Northern Lights

She drew a breath. "You're saying that someone we know has killed twice."
    "Three times." His gaze was flinty as it scanned the room. "Two men and an old dog. My department is investigating, and will continue to investigate, until this individual is identified and arrested."
    "The State Police—" Joe began.
    "Whatever the findings and the opinion of the State authorities, my
    department will investigate. I swore to protect and serve this town, and I will. Part of that investigation will require each one of you to account for your whereabouts and activities last night between nine and ten P.M."
    "Us?" Ed bellowed it. "You're going to question us?"
    "That's right. In addition, I'm going to be looking for the whereabouts and activities of everyone during the month of February 1988."
    "You—you—" Ed blustered to a halt, then, gripping the edge of his chair, pushed himself forward. "You intend to question us, as suspects? This is over the top. This is beyond belief. I'm not going to be subjected to this or have my family and my neighbors subjected to this. You're exceeding your authority."
    "I don't think so. But you guys can vote to cancel my contract, pay me off. I'll still investigate. I'll still find the person responsible. That's what I do." He rose. "I find the people responsible. So you can have your meetings, your votes, your discussions. You can take my badge. I'll still find the one responsible. That's the only person who has to worry about me."
    He strode out, leaving the raised voices and insulted faces behind.
    Hopp caught up with him on the sidewalk. "Ignatious, wait a minute. Wait just a minute," she snapped when he kept walking. "Damn it!"
    He stopped, jiggling the keys in his pocket.
    She scowled up at him as she finished pulling on her coat. "You sure know how to liven up a town council meeting."
    "Am I fired?"
    "Not yet, but I sure don't think you won any popularity votes in there." She tugged the hip-length coat, the color of a Concord grape, closed. "You might've been a little more tactful about it."
    "Murder's one of those things that short circuits all my tact switches. Then there's the matter of walking in on a meeting where my professional status is being questioned."
    "All right, all right, maybe that was poorly done."
    "If you or anyone else has a problem with how I'm doing the job, you should've come to me with it."
    "You're right." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "We're all upset, we're all on edge. And now you've dumped this in our laps. Nobody liked thinking Max had done what it seemed clear he'd done, but it was a hell of a lot easier to think that than what you're suggesting."
    "I'm not suggesting it. I'm saying it, flat out. I'm going to find out what I need to know, however long it takes, and whoever I have to step on along the way."
    She pulled her cigarettes and lighter out of her coat pocket. "I can see that plain enough."
    "Where were you sixteen years ago, Hopp?"
    "Me?" Her eyes popped wide. "For Christ's sake, Ignatious, you don't honestly think I climbed up No Name with Pat and stuck an ice ax in him. He was twice my size."
    "But not your husband's. You're a tough-minded woman, Hopp. You've done a lot around here to preserve your husband's vision. You might do a lot to protect his name."
    "That's a filthy thing to say to me. A filthy thing to say about a man you didn't even know."
    "I didn't know Galloway either. You did."
    Fury covered her face as she took a step back. She turned away, marched back into Town Hall. The door slammed like a cannon shot behind her.
     
     
    HE KNEW MURMURS AND MUTTERS would be going around, so Nate decided to stay visible. He had his dinner at The Lodge. From the glances tossed his way, he imagined the statements he'd made at the meeting were making their way around Lunacy's frosty grapevine.
    And that was fine. It was time to shake things up.
    Charlene brought his salmon special to the booth herself, then slid in across from him. "You've sure got people wondering and worried."
    "Do I?"
    "I'm one of them." She picked up his coffee, sipped, then wrinkled her nose. "I don't know how anybody can drink this without sweetening it up some."
    He pushed the dispenser of sugar packets over. "Help yourself if you want it."
    "I will." She tore open two packets of Sweet'N Low, poured it in and stirred it up.
    She was wearing a shimmery gray shirt, the sort that clung to a woman's curves, and had scooped back her hair to show off dangling silver earrings.