Ain't Shady Baby, I'm Hot

83

Begrudgingly I had pulled my hair free of the pony and cranked it into a fast low braid before hightailing it to the station.

Too excited and nervous for my own good, I ran back through how to tell Peterkin. I figured the best way was the no-bullshit route. Straight to the point then elaborate.

I was a ball of jittery nerves as I neared the station. My bike slowed as I pulled into the staff lot and parked off to the side.

As I cut the engine I recalled the look which had crossed Sheriff Peterkin's face right before I'd left yesterday. At the time I wasn't sure what it was, but now looking back, it was trust and something more.

She had trusted me to go find John B and get a better story. She trusted me to sit in and listen. She trusted me to let me in on the investigation. And she had hope that I was right.

"Good morning, Xena."

"Morning Officer Hiddell." I called out as I carefully open and closed the back door.

"You look dapper."

"Thank you, Mrs. Lyden." I beamed at one of the dispatchers.

"Xena, you got a second?" I cocked my head but walked up to him.

"What's going on, Deputy Shoupe?" He set his hands in his hips as he looked around the back area before coming back to me.

"Do you know how to make coffee?" I laughed, quickly covering my mouth in surprise as I reigned it back in.

"Deputy, I can barely cook let alone make coffee." He snapped his fingers.

"I'll ask Officer Selden. Thank you." He left before I could respond. I just shrugged before turning and looking for the office that housed Peterkin. And I didn't have to look too hard as she was already poking her head to find me.

"Good morning." She drawled out as she held the door open for me.

"Morning Sheriff." I waited for her to pass before sitting down in my chair. My hands already digging out my notebook as I pulled my phone from my jacket pocket.

"We need to speak with Lana Grubbs." I asserted, setting my phone down before flipping open my notebook to my summary page. "Because Ward Cameron killed Big John."

I waited to see her reaction changed. But all she did was sit back and analyze me for a moment. I held her gaze staying completely still showing her I believed what I said.

"You know. I've been keeping an eye on you for a while." I set my pen down interested. "It isn't everyday you get new permanent residents. And a semi-pro boxer at that. Consider it a curiosity. You're a smart kid, Xena. You're quick. Thorough. I've read some of your assignments. The Kildare Academy really strives to boast about their students' abilities." I sat back, not sure where this was going.

"You do more in-depth research than your peers. Going the extra mile to make sure you don't miss a thing. I originally offered the internship to a smart kid who had great promise. But now I'm starting to realize I offered it to someone I could also learn from as well." It clicked. Everything adding up. She knew more than I did, yet there was still something she'd been missing. And I got it.

"When you looked at me before Ward started talking yesterday, you had a glint to your eyes. A warning. You were telling me to pay attention. Why?"

"Because I wanted to see what you saw. What you heard. No one in this world is a saint once they have a few years out of the womb. I've fallen guilty of darker means on more than one occasion hoping it would do greater good. I've yet to see my last break pan out, but here it comes. I've been on Ward's case for months. Slowly gathering evidence until I could pin him and never see his face again after trial."

"And what more do you need from me?" I leaned forward, no longer just sitting back as an intern.

"A new perspective. A brain trained to quickly recognize every little detail and hold onto the most important ones." She mimicked me, lowering her voice as I stared into her dark brown eyes. Eyes that showed only truth. "I need you to help me catch a killer."

_______•*•*•*•_______

"Need a wingman in there?" Shoupe asked as Peterkin stopped the car in front of the local church.

"I got this." I watched as Peterkin opened the door. The radio buzzed as she exited the vehicle. "You coming, intern?"

Shoupe and I shared a look before he lifted his chin as if to tell me to hurry up and get out of the car. My hands grabbed my notebook as I made quick work of unbuckling and hopping out of the back.

I self-consciously fixed my attire as Peterkin and I walked up to the doors. I had an uneasy feeling about conducting an investigation inside a church, but it's where Lana agreed to meet. So I'd push the uncomfortable feeling aside as long as she gave the information we needed. We could have been in a morgue for all I cared.

Peterkin held a hand out, stopping us from walking through the doors. Her eyes meeting mine as I stopped.

"Now, a quick brief. I'll do the talking. You just observe. If you have a question ask it. Since you're an intern you technically aren't meant to be interrogating. But we don't have to tell May." I nodded watching as her lips pulled into a soft grin. "Alright then."

She entered first. The church silent until our steps echoed. I scanned the internal area. From the thirty pews to the tall ceilings, it was very much so a small town church.

"Sheriff Peterkin." A voice called out, my eyes shifting to view a woman rising from the pew.

"Lana Grubbs. Thank you for meeting with us. This is one of our interns, Xena Tallen. She's under obligation to not disclose any information spoken today outside of the three of us."

"Oh, hi." She'd voice was watery as I extended my hand out to her.

"I'll be a pew back. I'm simply here to observe."