Page 26 of In Her Bed
CHAPTER TEN
“I don’t like this,” Jenna said, checking her phone for updates.“Dispatch says we’ve got at least thirty civilians up there already.”
Jake nodded, taking the next curve faster than comfort allowed.“So much for securing the perimeter.”
The hill loomed before them, crowned by the skeletal silhouette of the radio tower against the sky.
Almost there,she thought.
Her phone rang, the harsh electronic tone cutting through the tense silence.She glanced at the screen and suppressed a sigh.
“It’s the mayor,” she said, hitting the speaker button.“Sheriff Graves here.”
“Sheriff.”Mayor Claire Simmons’ voice filled the car, sharp and clipped even through the tiny speaker.“I needed you in my office at least thirty minutes ago.The press is crawling all over this, and I must be briefed immediately.”
Jake shot Jenna a look that spoke volumes.Their silent communication had developed over years of working together.This particular glance asked, is she serious…right now?
Jenna gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head.“Mayor Simmons, I understand your concern, but we’re heading back to the crime scene at the moment.The situation has escalated, and I need to ensure it’s properly contained before—”
“This is precisely the kind of thing we’ve discussed before,” Claire interrupted, her voice dropping to a dangerous octave.“Public perception is everything, Sheriff.In a situation like this, every minute you spend out there without coordinating with my office is a minute the narrative slips from our control.”
Jenna took a deep breath, then spoke firmly.“Claire, I appreciate the urgency.Jake and I will come to your office once the scene is secure.Right now, my priority has to be public safety and evidence preservation.”
A loaded silence followed, filled only by the hum of the engine.
“Fine,” Claire finally said, the single word tight with barely contained frustration.“But I expect you here within the hour.No excuses.”
The call ended with an abrupt click.
“She always did have a flair for the dramatic exit,” Jake commented
“I guess she’s just doing her job,” Jenna remarked, tucking her phone away.“But the mayor finds it inconvenient to remember that I was elected to my position, just as she was.And mine is a county appointment, while hers is the town.She can’t actually give me orders.”
“But she can make both our lives miserable,” Jake reminded her.
“And sometimes she does,” Jenna replied with a grim smile.
They rounded a curve and the smile faded from Jenna’s face.As they approached the turnoff to the service road that led to the tower, they spotted a disturbing number of civilian cars parked haphazardly just outside the approach.When they got nearer, they could see police cruiser parked askew, blocking the road.
“This is a mess,” Jake muttered, as he carefully maneuvered their vehicle through the impromptu parking lot that the area had become,
Officer Mike Donovan, guarding the service road, looked very relieved to see them.He pulled his cruiser ahead just enough to let Jake squeeze their car past, then blocked access to the road again.
Shouting their thanks to Mike, Jake followed the service road toward the radio tower.As they progressed, Jenna’s keen eyes caught movement between some trees near the road.She realized that more onlookers were skirting around the official barriers, drawn by the irresistible lure of tragedy and mystery.
When they reached the tower, the full extent of the chaos unfolded before them.A crowd of at least forty people had gathered now, gawking at the place where Marcus Derrick’s body had been found hanging.Three officers stood just inside the taped area, arms crossed, expressions tense, as they formed a fragile barrier between the onlookers and the crime scene.
Officer Maria Delgado spotted them and hurried over, relief evident on her young face.“Sheriff, thank God.We’ve been trying to keep them back, but they just keep coming.Word spread fast.”
Before Jenna could respond, her attention was drawn to a large white van parked prominently at the edge of the cleared area.The Channel 8 News logo gleamed on its side, and a satellite dish extended skyward from its roof.A reporter in a crisp blazer stood before a camera, microphone in hand, the tower eerily framed behind her.
“When did the press arrive?”Jenna asked, unbuckling her seatbelt.“How did they get past Mike?”
Delgado shifted uncomfortably.“They just drove right in before he had his car in place to block the road.They went live before we could do anything about it.We couldn’t spare anyone to go and arrest them.And that would have opened a whole new can of worms.”
Jake swore softly, then caught himself.“Sorry, Sheriff.”
The cool evening air rushed in as Jenna opened the door, listening to the murmur of the crowd and the mechanical whir of the news camera.She stepped out of the car, ignoring the press van and heading for the group of onlookers.The crowd’s chatter dimmed slightly as she came into view, ripples of recognition spreading outward.
