I smiled tightly. We had to get away from here.

“I suppose I’ll be seeing you more,” the sheriff scoffed.

“I look forward to working with you,” I said through gritted teeth.

There was no escaping it: the FBI would be forced to work beside him—if Grey didn’t throw me off the case the moment he realized what I did.

I turned away from the scene; there was nothing more we could do there. We had to get to the pub and figure out what Len remembered. That was the priority now.

I thought we were almost in the clear until I heard Len‘s name called out behind us.

“Len!” Mallory shouted, pushing through the crowd.

Great. I turned to find her friend following after her.

“Oh goodness, you’re alright,” she said and threw her arms around her. “They won’t tell anyone who’s under that tarp, and I haven’t seen you at the apartment in a bit, so of course, I assumed the worst.”

Not a single tear shed, I noted. I watched the way she feigned sadness and worry. That woman was truly incapable of caring about anyone other than herself.

“I’m alright,” Len said with a shaky breath.

“Where have you been?” she asked.

“I-“ Len started. “I’ve been staying with Stone.”

Mallory’s eyes fell on me, pure hatred in them. “Why don’t you come stay with me?” Mallory asked.

“I’m just staying with him until things are safer. That threat really just got to my head. Besides, you live in the same building.”

Mallory did not seem to like that answer. It felt like I was watching a cartoon, steam pouring out of her nostrils, anger seeping from her.

“We should really go,” I said, and Len nodded firmly.

I glanced back to the scene and found the sheriff watching us intensely. Len‘s eyes followed mine, and I watched the way she stiffened again. Mal seem to pick up on it too.

“I don’t know who put him in charge of anything,” she scoffed.

Finally, something we agreed on.

“Do you know him?” I asked. He was my best leading suspect.

“I mean, he’s sheriff, so most people in town do,” she said. “Plus, he’s also a piece of shit.”

I held back a chuckle that almost escaped my lips. There was no way I was bonding with Len’s narcissistic friend over this.

“His son is a total creep, and the sheriff covers for him,” Mallory said. “Didn’t your brother know him?” Mal looked to Len.

“Chris, right? I think he may have,” Len answered slowly.

Another potential lead I noted in my head.

“Anyway, I have to go back to the shop. With all these tourists pouring into the streets, they’re bound to seek refuge from the heat eventually,” she said, turning and bounding off down the road.