Page 19 of Knight

"Yup, we're ready to go," Kels finishes up with what she's doing. "If you could set the table, I'd appreciate it," she looks over at Darren.

He goes about setting the table, and I watch with pride as he does it without arguing or giving her any shit about it. He's definitely come so much further than I thought he would when we first met him. I'm more proud of him than I can explain.

We all take a seat, and looking around, I realize how lucky I am. When I chose Laurel Springs so many years ago, I had no idea how much this place was going to mean to me.

Chapter Fifteen

Menace

"You should read this," Ransom stops me as I go to leave the police station, his hand landing in the middle of my chest.

"Read what?" I reach down to where he's holding something against me.

My fingers make contact with paper. Doing my best not to crumple it, I pick it up and do a double-take at the headline.

Laurel Springs Police Still Know Nothing

Trisha Combs

I hate to say I told you so, Laurel Springs.

No I don't. I told you so.

Back when Mason Harrison announced his running for Police Chief, I had a lot of questions. Would he be able to succeed Holden Thompson? Would he even need to? Crime has been at a minimum here for the past five years. While we do have the same petty crimes as other cities our size do. Violent crime has been at a historic low. Most would say he walked into the best situation a person could walk into. Close rates that are almost perfect, cold cases are less than three, and this town feels the safest it's ever been.

But is it?

There are homeless people who walk around downtown when the shops close up. There are gangs of youth who spray graffiti wherever they see fit, and there could definitely be more sober checkpoints in Laurel County.

So do we really expect that Mason Harrison can solve this? He's unproven, has had no reason to pick up any of the skills required to solve a case like this. He's had little to do with any of it; now has he? From what I can see, he hasn't been willing to give any information. While most police do use what's called 'hold back evidence', I don't think the LSPD have anything to use for 'hold back'.

Instead of leaning on what small amount of evidence they do, he's trying to call the person out by embarrassing him into submission.

No one asked me, but I'm not sure how much longer we can look to him to guide us in this situation.

I don't know about you, but I think it's time we call in officers with much more experience, and less alpha. Beating fists against chests only goes so far.

"What the fuck? Who is this person?" I glance up at the name. "Trisha? Am I supposed to know who this is?"

"No," Ransom scoffs. "But I do know who she is. I went to high school with her. I dated her, and then blamed us breaking up on my dad and his job. So maybe you're getting the short end of that stick. Sorry."

I cut my eyes over to him. "Do you think you could talk to her and ask her to be a little nicer to the people she didn't date?"

"She probably won't talk to me, but I can ask. Only because I like you a lot and you're my dad's best friend."

"Thanks for small favors, asshole. I'm on my way to follow up on a lead I got from Rina. Hopefully this is a good one."

Pulling up outside of The Café , I see Caleb and Madden already parked. They're standing outside of their patrol SUV's, appearing to be in some sort of heavy conversation. I don't necessarily want to interrupt them, but since I got the message from Rina, I've been dying to see if The Café has kept their CCTV footage.

"Hey Chief," Madden greets me. "I haven't been here yet, so I was excited for you to say to meet you at The Café ."

"You've not been here yet?" Both Caleb and I look at him as if he's made some sort of unforgiveable mistake.

He shakes his head. "Didn't really wanna come here and eat by myself. Looked like this was more of a family oriented place, ya know?"

"It is, but I've also eaten here hundreds of times by myself. You know it's owned by Ransom and Cutter's mom, right?"

"I know, I'm just not comfortable eating on my own," Madden admits. "Should I get Donut out?"

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