Murder at the Old Schoolhouse

On St. John’s Eve, a night steeped in folklore, Police Chief Gus Olivera discovers the body of librarian Joscelyn Byrd ritualistically dressed in white at the base of a bell tower. The murder stains a property recently listed by real estate agent Mosey Frye—who knows that, in Hembree, land is never just dirt; it’s a ledger of old debts.

As Gus searches for a killer among the victim’s former mentees, Mosey follows a different trail—one buried deep in the town’s past. Her investigation exposes a century-old railroad fraud tied to the powerful Hillyard family, an empire built on stolen money and carefully buried crimes.

Then Mosey’s friend Nadia vanishes after recognizing a Hillyard heir at a gala, and history turns personal. With Gus bound by the limits of his badge and Mosey free to move through Hembree’s secrets, their uneasy rivalry sharpens into a race against time.

Because some betrayals never stay buried—and the truth always leaves a mark.