Secret Admirer

Prologue

"You would be right." He chuckles as stuck in the crew as I am. "I'm going to get Paige and I'll see you over there. Don't stick around here long, Cole. This is over for any of us yet."

I believe him. When the press got word of the double murder in Moss Bluff, they were all over all of us. Even Marci, the town gossip champ, kept her mouth shut when they arrived.

I watch Will leave and stayed where I was observing the crowd. There were some who left immediately, others who strolled off to visit their loved ones grave sites and others who were looking for something to talk about. I gave them nothing.

I don't spend much time at the cemetery. It's depressing and despite having both my parents buried here, I don't come by for more than Christmas and birthdays. A bouquet of seasonal flowers and a quick quiet word of love to them and I'm gone.

Today feels like a day to remember them. Walking off to the west of the Markham graves, I go to my parents' markers and kneel down. I know they aren't actually here. They left this world a long time ago. But I remember them everyday. I don't have to be here to do that.

My father was an architect. He was my idol. I went into architecture because of him. He was in a building collapse when I was ten years old. My mom never recovered from losing him. On my eighteenth birthday she committed suicide. She was so depressed and devastated that she couldn't live anymore. That's what the note said.

I sat watching people scatter as the rain began to fall harder. It wasn't the day to be outside. Saying my goodbye to my parents, I stood and felt eyes on me. That cold fingers on the spine feeling that I was being watched carefully.

I didn't look around. I don't want to scare them off. Going straight to my car, I get in and let the heat warm up my cold bones. I looked then. Around the green park with the cement marker and marble statues celebrating the dead.

There's a lot of shadows to hide in. Plenty of places to conceal themselves if needed. Taking my time, I watch the shadow move along the tree line that lines the back side of the preserves. Between the rain and the shadows it's hard to tell who it is but there is someone out there.

It's not the day to get dragged back into this cat and mouse. Starting the car I head to Georgias. Whoever is watching is going to get soaked to the bone out there. Better them than me. Driving off something tells me it won't be the last time I'm watched.

By the time I arrive at Georgia's home, the place is in full party gear. Caterers are lined up in the driveway with their vehicles filled to the brim with food and drink. People dressed in black and white are in and out the kitchen door bringing in their supplies.

Weaving through the workers, I go in the front door and find the place a zoo. Decorations are everywhere. Flowers scent the air, balloons are in corners, streamers are strung around and banisters. It's a real celebratory atmosphere.

"No, Mrs. Bradford isn't giving any statements about the case against Mr. Tucker. The police department is investigating the case and has been explicit that no statements would be issued on ongoing investigations." Mia walks into the library, her phone once again glued to her ear. "Yes, the swearing in is going on tonight as planned. I don't know, did you receive an invitation? Then you weren't invited to the party. I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. Look if you don't have any questions that I can answer, I really must go."

She's grown a spine in the past few weeks. Georgia didn't give her a choice. In her way, Georgia steamrolled right over Mia just as she has done everyone else in this town. The woman knows what she wants, can see the potential in others and gets it. One way or another.

You can't argue with the results.

"I'm not being difficult. You just don't ask any substantial questions!" Uh oh. That sounds like trouble. "If you wanted an interview, then you need to call her assistant. No, I'm not her assistant! I just help organize her schedule as Mayor. Laney Stafford. Yes, I do, one moment."

Mia looks my way and rolls her eyes as she rattles off Laney's number. She has had her hands full from the moment Georgia decided to run for Mayor. Who knew she wouldn't have any competition when the actual election happened.

It was a landslide victory for her. Not that anyone thought otherwise. In fact, there was only a handful of votes for someone other than Georgia and that was for none other than Charlie himself. It took a man with a lot of balls to run against Georgia. I don't know what he was thinking.

Mia ended her call and grumbled something about shoving a phone where the sun doesn't shine. Chuckling at her, I got a glare from her and watched her leave the room. Turning as she passed me, I enjoyed the view.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer!" Caught, I spin around and find Aubrey smiling at me with the baby on her shoulder. "Why don't you just ask her out? You know you want to."

Rolling my eyes because I hate explaining myself. I go over and take my little godson from his mother. "I'm playing hard to get. So far, I'm winning."

Snickering at me, Aubrey sits down breathing a sigh of relief. As a tired new mom, she has been going nonstop since she came home. Between the clinic she runs and the mayoral campaign and the case against Ethan, she hasn't had a rest.

"It doesn't work that way." She pats the seat next to her and encourages me to join her. "How was the funeral?"

"Dead." She laughs again, nudging me as her little one snuggles on my shoulder. "It's not over, Aub. I know we want it to be but it's not. There was someone at the tree line of the cemetery. They were watching everything."

"Do you know who? I thought Charlie would be there in a police capacity." She touched Chance's fingers as he slept.

"He was. The usual suspects were visible. That's just it, I don't know who it could be. But someone else is interested in what happened." I'm guessing it's the person Ethan said Lindsey was talking to.

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