As John sat sipping his coffee

in a small coffee shop, he began to become anxious. Suddenly he saw a tall, middle aged, dark skinned man approach him. “Senator Humbledon,” the man said, “I’m Frank Burkehart. Your office contacted me asking me to meet with you.”

“Yes,” John replied. “Please sit down. Would you like some coffee?” The man shook his head, so John continued. “I need your help. Someone close to me has recently passed. The police believe it’s a suicide, but I refuse to believe it. I need help proving otherwise.”

“Right. April Glassman,” Frank said. “It’s been all over the news. The media is stating that it is a cut and dry case. I don’t know if I can be of much assistance sir.”

“Please,” John interjected. “There is no way she would have committed suicide, but beside having no skill in solving murders, my staff will not allow me to air the idea of a murder to the press. I need this to be solved not only for my sake, but for her reputation.”

Frank looks at him. John’s hair is tussled and he is glistening from sweat. Frank believes him, believes he is telling the truth, but how can it be? Everything he had seen on the death pointed to suicide. “Do you have anything that makes you believe her death was a suicide besides sheer gut instinct?” he asked John.

“No,” John replied.

Frank thought it would be hard to prove otherwise, but what the hell? After all, what did he have to lose? It wasn’t his reputation on the line. “Ok then,” he said to John. “We have a lot of background to cover then.”

To be continued…