Merrville Sheriff's Department

  Deputy Chastain departs and heads for his desk, leaving Detective Mackey to follow Dave alone. Both men are headed for the Sheriff's office, the door of which is closed. To Dave's thinking, Northrop must have someone of importance in there. Or he's on a conference call.

  Dave detours and leads Mackey to his own desk. He sweeps aside some of the clutter with a beefy fist and motions for James to pull up a chair from a neighboring desk. James plops down on the edge of Dave's desk instead.

  "So...This is where Merrville's finest does its best work? Can't believe this is my first time out here."

  "It won't be the last," Dave says. "Unless you insist on sitting on my stuff. Grab a chair, Detective Mackey. Now."

  Dave points to the chair a second time. James rolls his eyes and unseats himself from the corner of the desk. He begrudgingly pulls up the chair Dave pointed to and sits down.

  "Now," Dave says, thumbing through the files on his desk. "This second girl...We all agree that in all likelihood...It is the unlucky missing Rose Perry. What we don't know...Or agree on...Is who abducted her."

  "Yep," Mackey agrees. "And the matter is made more complicated by the gym's failure to maintain working surveillance cameras. The camera for the back entrance hasn't worked in years. The one near the showers went down about three weeks ago and was never fixed. Owners were too cheap. Now, a young woman is dead and we have no video to clue us in as to who committed the crime."

  "Our only option is to do a more in-depth interview with anyone who visited Water's Gym that day," Dave replies. "I mean everyone. Even that damn janitor isn't off the hook. She could be an accomplice. Who finds a woman's cellphone in the trash...Near the showers...And thinks, 'Oops, she did it again? Guess, I'll put it in the lost and found!' Talk about an asshat move!"

  "Well, she did say it had happened before, Dave. And the owners always came back for the missing phone."

  "That could have been a made up story," Dave protests.

  "Maybe. And maybe not," Mackey says. "We won't know until we interview everyone. When do you want to start? I want to have another talk with Rose's fiance...Mike Blaine."

  "As soon as possible," Dave volunteers, his eyes hardening.

  "Alrighty, then." James says, hopping up from his chair. "Let's go."

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  Dave is just climbing to his feet when the door to Sheriff Northrop's office opens. A woman's laughing voice filters out of the room. Hazel's voice.

  Dave's eyes shift to Northrop's office and he honestly tries not to stare. A nearly impossible task for him. Swallowing his spit, Dave watches Hazel wave to her father before drawing the office door shut. Detective Mackey watches Dave.

  Hazel catches sight of Dave and grins widely. In her hand is a partially eaten apple pie. Four delicately sliced pieces remain. Trying to remain inconspicuous, about her and Dave's uncover relationship, Hazel offers a slice of pie to two other deputies before approaching Dave. However, her grin grows in size the closer she gets to Dave's position. Detective Mackey grins too, shifting his eyes to look at Deputy Newsome.

  "Hi, Dave." Hazel says in as formal a tone as she can manage. "It's nice to see you again. Who's your friend? Oh...Wait. You're with the Castleton Police Department. You're here about those murders?"

  "Yes," Mackey says through his Cheshire grin. "I just came to get a lay of the land. I wanted to see where the big dogs hunt and all that."

  Dave's brow creases deeply as Hazel throws her head back and utters a childish giggle. A laugh usually reserved for him. Detective Mackey seems over the moon, sliding his eyes over and observing Dave every few seconds. Hazel settles down somewhat and meets James gaze.

  "We were just heading out to interview witnesses," Dave interjects. Anything to get this smooth city slicker away from Hazel. "We may have a couple of leads on the last young lady who was killed. But the longer we wait, the trail will get colder and colder. People's memories usually aren't good to begin with. Time is of the essence."

  "I'm so sorry, Dave. Oh...Don't let me hold you up!" Hazel exclaims. "Here, something to take with you. To keep your strength up. Have some pie."

  Hazel practically shoves the pie in Dave's hands and offers him a quick smile. She rushes away before he can utter more than a surprised grunt. Dave looks after Hazel with a bewildered expression. Is she mad at him? Hard to tell when your entire relationship is built on carefully woven subterfuge.

  Detective Mackey places a hand on Dave's shoulder and cuts his eyes to the side. Dave reluctantly meets the younger detective's gaze.

  "A bit young and daring for you," Mackey whispers hoarsely, so that no one nearby can hear.

  He needn't have bothered. The two nearest deputies are going to town on their slices of pie. Both have their heads down while chewing enthusiastically and filling out crime reports. Deputy Chastain has gone to the men's room, and the other personnel are too far away to even hear a loud fart.

  "I...What are you talking about, James?"

  "Oh, Dave," Mackey coos. "You cut me deep. You think I don't know what that little exchange was all about? I didn't become Senior Detective because I know how to tie really great knots and collected a bunch of badges. I'm really good at reading people."

  Detective Mackey stops talking long enough to release Dave's shoulder and lean closer into the deputy's personal space.

  "And right now, your hot-o-meter is about to explode. Like a thermometer full of mercury in a hot water bath. If you could have undressed her and made love right here on the desk...You would have. You may not know your geography, Deputy Newsome. But I'm guessing you're an A+ student when it comes to anatomy. Like I said, a bit young and daring. Even for you, Dave."

  Detective Mackey grins mischievously and chuckles. He strides away, headed for the door. For several seconds, Dave stands frozen to the floor. Is it that apparent he has the hots for Hazel? Does Sheriff Northrop suspect? Oh man.

  "Come on, Dave. Time is of the essence," James mocks from the door.