Free Stump Speech Murder by Patricia Rockwell

was being held in the Reardon city jail pending his arraignment in the next few days.  Police officials offered no speculation concerning Grant’s possible motive for his wife’s murder.  When the background film on James and Stacy Grant concluded and a regularly scheduled Saturday morning cartoon program came on, Rocky roamed the channels searching for additional information about the recent murder. 
    WRER was airing an interview that Ginger Cooper had conducted the previous day with Hap Brewster—no doubt the one he had persuaded her into doing when he caught her taping with James Grant in the park, Pamela thought.  Rocky and Pamela watched the taped interview with special interest—comparing the presentation of the city’s long-time experienced mayor, Brewster, with the footage on the young upstart who was vying for his job—and who might very well have snatched it–had it not been for his recent arrest.  In this footage, Brewster was making his typical complaints about his opponent, so obviously the interview had been taped before the murder.  It seemed incongruous for Brewster to be discussing Grant as if he were still merely a candidate—and not a murder suspect.  The camera cut back to the anchor in the studio.
    “In our studio today, we have Mayor Brewster’s Communications Director Kevin Sturges,” announced the morning newscaster, and the camera panned over to show the young man Pamela remembered who had accompanied Brewster in the park.  “Kevin, the Mayor’s main opponent is now sitting in jail accused of murder.  How does this impact the Mayor’s campaign?”  The camera panned further back to show the anchor and Sturges in profile, sitting across from each other.
    “How do you think it impacts it, you ninny?” cried Rocky at the unresponding television.  “It makes Brewster a shoo-in!”
    “Shh, Rocky,” whispered Pamela.  “I want to hear what this guy says.”  She scooted up against her headboard and pulled her comforter tight around her chin. 
    “Of course, Mayor Brewster is shocked and horrified to learn of the arrest of Mr. Grant,” began the neatly dressed political operative, today wearing a navy blazer atop his typical yuppie outfit of chinos and blue shirt.  “We would certainly prefer to win the election the old-fashioned way–by gathering the majority of the votes–not by default.”
    “But it does appear that Mayor Brewster will win the race come November, doesn’t it?” suggested the anchor.  Pamela sipped her coffee.  Rocky stuffed a scone into his mouth with annoyance.  “I mean, assuming no other candidate decides to run,” she added, leaning in to Sturges.
    “I believe it’s too late to file,” suggested Sturges, with a shrug.  “Of course, there are several other candidates running.”
    “But none making as strong a showing in the polls as James Grant was making, right?”  She looked directly at the man seated across from her.
    “No,” agreed Sturges, “but you never know in politics.” He laughed and smiled flirtatiously at the attractive anchor.
    “It was actually fortuitous for the mayor that Grant was arrested when he was,” continued the dark-haired woman, crossing one shapely leg over the other.
    “I don’t know what do you mean by ‘fortuitous’,” said Sturges with a wide-eyed expression.
    “Of course you know what she means, you son of a bitch!” sneered Rocky at the television.
    “Only that Grant seemed to be pulling ahead in the polls when he was arrested,” explained the anchorwoman, slowly tapping her foot up and down provocatively.
    “Yes,” agreed the interviewee with a chuckle as he ran his hand through his hair, “but polls change.”
    “So they do,” she agreed.  The repartee between the two was becoming sexual, it seemed to Pamela.  Or maybe she was imagining it.  The young female anchor was exceedingly attractive and she obviously knew how to use her feminine wiles to charm a subject into