In Her Sights by Keri Ford, Charley Colins Page B

the headline we were looking for. He made the request. It
was city property and he was turned down by a panel of mostly grouchy old men
who wanted the lot for paid parking.”
    Bureaucrats. He’d be willing to bet those plans for that
parking lot had been plans for years and was never going to happen. “That doesn’t
surprise me.”
    She smiled. “He fully expected to be turned down. That’s why
he knew this was the project to put me on the map. I didn’t care about the newspapers.
I was furious he was turned down. A parking lot over a playground? I was twelve
by this time, had no parents left. Only a few things made me really happy, so
this hit me hard. It made no sense. I went to the next public meeting, walked
to that microphone, and asked in front of a few hundred people—including local
media—why the city thought an abandoned property for a future paid-for-use
parking lot was more important than a safe playground that my company was
prepared to build.”
    He chuckled. “Pleading for a good thing with your big eyes
and blonde hair?”
    She was laughing again. This time, the sound was full and
hearty. “Anyone who wanted their job at the next election wasn’t turning me
down. The papers made sure of that by putting me on the front page. Radio and online editions featured me. All of it captured me leaning into that microphone.”
    She cleared her throat. “To the public, I immediately became
that girl they can’t turn down. The politicians knew it, but there was nothing
they could do about it. A lot of pictures have ended up in the papers that I’ve
forgotten about, but that first one has stayed with me. When I saw all of it
air on TV and everywhere else the next day, I understood politics. I understood
what I could do with it, so long as I knew my role.” She looked to him. “I’m
that poor little girl who found her murdered parents.”
    She blinked and turned away, but she hadn’t been fast enough
that he missed the tears in her eyes. The sharp inhale she took shook her
breath and pinched his heart. He didn’t know anyone who liked hearing girls
cry.
    She swiped her face. “Sorry.”
    “You shouldn’t apologize for grief. It’s hard losing people
you love.” He’d only lost Kate and Audrey eight years ago. Even now he’d
sometimes wake in the night while reaching for his wife. Other times he’d swear
Audrey was in the next room laughing even though it wasn’t possible. Killed him
inside all over again each time. “Does it ever get easier?”
    “Sometimes it seems like it does. Doesn’t take much to take
you back, though. A sound. Picture. Especially a scent.”
    Like fire. Thick smoke billowing up from a campfire, logs
cracking in a fireplace, or even burnt food had him back to that
night on his lawn. Being held by firemen and watching his house cave in,
knowing his family was trapped inside.
    She studied him a moment, then walked again. Strength filled
her steps with her head lifted. She flicked hair from her forehead and
seemingly left her thoughts behind her. Maybe with time, he’d be able to leave
it all behind that easy too.
    She lifted a shoulder. “So anyway, I was humored. They still
humor me because we work to make sure they still see that girl. If they knew I’m
kicking ass and taking names?”
    Now it all made sense. “Then you’re no longer that sad little
innocent girl with blonde hair and big eyes and no parents asking for a
playground.”
    “Exactly.”
    And that’s how the role was born of her always being
pictured around town doing innocent things. All the shots of ice cream in the
summer and pointing at Christmas lights in the winter. It all contributed and
focused her into that niche position. He had to admit, it was damn brilliant
and no doubt a pain in the ass to maintain. A twenty-four hour life-long job. “Sounds
exhausting. Always checking yourself to make sure you’re the right person when
you need to be.”
    She shrugged. “People behave differently around