Extra! Extra! Dead All About It

by Amanda M. Lee

  “That’s true, but narrowing the field makes targeting candidates so much easier. After Tuesday, there will only be two candidates to chase.”

  “And who do you think those candidates will be?”

  It was an interesting question. “Well, I think Mark Stevens has the race sewn up for the Democrats. Of course, they only had three people running for the seat on that side and he’s the only recognizable name.”

  “I would agree with that.”

  “On the Republican side, though, things are much more interesting.” I offered the most deranged smile in my repertoire, internally laughing when Aiken cringed and looked away. “Between you, Tad, Elizabeth Justice and Rupert Rayne, I think the election could go a number of ways.”

  “Do you really?” Aiken didn’t look convinced. “I believe that the outcome has already been determined.”

  “Let me guess … you’re going to win.”

  “I am,” Aiken confirmed, puffing out his chest. “The constituents have been contacting me all week. They’re excited for my plans, and I believe they’ll come out to ensure victory for me. It’s basically already done.”

  “You’re definitely at the top of the pack,” I agreed. “I wouldn’t rule out Justice, though. She’s got the name and the judge credentials.”

  “I have credentials, too.”

  “Yes, but you’re not as engaging in person.” I had no idea why I said it. It seemed an unnecessary dig, and yet the words escaped all the same. Aiken clearly didn’t like my take on the situation, because his eyes narrowed and the affable charm he was trying to put on display evaporated.

  “I happen to know quite a few people who think I’m interesting and educated, a good fit for the seat in question.”

  “Good for you.”

  “The esteemed sheriff is one of those people.”

  “Is that supposed to impress me?” I saw no reason to engage in subterfuge games. “I don’t really care who Jake backs in the election. It has no bearing on how I’ll approach coverage going through the weekend.”

  “I’m not sure what to make of that.” Aiken tapped his hand on the tabletop. “It’s clear you don’t like me.”

  “I’m not a fan of men right now,” I admitted. “It’s not just you.”

  “I take it that your relationship with Eliot Kane isn’t going well.”

  “It’s not going any worse than previous weeks. We merely see differently on a certain matter.”

  “The election?” Aiken smirked. “Is he voting for me and that upsets you?”

  “I don’t care who he votes for, although I’m going to guess he won’t vote for you.”

  “And why is that?”

  “He’s not a fan of racists.” It was a bold choice to lay it out there like that, but I wasn’t exactly known for being subtle.

  Aiken balked. “I am not a racist.”

  “Yeah, you seem to forget that conversation we had at the last Mount Clemens festival,” I argued. “You had a few choice things to say about a dead girl and almost all of them revolved around the color of her skin.”

  “You misheard what I was saying,” Aiken argued, color climbing his cheeks. “That’s on you, not me. I am not a racist, and if you print that … .”

  I cut him off with a wag of my finger. “First, don’t threaten me. I don’t like it. Second, I wouldn’t print that because it’s my opinion and there’s no room for opinions in newspapers – except on the editorial page. Third, I much prefer finding proof to go along with my assertions rather than ride on innuendo.”

  Aiken was understandably flustered. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “It means I have work to do.” I climbed to my feet. “Good luck with the election, Mr. Aiken. I’m sure I’ll see you around this weekend.”

  “I’m sure you will.” Aiken’s expression was hard to read, but I was almost positive it was hatred I felt bubbling under the surface. “Have a nice afternoon.”

  “Right back at you.”

  13 Thirteen

  I headed back to the office and filed my Brucker story. I wouldn’t scoop anyone – which was a major annoyance – but the weekend was right around the corner and the odds of changing that were in my favor.

  I stopped at Fish’s desk long enough to tell him about my day, but he wasn’t any more sympathetic to my plight than the other men in my life.

  “You’ll live.”

  I rested my elbows on the edge of his cubicle and stared at his profile. “That’s not what I want to hear.”

  “I know, but I don’t know what to tell you. It’s not as if you can simply force people to do what you want. You’re not that powerful.”

  “It’s as if you don’t know me at all.”

  A hint of a smile ghosted Fish’s lips. “What’s your plan?”

  “I have some research to do this afternoon and then I have family dinner tonight. Tomorrow is another day, though. I’m determined to find something that no one else has tomorrow … so save me a spot on the front page.”

  “I believe Duncan said the same thing this morning,” Fish drawled. “Perhaps I should get some mud and let you two wrestle it out for domination.”

  “You have a very sick mind at times.”

  “I know.”

  “I would never wrestle Duncan. Kicking and slapping is another story. Wrestling? That makes me want to puke at the thought.”

  “Well, at least your head is in a good place.” Fish licked his lips before pinning me with a challenging gaze. “If you were really dedicated to scooping everyone, you’d skip dinner and work through the night. I guess you’re not that dedicated, though, huh?”

  “I’m completely open to that idea,” I shot back. “I just need a little help to pull it off.”

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “It’s not much. I just need you to call my mother and tell her why I won’t be at dinner. I’m sure she’ll be fine with it if you explain the details.”

  Fish blanched. He’d talked to my mother only a handful of times during my tenure at The Monitor, but he swore up and down that each conversation was the worst thing that ever happened to him. I understood.

  “Oh, well, I don’t think you should miss dinner,” Fish said. “It’s one of the three most important meals of the day, and there really is no limit on how important family time is when it comes to mental health.”

  He wasn’t wrong about that. “I figured you’d say that.” I dragged a hand through my hair. “I’m going to do some research and then get out of here. I’ll text you tomorrow when I know which way I’m leaning.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  He said the words but I had my doubts.

  “Make sure you keep a spot for me on Sunday’s front page.”

  “We’ll see how things go.”

  “I’m going to win.”

  “Let’s hope that’s true.”

  I SPENT TWO HOURS digging through the county’s campaign finance resources and wanted to yank out my eyes to stop the burning when I finished. I only had an hour before Eliot and I needed to leave for family dinner, so I texted a promise that I wouldn’t be late meeting him at his shop … but only after he texted three threatening warnings to keep me on task.

  Searching through the files was akin to wading through quicksand, and I felt heavy and annoyed when I shut down my computer. I hadn’t found any numbers to match the ones in the documents. Of course, I focused on Tad first – he seemed the logical choice given what happened – but so far I’d come up empty.

  I didn’t know what to make of it.

  Marvin stood in the aisle behind my computer when I grabbed my keys and moved to leave. His expression was hard to read, but I was almost positive I wouldn’t like what he was about to say.

  “I’ll save you some time,” I offered. “I’m in a foul mood, so unless you want to face my wrath I suggest looking elsewhere for entertainment this afternoon.”

  Marvin let loose an exaggerated eye roll. “Don’
t worry. I rarely come to you when I want entertainment. That’s what strip clubs are for.”

  “Good to know.” I used a key to scratch the side of my nose. “If you’re not looking for entertainment, what are you looking for?”

  “Oh, well … .” Marvin shifted from one foot to the other, clearly uncomfortable. “I want to talk to you about last night.”

  That sounded ominous … and potentially irritating. “Don’t worry about Eliot. He talks big, but he won’t really kill you if he ever has to sit through a meal with you again. He was just talking to hear himself talk.”

  Marvin made a face. “Not that. I know he was telling the truth when he said that. I’m not offended, by the way. If I were him – you know, cool and with muscles – I would threaten to kill me, too. I’m fine with that.”

  Marvin’s ability to see things in a unique way was one of the reasons I enjoyed spending time with him. Of course, the fact that he managed to publicly embarrass himself at least once a week and enjoyed telling the stories was another reason.

  “It’s good you know your place in the world.”

  “I agree.” Marvin’s hair, which was curly at the ends and straight on top, needed a cut. It stood on end when he ran his fingers through it, giving him an even more comical look than normal. “So, what I really want to talk to you about is Lauren.”

  Crud on toast. I really should’ve seen that coming. He showed the initial signs of a crush during dinner, but I thought I’d dissuaded him. It seemed that wasn’t the case.

  “Don’t even think about it,” I warned, wagging a finger two inches in front of his face and fixing him with a hard look. “I have plans for her, and they don’t include you.”

  “But she’s really pretty and nice,” Marvin protested. “She looks as if she could be a model.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far. She’s pretty, but she’s hardly model material.”

  “Compared to the other women I know, she’s a goddess.”

  I couldn’t help being offended. “Excuse me?”

  “Oh, you’re pretty – sort of – but you’re also mean, and that cuts down on how attractive I can find you,” Marvin explained.

  “You’re a walking doormat for women. You love it when they’re mean to you.”

  “That’s true.” Marvin bobbed his head in confirmation. “I do like it when women are mean to me … as long as they put out. You don’t put out.”

  “I don’t put out to you. Of course, by your own admission you’re terrible in bed, so why would I want to put out where you’re concerned?”

  “What I lack in technique, I make up for in enthusiasm. That’s hardly important now. I want you to tell me where I can find that Lauren girl. I’ve decided she’s the one.”

  I didn’t bother to swallow my groan. Marvin regularly found “the one” during his daily travels. Most of the time, “the one” lasted only until he did something stupid or the woman was dumb enough to have sex with him. Then it was on to a new soul mate and the process started all over again. There was no way I’d offer up Lauren to that fate.

  “It’s not going to happen.” I was firm. “I have plans for Lauren, as I believe I’ve already expressed. I will not let you derail those plans.”

  “What plans?” Marvin adopted a petulant tone. “I don’t understand why you’re being such a pain. I think Lauren and I are perfect for each other. You already have a boyfriend. You don’t need Lauren. Unless … .” Marvin broke off, his expression thoughtful. “Are you grooming Lauren so you can give her to Eliot as a gift?”

  The question caught me off guard, and it took me a moment to realize what he was insinuating. “No!” I thumped his shoulder hard. “Why would you even ask something like that?”

  “Because you seem a little intense about Lauren, and I can’t figure out what other plans you would have beside a threesome.”

  “Ugh. You’re such a pig.”

  “Hey, I’ve often wondered why Eliot puts up with you,” Marvin argued. “I figured the threesome explanation was as good as any.”

  “Well, you’re way off. I’m more than enough for Eliot. He says it all the time.”

  “I believe he says you’re too much,” Marvin corrected. “But I don’t want to focus on that. Mostly because I think Eliot might kill me if I imagine you naked. I want to focus on Lauren. Where can I find her?”

  There was no way I intended to answer that. “Go back to your neighbor and schtup her. She’s much more your speed. Lauren is going to be busy with other endeavors.”

  “But not with you and Eliot?”

  “If you ever bring that up again you won’t have to worry about Eliot killing you, because I’ll have already done it.”

  “See. Mean.” Marvin crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re a mean woman. I can’t believe you’re keeping me from my true love like this. I won’t forget your cruelty.”

  “Whatever.” I heaved out a sigh. “You give me migraines sometimes. You know that, right?”

  “That’s my goal.”

  “Well … mission accomplished.”

  I WAS STILL IN a mood when I hit Main Street. Eliot would want to drive to dinner together, which meant leaving my car in the lot behind the municipal building. I wasn’t especially worried about it being stolen, but I hated being beholden to Eliot’s whims when it came to my flight response upon seeing my mother.

  Instead of entering through the back door – which would’ve forced me to talk to Eliot before I was ready – I opted to walk around the building and take a look at the festival preparations. I wasn’t surprised to find everything up and running. Although the streets weren’t packed yet, it was only a matter of time once everyone finished their work shifts before the weekend.

  I paused in front of Eliot’s shop, my eyes busy as they scanned the people milling about. I recognized the political aides from earlier in the week. They stood under the campaign awning and talked to one another, although their responses were muted compared to what they’d been like before. Of course, now they were grappling with death – and at an age when death seemed like some obscure force they would never have to reckon with – so it was hardly surprising for them to be forlorn.

  I made a mental note to track down the aides tomorrow and question them. They were likely to have gossip, and there was nothing I liked better than gossip. I turned to swing into Eliot’s store and potentially start an argument, but pulled up short when I found Lauren standing a few feet away watching me. She had a peculiar look on her face.

  “What? Do I have food on my cheeks or something?” I brushed at them absently. “I had Doritos for a snack and I often make a mess when I’m eating.”

  Lauren chuckled. “You don’t have any food on your face … at least that I can see.”

  “Well, that’s a relief. I’m heading to family dinner, and if I can eradicate any mother complaints before they happen I’m always willing to do it.”

  “You have family dinners?” Lauren furrowed her brow. “That doesn’t sound like something you’d enjoy.”

  “I didn’t say I enjoy them.”

  “Then why do you go?”

  “Because my mother is more terrifying than I am, and she’s broken me down into an empty shell. If I don’t go, she’ll spend the entire week hounding me. I have to weigh the annoyance of three hours with my family against an entire week of turmoil. The annoyance almost always wins out.”

  “That’s a very pragmatic approach.” Lauren grinned. “What are you doing down here?”

  I pointed at Eliot’s shop. “If I have to suffer, so does he. We’ll drive together.”

  “He goes to family dinner with you?”

  “Every week.”

  Lauren was obviously impressed. “You got a keeper there, huh?”

  She spoke the truth, which was irritating because it allowed the leading edge of my frustration with Eliot to ebb. “He’s generally pretty easy to get along with,” I acknowledged. “I happen to be angry with him right now, though, so
I don’t want to participate in a fan club meeting.”

  “I bet, from his perspective, you’re a lot of work.”

  “He has no problem telling that to anyone who will listen.” I spared a glance through the window and found Eliot watching me with a curious gaze. He didn’t move to interrupt us – which was good, because it would tarnish the halo Lauren had him wearing – but he was clearly interested in what was happening on the sidewalk. “He’s not bad. He’s actually pretty good. It’s just … he ticks me off when he doesn’t take my side.”

  “You’re the type of person who gets in fights daily,” Lauren noted. “If he took your side every day, you’d get bored. I’m going to guess you ended up with him in the first place because he was one of the few people who said ‘no’ to you.”

  “Hey, I don’t like it when people tell me no.”

  “No, but you like it when someone is strong enough not to roll over, and you wouldn’t want to be with someone who didn’t put up a fight. I think you guys are a good match.”

  “You barely know him.”

  “But I’ve seen you in action a few times now, and I think you’re probably extremely difficult.”

  “You probably didn’t mean that as a compliment, but I’ll take it as one.”

  “I’m fine with that.” Lauren snickered. “I should probably get out of your hair because you have plans. We should pick a time for lunch next week, after the election dust settles.”

  “That sounds good. I’m going to be busy all weekend going through campaign finance documents anyway. That stupid online system is a freaking nightmare. It’s not searchable and it’s going to give me an ulcer.”

  “It’s not externally searchable?” Lauren wrinkled her forehead. “That’s odd. It’s internally searchable when we log in. I wonder if that’s something they’re considering for the public at a later date.”

  “You have credentials to log into the county system?”

  The question clearly made Lauren uneasy and she snapped to attention. “I do. Why?”

  “Because I need to search those records and I think you just became my buddy for the weekend.”