to aid rural governments across the country.”
Armie leaned forward. “My wife knows a lot about that. She could be helpful.”
Sylvie’s lips turned up. “If we can find the funding, he’s got the job, and I will not attempt to pay him in beer. But it wouldn’t be the easiest job in the world.”
“I think you’ll find between his associate degree and his work experience, that he’s highly qualified to run Papillon Parish’s Department of Animal Services,” Roxie said, triumph plain in her voice.
Zep froze. He’d thought she was trying to convince Sylvie to make his consultant position permanent. “What?”
Armie leaned over. “I believe your girl is setting you up to start a whole new department at city hall. If you don’t want it, you should speak up now because let me tell you, once you get into that office, you probably will work there the rest of your life.”
He would have a place. That was what Roxie was offering him. He looked out at the audience because he’d promised his brother he would take over that shop. He didn’t want to upset his brother, but damn, he wanted the job Roxie was trying to create for him.
His brother had a big smile on his face and gave him a thumbs-up even as Luc was climbing all over him.
“I’ll do it.” He turned his gaze to Roxie.
“Excellent,” she said.
“Well, that is great, but it doesn’t explain what happened in my backyard last night, and I’m going to hold the sheriff’s department responsible if my kids turn into werewolves,” Sue said.
“Oh, you hush, Sue. Your children are already little hooligans. Getting them to only misbehave on full moon nights would be a blessing,” Gene said. He owned the grocery store and was the resident conspiracy theorist, though he tended to believe deep state conspiracies, not supernatural ones. “And they do leave their trash everywhere. I told the sheriff your kids have been playing around in the parking lot, leaving those fiery chip things around.”
Something sparked in his brain.
He turned to Armie. “Is that what you meant earlier? You said something about chip bags and finding a new teen hangout spot?”
“Yeah, they didn’t throw their stuff away even though there was a trash can ten feet away,” Armie grumbled.
It was all coming together in his head. “And Sue, you said you saw a flash of something. A flash of light? Dixie said she saw something similar.”
Sue nodded. “Yes. I did. But it could have been one of Gene’s lights flickering. I wish I’d picked a different house because it’s terrible to have to watch his back parking lot from my yard.”
“You thinking what I’m thinking?” Roxie asked.
“I would very much like to know what either one of you is thinking.” Armie’s brow had risen. “You seem to have figured something out.”
He looked out and Ashlyn finally had her camera down. “What’s the name of your project?”
Roxie turned and stared at the teen, too. “You can talk here or we can do it at the station house. And you three in the back, do not think you can sneak out. I can find you, and when I do, it will be so much worse because I’ll bring your mommas in.”
He noticed what he hadn’t before. A row of teens had gotten to their feet, trying to sneak out of the hall. Two girls and a boy, including the young lovers from earlier in the week.
“Ashlyn, you should answer Mr. Guidry,” Roxie said with a steely look in her eyes.
Mrs. Travers stood up and walked to her daughter. “Ashlyn is working on a project for her school, and her friends are helping her. That’s all. Why are you harassing her?”
“What’s the name of your project?” Roxie moved closer, reminding him a bit of a cougar seeking prey.
Ashlyn swallowed nervously. “Uhm, it’s a short film about what happens in a small town.”
“What happens in small towns?” Roxie prodded.
“Uh . . . stuff. It’s about how boring towns are,” the teen said, seeming to get some of her stubbornness back.
“You told me you were making one of those scary movies.” Her mother’s hands went to her hips. “That’s why you’ve been out so late. You said you needed nighttime shots to get the mood right.” She pointed a finger her daughter’s way. “If you were out playing around with boys, I’ll have your hide. I knew that Hannah was going to be a bad influence on you.”
Hannah stood up. “I am not a bad influence, and Austin