.”
She took another sip from the cup. “It has been challenging. Harper has always been standoffish around me. I guess that’s why I felt concerned before any of y’all did. Not that I don’t wish things were different. I do. But we can’t focus on the things we can’t control, right?”
“Right.” I rested my hip against the desk.
“Thanks for coming by and bringing coffee. You didn’t need to make a trip over, but I’m glad you did.” She went back to typing but in a moment looked up again. “Is there something else you want to talk about?”
“I’m sorry.” I hesitated, surprised by the question. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your workday. You want me to have a seat?” An odd vibe rolled off her.
Rosa’s hands froze over the keyboard. “Wait a minute. You aren’t here just to speak with me, are you?”
I cocked my head to one side. “No one informed you that Cousins was requested to confer with the defense?”
“No.” Her brow furrowed.
“Well, they have.”
“If that’s true, why didn’t they call you?”
“Mr. Jenkins called my uncle and asked us to come down. Calvin should be here soon.” My voice trailed off after ‘soon.’ Something felt off. “What am I missing?”
Rosa pursed her lips and held up a finger. She rolled her chair back to check whether anyone nearby could overhear us. A sense of dread crept up my spine as she moved the chair back to her desk and leaned forward. “There was an incident with an inmate. County lockup called for an ambulance, and the inmate went to Piedmont last night.” Rosa appeared to struggle with how much to share. She kept glancing back toward the door behind her.
My fingers went to my parted lips as I whispered, “How bad is she?” Had Harper been so terrified that she had a heart attack or something? I had no idea of her medical history. Or had another inmate harmed her? I’d never or such a thing and couldn’t fathom it.
“I honestly don’t know.”
“What happened?” I asked, then shook my head immediately. “Forget it. I don’t want to get you in trouble.”
Another officer came through the door. Rosa straightened. “I’m not at liberty to give out that information. Good day, Miss Moody.” She wheeled her chair back to retrieve a paper from the printer.
“Good day, Sergeant Landry.”
As I left the building, I fumbled through my purse for my phone and had to fight with my shaking hands.
“Miss Moody! Lyla!”
I glanced up, shocked to see Charles waving to me from the parking lot. Off to the left of him, her back turned to me, stood Piper with her phone to her ear. I lifted my hand in a wave and strolled toward my car.
The way Charles looked at me put me on edge as he trotted over. He smiled, exposing a row of perfectly straight teeth, as he reached me. “What a surprise to see you here.”
“Yeah. I’m surprised to see you too. I just dropped off some coffee for my friend.” I gave him a small smile and kept my tone casual. I didn’t want to convey that I knew anything about Harper. The last thing she needed was more attention from the press.
“How nice of you. You must get your kindness from your mother.”
My smile faltered.
“She is eager to help me with my new novel.” His smile broadened. “I think it will be a big hit too.”
I hiked my purse higher on my shoulder and folded my arms across my chest. “You should be careful about where you get your information. A lot of the seniors around here love to tell stories with lots of embellishments.”
He grinned. “True. While I enjoyed speaking with the group”—he leaned over—“I’d much rather spend time getting to know you and hearing your perspective on things.”
I’m sure he would. “You know,” I said, “I’m familiar with all the big names in publishing. Your name doesn’t ring a bell. Unless you publish under a pseudonym.”
“You googled me.” He stepped closer; his face took on a more serious expression as he cast a glance back toward Piper, who hadn’t noticed us yet. “Listen, all kidding aside, I’d like to sit down with you as soon as possible. I think we have a lot to talk about it.” Something odd swam in his gaze—something pleading.
“Um, I’m kind of busy at the moment but—”
Piper shouted some obscenities into her phone, then noticed us and called out, “Hey, Lyla,” before rushing over to me. “Could I get a quote for the Sweet Mountain Gazette?”
“Quote on …?” I turned my back on Charles and sped up my pace, glancing around the lot for my car.
She pursed her lips and followed me, holding the phone near my face. “Come on. Leonard Richardson was murdered in your parents’ house. They just charged his second wife, a friend of yours, with the crime. Her stepson says you’re helping her case. I heard a little rumor that something was missing from the murder scene.” I flinched, and she smiled. “Surely you have a comment.” Charles had caught up with us, and he kept his gaze intently on me.
“I’m afraid I don’t.” I hit the key fob and started to open the door. I was irritated by the manipulation while my friend fought for her life. Piper threw her hip against the door, slamming it shut. Frazzled, I fought to control my temper.
“Lyla, we’ve known each other forever. And I know you’re on your way to Piedmont Hospital like we are.” She tossed her hair as if to say, we’re way ahead of you. “And as we are both aware, when something is going on in Sweet Mountain, everyone has a comment. You are working in the PI field now. You found the body. Surely you understand this playing dumb isn’t going to cut it.”
I hiked my purse higher on my shoulder. “Not everyone likes to feed the rumor mill, Piper. Harper deserves privacy and a right to due process uncompromised by a skewed public opinion.”
“Uh-huh.” Piper held her phone in my face. “What does your mother have to do with the Richardsons, and why is she protecting Harper?” My gaze flew to Charles, who in turn gave his head a small shake. Was he saying Piper hadn’t gotten anything from him? Whatever. I wondered what Mother had told him. Piper caught the little visual exchange and turned toward Charles; he pushed his square black frames up on his nose, revealing nothing.
Enough of this. I squared off against the buxom brunette accustomed to getting her way. “Nothing, and she isn’t.”
“Are you so sure about that? I heard from a little bird that she’s very involved. She’s even offered to help with bail. That is, if Harper’s attorney manages to convince a judge she isn’t a flight risk.” Triumph radiated across her face, and I fought the urge to slap it right off her.
“Wow,” I said dryly. “No wonder you can’t manage any career advancements. You believe everything any imbecile spouts off.” I glared from her to Charles. “Now, if you’ll kindly remove your sizeable rump from my door, I’d like to be on my way.”
Piper huffed, her face flushed, but to her credit, she pulled herself together in record time. She smiled, slow and coolly. “You don’t want to make an enemy of me, I assure you of that.”
“Why?” I tossed my hair over my shoulder and cast her a dead-level glare. “You gonna sit on me?” I’d gone for the shock factor and achieved it. Not that I was proud of reverting to adolescent behavior.
Charles let out a snort of laughter and shoved his glasses back up on his nose as he stepped around Piper, who’d moved away from my car. “Here.” He thrust a card at me with a wink as he jerked open the door. Piper had rattled me with the comment about Mother, and I needed to shut her up to give myself time to find out what the hell was going on. I didn’t buy the enemy-for-life bull. She played tough because she had to. And if it turned out I was wrong, oh well. I’d deal with the repercussions then.