Seaside Secrets by Cindy Bell Page B

rubble,” she shook her head as she wrapped the bottles in plastic bags. “But I bet Dr. Rose can pull something out of these bottles that will show just what poison was used.”
    “ You should take them to the station,” Mary insisted. “I would go with you, but I have to wait for Kent to fax me some paperwork. I managed to hook up the computer and the internet so I could receive it and print it. If I don't get it back to him today this is going to drag on forever.”
    “ It's fine, it's better if you stay here where it's safe,” Suzie said sternly. “Don't leave the house unless you text me. Until we get all of this figured out we could be at risk.”
    “ I'll be careful,” Mary promised. “You be careful, too.”
    “ I will be,” Suzie hugged her friend tightly then hurried to the car. She wanted to get to the station and find out if Jason had found anything on the flash drive.
     
    ***
     
    When Suzie walked into the station she found Jason leaning over a man's shoulder at a computer.
    “ Hi Suzie,” Jason said as he straightened up. “Sorry, but we didn't find anything yet. Looks like the drive was wiped clean somehow. What's that you have there?” he asked curiously as he looked at the plastic bags.
    “ Just something for Dr. Rose,” Suzie explained.
    “ She's out for the moment, she'll be in by ten though. This is Carter, our IT tech,” he added as he patted the man's shoulder. Carter was too busy staring at the screen to greet her.
    “ Oh yes,” Carter muttered as he scrolled through the computer screen. “I found it,” he snapped his fingers and laughed shortly.
    “ Found what?” Suzie asked as she leaned over his shoulder.
    Jason rested his hands on the desk on the other side of Carter and leaned in closely as well. “What is it?” he asked in a more gruff tone.
    “ Well, you see people think when they delete things, that they just disappear, but that's not the case. A copy of whatever they have deleted usually remains, as is the case here,” he added as he clicked the mouse. When he did, photographs began to populate the screen.
    “ Oh no,” Suzie gasped as she saw the images before her. “Thomas was with his wife that night on the beach, but not for a romantic evening,” she shook her head. The images revealed that Thomas had actually struck his wife very hard over the head with the bottle of wine he had been carrying. Then he let her body be washed away by the sea. Suzie thought of her uncle taking those photos. “Uncle Harry must have been horrified,” she murmured.
    “ He knew there wasn't time,” Jason said quietly as he stared at the screen. “He knew there wasn't time to get down there to help her, so he made sure he had evidence instead. All this time,” he growled as he stood up straight. “I trusted that man more than my own father!”
    “ Jason, it's not your fault he fooled you,” Suzie tried to calm him as she met his eyes. “You were hurting, and you needed someone, there's no shame in that.”
    “ There is if the man I turned to is also my father's murderer,” Jason countered as he snatched up his hat and began walking towards the front of the police station.
    “ Jason, where are you going?” Suzie called out with concern.
    “ I'm going to arrest the mayor,” he replied sharply. Suzie ran to catch up with him and made it to his side just in time as he reached his patrol car.
    “ Jason wait, don't you think it would be better to send someone else?” Suzie pleaded. “What if he knows that you know?”
    “ I'll be fine, Suzie,” he assured her and started the engine of the car. “I wouldn't let anyone else put the handcuffs on that man.”
    As Suzie watched Jason drive away she felt a subtle sense of relief despite the chaos of the last few minutes. She was glad that Jason finally knew that his father had been trying to be a better man than he had been in the past. He had stuck his neck out in an attempt to right a wrong, unfortunately he had