Free Carolyn Arnold - McKinley 04 - Politics is Murder by Carolyn Arnold Page B

if something pops, we’ll be going after them.”
    “We wouldn’t expect any less.” Sara went behind the desk and hugged Jimmy.
    “One more thing.” Sean watched Jimmy’s jaw tighten and his shoulders hitch up. “Is there any way we can hear the ransom call?”
    Jimmy snapped his fingers and pointed for them to leave his office. “Go now and no one needs to know you were here.”
    “Understand.” Sean pivoted on his heels in the doorway. “No one’s going to die today.”
    “Always hold true to that promise, kid.”

 
     
     

     
    Taken To The Cleaners
     
    THEY HAD DECIDED BEFORE BED their first stop in the morning would be downtown, where the zoning bylaws had been changed. While law enforcement would exhaust those already on Davenport’s hate list, they would tap into the newly developing one. After all, these people had their livelihoods and family businesses to lose. And blood is thicker than water.
    They stood on the sidewalk in front of Hibbert’s Dry Cleaning. The windows were plastered with fluorescent bristol board starbursts with specials noted in thick black marker.
    A bell chimed when they opened the door and the woman who had been on TV was standing behind the counter. “Good morning.” She offered her greeting with a polite, warm smile that pinched the corners of her eyes.
    “Good morning. Mrs. Hibbert?” Sean approached the counter.
    “It’s been a while since I heard that one. Mona will work fine.”
    Sean thought back to the television piece on them, and the man that had been standing beside her. He had erroneously surmised he was her husband.
    Mona looked at Sara, taking in her dress. Sara had removed her sunglasses and held them in her hand, her purse tucked under an arm. Mona’s eyes went back to Sean. “You’re the McKinleys, aren’t you? I saw you on TV.”
    “Yes, guilty as charged.” Sean smiled and, instead of setting the older woman at ease, it seemed to ratchet her paranoia.
    Her mouth went into a straight line. “I was on TV too. Maybe you saw me.”
    “That’s actually why we’re here, Mona.” Sara came up beside Sean.
    “You’re here because I was on TV?”
    She nodded.
    “All right. Then you know that the mayor is putting us out of business. It’s official now. With the tax change, we just can’t afford to keep the doors open. We barely skimmed by before.”
    Sean was aware she kept talking, but his eyes took in the room—a simple counter, an older cash register, and the dry cleaning racks coiled behind her. Above the register was a sign that read cash only . There were a couple things hurting the business, and it was more than a zoning change.
    The Hibberts hadn’t advanced with the times—no debit or credit—and how many people actually paid for dry cleaning anymore? A select few, however, those who did likely didn’t oppose the original tender. Her clientele were likely aging right along with the business. Any young people who needed their cleaning done would hit a franchised location for a lower price, a faster turnaround, and be given payment options.
    The door chime sounded and the three of them turned to the middle-aged woman walking with a toddler holding her hand.
    “Good morning, Tess,” Mona said, “and Bonnie.”
    The little girl smiled and ran toward the counter. Sean glanced from her to Sara. Her reaction to the girl was similar to his, but when their eyes met, he sensed apprehension—and fear? Her smile faded.
    Tess laid a winter coat on the counter. “Express isn’t needed, Mona. I sure hope we’re pretty much finished with winter.” Tess passed a smile to Sean and Sara.
    Sara returned the expression. “Let’s hope.”
    As his eyes drifted from Sara, they went to the wall behind her. There was a framed photograph of the Hibbert family. It was black and white, but, based on the clothing, hadn’t been taken too long ago. He bobbed his head toward it and Sara went over with him.
    The Hibbert family consisted of twenty-five