At the park, detective Drake Benton scanned the grounds through narrowed eyes. Clusters of people spread themselves across the grassy setting. Heads shook, and whispered voices rippled through the warm air as he watched small gatherings mingle and reshuffle into new clusters. It didn’t take any detective work to know that word of the murder had already spread through the town.

He narrowed his focus to a small group under the red, white, and blue streamers hanging from the square platform. They stood in a tight knot with heads bowed, as though in prayer. Two of the heads, one in grey curls, the other in shoulder length brown waves held his attention. Mother and daughter. Helen Ward and Julie Simpson whom he’d met earlier at the scene of the crime. He kept his eyes on them until they separated and he had to make a choice who to follow. It wasn’t a hard decision as he watched Julie’s slim form take steps to a table piled with pamphlets.

Drake moved through the crowds laced with muffled whispers and finger pointing directed at him. He had to remind himself he wasn’t in Los Angeles any more. In a town the size of Blissful everyone recognized a newcomer once they set foot in the quiet, slow paced community.

Julie gathered a handful of pamphlets and returned to the group. A few moments later, Drake’s shadow cut through the knot on the platform. He knew you always checked the direction of the sun before you advanced forward, but the glint of the golden rays across Julie Simpson’s wavy brown hair over-powered him for a second.

Helen Ward abruptly stopped talking and stilled her plump hands as she whirled around. She locked Drake in a hard stare. “I hope you’ve removed the body from my daughter’s dining room floor.”

He made a firm nod with his head and glanced at Julie. “Taken care of.”

Drake shifted his attention to the mayor in the tight group of three and noted the man’s coloring was anemic against his sandy-blonde hair. He tightened his professional demeanor and extended his hand. “Detective Drake Benton.”

The mayor took a step backward and hesitated a moment before he accepted the pre-offered hand. He applied a cautious smile, a thin scrap of his poster image slapped all over the diminutive town with the slogan, ‘Bean There. Done That. Ready To Do It Again.’ He swallowed hard. “Arthur Bean.” He retrieved his hand like he’d come in contact with a hot flame and ran it through his thinning hair as though in an effort to cool it down, uncovering an inner haunting mien to his picture perfect persona. “I’ve just learned of the terrible fate of Constance. Must you discuss this messy murder here? The timing is exceedingly poor. Your very presence here is attracting the wrong kind of attention for my campaign.”

Drake held his firm stance and raised his left eyebrow hearing Arthur call the victim by her fist name. “I just stopped by to see how a small town campaign is run.”

“No different than a large town would run things. Have a cookie.” Arthur shoved a chocolate chip cookies under his nose.

Helen shook a finger at Drake. “Don’t look at it as bribery.” She moved a step closer. Her hot breath and sharp finger made his temper boil. “Think of it as feeding the community a piece of sweet and honest truth.”

Drake caught the blaze flash across Julie’s eyes. “Mother!”

“That’s got a nice ring to it, Helen.” Arthur nodded in approval and spread a wicked smile over her face. “Help me pass out these cookies and recite that slogan to every voter. It will help restore the calm temporarily robbed from the community. Write that down Julie. It’s a great headline for the Blissful Brag.”

Drake took a bite of his cookie then settled his eyes on Julie. Worry, fear and confusion covered her face as he swallowed his bite and watched her dig into her handbag. Out came a small blue notebook much like his.

Helen took her daughter’s arm. “Make sure my name gets credit for the slogan.” Drake finished his cookie noting Helen’s pinched features had relaxed and devoured the praise before she strolled away with Arthur, who flashed a glance back at him accompanied with a killer smile.