them, and yet, when the chief called and asked him to come to the station to meet with Ms. Parker and him, he could not get there fast enough.
Now she was standing in front of him, her blue pea coat hanging open, and today she had a green stone hanging on a fine gold chain around her neck. The chain disappeared under her red scarf and he found himself wanting to trace its golden path with his fingertip.
“Please sit.” Chief Montcalm snapped the spell.
Before he sat, Daniel pulled the chair out at a better angle, so he could see the chief and Mia as they spoke.
“Dr. MacCarey, Ms. Parker and I have been discussing a set of files that have been maintained by law enforcement officers since the early days of Bailey’s Cove.”
“Private files? Secret records?” The idea did more to capture his interest than the morning he’d spent teaching the three best students in the anthropology program how to examine and catalogue the remains he had taken to the university. They definitely sounded better than the time he spent in the company of Heather Loch. He’d have to discuss that particular interaction with Ms. Parker.
“Secret is a term that would most likely be applied using modern standards. They are closely guarded. I’ve glanced through the files and I believe the contributors kept them private for their own reasons and for the sake of the town.”
“Did they talk about treasure?” Mia asked.
“Although I found no specific reference to treasure, some of the information, even in the modern files, could incite treasure hunting. In today’s world, widespread speculation about the presence of treasure in Bailey’s Cove could—” He paused for a moment. “I’m going to quote...‘lead to an invasion of people bent on destruction that could rip out the heart of the town.’”
Mia sat up straighter and then moved forward on her chair. “Isn’t that—um—harsh, Chief? I always thought as long as a few of us remained we could prevent complete—er—death and destruction.” Her voice held a note of distress, but her face remained a practiced calm.
“The words were quoted by the chief of police only eight years ago, and first written by a sheriff in 1869.”
“Around the time the citizens voted to change the name of the town,” Daniel said. He had at least gotten the name-change time frame from the museum.
The chief folded his hands on the desk’s green blotter. “I’m a newcomer, an outsider, but through the records I reviewed and talking to folks like Ms. Parker, I’ve been able to see some of what makes this town live and breathe. And I might add cautions of death and destruction in the log myself.”
Daniel glanced at Mia to see her eyes widen.
“Do you really think things could get that bad?” she asked.
“Even if that never happened—” Chief Montcalm paused and looked at each of them. “The town’s heart is slowly dying.”
Mia nodded.
“And you think I—we—can help?” Daniel asked.
“The best I can offer is access to the records for the two of you.”
“When can we start?” she asked.
“You can begin anytime you want.”
“Now would be good for me.” She stood, as did both men.
“Melissa will show you where the records are stored.” The chief leaned forward and placed his hands on the desk. “She does not know what they are and I’d like you to share the contents only when you deem it necessary. And please confine your time in the records room to the day shift, eight to four-thirty. It’s best to keep civilians confined to the public rooms during the off shifts.”
“We understand,” Mia said.
“Yes, of course, and thank you, Chief Montcalm.” Daniel leaned forward to shake hands with the chief.
“Thank you, Chief.” Mia took his strong handshake, as well.
The chief walked them out to the reception desk where he handed a key to Mia and instructed Melissa to show them where to find the special storage room.
Melissa gave Daniel a longer once-over
Now she was standing in front of him, her blue pea coat hanging open, and today she had a green stone hanging on a fine gold chain around her neck. The chain disappeared under her red scarf and he found himself wanting to trace its golden path with his fingertip.
“Please sit.” Chief Montcalm snapped the spell.
Before he sat, Daniel pulled the chair out at a better angle, so he could see the chief and Mia as they spoke.
“Dr. MacCarey, Ms. Parker and I have been discussing a set of files that have been maintained by law enforcement officers since the early days of Bailey’s Cove.”
“Private files? Secret records?” The idea did more to capture his interest than the morning he’d spent teaching the three best students in the anthropology program how to examine and catalogue the remains he had taken to the university. They definitely sounded better than the time he spent in the company of Heather Loch. He’d have to discuss that particular interaction with Ms. Parker.
“Secret is a term that would most likely be applied using modern standards. They are closely guarded. I’ve glanced through the files and I believe the contributors kept them private for their own reasons and for the sake of the town.”
“Did they talk about treasure?” Mia asked.
“Although I found no specific reference to treasure, some of the information, even in the modern files, could incite treasure hunting. In today’s world, widespread speculation about the presence of treasure in Bailey’s Cove could—” He paused for a moment. “I’m going to quote...‘lead to an invasion of people bent on destruction that could rip out the heart of the town.’”
Mia sat up straighter and then moved forward on her chair. “Isn’t that—um—harsh, Chief? I always thought as long as a few of us remained we could prevent complete—er—death and destruction.” Her voice held a note of distress, but her face remained a practiced calm.
“The words were quoted by the chief of police only eight years ago, and first written by a sheriff in 1869.”
“Around the time the citizens voted to change the name of the town,” Daniel said. He had at least gotten the name-change time frame from the museum.
The chief folded his hands on the desk’s green blotter. “I’m a newcomer, an outsider, but through the records I reviewed and talking to folks like Ms. Parker, I’ve been able to see some of what makes this town live and breathe. And I might add cautions of death and destruction in the log myself.”
Daniel glanced at Mia to see her eyes widen.
“Do you really think things could get that bad?” she asked.
“Even if that never happened—” Chief Montcalm paused and looked at each of them. “The town’s heart is slowly dying.”
Mia nodded.
“And you think I—we—can help?” Daniel asked.
“The best I can offer is access to the records for the two of you.”
“When can we start?” she asked.
“You can begin anytime you want.”
“Now would be good for me.” She stood, as did both men.
“Melissa will show you where the records are stored.” The chief leaned forward and placed his hands on the desk. “She does not know what they are and I’d like you to share the contents only when you deem it necessary. And please confine your time in the records room to the day shift, eight to four-thirty. It’s best to keep civilians confined to the public rooms during the off shifts.”
“We understand,” Mia said.
“Yes, of course, and thank you, Chief Montcalm.” Daniel leaned forward to shake hands with the chief.
“Thank you, Chief.” Mia took his strong handshake, as well.
The chief walked them out to the reception desk where he handed a key to Mia and instructed Melissa to show them where to find the special storage room.
Melissa gave Daniel a longer once-over
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