Keeper of the Peace (Graveyard Guardians #2)
like cops.”
    Sheriff Davis gave a small nod. “I will talk
to your parents.”
    “No!”
    The cop narrowed his eyes, furrowing his
brows together. “Why don’t you want me to have a word with
them?”
    The fact that his parents would find out he
was shoplifting wasn’t the issue, it was the fact that he had been
caught and that would send his father into a fit. “They don’t like
cops. Like I said before.”
    “I won’t tell them what happened today.”
    David shook his head again. “Look, I’ll
figure out a way, just don’t talk to them … please.”
    After a moment of silent contemplation the
sheriff agreed. “Fine. I’ll leave it alone. But, if there is
something you need to tell me … something that I should know about,
I have an open door, all right?”
    Relieved, David leaned back in his chair.
“I’ll remember that. Thanks.”
    “Now, it’s about time for me to head home.”
He stood, grabbing his Stetson off of the hook near his desk. “Why
don’t you come with me and meet the missus and then I’ll drop you
off near your house.”
    After that, he worked almost every day at
the Davis farm. His parents didn’t care where he was, since he was
bringing home food and staying out of their way. During the school
year, Mrs. Davis would make him sit down and do his homework at the
kitchen table before he could get his work done. While he was doing
his homework, she would give him a sandwich and a tall glass of
milk for an afterschool snack.
    The Davis house became his second home and
he pretty much owed everything to the sheriff and his wife. His
life could have gone a completely different way, but instead, the
sheriff took pity on him and that small gesture was what provided
David with his dream of being in law enforcement.
    With these thoughts thick in his mind, he
realized that he probably could have been nicer to the sheriff
earlier. But, he shook it off quickly and strode up to the first
cashier to see if she had seen the victim come into the store.
    He didn’t get any hits at the market, so he
moved on to Brandy’s Café. “Hey Lisa,” he greeted the waitress
behind the counter with a slight wave.
    “Well, as I live and breathe, if it isn’t
David Foster,” she teased “Left the big city to come back to the
little town of Summer Hollow.”
    David smiled and took a seat at the counter.
“I’m not back. Just working on a case here.”
    Lisa frowned. “You mean the murder? Oh,
that’s right, you’re a big wig detective now.”
    “Yes, I’m here for that case and yes, I’m a
detective.”
    She frowned again. “Where’s your partner? On
TV, the detectives always have partners with them.”
    David turned over his coffee mug and pushed
it forward just a tad. Lisa got the clue and lifted the coffee pot
from the burner. She filled his mug, leaving enough room for cream
and sugar if he wanted it.
    “I don’t have a partner yet. Things aren’t
always like television.” He told her.
    “Well, I would have figured it’s like the
buddy system and all that. You know, safety in numbers.”
    He nodded. “It is. The department is in
between personnel right now, so I had to take this one by
myself.”
    Lisa smiled. “Ah, I see.”
    Opening the file, David lifted out the
picture of the victim. “Speaking of the murder, you wouldn’t have
happened to see this guy lately?” He handed the photo over to her
so that she could get a good look at the guy.
    “Oh, yeah. I did see him.”
    Yes! Finally, a lead .
    “He came in here the other day, ordered a
Philly cheesesteak sandwich.” She extended the photo out to
him.
    He replaced the picture into the file and
closed it. “Did he say anything about what he was doing in
town?”
    She wrinkled her nose and tilted her head,
thinking back. “Hmm … he did say that he was looking for a better
place to stay. I don’t remember if he mentioned anything else.”
    Smiling, David lifted his coffee and took a
testing sip. “Well, let me know if you

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