Chapter 6

Brady had just finished taking a few notes on his smartphone when he heard a familiar voice. “Well, if it isn’t the new city planner!”

Turning around, Brady saw Mayor Joe Jenkins headed his way, a smile on his face barely visible between the large gray scarf wound around his neck and the matching wool cap pulled down to the top of his dark framed glasses. It wasn’t quite cold enough out here for all that, in Brady’s opinion, but the mayor was a small-framed man, at least ten years older than Brady, so probably in his late thirties, maybe early forties, and it was possible he chilled easily.

“Hi, Mayor Jenkins,” Brady said, offering a wave but then clasping the extended, mitten-clad hand of the leader of the local government. “How are you?”

“I am well, Brady. Very well,” he said, overly formal. “Are you out here looking at the sight of the new parking garage?”

Brady’s mouth dropped open for a minute as he struggled with a response. “Well, uh, I was out here looking at the lot mentioned in the list of items you wanted me to review. Is that… a done deal then?” he asked, confused. He’d thought he was supposed to assess the potential of putting in a new parking garage, the positives and negatives, not act as if the parking lot was already a certainty.

Mayor Jenkins shrugged. “Not exactly. The city council will need to approve an expenditure of that magnitude, but I am sure we can convince them, now that you can clearly see how important it is.” His smile was slightly crooked, making his teeth somehow appear whiter and sharper contrasted with the red of his lips and the gray of his scarf.

“Oh.” Brady didn’t want to say anything to annoy the mayor, not when he’d just started the job. Technically, Brady answered to the six member town council, same as the mayor, but for all intents and purposes, this man was his boss. “Well, I’ve made some notes, and I’ll be doing some more research.”

Mayor Jenkins appeared to twerk an eyebrow at him, though it was hard to see beneath the wool cap. “Good, good,” he said, patting Brady on the arm. “This is an important project for me, Brady, so I hope you and I will be on the same page.”

“I hope so as well,” Brady said, still noncommittal.

“You know, the city council was tied in the vote taken to approve you in this position, which means I was the tie breaker.” The mayor had dropped his voice, as if what he was saying was a secret between friends, not a matter of public record.

Brady nodded. He was aware of the situation. “And I appreciate that.”

“I’m glad,” Mayor Jenkins said, looking him in the eye. “I sure hope you do.”

Managing a smile he did not feel, Brady held the man’s gaze for a few moments before he had to look away. The feeling of distrust he felt radiating off of Mayor Jenkins was palpable, and every fiber of Brady’s being was telling him to back away. He couldn’t do that, though. Up until a few moments ago, he’d gotten the impression Mayor Jenkins was a pretty good guy--a little… odd maybe, but not corrupt. Now, he was getting a different feeling altogether. Still, he didn't want to seem ungrateful for the mayor appointing him to the position via his tie-breaking vote or for the opportunity.

Luckily, the man had places to be. Clapping Brady on the shoulder again, he said, “Well, I guess I’ll see you Monday morning. Bright and early.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Brady said with a nod. The mayor rushed off, waving at people he passed on the sidewalk, most of which waved back, smiles on their faces. Some looked a little less enthused at the politician and only nodded their heads in recognition.

Brady watched him disappear and then headed back to his truck. He wanted to review the budget and look at the other records he had available. There was something odd about the mayor insisting this be a parking garage instead of a lot, and he wanted to see what it was before he made any recommendations to anyone.

With a sigh, Brady climbed into his truck, wishing again that Pooch was there. Something told him it would be impossible to be too upset with that little dog to pat. But he wasn’t there. He was in a kennel at the animal shelter. Hopefully, he wasn’t alone or scared. Brady could only pray that was the case, but he had a feeling in a place like that, it would be hard not to be both.