Page 104 of Evidence of a Folktale

“No.”

“Well, you’ve been busy, and this conversation is a long shot,” he said. “I doubt she’ll get anything from her contact, but there’s no harm in her taking a meeting.”

“We can’t let this become a cold case,” Bel said as she sank to the chair in the corner of Bajka’s quaint vintage thrift store. They’d finished the library shoots and had moved to the thrift store, its eclectic vibe perfect for a fictional vampire, but because filming was running behind schedule, shooting days had grown unbearably long. Bel had barely seen herownbed, and the snow had returned to Bajka. It was already sticking to the roads, and the only upside to the storm threatening to bury the coated town was she wouldn’t get stuck working until after midnight again.

“I know.” Griffin’s tired voice slipped through their phone connection, and Bel hated how he didn’t assure her that wouldn’t happen.Seemedeven the sheriff believed solving these homicides was as much a fantasy as Aesop’s Files.

“Well, let me know if she finds anything,” Bel said. “I called her earlier, but she didn’t answer, so I was just trying to figure out where she was… hold on, I’m getting another call.” She checked the screen before pressing the phone back to her ear. “It’s Thum.”

“I’ll let you go,” Griffin said, and she hung up with her boss before answering the medical examiner.

“Detective, can you stop by the morgue today?” Lina asked. “I realize you’re busy, but since Olivia’s out of town, I need to show you something.”

“Um…” Bel rose from the chair and crossed the floor to the window to watch the fat snowflakes hide the street behind their fluffy curtain. “The weather will force us to halt shooting for the day soon, so maybe I can stop by before the storm gets bad.”

“I don’t want to make you drive in a blizzard,” Lina said. “But you need to see this. Is there any way you can come now?”

“I’ll check if another officer can escort Mr. Draven to the bed-and-breakfast for me.” Bel scanned the thrift shop and spotted a deputy’s head behind a vintage wardrobe.

“Sounds good. Let me know if you can’t make it. I don’t want to get stuck here.”

“I’ll text you in a few minutes.” Bel hung up and jogged over to the officer, realizing it was Rollo when she tapped him on the shoulder.

“Can I ask for a favor?” she asked.

“Sure.” He smiled. “What’s up?”

“Lina needs me at the morgue,” she said, “but I’m supposed to escort Mr. Draven back to thebed-and-breakfastafter they wrap. Would you drive him for me?”

“Um…” Rollo shifted his weight, a conflict of interest wrestling on his features. “I’m technically past the end of my shift, and I’ve already put in overtime today. I planned to head over to Violet’s before wegetsnowed in. I promised to spend the storm with herso I couldshovel her out.”

“Right.” Bel rubbed the back of her neck as she tried to formulate a Plan B. “Okay, I’ll see if I can find someone else.”

“No, don’t do that.” Rollo sighed, his body sagging with the same weariness her muscles achedwith. “I’ll help.”

“Are you sure?” she asked. “Is Griffin going to yell at me for how many hours I’m about to add to your overtime check?”

“Probably,” he laughed.

“Okay. I’ll ask someone else.” She tried to leave, but the deputy captured her wrist before she made it two feet.

“No, Detective, I’ll help,” he insisted. “The snow’s getting bad. I don’t want you to have an accident because I wasted your time. I’ll escort him back to the inn. It’s no trouble.”

“Thank you.” Bel squeezed his biceps. “And you can blame Violethavingto shovel her car out on me.”

“Oh, I intend to!” Rollo shouted after her. “But maybe if I put in a good word, she’ll forgive you.”

“Let’s hope!” She crossed her fingers over her head and then pulled Draven aside to warn him about her departure. The dusted streets slowed her trip to the morgue to a snail’s pace despite her SUV’s all-wheel drive, but she eventually made it, white flakes coating every inch of her just from racing from her car to the front door.

“How bad is it?” Lina asked as Bel stomped the snow off her boots.

“Getting there,” she answered. “Thank god I have an SUV.”

“I saw the new wheels,” Lina said as she led the detective to her office. “It’s nice.” She raised her eyebrows to punctuate her words.

“Perks of coming back from thedead.” Bel smirked. “It was Eamon’s. He pulled it out of storage for me.”

“Can you imagine having a car like that and keeping it in storage?” The M.E. shook her head. “Does he have any other cars he’s looking to unload?” She gestured for the laughing Bel to take a seat andthenslid behind her desk to wake up her computer.

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