Read Tangerine Morning: Jezzica's Story (Serenity Cove Series) for Free Online

Maybe true love does last forever.
    Only one small lamp glowed inside the bookshop. Maybe I’ll drop back by later this afternoon. It might work to straight-out invite her to join me for a morning jog, instead of playing games.
    He left Main Street and made the short jaunt to the station. As he entered by the side door, he heard voices, or rather a voice being raised. He joined Hank in the coffee room.
    “Mayor Thompson is here. He’s madder than mad about the crime situation.” Hank used hush tones as though divulging state secrets.
    The gruff voice shouted again. “Something must be done—I won’t have my town overrun by crime because of an incompetent police force.”
    They watched through the window of the coffee room as Logan placed a hand on the mayor’s shoulder and walked him to the exit. “Dwight, settle down. We’ll get to the bottom of this. We’re holding another meeting in a few days—it should help calm down the business owners. Now you relax and let us do our job.”
    “Relax? Our way of life in this town is being threatened. We must fight back.”
    “And we are doing exactly that.” The chief had him out the door before the mayor appeared to know what happened.
    Zack held out the box and offered Logan a pastry and Hank poured coffee for him. Logan slumped in a chair. “The situation is getting worse. We need more manpower on the streets.”
    “I’ll put in some overtime off the clock.” Zack shoved the last bite of his pastry into his mouth.
    “We’ll double up our surveillance and see what happens. It’ll give us more ammunition for the meeting with the business owners and appease the mayor.” Logan stood and headed down the hall.
    Zack refilled his cup and ambled to the open doorway of the chief’s office. “Have a minute?”
    Logan motioned him on in. “What’s up?”
    “You’re aware of the case involving Jezzica’s husband being gunned down during a carjacking?” Logan nodded and Zack continued. “I want to order the case file and do some off duty work on it.”
    “What’s the motivation? Has something new surfaced?” Logan leaned back and eyed him closely.
    “No. I’d like to scan it and see what’s there. The fresh set of eyes factor.”
    “One stipulation. Don’t do anything that would create animosity with another department. If you find anything—come to me first.”
    “You have my word.” He left, but instead of heading to his own office, he detoured back outside and hopped in his truck.
    He toured the town, trying to see it from a criminal’s view instead of his trained police surveillance. He drove the main streets, then veered onto some less traveled roads, and even took a swing by Mick’s Bar. Then he inspected the areas behind the shops. He took notes of open doors and raised windows facing the alleyway. Many of the business owners would need to take tighter precautions.
    On Main Street, he parked in front of Jezzica’s shop. He was intrigued by the lovely owner of the bookshop—and wanted to know her better. The rub, as his grandfather would say, was how to convince her that being a detective shouldn’t rule him out as a guy of interest.
     
     

Chapter Eight

 
     
    Catylen sat in the passenger seat as her sister maneuvered the car onto Shoreview Drive. “If you don’t hear anything by morning, I think you should tell the police what’s going on with Jackson.” Catylen adjusted the strap on her seat belt.
    “I would never intentionally put either of us in danger. Even if the killers had something to do with Jackson’s disappearance, how would they know where to find me?” They’d know. These criminals were not small-time hoods. They were part of a larger operation. The detectives assigned to the case had shared her opinion—the main reason they gave her for not being successful in finding the murderers. The organization would have simply transplanted the men elsewhere.
    They arrived at the Chantilly Rose restaurant, located in the Sea