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about—"
    "No, Tod, don't say his name. Don't bring that up to me. I'm just not ready for this. It wouldn't be fair for me to pretend I am when I'm not."
    Victoria looked away, closed her eyes, and released a heavy sigh.
    "You were too good for him.” Tod moved closer, took her hand, and gently squeezed it.
    "You're a nice man, Tod, a good friend, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't attracted to you, but in all honesty, I just don't have anything to give you at this point in time. When I think about dating, about everything that goes along with it, I feel exhausted, spent. I hope you can understand that. There's a lot I'm working on in my profession, my career, and I just don't have the time."
    "You deserve to be happy, Victoria. Why can't you forget about this guy?” Tod obviously didn't bother trying to hide his anger and jealousy for a man who was probably dead.
    Victoria began to walk away. Tod grabbed her wrist. Others took notice and Victoria didn't want to make a scene. She stopped and turned around to face Tod.
    "I'm sorry. I had no right to say that to you,” he whispered. Tod's cell phone rang. “I'm not going to wait forever, Victoria."
    He answered his phone, giving ‘yes’ and ‘okay’ answers, then closed it, placing it in its holder on his hip.
    Possessively, Tod placed his hands on her shoulders. She wasn't anyone's possession.
    "I have to go. Duty calls, you know. I'll call you later.” Tod gave her a kiss on the cheek and walked away, saying goodbye to others as he left.
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Chapter 2
    Tod pulled the unmarked police car up to the marina, not pleased to find a large crowd gathered around what he was sure would turn out to be the crime scene.
    Detective Don Phelps was already there and as Tod made his way through the crowd, he was pleased to find numerous patrol officers taping off the surrounding area. Maybe, just maybe, they were actually following protocol.
    "Hey, Detective Kafrey, Detective Phelps is over there, past the boat yard. There's a deep ravine that borders the water's edge. That's where your crime scene is,” Officer Ronnie Chappa stated. He had been on the force five years and was determined to make detective. In Tod's eyes, he definitely showed potential.
    Tod made his way past the junked boats and marina garbage, then toward the top of the hill. A few officers gathered around, taking notes, speaking to the marina caretaker who'd obviously found the body. He was white as a ghost, perspiring, and his light blue t-shirt showed chunks of what he'd eaten for breakfast that morning.
    "Hey, Kafrey, sorry to drag you away from the party at the Malley's, but duty calls.” Don stood near the body, wearing rubber gloves and already recording evidence as the forensics team took photographs. The River County Coroners office was already on the scene.
    The Sheriff's Department had the best forensics department around and immediately called to the scene. Their small town police department's lab was still in the works and far from up and running.
    Politics .
    Tod absorbed the scene around him. He noted the sex and position of the body. It was difficult not to observe she was young, maybe in her twenties, with long brown hair, and completely nude.
    The victim was rigid and in a slumped position. Tod looked back up the hill, from where he had just come. He could see slight indentations in the dirt, some broken branches, and matted down grass. He believed, from his initial evaluation of the crime scene, the body looked as though dumped down the ravine, where it now lay, after rolling down the incline.
    "She's been here a while."
    Detective Phelps rose from the ground and opened his notebook. “We don't have a name yet but we're working on it. They're checking the system for any missing persons who fit the victim's description.” Detective Phelps joined Tod back near the body.
    "Looks like she was bound by the wrists and ankles at some point. There's bruising around the