Page 6 of Condemned By Secrets

Luther grinned, unable to stop thoughts of Anna from flooding in. “Sorry.”

The sergeant handed him the folder he’d hit him with.

“What’s this, Sarge?”

Luther opened it, but before he had a chance to flip through, Sergeant Jameson spoke, “I’ll tell you what it’s not. The report you owe me on that hit and run last week.”

Luther rubbed at the back of his neck and shrugged. “Because that wasn’t a hit and run. Not really. How am I supposed to write up ‘a speeding car hit a cow and fled the scene’?”

“Sounds like you just did. Type it up, Monroe. I want it on my desk before the end of your shift.”

“Done.” Luther smiled, and Sergeant Jameson raised an eyebrow.

“Why are you suddenly so happy? You’ve been moping around for weeks.”

“Stopped on a call on my way in. We’ve got a tire slasher.” Luther couldn’t keep the smile out of his voice.

“And that’s a reason to smile because . . . ?”

“Because I’m going to find out who did it.”

Sergeant Jameson’s eyes narrowed at Luther as if he knew there was more to the story. “And?”

“And I get to follow up with Miss Anna Hendricks, who will be so impressed she’ll agree to go out with me.”

The sarge shook his head at Luther and barked out a laugh. “Leave it to you to make this about a woman. So, she’s the victim?”

“Yep. Just moved here. She’s the historical society’s new preservationist.” He grabbed another handful of Skittles and tossed them in his mouth. At the sergeant’s glare, Luther offered him some. “Ski-ls?” he mumbled as he chewed.

With a sharp shake of his head, Sergeant Jameson inquired, “Does she want to press charges?”

Luther swallowed and frowned. He hadn’t asked her that—specifically. “Not sure. Does it matter?”

The sarge sighed and ran a hand down his face. “Yes. Come on, Monroe. That’s a rookie mistake. Did you get so distracted you forgot how to do your job?”

Luther’s neck heated at the comment, and he sat straighter in his chair. He respected the hell out of Sergeant Jameson. The man had been on the force long enough to make Lieutenant, but Captain Grouse was causing a backlog on the promotion front.

Luther didn’t like disappointing the sarge. Maybe he had been a little too distracted by Anna. Clearing his throat, he attempted to redeem himself. “I’ve got her contact, I’ll get in touch and find out, but I wanted to have something to lead with first. I’ve already got the list of attendees from the town hall meeting where her tire was damaged, and I’m going after the security footage from the parking lot next. They use a third-party agency, so all the data is stored off-site.”

“I figured, but if you want the captain to sign off on the request, he won’t be interested unless this woman’s pressing charges. He’s not going to tangle with the mayor if he doesn’t have to.” Sergeant Jameson’s eyes cut to Captain Grouse’s office door, and he frowned.

Neither of them was fond of the captain, and Luther knew the man liked to make things difficult. But he wasn’t sure what Sarge meant about the mayor. “What does the mayor have to do with it? I just need to speak with the security company.”

The sergeant’s eyes sparked at the question. “She monitors everything that goes on in that building. If you don’t run it by her first, she’ll shut you down fast.”

Luther sighed then nodded. “10-4, Sarge.”

The sergeant’s face broke out in a grin, and he clasped Luther on the shoulder. “Good luck.”

He started to walk away when Luther stopped him. “Wait, what about this?” He held up the folder the sarge had assaulted him with.

Sergeant Jameson shook his head. “Give it to Haines. You’re going to have bigger fish to fry.”

Luther frowned after the sarge. Would the mayor really be a problem? You’d think she’d want to know if someone was slashing tires in her parking lot. Luther scratched his head with frustrated fingers and left several blonde strands sticking up at odd angles.

Great. Now I’ve got two women to charm.

CHAPTER 3

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