The morning sun had barely kissed the roofs of Heldale when a grim knock echoed through the hallway of the Mayor's Office. Mayor Ronald Myer looked up from the pile of unread documents cluttering his polished desk, irritation already clouding his face.
"Come in," he barked.
Detective Harrold stepped inside, his face pale and taut.He walked to the front of the mayor's desk, handing folding together.
"There's been… an incident," he said.
Ronald raised a brow, exhaling. "What now?"
"A body, sir. A teenage boy. Found dead at the Old Iron Square near Wardley Street. Deep stab wounds. Locals said his insides were almost shredded. The victim goes by the name Tam Garrison—identified as a student at Heldale High."
The mayor's gaze sharpened at the mention of the school.
"Wasn't there a curfew in effect?" he asked coldly.
Harrold nodded, hesitant. "Yes, sir. Seems the kid either didn't care or didn't know. The streets were supposed to be empty by ten. But the real problem is—there were witnesses. Too many. People walking to early shifts, nearby residents. They saw the body. The condition at hand…"
The mayor leaned back slowly in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"And the press?"
"Already asking questions," Harrold said. "Photos are circulating on local forums. We're trying to scrub them before the national channels pick it up."
A long silence passed between them.
Then the mayor leaned forward, eyes dark.
"We cannot afford panic, Harrold. Not now. You know what this town is sitting on and my upcoming office promotion is sitting on the line if this incident gets out of hand. The council is already putting much pressure on me than I can carry."
Harrold nodded grimly.
"Here's what you'll do," Mayor Ronald said, his tone heavy and absolute. "You'll work with the hospital. They'll file the report. You will inform the family that the victim was involved in a gang-related altercation. You'll plant fake IDs if you have to. Drugs, weapons—whatever sells the narrative."
"But sir," Harrold began, "he was just a—"
"A student?" the mayor cut in. "Yes. A student out past curfew. That's a more definite way of containing the incident . We cannot let this incident raise questions about what else might be lurking out there."
Harrold bit down on his lip, torn between duty and morality. But he gave a slow nod.
"Yes, sir. I'll take care of it."
"Make it neat," he murmured. "And pray the truth stays at bay a little longer."
"Yes sir" Detective Harrold nodded and walked out of the office, closing the door behind him.
Mayor Ronald stared back down at the paper works before him.
Leadership and power always came with getting your hands dirty and he had sunk his hand too deep for it to be clean again.