Lydia

Chapter 1

Anthony Black moved to Hardy in the summer of 2015. He had only been there a couple of days before his first day of work and he spent those two days clearing out the moving truck he rented and seeing his best friend and former partner off on his flight back to San Jose, so he hadn't really taken time yet to get to know anyone. Where he was from he was used to keeping to himself anyway.

He took several mental notes of the area he lived in. lots of wooded area's surrounding the houses. Its like the town was just one big neighborhood surrounding a few smallish businesses and a school that served all the way from 7th grade to Senior year. The elementary school was in an even smaller town just 15 minutes down the highway and it was almost the exact same way as hardy. This was a new type of life for this man.

He chose Hardy because he knew people who once lived there. They just talked about how peaceful it was there. Hunting season is treated like a long holiday, fishing is a must and the people there are pretty okay there. He had no obligations in California. His parents were long gone and although he loved his job and wouldnt change his life as a detective he needed a slower pace. Maybe settle down and find a woman to spend time with. Something hes never had was a family of his own. He would have liked to have tried that life out for once. So the move to Hardy wasnt a hard decision to make. He would be starting his new detective position with the Maineville police department and it was set in stone.

The forty-five minute drive to Maineville was one of the easiest he had ever driven. No morning traffic jams in sight. He only had to stop one time for a car turning onto a dirt road. This was the perfect start to any morning. As he came closer to his new job he couldnt help but feel a little bit of his nerves jumping up at him as he wondered what people would think of him. Just your normal first day vibes almost everyone gets going into a new atmosphere. But all of his nerves were calmed as he walked into the building and told the secretary who he was and why he was there.

Oh! Yes Sir, Ill call Standridge out to meet you!

Within minutes a man in a brown button up, blue jeans and cow boy boots walks from the office down the hall and rushes to shake Anthonys hand. hello, Detective Black its a pleasure. Welcome to the Maineville team. the police chiefs warm welcome was almost too much for Anthony but he took it on gladly.

Please, call me Anthony. he had always preferred to be called by his first name since the first day as a detective.

We sure were happy to see such a well seasoned detective interested in our little area and just had to fit you into our budget. Im sure youll do well here, my name is Tim Standridge Im Chief of Police here and we cover Maineville, Potter, and Hardy areas Cases and call ins Chief explained as he started a small walk through with Anthony starting from the Secretarys office and front desk and ending in evidence and the detectives office area, which was to the back of the station. There were all of Three other detectives in the building and they all sat at a cluster of desks, all equipped with computers, file cabinets and phones. Chief Standridge made sure to introduce him to everyone he could along the way and explain who he was and every time he was greeted with a nod and how ya doin or Nice to see ya. He thought it was a good difference from life in San Jose.

He only saw one officer in the building and was told that at any given time they had maybe 2 sheriffs on duty at a time for all three towns. Crime was at its lowest in the past few years so the worse anyone was ever gonna see go on was maybe a domestic case or trespassing was a small problem in those parts and sometimes youd catch a couple of copper thieves. Drugs was beginning to be a problem but the chief seemed to feel their department had it handled so far.

Im shocked you were able to hire me, to be honest. Seems as though you dont really need a new detective, not to complain or anything-

Chief smiled as he cut Anthony off where he was. Well, thats true for some part but ill tell ya, just because theres not much trouble now doesnt mean there wont be. So we are glad to have you. Beside theres a cold case or so that we wouldnt mind your fresh eyes lookin at sometime soon.