Guy finished his bottle and set it down. His pale blue eyes studied something off in the woods. “Them people never moved. They were never paid.” he looked over at Derek. “Chief them folks were killed and buried. Buried out there in the mud. I know where.”

“Guy, there were a total of thirty families that showed they were paid five hundred dollars...

The humidity in Heaven didn’t just sit on you; it claimed you. For Chief Derek Landly, it felt like a lead vest—heavy, familiar, and a reminder of the emotional weight he’d been carrying since the night a .38 caliber slug had tried to punch a hole through his retirement plans.

He stood in the doorway of the Heaven Police Station, his hand...

Derek nodded as something caught his eye off to the left on Barlow. “Let’s check that out.” he said and swung the car onto the shoulder just as a shot rang out and the windshield cracked. “Get down!” Derek shouted and keyed the radio. “Shots fired 1204 Barlow road. Request back up.”

“Copy that squad one. All units, all units. Shots fired 1204...