use one of the library computers to see what was on the flash drive but she didn’t want to delay him.
“ Just don't mention it, I mean that,” he said sternly and waved them towards the door.
As soon a s they were outside on the sidewalk Mary turned and grabbed Suzie by the elbow.
“ You do know what this means?” she asked as she locked eyes with Suzie.
“ Tell me what you think,” Suzie encouraged her.
“ If Samantha saw Jason before she disappeared and she told Jason her suspicions about Mayor Ralley maybe she also told him she was planning to leave her husband. If that's the case, then Jason probably felt terribly guilty about being with her shortly before she disappeared,” she pointed out with a frown. “I bet that's why he's being very loyal to Ralley. If he's as manipulative as everyone says, he's probably got Jason completely on his side.”
“ Maybe,” Suzie nodded as she gazed down the sidewalk at the people who were heading home for the day. “But I think Jason suspects something. I'm sure he doesn't suspect that his father might not have died of natural causes, however,” she tightened her jaw.
“ Do you really think that Mayor Ralley killed him?” Mary asked as she studied Suzie's expression.
“ I think it's time we find out if my uncle's death was as natural as everyone seems to think,” she said with determination.
“ How are we going to do that?” Mary asked.
Suzie glanced at her watch. “We still have two hours before we're supposed to meet with Jason and Mayor Ralley for dinner. That should be enough time to get some information from the coroner.”
“ Oh Suzie, are you sure?” Mary asked as she touched her arm gently. “It won't upset you too much.”
“ The only way it will upset me is if I never look into it,” Suzie replied with certainty. She glanced up at the fading light in the afternoon sky. “Uncle Harry trusted me with this mystery, I don't know why. Maybe he kept track of me. Maybe he knew that I had a career as an investigative journalist and he hoped that I would look deeper into things. Maybe he just wanted to protect Jason from discovering the truth. Whatever the real reason, he left this responsibility in my hands, and I intend to get to the bottom of this.”
“ Let's get over there then,” Mary said with her shoulders squared. “Mayor or not, Ralley has no idea what he's up against when the two of us are working together.”
When they reached the police station, Mary's cell phone began to ring. She glanced down at it and frowned. She sent the call to voicemail. Then the phone began to ring again.
“Ugh, I guess I better take this,” Mary huffed, knowing that it was her soon to be ex-husband, Kent.
“ It's fine, you wait here, that way if they cuff me you can make bail,” Suzie chuckled and put the car in park. Mary was arguing on the phone with Kent when Suzie closed the door behind her. She couldn't wait for her friend to truly be free of him, but she knew that Mary had to handle it in her own way.
When she walked into the police station, Suzie felt a surge of anxiety. It had been so many years, and yet the presence of so many uniformed officers and the subtle clang of metal doors reminded her of just how it felt to have her freedom taken from her, even if for only one night. It had been hard to believe that she would ever walk out of that cell, and that had driven the point home well enough for her to avoid investigating anything so serious again. However, here she was again, about to lie through her teeth to the man at the front desk.
“ Hello,” Suzie smiled at him as she walked up to him.
“ Hello,” he replied and swept his gaze over her with curiosity. He was nearly bald with a short, stubby beard that spread awkwardly along his full drooping cheeks and rounded chin. “How can I help you?” he asked.
“ My cousin, Jason Allen, is an officer here,” she explained. “My uncle, Harry Allen recently passed, and I was hoping
“ Just don't mention it, I mean that,” he said sternly and waved them towards the door.
As soon a s they were outside on the sidewalk Mary turned and grabbed Suzie by the elbow.
“ You do know what this means?” she asked as she locked eyes with Suzie.
“ Tell me what you think,” Suzie encouraged her.
“ If Samantha saw Jason before she disappeared and she told Jason her suspicions about Mayor Ralley maybe she also told him she was planning to leave her husband. If that's the case, then Jason probably felt terribly guilty about being with her shortly before she disappeared,” she pointed out with a frown. “I bet that's why he's being very loyal to Ralley. If he's as manipulative as everyone says, he's probably got Jason completely on his side.”
“ Maybe,” Suzie nodded as she gazed down the sidewalk at the people who were heading home for the day. “But I think Jason suspects something. I'm sure he doesn't suspect that his father might not have died of natural causes, however,” she tightened her jaw.
“ Do you really think that Mayor Ralley killed him?” Mary asked as she studied Suzie's expression.
“ I think it's time we find out if my uncle's death was as natural as everyone seems to think,” she said with determination.
“ How are we going to do that?” Mary asked.
Suzie glanced at her watch. “We still have two hours before we're supposed to meet with Jason and Mayor Ralley for dinner. That should be enough time to get some information from the coroner.”
“ Oh Suzie, are you sure?” Mary asked as she touched her arm gently. “It won't upset you too much.”
“ The only way it will upset me is if I never look into it,” Suzie replied with certainty. She glanced up at the fading light in the afternoon sky. “Uncle Harry trusted me with this mystery, I don't know why. Maybe he kept track of me. Maybe he knew that I had a career as an investigative journalist and he hoped that I would look deeper into things. Maybe he just wanted to protect Jason from discovering the truth. Whatever the real reason, he left this responsibility in my hands, and I intend to get to the bottom of this.”
“ Let's get over there then,” Mary said with her shoulders squared. “Mayor or not, Ralley has no idea what he's up against when the two of us are working together.”
When they reached the police station, Mary's cell phone began to ring. She glanced down at it and frowned. She sent the call to voicemail. Then the phone began to ring again.
“Ugh, I guess I better take this,” Mary huffed, knowing that it was her soon to be ex-husband, Kent.
“ It's fine, you wait here, that way if they cuff me you can make bail,” Suzie chuckled and put the car in park. Mary was arguing on the phone with Kent when Suzie closed the door behind her. She couldn't wait for her friend to truly be free of him, but she knew that Mary had to handle it in her own way.
When she walked into the police station, Suzie felt a surge of anxiety. It had been so many years, and yet the presence of so many uniformed officers and the subtle clang of metal doors reminded her of just how it felt to have her freedom taken from her, even if for only one night. It had been hard to believe that she would ever walk out of that cell, and that had driven the point home well enough for her to avoid investigating anything so serious again. However, here she was again, about to lie through her teeth to the man at the front desk.
“ Hello,” Suzie smiled at him as she walked up to him.
“ Hello,” he replied and swept his gaze over her with curiosity. He was nearly bald with a short, stubby beard that spread awkwardly along his full drooping cheeks and rounded chin. “How can I help you?” he asked.
“ My cousin, Jason Allen, is an officer here,” she explained. “My uncle, Harry Allen recently passed, and I was hoping
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