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“THE GOOD THING ABOUT the mayor being at the scene of the broken utility box is that he’s not at the Town Hall.”
“Dana, what are you up to?”
“Oh, nothing. Maybe we can go poking around his office.”
“Are you crazy?”
“That really depends,” Dana grinned.
Katie playfully rolled her eyes. “Dana, you know what I mean. He’s the mayor! Besides, he’ll be back soon.”
As they pulled up to the Town Hall, Dana looked around. “Do you notice something, cuz?”
“No. What?”
“There’s power everywhere. Everywhere is lit up right now.”
“That’s good, isn’t it? Yes, but why did the mayor say that he’s working to restore power to the rest of the homes and businesses in the area. The utility box on Maple covers this very block!”
Katie looked stunned. “It’s true. It does.”
Dana pinched her lips together.
“It looks as if a lot of people had reason to want Shags dead, but we need to find the one with the strongest motive and the best opportunity and the means.” Dana sighed.
“Sorry, ma’am, you can’t go back there,” a security guard said to them as they tried to enter the building.
“Oh, I’m Dana Sweet from the Cozy Cupcakes Café. We were here earlier. We’re just here to pick up our serving trays.”
“Sorry, ma’am it’s a crime scene. Police has asked that no one come in or out for tonight.”
Dana frowned. “Very well. Thank you.”
Dana felt deflated. She was willing to bet the Mayor, the big boss, was allowed back there as he wished. Perhaps then he would destroy any incriminating evidence.
Dana then had a thought as she walked back to the car. “You know cuz, we should probably look around at the back.”
“For what?” Katie said, shivering in her coat.
“Katie, you’re cold. Why are you wearing that thin coat?”
“This is a very nice coat.”
“But just because it looks nice doesn’t mean it does the trick.”
“You mean I should wear a big fat puffy coat that makes me look ten pounds heavier?” Katie grinned and arched her brow as she glanced at Dana’s massive puffy coat.
Dana smiled. “Like the one I’m wearing?” she arched a brow. “Good thing, I saw that you were tossing it out into the GoodWill bin or...” Dana froze. “That’s it!”
“What’s it?”
“The bin. Let’s go check out the bins out back.”
“Oh, no, cuz. You can’t go searching through the garbage. I’m going to call it a night. I’ve had enough of being stuck in dirty crammed places for the night.”
“Oh, cuz. Of course, how awful for you to be taking into the station like that. No worries. Just stay here and keep watch.”
“Dana. I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I do. I think.”
Katie playfully rolled her eyes. “Oh, boy. Here we go again.”
Just then Dana looked around and saw a large bin and opened it. She flashed her flashlight into the bin. “I think I’m going to have to get a nose clip, Katie. It does not smell very Christmassy in here.”
“That’s because it’s the garbage bin, cuz. Do you really have to do that?”
“Katie, you know the rules of solving a crime. The first thing people want to do is get rid of evidence fast. What other way would they be able to do that?”
Dana climbed on top of a rock to peek in further. “I think I see something. Some ripped shreds of paper with handwriting on it. Holy crap! I think we’re on to something, cuz.”
“What do you see?” Katie asked, shivering and rubbing her arms while waiting by the car as a lookout.
“I see tons of torn paper. That’s weird.”
Dana then took a deep breath. “I’m going in for the dive. Wish me luck.” Dana climbed inside the bin to see if she could pull out the torn letters.
Just then the back door of the building opened.
“Dana!” Katie tried to warn Dana.
It was too late.