He laughed. “I’d like to say I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to know, but that’s just not true, because sometimes I do ask polite questions and keep on walking without waiting for an answer.” He eased in and sat in my spare chair. “This time, however, I do actually want to know. Seems like we haven’t talked in a while. So. How are things?”

I knew he meant professionally and not personally, but there are times when they blend together. “I don’t suppose you know Ariella Tice? She works at the bank. No? How about Drew Parnell, the city manager . . . No, I suppose not.” Graydon had moved to Chilson when he took the job, just six months ago, so none of that was a surprise, but it didn’t hurt to ask.

“Why do you want to know?” He crossed his ankle over his opposite knee. “Looking to hit them up for donations?”

“No, they’re just . . . people I’ve heard about.” Which I hoped didn’t sound as stupid to him as it did to me.

I looked at his cheerful expression and was almost, but not quite, tempted to tell him about inserting myself into a murder investigation with the help of the detective’s wife, how we were sure there was a connection to the city, and how we were afraid there were going to be more victims.

“What have you been working on this morning?” he asked.

“Bookmobile schedule for the next six months.” I pushed at the corner of my monitor to show him. “What do you think?”

He pulled reading glasses from his pocket and put them on. “Let’s take a look. Hmm . . . I like the evening hours, especially after the holidays when people get bored. And full Saturdays twice a month?”

Frowning, he sat back and took off his glasses. “This is realistic? I thought you were having problems staffing the hours we have, and this is even more time on the road.”

“Yes. But you’re right about expanding the hours, the demand is there. You’re also right that the problem is staffing. And there’s only one . . .”

“Only one what?” Graydon asked.

“Solution,” I said vaguely. “There’s only one solution.”

Because there was, in fact, only one realistic way to cure the bookmobile’s staffing woes: find more staff. Just like there was only one solution to cure the problem of Josh and Mia.

And maybe, just maybe, there was only one real solution to finding Emily and Brown’s killer.

Anticipate the next victim and stop the next murder before it happened.

*   *   *