Page 12 of Sinful Memory

“Fuck!”

Honking horns bleat on his end of the line, and Fletch’s phone trills for attention alongside them. Shouting voices. Heavy traffic going nowhere.

“She didn’t deserve this,” he sighs. “She didn’t deserve to lose her life like that.”

“I’m so—”

“Get in contact with the mayor. Find out where he fits in all this. Because right now, I have him running away, refusing calls from the cops, and the maid’s witness statement placing him at the house yesterday afternoon.”

My stomach drops, but bile somehow fights gravity and rises in my throat. “What?”

“She claims he was at the house, Mayet, banging on the door and shouting for Anna to come down and talk to him. He has judges in his pockets right now, which means I don’t yet have a warrant. But it’s coming, babe. It’s coming fast. So you need to figure out his part in all this before it’s too late.”

“I’ll make the call.” My stomach whooshes with nerves and leaves me nauseous as I pull the phone from my ear.

Movement outside my glass walls catches my eye. The city on my right, and my staff on my left. Aubree wheels Anna’s body by and loads her into the elevator, and though she glances across and meets my stare, her curiosity turning to a frown when I can’t mask the emotions sprinting through my veins, the metallic doors close and break our connection, when, any other time, she’d charge right in here and force me to discuss what’s on my mind.

Traffic continues to back up outside, so the horns can be heard through my thick windows. Which means Archer is getting closer. My time is running out. So I check my screen and find the right number, then I hit dial and close my eyes as I bring the phone to my ear.

It trills once.

Twice.

On the third, the line connects. “This is the mayor’s office. How can I direct your call?”

“Ms. Guthrie,” I sigh, fatigue beating in my blood the way a hummingbird’s wings move in the air. “This is Minka Mayet.”

“I’ll connect you right away,” she announces, not even waiting for me to say his name. “Please hold.”

“Minka?” I’m placed on hold for a single second before the line connects again and the mayor’s rushed voice arrows straight for my aching heart. “What do you know?”

“Why aren’t you taking the police’s calls?” I chide, entirely too… casual in my enquiry. “Archer has been trying to get in touch with you for hours.”

“I don’t want to speak to the police right now. Tell me what you know about Anna’s death.”

I shouldn’t tell him. Not when he’s number one on a very short list. But loyalty works in mysterious ways, and family… rarely makes sense at all.

“Anna Switzer was murdered,” I admit. “She was force-fed a cocktail that, mercifully, sent her to sleep in a painless and easy way, as far as death is concerned.”

“Murdered?” he growls. One word. One demand. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. This wasn’t an accidental overdose, no matter which way we look at it. She was given a variety of pills, and then fed another round approximately an hour later. The second lot, she couldnothave swallowed unassisted.”

“What are the police doing?”

“Investigating!” I finally snap, after a long day of keeping my emotions on a tight leash. “They’re trying to find out what happened, but you’re not taking their calls. What was your relationship with the victim, Mayor Lawrence?”

“None of anyone’s business,” he bites out. “But I can assure you, I did not hurt her. She—”

“The maid places you at the house yesterday afternoon.”Shut up, shut up, shut up!“Says you were shouting and banging on the door, wanting to be let in.”

“I have no comment. Which direction is the police investigation going in this matter?”

“Toward you! They’re looking at you, Justin! Because you look incredibly guilty right now.”

“I’m guilty of nothing but caring about the victim. Guilty of nothing but wanting what’s best for her. I can appreciate the detectives’ tenacity, Chief Mayet, but they need to look past me. Find out who did this to her before they get away with it.”

“They can’t see anything but you,” I challenge. “Mayor, you knew her, but you won’t say how or in what way. You were at the house hours before her death, but you won’t elaborate on what happened or your reasons for being there. You won’t cooperate with the police, instead challenging them to look at the next most guilty-looking person on their list. You’re painting a massive target on your back and giving them no choice but to pursue you. If you’re innocent, then acting this way only harms Anna’s case and allows the leads to cool.”

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