Page 102 of Exposé

"Will do. Good luck. I hope I didn't make you too late."

Smirking, I slipped into my seat, started the car, and drove away, leaving him standing by his motorcycle.

The flutters in my belly stayed in flight my entire drive, even as I'd found a parking space around the corner of the busy street where the Mayor’s office was located.

He'd stayed the night, his touch never leaving mine, the old small box of condoms in my nightstand depleted and in need of replenishing.

It'd been ages since I'd brought a man home, and it'd been since Darrel since they'd stayed the night. I never wanted them to stay.

The busy street bustled with honking horns, people walking to their offices with purses draped over their arms, men in suits, or dressed casually. It was the variety that struck me as I pushed the Mayor's door open.

Light gray tile floor shined in the morning, light brimming through big fat windows, and sleek wooden furniture dotted the floor in a way that would make Joanna Gaines happy.

My flats tapped against the floor as I ventured through the foyer toward a large rectangle receptionist desk.

A young woman about my age, with brown, curly hair, wearing a white blazer and a black dress sat at the desk. She lifted her eyes as I approached, prompting her to rise to her feet. "Ms. Thatcher?"

"That's me. You must be Margaret." I gave her a polite nod, my fingers fidgeting with the handle on my bag.

"Please, follow me." Margaret stepped out from behind her desk and waved her hand for me to follow. We walked down a wide hallway, passing by other wooden doors with frosted glass panels in the center until she stopped in front of the last door on the left. "You may go inside."

Wow, so formal.

"Thank you." I nodded, straightened my shoulders, and smoothed down my clothes before opening the door and poking my head inside, my heart racing.

Mayor Haynes stood a shade under six feet, stocky as a butcher’s block, with a face that gleamed from a razor’s recent scrape. His usual uniform—a white collared shirt tucked underone of his bright, borderline obnoxious sweaters and a pair of khakis that always seemed a size too snug—made him look like a man perpetually auditioning for a local catalog. But today, the sweater was red. Not just any red, though—an alarming stop-sign red that seemed to shout from across the room.

"Ms. Thatcher." Mayor Haynes leaned over his desk, sunlight streaming in through the wide window beside him.

My eyes slid over his office like a cat stalking prey, taking in every inch. To the left, a bookshelf stuffed with history books and nonfiction titles, arranged with the kind of care that screamedpresentation over use.To the right, a spaced lounge area in the corner, featuring a leather chair and a coffee table that had seen a high dollar price tag. Behind the desk, two filing cabinets stood sentinel next to a Francis Grant painting of men on horses.

I squinted as I stared at the painting, its gold frame hanging away from the wall as if...

A safe.

He has a wall safe behind it?

"Mayor Haynes." I tore my gaze from it with a vote of triumph under my exterior. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me." I leaned forward with my hand outstretched.

"Well, you were quite persistent." Mayor Haynes peered at my hand for a moment before shaking it and then gesturing to the cushioned seat next to me. "Hard to deny someone with that amount of dedication."

I chuckled. "Curse of the trade, I'm afraid." I sat down on the edge of the seat, my thighs tense as I dug through my bag and placed my notepad in my lap with my pen. My recorder came next, and I placed it on the desk, turning it on. "I hope you don't mind me recording this?"

"Of course not." Mayor Haynes took a seat in his leather chair, leaned back, and rested his elbows on the armrests with joinedhands. "You wanted to speak about the current drug raids in Riverfield."

"That's correct. Specifically drug raids where NeuraZene is involved."

"Hmm." Mayor Haynes leaned forward and rested his hands on the surface of his desk, his eyes boring into mine. "How did you come across this?"

I paused for a few seconds, my tongue pressed to the roof of my mouth.

How do I word this...

"As you know, there have been several raids throughout the city targeting illegal drug operations," I said, choosing my words carefully. "I wanted to get your perspective on it." I wrote on my notepad and circled the word 'suspicious'. "Specifically, why do you believe NeuraZene is so prevalent here in Riverfield."

Mayor Haynes nodded. "Well, in my time as Mayor, I've seen many different concerning things come in and out of popularity, including in the drug market. With that said, we are aware of the concerns, and I can assure the citizens that the city is doing everything it can to keep our streets safe."

I stared at him in silence.

---