Cover Up

An insurance investigator who arrives in Cleberg with a keen eye for gaps in the official story. He is persistent, perceptive, and unafraid to challenge local assumptions. His professional detachment gradually crumbles as he forms a cautious but growing rapport with Anita, guiding him toward a just resolution.

The Weatherby niece who stirs Donovan's interest as Christmas plans unfold. She is caught between her attraction to the outsider and the town’s suspicions about her family. Her diary and choices propel the investigation and reveal family dynamics at the heart of the mystery.

Bank president and a charismatic, protective father who harbors dangerous secrets about a gun from his past. He becomes the initial focal suspect, yet his actions reveal a morally complex stance—protecting loved ones may outweigh pursuit of justice. His awareness of the town's fragile morale makes him both a potential culprit and a sympathetic figure.

Phillips' niece and newlywed who stands to profit from the double-indemnity policy, adding a motive of financial interest to the town’s tangled web. She navigates loyalty to family while the case heats up around her.

The cautious county sheriff who keeps the investigation at arm's length, wary of outside interference. He collaborates with Donovan only as the stakes rise, balancing civic duty with a reluctance to reopen old wounds.

A meddling, long-time domestic helper who becomes smitten with Donovan and keeps the Weatherbys' secrets under a watchful eye. She embodies the town’s nosy, well-meaning gossip that nonetheless shapes the investigation.

Beloved local physician whose past actions surface when the truth about who killed whom in town emerges. He is connected to the long-standing misery and becomes a central figure in the unraveling of the mystery.