Keeper of the Peace (Graveyard Guardians #2) Read Free Page B

office and directly across from the liquor store.
    Some places never changed and that was
exactly the reason he had left in the first place.
    He wanted more.
    Summer Hollow had the smallest police
department in the whole county and his aspirations were bigger than
being a small-town cop. This life goal had led him to Los Angeles,
where he spent several years as a patrol officer before he was
promoted to detective, the role he most desired in the
department.
    Then, shit hit the fan. An undercover job
had gone bad and the chief had told him he couldn’t work for the
LAPD anymore. The only saving grace was that the chief didn’t fire
him, he made David quit instead. Sort of a ‘you can still be a cop,
just not with my department’ type of deal. So, the only place he
could find a job and still be a detective was Lake County. Fucking
Lakeport. The city was not only one of the places he would least
like to work, but also too close to his hometown.
    He slowed his car and stopped at a crosswalk
so that a girl with a stroller and a sack of groceries could cross.
The young girl waved and then hurried to the other side of the
street. After he was sure she had made it safely to the other
sidewalk, he pressed on the accelerator.
    When he hit the gas, several pedestrians
turned to see where the loud engine was coming from. He smiled to
himself when he looked over and saw the stares of admiration and
envy in each set of eyes. He didn’t blame them, his car was
beautiful. She was the love of his life at the moment and he
understood why others would have the same appreciation for her that
he had.
    He looked around, surprised there were so
many people out already. A massive storm had hit the area a few
hours ago, letting loose a torrential rain, along with some pretty
nasty wind. The townspeople didn’t seem to care much because they
were already out and about.
    A moment later he was turning the corner
that led to the rodeo grounds. A cluster of cars, including the
local police, were parked haphazardly in front of the senior
center. He whipped his car in next to the rest of them and killed
the engine.
    Near the entrance to the senior center,
about ten seniors stood in a group gawking at the crime scene.
    “Hey!” Mrs. Bradley called out. “Hey, is
that you David Foster?”
    David sighed, but turned and smiled
politely. “Yes, Mrs. Bradley, it’s me.” He waved and the whole
group of seniors waved back enthusiastically.
    “Someone was murdered!” she called back. “Is
that why you’re here?”
    He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” He pointed in that
general direction. “I better get to it now.”
    “Come over and visit us sometime and tell us
about big city life.”
    “I will Mrs. Bradley,” he finished and then
hurried toward the crime scene.
    Sheriff Davis was the first of the officials
to see him approaching. He glanced at David and then squinted as if
he thought he was hallucinating. When David got close enough, the
sheriff smiled and adjusted his hat. “Well, well … look who’s back
in town.”
    David nodded in greeting, “I’m not back in
town. Just here to investigate the case.”
    The sheriff tilted his lips into a smirk.
“Yeah, that’s what they all say. So, you’re working for the
county?”
    Slipping his hand into the pocket of his
blazer, David withdrew a set of rubber gloves and moved in the
direction of the body. “Yes, sir. I’ve been placed up in
Lakeport.”
    “Hmmm, I thought you left this place for the
bigger and better LAPD. What changed your mind?”
    The body had been left as it was found, on
its side in the mud. David squatted down so that he could get a
better look at the victim. “I didn’t change my mind. There were
circumstances beyond my control that got me transferred there.”
    “What kind of circumstances?” the sheriff
pried.
    David responded without looking back, “I
don’t want to talk about it. Now, can we please get to the task at
hand?” He gestured to the body.
    Damn, the