Today’s horoscope: COMPANY FROM OUT OF TOWN. COULD MEAN TROUBLE.

*****

The old pharmacy clock on the wall echoed audibly in the heavy silence of the cramped office. The bare floors around the desk were littered with stacks of manila folders, carbons, photographs, and notes scrawled in cramped handwriting sticking out of them at odd, broken angles.

The florescent lighting made the pale man sitting at the desk look even more pasty. His self-consciously western attire didn’t quite come together, a stark contrast to the sun-roughened man looming over him who looked like he was born wearing denim.

Dane bridled at the sight of the shiny-booted state trooper seated at his damned desk. Officer Chiles kept thumbing through the pages in Misty’s file, apparently absorbed. Consciously ignoring him was more like it, Dane thought, although he couldn’t deny the file contents were compelling. Dane was still haunted by those photos. Poor girl. He couldn’t get the pale, bloated face out of his mind. It made for late nights and a lot of coffee. Liberally laced with whiskey when necessary.

“Just how well do you know Miss Cooper, Sheriff?”

Dane tried to ignore the lurch in his stomach at the mention of Bethany. He continued to glare at the interloper.

“She has nothing to do with this,” he growled.

Chiles looked up at him and raised a skeptical eyebrow. “That wasn’t the question.”

Dane set his coffee down with a thud, ignoring the hot sting where it sloshed over his hand. He leaned heavily on the beaten desk as he eyed the mousy man in front of him.

“How long are you planning on hanging around, Officer? This is a local case. There is no real need for your involvement, or that of your boys. My team is smart, capable and invested in the outcome of this case, and there’s nothing about this unfortunate girl’s death that needs to go to the state level. Her father is an integral part of this squad and you can bet everyone here it taking this personally.”

“On the contrary, Sheriff. We were informed there may be some personal conflicts of interest that may potentially be impeding the thoroughness of your investigation. I repeat: how well do you know Miss Bethany Cooper?”