Karen had just returned from meetings with the local police, carrying reports gathered from the neighbourhood, and she couldn't believe what she was reading.
There were no signs of an increase in crime.
Shops along the front street, and even those a few streets over, weren't reporting anything unusual. Their operations hadn't changed, foot traffic was steady, and there was no evidence of vandalism or theft beyond the ordinary.
That meant one thing was clear.
They were being targeted.
The question was by who, and why?
Karen sat back in her office inside the department store, staring at the reports spread across her desk. As the days passed, the numbers continued to drop. Vendor interest was declining, contracts were being delayed, and no matter how many meetings she arranged, she couldn't convince new businesses to move in.
