Better Than Gold by Mary Brady

effect.”
    “Speaking of the media, I have some old records dating back to the earliest era of the town, which you will not have seen.”
    “You’ve got records? Accurate records of what went on around here when the town was established?”
    “I suspect old doesn’t necessarily mean accurate. They are whatever the person writing them needed them to be at the time.”
    “But I thought all the records were burned in that fire in the fifties.”
    “The official records did get destroyed. These are private logs akin to a diary. They have been maintained and handed down from one person to the next among the highest-ranking law enforcement authorities in the town at the time. These records might have information germane to the remains in your wall.”
    “Do they tell what happened to Liam Bailey?”
    “Liam Bailey initiated the log.”
    “No-o-o.” Mia snapped forward in her chair in disbelief. “Not the man himself, dead two hundred years. Wow.”
    She watched Chief Montcalm’s face for any hint the man was kidding—as if—and continued. “It makes a kind of sense. He must have been used to keeping a log. He had been a ship’s captain for somewhere around a decade. Why didn’t I know about these records?”
    “The tradition has been for the records to be held close and passed on when the next person in line is deemed fit to be the keeper.”
    “So they didn’t burn up with the official records.” The wheels in her head began to spin wildly. “What’s in them? Can I read them?” Stop . “Sorry. Please go on.”
    “Many kept the records in their homes, so when the town hall and the police station buildings burned, these records were safe. You are the first person I’ve told about them.”
    “I’m honored.” By now about a million thoughts had flooded in and she wanted to voice them all so her head wouldn’t explode, but she kept her mouth shut and waited for him to continue.
    “I’ve had them almost three years. They haven’t been a priority until now. I’ve scanned them, but I have not been able to give them the time they deserve. I’d appreciate if someone could look through them and find out if there is anything that any of us needs to know.”
    “I’ll do it. How many are there?”
    “Thirty-two boxes and because there are so many and they are of historical value I’ve called in someone to help.”
    “I’m looking forward to reading them.” Who? she thought.
    “Last week I had them put into a storage unit here in the police station. Building codes are much better now and I thought them valuable enough to use the town’s resources to safeguard them.”
    Mia leaned back and the chair squeaked. “I thought I knew this town’s secrets.”
    The intercom on the chief’s desk blinked.
    “Excuse me,” he said to Mia as he picked up the handset. “Yes.”
    He listened for a moment.
    “Send him in, please.” The chief looked up at Mia. “Dr. MacCarey is joining us.”
    A sudden thrill shot through her, making her heart beat faster and her whole body tense with anticipation at the thought of seeing Daniel MacCarey again. She measured her breaths and stood because the chief did.
    Daniel appeared in the doorway every bit as good-looking as she had led herself to believe. He was dressed as he was yesterday, but the sweater was a lighter color today. His dark eyes met hers and held, stopping her breath altogether. She looked away and sidestepped to the other chair.
    Somehow, she needed to get a grip.
    * * *
    T HE SIGHT OF Mia standing beside the desk in the chief’s office sent crazy thoughts rushing through Daniel’s head, and if he had to be honest...more.
    He had not slept any better last night than he had most others, but last night his reasons were different. He’d spent the time trying not to think about Mia Parker. Seeing her bright and beautiful this afternoon had him thinking he’d like to see her every day, every morning.
    Those kinds of thoughts would not benefit either of