Thanks for the feedback. We're getting back to the murder investigation after a little detour with the subplot. Hope you continue to enjoy.
The pair made their way to the other side of California's Central Valley, looking ahead at the mountains before them. "How much further, Steve?" Mike asked.
"Not too much. We'll go up Carson Pass for a little bit and then turn off. It will be a few miles from that."
Mike marveled at the scenery of the mountains and noticed the roads were curving more and more. As the elevation climbed, Steve finally slowed and turn right on Old Tyler Road. "It's about five miles from here."
It was a slow five miles and by the time the reached the end, Mike felt his stomach churn from the ride. "You okay?" Steve looked over in a grin. "I tried my best not to get too wild."
"Let's just get there," Mike responded gruffly.
"Okay, but I don't want you to miss this. Just keep staring straight ahead."
Mike did as he was told and was rewarded as they made the final turn into Tyler. What lay ahead was a beautiful town built into the foothills of a larger mountain pass. The area was well maintained. Brick buildings, parks and beautiful Victorian homes optimizing every square inch of what rocky space had been carved out more than one hundred years before.
"What is this?" Mike whispered to himself. "This is like one of those small Alpine communities I've heard about."
"Not quite as far up as the Alps, not even a tenth of the way. But yes, it's built into the foothill and spread across the pass. Gorgeous, huh?"
"When was most of this built?" Mike asked.
"Mid-late 19th century. But much of it was during or after the Gold Rush. After that the town stabilized it's growth and managed to still maintain the area. You realize for a hot moment, this town was bigger than San Francisco?"
"No, I don't believe that," Mike said adamantly.
"Quite a history here. Some of it good, but some not so good. It's been along time, but there was a price paid by local Indian tribes and with other groups, some of the labor practices have thankfully been eliminated. But for what it was, I think Tyler tried to right the ship quicker than other areas. You'll see a lot of cultures represented in such a small town of 6000 or so."
As they made their way down Main Street, Steve pointed to the right. "There's a small Catholic church over there. About a block down, there's a Protestant church. On the other side of town, you'll find a Synagogue and an Indian cultural center. And look over there, a Main Street with privately held hotels, shops and restaurants."
"This is a tourist area then?" Mike asked.
"It can be, but like everything here, space is limited," Steve said as he pulled into the City Hall parking lot.
"The town police are based out of City Hall. There's a small jail there as well. We're meeting Sergeant Miller here and then we'll catch up on what they've found out about Mr. Goldman."
