Murder Of The Mayor

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Murder Of The Mayor - book excerpt

One

“What’s on the line?” Lionel asked.

“Feels like a dead alligator. It’s not pulling back.” Roland answered. “Come help me. It must be a ten-footer, for sure.”

The two men tugged and pulled until the weight on the end of the alligator line surfaced.

“Oh, my Gawd! It’s a body.” Lionel exclaimed.

“Not just anybody. That’s Justin Cross, the mayor of Kiln. Oh hell, somebody’s in trouble.”

Two

“Wade, what killed him?” Emily Robinson peered over Wade Dalton’s shoulder with her fine blue eyes. “He’s yours since you’re the only Federal Investigator in the Homochitto Forest. Besides, I’m not sure I want any part of this investigation.”

“Looks like somebody stabbed him several times. But there are also lots of turtle bites. We’re lucky the alligators didn’t get to him before Lionel and Roland hooked him.”

“Hell, that’s the biggest thing those boys have caught all summer. They spend most of their time drinking shine. Makes it real hard to concentrate on finding gators.”

Wade laughed. “Makes it hard to find your toes if you drink enough of it. Who was mad at your beloved mayor?”

“How long of a piece of paper do you have? You can start with his wife. At least they’re still married, I think. Then his girlfriend. I’m not sure who the latest one is, but the old one was Mary Poche. From what I hear, she finally tired of all of his promises. Then try his business partner. After him, there are the rest of the people in town. He wasn’t the most adored mayor we’ve ever had. He even tried to hit on me and I’m the Chief of Police here in Kiln.”

Wade chuckled. “How did he get elected mayor?”

“Did I mention his business partner? The mayor owned the majority share in the only bank in town. Everybody within thirty miles owes his bank money. He wasn’t the kind of man to let them forget it either.”

Wade helped Emily lift and place the ex-mayor in a body bag and watched her zip it up. The crew from the Medical Examiner’s office arrived and picked up the body.

Wade motioned to them. “Keep this under wraps until I notify his wife and business partner. I wouldn’t want them to find out from the television station.”

“No problem, Wade.” One tech answered. “I wouldn’t have cared if they never found the body.”

Three

Wade approached the front door of the two-story house sitting on a large lot on the banks of the Homochitto River. This was not part of the job he enjoyed. The door opened after only two knocks.

“Mrs. Cross, I’m Wade Dalton. I don’t know if you remember me. I’m the Investigator assigned to the Forest.”

“I met you at a Christmas function or maybe it was at the Mardi Gras parade. I don’t remember where I’ve met you, but I know I have.”

“Yes, Ma’am. May I come in?”

She led him into an immaculately furnished living room with a beamed cathedral ceiling. The ornate wall coverings rang out with an aura of wealth. Even the flooring came from the finest imported mahogany.

“Mrs. Cross, I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

“Please call me Jane. What did my stupid husband do this time? Was it a dead girl or a live boy he got caught with?”