Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 127715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Anyone, but perhaps Dern, would think that was beyond hinky.
After studying the pictures in minute detail, with nothing jumping out at him except for the fact the man had experienced a beatdown before he died, Harry was about to close the file, shut down his computer and purge his thoughts on it (for now), deciding to sit down with Rus and discuss a way forward on Monday, when he sensed someone approaching down the hall.
He looked up to see Megan, the president of the town council, lifting a hand to knock on his doorframe.
“Hey,” he greeted before her knuckles struck frame.
She dropped her hand and walked in. “Do I have to tell my sheriff how important it is to get regular rest and downtime, not because his work is anything but exemplary, but because he’s my friend, and I feel the need to lecture him about looking after himself?”
Harry’s gaze dropped to her smart suit, which meant she was either out on a Saturday seeing to work (she was in real estate) or seeing to town council business.
Therefore, he raised his brows to indicate her kettle calling out his pot.
She smiled and moved farther in. “I was on my way home to Dan when I saw you in here.”
He needed to learn to close his blinds when he didn’t want a well-meaning friend to detour into his office in order to tell him off.
“Just had something to check, then I’m headed out to dinner,” he told her.
Her eyes lit with interest, but she only hummed, “Hmm.”
With Megan, Harry wasn’t going to go there.
He respected her, he liked her, and he had occasion to hang with her, mostly if he’d been asked over to Cade and Delphine’s, because she was Delphine’s closest friend, so if Harry was asked, it was likely Megan and Dan had been asked.
But she wasn’t even close to his closest friend, nor was he hers.
So they weren’t going to be discussing Lillian.
“Though, while you’re here, we’ve finished the audit and there are going to be a couple of cases we’ll be looking deeper into,” he shared.
“As suspected,” she mumbled irritably.
“Also, while we’re offering advice,” he started, doing it smiling at her so she’d know he took no offense, but also so she wouldn’t take any with what he said next. “I’ll repeat my concerns you’re not running in the next election.”
Megan shook her head. “You know my feelings about incumbency, Harry.”
“Yes, I do,” he retorted. “But before you, we had town council that was at best, mismanaged, at worst, and more accurately, it was managed with gross negligence. If you had another term, you’d have time to groom someone to take over.”
“That’s just it,” she replied. “These political legacies are kind of like monarchies. In the end, you have one line holding most of the power. And they can become corrupt or complacent, which was what happened to the council before I shook it up. You know more than me that corruption needs to be stamped out. But people don’t need complacency either. They need fresh ideas and energy. And even if the person you don’t want gets elected, it’s a good thing, because it encourages engagement. So I’ve no intention not only to run, but to groom someone to take over. It’s time for new blood, Harry. And anyway,” her eyes twinkled, “if I’m president of the town council, it’d make it hard to be a county commissioner.”
After she delivered this litany, Harry found himself mostly repeating what Doc said to him the night before. “It’s inconvenient you have too many scruples.”
She smiled, hitched her purse strap more firmly on her shoulder and said, “I know it sounds like I’m contradicting myself, but I’m glad you’re running for another term. It’s my feeling a sheriff should be appointed by a group of people who understand he, or she, is fit to serve. What you do isn’t and never should be considered political. So, even if you’re running unopposed, I’m going to vote for you, but I’m going to pretend I’m doing it as a member of a group who knows what they’re doing and appointing the right man for the job.”
He lifted his chin to accept the compliment and decided not to tell her that was what all voters should be doing.
Her eyes again twinkled, “And I sure hope that dinner you’re going to is with that pretty Rainier woman. I’ve referred some clients to her, and I’ve never regretted it. She’s a good seed. I sadly wasn’t around to see you escorting her down the sidewalk or chatting with her at the Double D, but from everything I’ve heard, you make a handsome couple.”
“Tell Dan I said hey,” Harry replied in order to share how he felt about discussing his dinner plans.
His reply only made Megan laugh, lift a hand, bid him to have a good weekend, and she walked out.