from West
River if they don't want to?" I didn’t mention the fact that
no woman would choose to leave her husband and take her children to
the streets if she didn't have to.
The councilman shuffled some papers on his desk,
trying to look like he was too busy for any more talking. "It’s
for the good of the town I represent. We can’t have people like
that making an already blighted area even worse. Before we know it
they'll spread through the city – even up here."
"What if they don’t want to 'move somewhere
else,' as you put it? What's the next step?"
"Well, ma'am, if it comes to that we'll have
to make sure they go – one way or another. My goal is to get all of
them out of West River."
"What did you think about the man who died?"
I asked.
He switched two folders around and opened one of
them. Then he closed it and placed the first one on top of it. "If
you’re talking about the one who'd been sleeping outside Roasted
Love – well, he's a good example of what I’m talking about. He
once stayed downtown. Then he suddenly appeared on a street like the
Piazza and called it his home. And look at what happened. He brought
violent crime with him to our streets. Surely you don't think anyone
wants that."
He looked at me, and gave me another one of those
fake politician smiles. "If you want to work for me, even part
time, you'd have to be on the same page that we're on here in this
office. Otherwise, you'll be better off sticking with your job at
Roasted Love."
I nodded slowly. "I’ll give it all some
thought," I said. "Thanks for your time."
"Oh, you're welcome, young lady," he
said, as I got up and walked to the door. "We'll look forward to
hearing back from you!"
As I left Carpenter's office, I noticed a short
hallway that led to a side door. I saw an exit sign above the side
door, followed it, and took the back way out. Then I walked around to
the front of the building to get into my car.
I couldn’t believe that Calvin Carpenter would
actually murder one homeless person at a time until they were all
gone from West River... would he?
Just then, I saw a familiar person walk up to the
front door of the office building. It was Ronald Larch. Well, he
does work here , I reminded myself. But I was sure glad we hadn’t
met face to face inside.
I lost sight of him as he pulled open the door and
disappeared inside. Between Larch's unknown connection to John, and
Councilman Carpenter’s focus on getting rid of the homeless in West
River, neither one of them could be ruled out as a suspect in what I
was convinced was John’s murder.
Chapter Nine
I had a lot to think about after leaving Calvin
Carpenter's campaign office, and I didn't feel like going straight
home. So, I decided to stop for a dinner out. Daniel had not called
all day, but I was sure I'd hear from him before the night ended. It
wasn’t like him to stay mad for long.
I pulled over, dialed Jacob, and asked him to go
over to my place and take care of Thor for me. He and my dog were
close friends. Thor had taken to my boss with the Doberman’s own
agenda: Jacob always brought his favorite treats for him.
Just as I was having my cell phone search for
nearby restaurants, it suddenly rang. I glanced at the caller I.D.
expecting to see that it was Daniel, but it turned out to be my old
friend Anna Masters.
"I want to get out for a while," she
said. "Have you had dinner yet, Laila?"
I laughed. "I'm wanting to do the same thing.
I'm looking for a place right now."
"Hey, I know just the one! You can meet me at
the Old York Street Bistro. It's only a few blocks away from where
you are right now."
Anna was already standing near the front door of
the Bistro when I pulled into the parking lot, and as always I felt a
little envy when I saw her. Her willowy figure caught everyone’s
eye and she walked like she was on a runway in a fashion show. She
was a little taller than me and her shoulder-length blonde hair
glowed with highlights under the street
River if they don't want to?" I didn’t mention the fact that
no woman would choose to leave her husband and take her children to
the streets if she didn't have to.
The councilman shuffled some papers on his desk,
trying to look like he was too busy for any more talking. "It’s
for the good of the town I represent. We can’t have people like
that making an already blighted area even worse. Before we know it
they'll spread through the city – even up here."
"What if they don’t want to 'move somewhere
else,' as you put it? What's the next step?"
"Well, ma'am, if it comes to that we'll have
to make sure they go – one way or another. My goal is to get all of
them out of West River."
"What did you think about the man who died?"
I asked.
He switched two folders around and opened one of
them. Then he closed it and placed the first one on top of it. "If
you’re talking about the one who'd been sleeping outside Roasted
Love – well, he's a good example of what I’m talking about. He
once stayed downtown. Then he suddenly appeared on a street like the
Piazza and called it his home. And look at what happened. He brought
violent crime with him to our streets. Surely you don't think anyone
wants that."
He looked at me, and gave me another one of those
fake politician smiles. "If you want to work for me, even part
time, you'd have to be on the same page that we're on here in this
office. Otherwise, you'll be better off sticking with your job at
Roasted Love."
I nodded slowly. "I’ll give it all some
thought," I said. "Thanks for your time."
"Oh, you're welcome, young lady," he
said, as I got up and walked to the door. "We'll look forward to
hearing back from you!"
As I left Carpenter's office, I noticed a short
hallway that led to a side door. I saw an exit sign above the side
door, followed it, and took the back way out. Then I walked around to
the front of the building to get into my car.
I couldn’t believe that Calvin Carpenter would
actually murder one homeless person at a time until they were all
gone from West River... would he?
Just then, I saw a familiar person walk up to the
front door of the office building. It was Ronald Larch. Well, he
does work here , I reminded myself. But I was sure glad we hadn’t
met face to face inside.
I lost sight of him as he pulled open the door and
disappeared inside. Between Larch's unknown connection to John, and
Councilman Carpenter’s focus on getting rid of the homeless in West
River, neither one of them could be ruled out as a suspect in what I
was convinced was John’s murder.
Chapter Nine
I had a lot to think about after leaving Calvin
Carpenter's campaign office, and I didn't feel like going straight
home. So, I decided to stop for a dinner out. Daniel had not called
all day, but I was sure I'd hear from him before the night ended. It
wasn’t like him to stay mad for long.
I pulled over, dialed Jacob, and asked him to go
over to my place and take care of Thor for me. He and my dog were
close friends. Thor had taken to my boss with the Doberman’s own
agenda: Jacob always brought his favorite treats for him.
Just as I was having my cell phone search for
nearby restaurants, it suddenly rang. I glanced at the caller I.D.
expecting to see that it was Daniel, but it turned out to be my old
friend Anna Masters.
"I want to get out for a while," she
said. "Have you had dinner yet, Laila?"
I laughed. "I'm wanting to do the same thing.
I'm looking for a place right now."
"Hey, I know just the one! You can meet me at
the Old York Street Bistro. It's only a few blocks away from where
you are right now."
Anna was already standing near the front door of
the Bistro when I pulled into the parking lot, and as always I felt a
little envy when I saw her. Her willowy figure caught everyone’s
eye and she walked like she was on a runway in a fashion show. She
was a little taller than me and her shoulder-length blonde hair
glowed with highlights under the street
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