Keith Mars filled out the CCTV footage request forms that Deputy Leo D'Amato had given him regarding the Daisy Blossom's murder, he was still in a state of disbelief. She had been with his daughter that morning at the hospital. This shouldn't have happened, something didn't quite add up.
What was Daisy doing in that part of town?
He had no cases there, had she been working on the side? The robberies for the clients he had her investigating had been going on at the Neptune Grand Hotel, was this related to a lead at the Neptune Galaxy Resort Hotel that he didn't know about?
The only reason he had agreed to take her on as a receptionist had been because of her ability to look after herself. She was a member of the Half Moon Dojo… she had a black belt in martial arts, she wasn't stupid. She had grown up in an 03 neighbourhood of Neptune, she had been friends with the PCHers during her younger days, she was street smart, savvy and she radiated that back-off vibe with her prickly demeanour that had won him over instantly.
Rarely had he been so taken with a boisterous spirit like hers, the palpable energy that she had brought to the office over the last few months had made her indispensable to him, when Lianne Mars had left and Veronica had become ill… he had needed that kind of encouragement to keep going. She had moulded herself into their lives like she had always belonged there, now she was gone and he couldn't help but feel responsible.
They say the good die young… they certainly did in Neptune, California.
Cadence Argent and her girlfriend Becca Walker stood by Cliff in the hallway as they waited on Sheriff Lamb to release the last of paperwork they had to sign.
"Sheriff Mars" Deputy Sachs said politely as he handed him back the files that he had brought down for them to photocopy for their investigation.
"That would be Former Sheriff Mars" Deputy Briar snarked, as he ogled the two girls standing in the corner with a sickening interest. He was arrogant and Keith could detect the hint of recklessness lurking underneath his sneer, he was the kind of guy that would never have been given a badge if he was still in charge. That kind of attitude got good men killed. It had been Deputy Nathaniel Briar's older brother who had been responsible for the death of Mitch Deveraux a few years ago during a routine house call to a potential domestic disturbance that escalated resulting in the Cajun man being stabbed by a kitchen knife in the yard.
"Nathaniel" Keith said coldly.
"You finally down sharing your dirty picture collection?" Deputy Ryan's joked as he watched Keith pack the files back into his suitcase. Ryan's was a silver-tongued limelight loving troublemaker, he reminded Keith of a younger version of Don Lamb… if only he'd paid better attention to the signs at the time… Don Lamb had usurped his position as Sheriff by releasing the Lilly Kane evidence video all over the internet.
"If I was going to do that, you know you would be the first one to know" Keith quipped. He hated these latest additions to the Balboa County Sheriff's Department, the place was almost unrecognisable from the department he had left, the corruption in Neptune had exploded beyond all control, and there was only one person to blame… whomever had killed Lilly Kane.
That one case had cost Keith everything. If he'd been a better Sheriff… if he'd paid closer attention… if he hadn't allowed the Kane's to blindside him with that emergency recall election… it hadn't helped that Lianne had been causing problems at home, her unfounded insistence that Jake Kane was innocent made no sense to him. The martial problems had only been the beginning, losing his home, his job… and then Lianne's disappearance. His poor daughter Veronica's trouble at school, the loss of status, the way the town had turned on him, his reputation… it had almost been enough to drive him out of town completely.
Was he a fool for still trying to solve this case? He'd almost lost the only thing in the world that mattered to him… Veronica was healing slowly, but if anything… This recent loss just proved that he had to keep her as far away from this part of his life as possible. She couldn't come back to work for him. In fact… he should probably think about moving them out of town. Transferring her to Pam High… starting over someplace new… maybe try and track down Lianne like he had been avoiding for the last 8 months.
"How long until the footage will be ready?" Keith asked quietly.
"We still have to get the forensics' guys to have a look over the scene, the final medical examiners report should be available by Thursday, I don't know what the Neptune Galaxy Resort Hotel's lawyers are like with co-operating with the investigation for the footage, but I will let you know Mr Mars" Leo promised.
"Keith" Sheriff Lamb said as he came out of his office and handed Cadence a few forms to sign.
"Don" he replied curtly. He knew from Veronica that Daisy and Lamb had been involved with one another for a few months, but the Sheriff didn't seem to be too affected by the news. "Sorry for your loss" he added.
"Just another good girl with a hood playlist" Lamb said dismissively as he took back the clipboard from a disgusted Cadence.
"I can't believe she got involved with such a fuckboy!" Cadence growled but her girlfriend held her back. Leo shifted uncomfortably.
"She was someone's daughter" Cliff said angrily. He was going to have to be the one to call her tutors at Hearst College and try to contact her parents tomorrow.
"She had a good heart… but damn that mouth…" Don mused as he stood with his hands on his hips. "Damn shame… she should have gone to see the Wizard… asked for some Ruby slippers to take her home" Sheriff Lamb joked and Keith had to turn on his heel leave before he did something he regretted like swing and hit him in the face.