A Spirited Gift by Joyce Lavene

Matthew’s car.
    â€œThis is Sandi’s ring and Matthew’s key chain.” I explained what I knew about them—what I felt from them and how they had played a part in finding Sandi’s body.
    He nodded. “I see. So you have the impression that this young man—her assistant —might be responsible for what happened to her.”
    â€œI don’t know. Maybe. He felt angry enough, and her fear was strong enough. But I can’t explain why she was outside.”
    â€œOf course not, ma’am. And I’m not asking you to. Just your impressions. The rest we’ll have to leave to the medical examiner. I have a rush on Mayor Foxx’s autopsy results. Until we know something—in the next forty-eight hours, I hope—I’m holding Mr. Wright in custody. I don’t want him wandering away in case the death turns out not to be accidental.”
    â€œI see.”
    â€œWhat about Mayor Foxx’s husband? Do you know anything about him?”
    â€œNot really. I picked up a few things from talking to Sandi the last couple years. There were a few times we bumped into each other. Otherwise, I don’t know him. Why? Do you think he was involved?”
    â€œI don’t know yet.” He put on some latex gloves and sealed the ring, the key and key chain into an evidence bag. “I suppose you weren’t able to see where the gun in your vision ended up?”
    â€œNo. I’m afraid not. But I don’t see how Shawn could be involved in Sandi’s death. What about the storm? He was all the way in Manteo.”
    â€œLet’s just say it wouldn’t be the most extreme thing I’ve heard of a man doing who suspected his wife was having an affair.” Chief Michaels put on his uniform hat. “Thank you for your help, Mayor. By the way, I saw your grandfather a few hours back. He said your house made it through without much damage. Just thought you might want to know.”
    â€œThanks for telling me, Chief. I’m sorry about all of this—you had enough to handle with the storm and all.”
    â€œNot your fault. You can’t help what people do. Ask your grandpa. He’ll tell you the same.”
    I nodded, knowing it was true but still feeling I could’ve done something that would’ve kept Sandi from dying. I was relieved that the investigation was now in his hands. Holding Matthew against his will and being responsible for what could be evidence of Sandi’s murder had been a burden. Now I could just cope with the leftovers of the storm.
    Tim was getting a list of everyone who had been at the Blue Whale the night before from Marissa. They were acting a little flirty together—which was good, since otherwise Tim tended to think of me as his true love.
    We’d shared our first kiss when we were in high school, and many people thought we’d end up together. But I never had those kinds of feelings for him as an adult. He only thought he felt that way about me—when he wasn’t seeing someone else. I seemed to be his port in the storm when he was single.
    â€œNothing too ragged, I hope.” Kevin put his arm around me, taking my thoughts away from my first boyfriend.
    â€œNot at all. It was a relief to hand it all over to the chief. I don’t think I’d be very good at law enforcement. Too much responsibility.”
    â€œWhat about being mayor?” He smiled. “I’ve seen you worry enough about trash thrown out of a car on Duck Road to go out at midnight and pick it up.”
    â€œThat’s different,” I told him. “Being in the FBI must have been a lot worse. You had to think about the whole country. No wonder you retired early.”
    He laughed. “There’s no doubt it takes a toll on you. Now that everything is cleared up here, you want to walk down and see how Missing Pieces is doing?”
    I cringed thinking about it. My little thrift shop was right