I don’t have time to course of all this proper now, I determine and head to my subsequent assembly, however the remainder of the day is extra of the identical. Nearly each vendor I communicate to tells me the identical factor – that Charlotte has been asking about their invoices, and after I get again to the city corridor for that afternoon’s committee assembly, issues get even worse.

“Oh, Mayor Wendall,” Barry says earlier than we start. “Charlotte requested for a duplicate of the outgoing bills for Pickle Fest. She stated she wished to incorporate among the background info in her article. I hope it’s okay that I gave her entry to that?”

I sigh, effectively and really satisfied that Charlotte has launched one other full-scale investigation into the mayoral workplace. I do know there’s nothing to cover, and I guarantee Barry he did nothing incorrect by sharing that with Charlotte, however that’s not what I’m fearful about now.

I really thought issues had been going effectively between us – not simply professionally, however personally. It appeared like all this suspicion was behind us, however this newest information has me doubting every little thing I believed was true.

Was she simply utilizing me this entire time? I believe to myself because the assembly will get began. Is her profession nonetheless value extra to her than the rising closeness between us? And is she actually nonetheless digging for some corruption scandal that doesn’t exist?

I believed she knew me higher than that by now. The previous few weeks have been fantastic, and she or he even admitted she was incorrect to accuse me of corruption up to now. I want I might imagine that she had modified for the higher, and for some time I did. However I can’t consider any reputable cause that she’d be asking for the Pickle Fest financials except she thought there have been some dodgy dealings occurring.

“Mayor Wendall?” Annabelle is saying, and after I search for, I notice she will need to have been making an attempt to get my consideration for a while.

“Sure, sorry,” I say unexpectedly. “What was that?”

“I requested when you’d had an opportunity to have a look at the applications?” she repeats patiently.

“I did,” I say, making an attempt to pressure myself to focus on the duty at hand. “They give the impression of being fantastic. They’ll be delivered to the workplace this week.”

The opposite committee members titter with pleasure, however I can’t even faux to hitch in. This factor with Charlotte is weighing far too closely on my thoughts.

Because the assembly goes on, I pull out my cellphone underneath the desk, hoping my colleagues gained’t discover. The missed name from Charlotte continues to be watching me from my display screen, and for a second, I think about calling her to ask what’s occurring. The considered listening to her hole excuses is worse than letting this investigation run its course although.

I do know I’ve nothing to cover, however I believed by now Charlotte would know that, too.

“And Dill Cucumis has despatched us his setlist,” I hear Sandra say excitedly.

The remainder of the committee members collect across the pill she’s laid in the course of the desk, desirous to see if their favourite songs have made the lower.

I’m not significantly targeted on the assembly, however I do know pining over Charlotte will solely get in the way in which of me doing my job, and that’s not one thing I’ll stand for. Moreover, I do know the one factor I can do is proceed the way in which I’ve been, it doesn’t matter what allegations Charlotte tries to throw at me.

I lean ahead, making an attempt to indicate an curiosity within the setlist, however the second I catch sight of the display screen, my coronary heart breaks a bit of. The primary track on the checklist is All the time On My Brine.

You’re all the time on my brine, Charlotte, I believe to myself. However perhaps you shouldn’t be.

27

CHARLOTTE

“Thanks, Mr. Kroger,” I say, cringing on the sound of my very own voice. “That’s very useful for the article.”

I get off the cellphone as quick as I can, hating that I’m even having cellphone calls like this. However I did vow to comply with this lead objectively and, for higher or worse, which means getting my palms soiled.

That’s the eighth cellphone name I’ve had as we speak, chasing up distributors who didn’t get again to me or who I haven’t emailed but. I’m making an attempt to make this investigation as quick and painless as attainable, figuring it’s greatest to only get it out of the way in which. Then, not less than, I’ll know the reality.

Nonetheless, I can’t assist however really feel like I’m betraying Mason. I haven’t heard from him since final night time’s cellphone name, which I’m form of relieved by. If he’s too busy to name me again, then hopefully that may spare me from having to mislead him till this investigation is over. I’m struggling to be dishonest with the distributors about my causes for wanting into Pickle Fest. I can’t think about how horrible I’d really feel if I needed to do the identical with Mason.

I test down the checklist of distributors I’ve but to contact. Of the 56 I contacted final night time, 21 have already replied with their invoices, and of the eight I simply known as, six promised to ship their invoices over instantly. The opposite two didn’t reply, and I’ve made a notice to name them again later.

I sigh, taking a look at all of the work I nonetheless must do on this investigation and feeling that sinking guilt in my chest once more. It’s been there since I made a decision to comply with the lead final night time, and it’s solely grown bigger all through as we speak’s follow-up. The one means I can maintain going is to remind myself that the guilt will vanish the second I resolve this tip-off.

After all, that’s nonetheless not less than a few days away, and I hope I can maintain out till then.

I click on again over to the doc Barry despatched me, getting began on the data I’ve up to now.

“InkStinkt,” I whisper to myself, scanning the file for the road merchandise describing the printer’s charge.

Once I discover it, I be aware of the greenback quantity, cross-referencing it to the bill Soriah despatched me. I breathe a sigh of reduction when it matches completely and cross my fingers that each one the others can be equally as correct. Greater than something, I need to discover all of Pickle Fest’s bills to be above board.

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