Page 28 of In Her Bed
“Just saw you on the Channel 8 live feed,” Frank Doyle’s familiar gruff voice came through, warm with a hint of amusement.“Looking sharp, Sheriff.Handled that reporter like a pro.”
Despite everything, Jenna felt a flush of pleasure at her mentor’s praise.“You’re watching the local news?I thought you said it was ‘nothing but fear-mongering and fluff pieces.’“
“Had to make sure my protégé wasn’t making me look bad,” he chuckled.“Seriously though, good job up there.Firm but not aggressive, informative without giving away the store.”
“Thanks, Frank.”She met Jake’s eyes briefly, sharing the moment with him.“That means a lot.”
“You two look dead on your feet, even through my ancient TV,” Frank continued.“I could fix you both a nice cup of herbal tea, take some of the edge off.How about it?”
The invitation was tempting—a moment of calm in Frank’s comfortable living room, where they could discuss the case without the pressures of City Hall or the station.
“We’ll head over as soon as we can,” Jenna promised.“Might be late.We have to go calm down the mayor.”
“Door’s always open to you,” Frank replied simply.“Just show up whenever you’re done playing politics with Claire.You know where the key is if I nod off waiting.”
The call ended, and Jenna told Jake.“Mayor first, then Frank’s,” she decided.“Let’s get the hard part over with.”
They drove in companionable silence through the now-quiet streets of Trentville.Storefronts were dark, and streetlights were coming on.The small town felt peaceful, at odds with the chaos they’d just left behind and the grim reality of a life cut short.
City Hall soon loomed ahead, an imposing granite building.Jake pulled into a space near the front entrance and cut the engine.For a moment, neither of them moved, the silence in the car a brief respite before the storm they knew awaited them inside.
“She’s going to push for details we don’t have yet,” Jake said finally.
“And criticize our handling of the scene,” Jenna added.
“And make thinly veiled comments about election year crime statistics.”
A small smile tugged at Jenna’s lips.“We both know the drill.”
Jake’s hand briefly covered hers where it rested on the console between them—a quick, warm pressure that was gone almost before she registered it.“We’ve got this,” he said simply.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“You ready for this?”Jake asked, his voice low, as they made their way through the quiet corridors of Trentville’s City Hall.Most of the building had emptied for the day, and the only sound was the distant rumble of a janitor’s vacuum.
“As ready as anyone can be for Claire when she’s in one of her moods,” Jenna replied, straightening her sheriff’s badge with an unconscious gesture.
“Just remember,” he reminded her, “we’re doing our jobs.Her political aspirations aren’t our problem.”
Jenna nodded, appreciating his solidarity as they reached the heavy oak door with its brass nameplate: MAYOR CLAIRE SIMMONS.She took a breath, knocked twice, and entered without waiting for a response—a small assertion of authority that she knew would irritate Claire.
Mayor Simmons sat behind her imposing desk, her tailored suit as crisp as her expression was cold.Her computer screen glowed in the dimming light of her office, and Jenna caught a glimpse of her own image on what appeared to be a replay of the afternoon’s press conference.
“Sheriff Graves.Deputy Hawkins.”Claire’s voice cut through the room.She clicked the pause button with a manicured nail, her hawk-like gaze fixed on Jenna.“Please, have a seat.”
Jenna settled into one of the stiff chairs across from Claire, while Jake took the other.The office smelled faintly of lemon polish and Claire’s signature expensive perfume.
“I watched your statement to the media.”Claire gestured to the screen where Jenna’s face remained paused, her expression serious and professional.“Enlightening, to say the least, considering I hadn’t been fully briefed on the situation myself.”
“I was planning to come by after—” Jenna began.
“After you’d already informed the entire county?”Claire’s fingers drummed once on the polished surface of her desk.“I’m the mayor of this town, Jenna.I shouldn’t be learning about murder investigations in my jurisdiction from Channel 12 News.”
Jenna met Claire’s gaze without flinching.“The press was already at the scene when we got there.I made a brief statement to prevent speculation, nothing more.”
“The public,” Claire repeated, the words sharp with disapproval.“What the public needs is reassurance, not alarm.”
“I said we’re investigating all possibilities.That’s standard procedure.”
