[Draven's Crossing 1] Hidden Diversions by Selena Illyria Page B

baggie of pizza slices and grabbing a plate from the drain board. She put the food on the platter and slid it into the microwave, then sat down. She held out her hand to Urban first. “Hi. Isadora Jones.”
    Urban had a shit eating grin on his face as he shook her hand. “Urban, Tor’s brother. Nice to meet you, Isy.”
    She blinked but didn’t comment. Isy turned to Jagger and nodded but said nothing. He returned the gesture and settled against the back of his chair. Tor grabbed a seat from the living room and settled down between Urban and Isy. He recounted what’d they’d found out and waited for her to blow a gasket. Instead, she grabbed her food when it was done re-heating and settled down, coffee close at hand. “Figured as much. The Council is shitting bricks and Muffy’s murder doesn’t help matters. I had to pull a lot of strings, but Bill’s letting me interview Evanson in his home.” This time it was her turn to have a shit eating grin on her face. “We’ll do it after your press conference to give him time to respond. It is an election year after all.”
    Speech left Torger. In a matter of hours, she’d managed to setup a way to get into the house and investigate without much hassle. She continued talking. “Now that I’ve met your brother, I figure he can pose as a sound tech—ours is on maternity leave—and snoop around for the perfect room for the interview. Maybe snoop around the room that Muffy was killed in? I’m sure it’s been scrubbed spotless but still, they could be sloppy.”
    She shrugged and began eating while the men stared at her. Isy’d pushed them further than they’d been yet. Torger turned his attention toward Isy, about to ask her opinion on the contests. She spoke. “As to the contests, I have to say I’ve heard of shady competitions to lure in tourists but this is new. I’ll talk to my sources in the Tourist Board to get the dirt, but I doubt they know anything about it. Which means it’s not official or from them.”
    “So you think someone is…what? Forging official’s signatures and holding illegal contests to enable the killer?” Jagger sounded skeptical.
    “That could happen, but not to feed the murderer’s need . It’s a byproduct. They invite tourists and the killer gets new victims. One doesn’t necessarily lead to two in this case; it just happens. Let’s be honest. If the killer is a local and he or she killed locals, everyone would know it. But if they killed vacationers, who’d identify them?”
    Urban ran a hand over his face. Torger could feel the beginnings of another headache. “So what if the killer is a local and killed a local, everyone would know it? How?”
    “Um, you do realize you live in the biggest gossip hub in the whole United States? No one’s business is secure for long. How do you think everyone found out about Rose and Draven after only a few hours? Gossips. I knew about them within a half an hour of her leaving his office after their first meeting. We all knew. It’s what makes this town so wonderful for info. Someone has to have seen something. The problem is if the vics are vacationers, locals don’t care. They’re more interested in what goes on with the people who actually live here. Besides, out-of-towners are too loud, get drunk and throw up everywhere, and act like star struck groupies when they meet real, live monsters of myth.” She made a face.
    Torger could understand that. “Okay, which explains why no one comes forward. They’re so disgusted with all the tourists that they just don’t watch out for them when they’re here, even now.”
    “Why should they?” Urban asked. “The tourists are only here for a week at the most. Unless they’re moving here, Dravenites don’t care. I can see the point. The tourists are the police’s concern.”
    Torger became annoyed at that statement. “Why us?”
    Jagger snorted. “’Cause you keep the peace and the newbies are raising hell, so yeah, it’s on you