Chapter 6: Eavesdropping and Planning*

Marie sat at her desk in the dimly lit police station, flipping through the latest report on the murders, but her mind was somewhere else entirely. Something about Kevin gnawed at her, a persistent itch she couldn't quite scratch. He kept showing up at the station, far too often for someone on the city council. What business did he have with the sheriff, anyway?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the front door swinging open. She didn't need to look up to know who it was; Kevin's confident footsteps echoed through the station, his presence as arrogant as ever. He breezed in, flashing a winning smile at the officers he passed, and as usual, headed straight for the sheriff's office.

But before he reached it, he stopped by her desk.

"Well, if it isn't Marie Kanker," Kevin said smoothly, his smirk as infuriating as ever. "I was hoping to run into you."

Marie looked up, her eyes narrowing. "Kevin. What do you want?"

Kevin leaned casually against her desk, crossing his arms over his chest. "I was thinking, since you're back in town, maybe you'd like to grab dinner sometime. You know, catch up. I could show you around the city. I've got connections. Might be good for your career." His tone dripped with false charism, but there was an undercurrent of something darker—a subtle, unspoken threat.

Marie felt her stomach churn, but she kept her expression neutral. "I'll pass," she said coldly, barely able to hide her disgust. "Thanks, but I don't need your help."

Kevin chuckled softly, but his eyes darkened as he leaned in closer. "You sure? You might want to reconsider. Peach Creek's changed, Marie. It's not the same little town you grew up in. Some people have more power than you think. And those people… don't like it when others start asking questions."

There it was. The threat.

Marie straightened in her chair, her jaw tightening. "Funny you should say that. What exactly do you keep talking to the sheriff about? You've been here a lot recently."

Kevin's smile faded just a fraction, but his eyes never lost that predatory glint. "That's none of your concern, sweetheart."

"I'm making it my concern," Marie shot back, her voice icy. "You seem awfully invested in a police department that's been ignoring a string of murders. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

For a moment, Kevin's mask slipped, and Marie saw something dark flicker in his gaze—something dangerous. But just as quickly, the charming smile returned.

"Careful, Marie," he said softly, his voice almost a whisper. "You don't want to dig too deep. People who do… tend to get themselves in trouble."

With that, Kevin straightened up and walked off, his confident swagger back in full force as he disappeared into the sheriff's office.

Marie sat there for a long moment, the tension in her muscles refusing to ease. Kevin knew something. He was involved—she was sure of it. But she couldn't prove it. Not yet.

As she stared blankly at the report in front of her, she overheard two officers chatting near the water cooler.

"You hear about Kevin's big gala?" one of them asked. "Supposed to be some fancy shindig at his mansion. Half the town's gonna be there."

"Yeah, he's hosting it in a couple of weeks," the other officer said. "Probably gonna try to wine and dine everyone for more political favors. That guy's always working an angle."

Marie's ears perked up. A gala at Kevin's mansion? That could be her way in. If she could get inside his house, maybe she could find something—anything—that linked him to the murders. She just needed a plan.

Her eyes drifted toward the open window, her mind already spinning with possibilities. She could go as a guest, of course. Kevin wouldn't suspect her if she showed up under the guise of reconciling after turning him down. But going alone wasn't an option. She needed backup. And there was no way the sheriff or anyone in the department would support her sneaking around Kevin's mansion.

But the Eds… they could help.

The idea of enlisting the Eds to help her infiltrate a high-society event seemed both ridiculous and perfect. No one would expect them to be part of an investigation. Eddy's smooth-talking could get them in, Ed's oblivious charm could be an asset, and Double D—well, Double D could help her spot clues and maybe pick up on the shadier details. The thought of him dressed in a suit, looking sharp, brought a smile to her face.

And then, an unbidden image flashed in her mind: Double D, his hand gently resting on the small of her back as they danced under the soft lights of the gala, his nervous smile warming as the night wore on. Marie quickly shook her head, pushing the thought away before it could linger too long. This wasn't the time for fantasies.

She needed to focus.

Still, she couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement at the idea of seeing him dressed up, sharing a moment that was magical and romantic.

Marie stood up, not having time to indulge in girlish fantasies, grabbing her coat as she prepared to leave the station. The plan was starting to come together, but there was still a lot she needed to work out. She had to talk to the Eds, see if they were on board.

And if they were, they had a party to crash.