“Very well. Mayor McDougall would like you to come into his office immediately to discuss a pressing matter.”

Even better. “Can it not wait until tomorrow morning? I’ve barely eaten today and I’m exhausted. I’d hate to give the mayor anything less than my full attention.” Actually, I’d hate to give him any of my attention, but hey.

“My apologies, but it’s incredibly important you come and see him tonight. I can arrange to have a meal of your choice either waiting for you or to-go when you leave. Mayor McDougall understands you’ve been at the hotel for several hours now and is more than happy to ensure you’re made comfortable.”

Free dinner?

Hello, Ellis. I’m on my way.

“Make it a Chinese chicken chow mein with egg fried rice and spring rolls to-go and I’ll be there in five.”

If smiles were audible, hers would be whooping in delight. “I’ll let him know. See you soon, Noelle.”

The line cuts out. My stomach rumbles, and I knock my fist into it.

“Hey, greedy bitch, dinner is free tonight. Pipe down.” I put the car into drive and take the turn out of the parking lot. The one that leads to a late business meeting and a free dinner.

The Oleander is in the center of town, and Town Hall and the mayor’s office can be seen from some of the rooms, so it only takes me two or three minutes to drive the few blocks distance and pull up in the almost-empty parking lot. Of course there would be a grand total of four cars here. Why would council officials be working the evening of the day when their head honcho’s bitch fest was interrupted by a possible murder?

How unreasonable of me to expect that.

I sigh and get out of my car, slinging my purse over my shoulder. Damn me for getting tempted by free food. I want my bed. Still, I walk into the building and take the elevator to the fourth floor, where the mayor’s office is.

Ellis Law is sitting behind a desk in the middle of the room, her pixie cut spiked and her sweeping bangs pinned out of the way as she types. She glances up when the elevator doors shut, her eyes tired, and smiles.

“Noelle?”

“Yes,” I reply quietly. “Is Mayor McDougall ready to see me?”

“Absolutely.” She gets up, readjusts the waistband of her pinstriped pants, and goes to the large closed door behind her desk. “Sir? Noelle Bond is here for you.”

“Send her in,” he barks.

Well, excellent. Everyone loves a mayor in a bad mood.

Ellis sweeps her hand toward the door with an apologetic smile. Looks like my dislike of the mayor has found a friend—for today, at least.

Mayor McDougall, a tall, brash man who’s spent the last twenty years combing his hair over to convince us that the bald spot on the crown of his head is a figment of our imagination, is scribbling furiously on a notepad. He looks up with amber-colored eyes and points his pen at the chair.

“Sit.”

I bite my tongue before a snarky comment comes out and do as he said. I set my purse down next to me on the floor and tuck my ankles beneath the chair, my hands resting in my lap.

The mayor keeps me waiting.

I clear my throat, and when he looks up, I quirk an eyebrow. “Surely you didn’t invite me here to see you writing, sir. With all due respect, if this is going to take much longer, I’d rather come back tomorrow before the little remaining patience I have for today runs out.”

His lips twitch up, and he sets the pen down. Slowly, he rests his elbows on the desk and touches his fingertips together. “Calling you in was the right decision, it seems. I was wondering if you were as sassy as your grandmother.”

“Don’t let her hear you say that. She prides herself on being the passionate one.”

“I can’t imagine why.” He drops his hands and dips his head to remove his glasses. Clasping the arm between his finger and thumb, he looks at me intensely, sending chills down my spine. “I want to hire you.”

“Excuse me?”

“More specifically, I want to hire you to work alongside the police.” He gets up, leaving his glasses on top of the notebook, and walks to the window with his hands clasped at the base of his back. “You and I both know that many of the so-called detectives are incompetent fools, especially in homicide. Detective Nash and your brothers are some of the few I trust, and naturally, they are working on Natalie’s untimely demise.”

Untimely demise, indeed.

“An office space will be prepared for you in the department should you require it.”

“I have a business to run first and foremost. I won’t leave my staff to their own devices, not to mention other cases I’m working on currently.” Like finding out if the guy who works in the hardware store is gay so my friend Alonso can ask him out. “And working alongside the police is a very vague statement. I need more than that before I can even consider it.”

Mayor McDougall turns, loosening his tie. “I want you to find out who killed Natalie, Ms. Bond. This case must be resolved as quickly as possible to avoid the ramifications for all involved. My campaign is too high profile and at risk of a loss for the first time in over thirty years. I simply cannot have it overshadowed by the death of Natalie, no matter how sad it is. It behooves everyone for her murderer to be charged with as little investigation as possible.”

Good Lord, this man is a crusty, selfish penis-head, isn’t he?

My eyebrows shoot up. “With as little investigation? Unless forensics gives Detective Nash a thorough DNA rundown and it’s matched with someone in the system, there’ll be more than a little investigation.”

“Which is why you need to work with them. It’s no secret you solved Lena’s murder, and now, I’m asking you to solve Natalie’s. You’ll be paid your standard fee plus extras by the council—gas money and the like—and a payment for your time here this evening at your average rate.”

“I don’t charge for consultations, Mayor McDougall.”

“Perhaps not in your business hours, but I called you in your personal hours. Therefore, you’ll be paid.” He walks toward the desk and grasps the back of his chair. He leans forward, his fingers tightening, his look intimidating. “Ms. Bond?”

“Is Detective Nash aware of your intention to hire me? Sheriff Bates?”

“Sheriff Bates is on board with my decision. As for Detective Nash, it will be mentioned to him tomorrow when you attend the briefing at the station.”

“When I attend? That’s awfully presumptuous. I don’t like to agree to cases until the prospective client has had a chance to read through the contract and issue any amendments. However,” I add strongly when he attempts to interrupt me. “I will go to the briefing tomorrow after leaving a basic contract with your assistant. You’ll have twelve hours to make any changes, including the addition of your previous statement regarding payment. I’ll have my assistant draw up a new contract with that, providing I agree to your terms, and you’ll have a further twelve hours after delivery of the amended document to have it signed and delivered to me including the retainer check.”

If he’s angered by my demands, he doesn’t show it. In fact, he looks rather like he respects me. “I appreciate anyone who can get straight to the point, Ms. Bond, and the fact that you’re a woman makes it even more amusing.”

Wow.

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just insult me because of my gender,” I say through gritted teeth, reaching for my purse and standing. “What time do I need to be at the station tomorrow?”

“Eight a.m. Sharp.”

“You’ll have a contract on your desk beforehand.” I turn to the door and open it.

“Ms. Bond?”

“Yes?” I look over my shoulder.

“I mean it when I say this case needs to be solved with as little investigation as possible.”

“And I mean it when I say this case will be solved with as much as necessary.”

He pushes off the chair, making it swing around and bump into the side of the desk. His amber eyes narrow into catlike slits, and a tic makes his jaw twitch. “I’ve known Natalie Owens for many years. It’s in the best interests of everyone’s safety for you to follow my instructions.”