Page 20 of Carry on Wayward Son

Curiosity lit her blue eyes, but she held out a hand in welcome. “Come on in.”

She settled behind a monstrosity of a desk set in front of the window overlooking the sound side of the village. “What can I do for you?”

We settled into chairs on the opposite side, and Layla finally spoke. “I’m an investigative reporter with the Unaccounted podcast. I’m here looking into the disappearance of Gwen Busby.”

Chelsea’s eyes widened. “Oh.” Whatever she’d expected, clearly, it wasn’t that.

“Given what’s come out about her brother’s connection with her disappearance, we’re looking into his conduct as mayor.”

“What do you expect to find?”

“Not sure what we’ll find,” Layla said. “But we’re looking specifically for any financial relationships or development projects he might’ve pushed through that could connect to outside interests.”

Chelsea leaned back in her chair and folded her hands. “I’ll help however I can. I mean that sincerely. Whatever Miles was involved in, it happened on this island, and the people here deserve answers.” She paused. “What do you need to know?”

“What kinds of projects was he particularly invested in? Anyone he seemed unusually eager to move things along for?”

“Anthony Strand.” She said it without hesitation, with the tone of someone who had been cleaning up after a name for the better part of a year. “Albemarle Development Group, from the mainland. Miles was very enthusiastic about partnering with Strand on several projects—waterfront commercial development, some residential. He pushed them through council faster than he should have, looking back at it.” She paused. “Strand still hasn’t forgiven your sister for the animal sanctuary, by the way. He came into this office the first month I was in here to make his case for revisiting the north end question, insisting it was a crime not to develop out there. I showed him the door.”

“That’s useful to know.” I kept my voice even. “Since you took over, has anything in Miles’s tenure struck you as genuinely concerning? Financial relationships, contracts that went to the same parties repeatedly, anything that didn’t hold up when you looked at it closely?”

Chelsea was quiet for a moment, the kind of quiet that meant she had something in mind and was deciding how, or perhaps whether, to share it. “There are things I’ve flagged for city council review. Things that seem irregular to me. But I don’t have anything definitive yet.” She looked at me steadily. “Is there something specific you’re looking for?”

“Money moving through the island that shouldn’t have been. Favors done for people that didn’t make it into the official record. Anything that suggests Miles was working on behalf of interests that weren’t the island’s.”

Something settled in her face. “I’ll look harder at the Strand projects specifically. And if I find anything—anything at all—I’ll bring it straight to you and Rios.”

“That’s all I’m asking.”

She walked us out herself, which wasn’t necessary.

At the door, she put her hand briefly on my arm. “It was really good to see you, Jace. We should catch up properly while you’re home.”

Without encouraging her, I offered a neutral smile. “I’ll be in touch.”

Ten

LAYLA

In the stairwell, heading back down, I broke my silence. “Peggy is the one who actually knows where everything is buried.”

“Yes,” Jace agreed.

“You worked her very well.”

“Hometown advantage.”

Golden boy, I thought. But not rotten with it. What a rarity.

Jace pushed the door at the bottom and held it open. “What did you make of Chelsea?”

I considered it for a step or two. “She’s not dirty. But she knows more than she’s saying, and she’s more afraid of what she’s going to find when she looks hard enough than she’s letting on.” I paused. “She’ll look, though. You gave her permission to.”

Jace glanced at me sideways, as if I’d surprised him.

I replayed what I said and couldn’t find anything dangerous. “What?”

“Nothing. You’re good at this.”