didn't you call me?"
"What for?” Hank replied.
Marla neared a corner where she could view the interchange without being in their direct line of sight.
"I expect to be informed when something like this happens that affects the town.” Ritiker tugged at his navy sport coat.
Hank's face grew livid as he stared at the middle-aged politician. “Are you crazy? I'm trying to avoid publicity."
"Oh, you've done a great job. Burglars rammed a hole through the roof, lowered themselves inside, and stole prescription drugs and cash. That was splashed all over the community newspapers, including how your alarm was conveniently shut off,” Ritiker said in a snide tone.
"A wire was loose, and I didn't want to trip a false alarm, so I deactivated it until the security company came out,” Hank said in a curt tone that implied it was no one else's business.
"How'd the crooks get out?"
"They broke the back door lock and got away clean."
"I warned you about this sort of thing. People will be suspicious.” Ritiker glowered at the pharmacist.
"It was necessary."
"Well, keep me out of it, or you'll be sorry."
Marla sauntered toward them, wanting to detain the councilman for her own purposes.
"Was there something else you wanted from the pharmacy?” Hank snapped at her.
"Not right now, thanks.” Boldly lifting her chin, she addressed the councilman. “Wally, I've been meaning to thank you for voting in favor of the pool enclosure ordinance. It's too bad we didn't have enough votes for it to pass, but I appreciate your support."
Squaring his shoulders, Ritiker beamed at her. “I always support my constituents."
Marla twirled a strand of hair coyly around her finger. “I guess all your wheeling and dealing takes its toll. Eloise Zelman told me you belong to the Perfect Fit Sports Club. I just joined with my friend Tally for the free trial membership. Isn't it awful what happened to Jolene Myers?"
"That troublemaker?” His eyebrows raised. “She was a thorn in my side. Can't say I'm sorry she's gone."
An old lady shuffled to the counter. “Oh hello, Mrs. Jenkins,” the pharmacist gushed, assuming his professional demeanor. “Is your ankle better? You could barely walk last week. I hope those cold compresses were helpful."
"Indeed they were, but I could use more of that pain medicine, sonny. Do you still have any available?"
"Of course.” He did a quick exchange, handing her a bottle that he retrieved from a locked drawer in return for a twenty-dollar bill.
"Hank,” Ritiker began, an odd glimmer in his eyes.
"Not now, Wally. I'm tending my customer."
"I see exactly what you're doing. Didn't I tell you it was time to quit?” the councilman said.
Hank shot him a dirty look. “Keep out of this."
"Or what? Listen carefully, friend, if you're smart, you'll heed my words.” Turning away, he indicated Marla should accompany him. “I hope you're not on his list."
"What are you talking about?” Marla said.
Wally gave her a keen glance and shook his head. “Never mind. What were you saying about Jolene Myers?"
"Eloise Zelman said you were in the steam room with her husband Sam when all hell broke loose in the sports club that day. Was anyone else in there with you?"
"Nope. Sam and I had things to discuss in private, so we made sure no one else was around."
"How about when you entered the locker room to change?"
He stopped in the aisle by a display of household cleaning fluids. “Why are you so interested?"
She spread her hands. “I just thought I might have more information to offer to the police. Detective Vail is a friend of mine. He's not officially on the case as far as I know, but I'm sure he'd pass on anything useful."
His hazel eyes stared down at her. “We need more responsible citizens like you, Marla,” he said, clapping a hand on her shoulder. “Now if you want to know who I saw skulking about that day, you might consider talking to Gloria Muñoz, the sales rep. I saw her leaving the women's
"What for?” Hank replied.
Marla neared a corner where she could view the interchange without being in their direct line of sight.
"I expect to be informed when something like this happens that affects the town.” Ritiker tugged at his navy sport coat.
Hank's face grew livid as he stared at the middle-aged politician. “Are you crazy? I'm trying to avoid publicity."
"Oh, you've done a great job. Burglars rammed a hole through the roof, lowered themselves inside, and stole prescription drugs and cash. That was splashed all over the community newspapers, including how your alarm was conveniently shut off,” Ritiker said in a snide tone.
"A wire was loose, and I didn't want to trip a false alarm, so I deactivated it until the security company came out,” Hank said in a curt tone that implied it was no one else's business.
"How'd the crooks get out?"
"They broke the back door lock and got away clean."
"I warned you about this sort of thing. People will be suspicious.” Ritiker glowered at the pharmacist.
"It was necessary."
"Well, keep me out of it, or you'll be sorry."
Marla sauntered toward them, wanting to detain the councilman for her own purposes.
"Was there something else you wanted from the pharmacy?” Hank snapped at her.
"Not right now, thanks.” Boldly lifting her chin, she addressed the councilman. “Wally, I've been meaning to thank you for voting in favor of the pool enclosure ordinance. It's too bad we didn't have enough votes for it to pass, but I appreciate your support."
Squaring his shoulders, Ritiker beamed at her. “I always support my constituents."
Marla twirled a strand of hair coyly around her finger. “I guess all your wheeling and dealing takes its toll. Eloise Zelman told me you belong to the Perfect Fit Sports Club. I just joined with my friend Tally for the free trial membership. Isn't it awful what happened to Jolene Myers?"
"That troublemaker?” His eyebrows raised. “She was a thorn in my side. Can't say I'm sorry she's gone."
An old lady shuffled to the counter. “Oh hello, Mrs. Jenkins,” the pharmacist gushed, assuming his professional demeanor. “Is your ankle better? You could barely walk last week. I hope those cold compresses were helpful."
"Indeed they were, but I could use more of that pain medicine, sonny. Do you still have any available?"
"Of course.” He did a quick exchange, handing her a bottle that he retrieved from a locked drawer in return for a twenty-dollar bill.
"Hank,” Ritiker began, an odd glimmer in his eyes.
"Not now, Wally. I'm tending my customer."
"I see exactly what you're doing. Didn't I tell you it was time to quit?” the councilman said.
Hank shot him a dirty look. “Keep out of this."
"Or what? Listen carefully, friend, if you're smart, you'll heed my words.” Turning away, he indicated Marla should accompany him. “I hope you're not on his list."
"What are you talking about?” Marla said.
Wally gave her a keen glance and shook his head. “Never mind. What were you saying about Jolene Myers?"
"Eloise Zelman said you were in the steam room with her husband Sam when all hell broke loose in the sports club that day. Was anyone else in there with you?"
"Nope. Sam and I had things to discuss in private, so we made sure no one else was around."
"How about when you entered the locker room to change?"
He stopped in the aisle by a display of household cleaning fluids. “Why are you so interested?"
She spread her hands. “I just thought I might have more information to offer to the police. Detective Vail is a friend of mine. He's not officially on the case as far as I know, but I'm sure he'd pass on anything useful."
His hazel eyes stared down at her. “We need more responsible citizens like you, Marla,” he said, clapping a hand on her shoulder. “Now if you want to know who I saw skulking about that day, you might consider talking to Gloria Muñoz, the sales rep. I saw her leaving the women's
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