Devils Among Us (Devin Dushane Series Book 1) by Chastity Harris Read Free Book Online Page B

Marlene
nodded sagely, her eyes wide with new juicy gossip. By lunch everyone in Fenton
would know she was there and why; it would save her a lot of introductions.
    “Of course, dear.” Marlene was still nodding as the phone
rang. “You go on back. His office is on the far end just past the detectives.
I’d take you myself, but duty calls.” She waved her hand at the phone and
rolled her eyes. “But you be sure to stop and see me on your way out, y’here?”
    Devin gave her a wide smile and a wink and headed through
the doorway, tucking her folders and notepad under her arm as she went. Even in
Richmond female detectives were uncommon, so it came as no surprise to Devin
that she was creating a stir as she wound through the desks. A dark-haired
young detective actually leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his
head to watch her approach.
    When she reached his desk, he gave her a broad smile.
“Please tell me there’s something I can help you with,” he drawled out.
    His accent was heavy even for Virginia, and she could tell
his ego was even heavier. She shot back her dry reply without even thinking.
“Lord, I dearly hope not.” Well, she thought belatedly, maybe there’s such a
thing as too many friends. The blond detective across from him roared with
laughter, and Mr. Smooth’s smile faltered for the briefest moment, but he
regained himself quickly. Before he could try out his next line, she cut in. “I
have an appointment with Sheriff Bittner. I’m looking for his office.”
    “And you’ve found it!” a voice boomed from the office doorway
ten feet behind Mr. Smooth. “Come on in, Detective, and make yourself at home.”
Sheriff Grahm Bittner could not have looked more the part of a small-town sheriff
if he’d been cast from Hollywood. He had a large frame, probably no more than
five feet ten inches tall, but his belly entered the room first, followed by
his bushy silver mustache. He motioned Devin to the chairs in front of his desk
and pulled the door shut behind her. “You’ll have to excuse my detectives,
ma’am. We don’t get a lot of pretty ladies wandering around our offices. Now,
that being said, to what do I owe this pleasure? ”
    Devin laughed out loud. In Richmond his statement would be
so “un-PC”, but coming from someone who looked like a cross between a
benevolent grandfather and a Santa who had lost his beard, Devin had a hard
time taking offense. Still smiling she started in gently, knowing her request
was a big one.
    “Sheriff, my family hails from Fenton. My maiden name was Bennett…
I’m Bobby Bennett’s daughter.” She paused and let that information roll over
him. He leaned back in his chair as if her words had physically pushed him
backwards.
    “Bobby Bennett. I haven’t seen him in years, since we had
some trouble with the renters he had at the time.” He reached up to rub his
fingers over his mustache as he travelled back in his thoughts. “As I recall,
they were trying to grow marijuana in the garage with a heat lamp.” He chuckled
at the memory. “How is Bobby? Is he having trouble with his mama’s house
again?”
    “He’s doing well, and there’s no trouble with the house,
other than peeling paint. I’ll actually be staying there over the summer.”
Devin’s lie was bordering on a whopper. Her father was anything but fine. Actually
he’d refused her the house when she first asked. He’d been livid at the idea of
her being anywhere near Fenton. Eventually relented to her persuasion, but at
what cost? Would he disappear in a bottle again?
    “I was wounded in the line of duty, so I have some time off.
I’ve never really been the type to sit around and knit, so I thought I’d come
out to Fenton and look into my aunt’s murder. It’s a mystery that’s always
plagued my family, and these types of cases are kind of my specialty.”
    Sheriff Bittner let out a low whistle. “The Laney Bennett
murder. Boy, does that bring back some ugly memories.