Free Fugitive Filling by Jessica Beck

a quick note. “Thanks.”
    “We’re more than happy to help. How’s your investigation going?” It was an innocent enough question, but I held my breath waiting for his response. I figured he could yell at us, ignore us, or there was even a slight chance that he’d tell us something we didn’t already know. Thankfully Jake stayed out of it.
    Stephen smiled. “I’m not quite sure that I’m ready to share that much with you two at the moment.”
    At least it was better than a scolding. “I get that, but if you change your mind, you know where to find us,” I said.
    Jake stood and offered the chief his hand. “Thanks for the green light on our interviews.”
    “At this point, what can it hurt, right?” he asked as he took it.
    “I’m sure we’ll see you soon,” I said with a grin.
    “There’s no doubt in my mind.”

    “Suzanne, you pushed him a little in there, didn’t you?” Jake asked me the second we were back in my Jeep. I didn’t have to ask him what he was referring to.
    “I figured, what could it hurt? The chief seemed to be in a giving mood. After all, he’s letting us talk to Joe Chastain and Becky Rusch.”
    “I know, but it had to cost him something to allow it. Did you ever consider stopping while we were ahead?” my husband asked me with a laugh.
    “It never even crossed my mind,” I said with a big grin. “Do you still want to tackle Becky first?”
    Instead of answering my question directly, my husband said, “Normally, I’ve always believed in handling the toughest interview first.”
    “So then we speak with Joe?” I asked.
    “Funny, but I don’t think he’s the hardest one we have to talk to. I understand men like him, but Becky Rusch’s road rage is something I’m having trouble wrapping my head around.”
    “Then it’s Becky after all,” I said, starting off in the direction of her place.
    “No, it’s Joe,” he corrected me.
    I turned around the moment I got the chance. “Make up your mind, sir.”
    “I never got a chance to tell you what my thoughts were,” he countered. “We do this in order, and since Joe’s appointment was first, he’s the logical one to start with.”
    “Oh, if you’re going to start trotting out logic, then I don’t stand a chance.” I knew that Joe Chastain worked at a body shop on the edge of town, so that was the way I started driving. “How are we going to handle this? Are we going to pretend that my Jeep needs a facelift?” I asked.
    Jake looked surprised to hear the idea. “No, I thought we’d just come right out and ask him about his meeting with his attorney last night.”
    “We can try, but it might not work. We can’t force anyone to talk to us, remember?”
    “Maybe not, but I have a feeling that he’s going to want to cooperate.”
    “Why do you think that?” I asked as we neared our first suspect’s place of employment.
    “I don’t know. Folks just seem to want to open up to me,” Jake answered.
    He wasn’t kidding. “Did you ever think that it might be because you carried a gun?”
    “I’m sure that had a little to do with it, but I never had to use it to get a statement out of someone.”
    “Be my guest, then. I’d love to see you in action.”
    Jake wasn’t sure what to make of my statement, and maybe he was right, but I had a hunch that without any authority backing him up, he might have just as hard a time getting answers as Grace and I usually did.
    One thing was certain: we were about to find out.

Chapter 6
    A t least the body shop wasn’t busy.
    I spotted Joe over to one side and told Jake, “He’s over there eating a bag of chips.” The repairman had on a pair of dirty overalls and heavy work boots that left a track of red clay dirt wherever he stepped. Had he left a similar trail the night before in the attorney’s office? Even if he had, it didn’t necessarily mean that he’d killed her, but if he tried to deny that he’d even been there, it might be something we could use