Free Down Home and Deadly by Christine Lynxwiler, Jan Reynolds, Sandy Gaskin Page B

now most of ’ em seem good. Ain’t it funny how our minds can play tricks on us?”
    It was. My mind was tricking me into believing that if we didn’t stop while we talked, somebody might be cashing in on my will. “There’s a scenic overlook up here on your left that’s really beautiful.” I crossed my fingers that she’d pull in.
    She obligingly whipped the little car in and killed the motor. We got out and looked across mountains faintly colored with fall leaves. My legs still trembled a little, but I walked over and sat down, willing myself to relax.
    In front of us, mountain after mountain fell away until they faded into blueness. I never tired of looking at the majestic beauty of this scene. Jolene stared at it a long time without speaking. Almost a miracle. Then she slowly lit a cigarette and took a long drag.
    She loosed a stream of smoke and looked at me. “I’d like to ask you a favor.” She spoke soberly. “I know we just met, and you don’t owe me a thing. But I’m kinda in what you might call a pickle. Turns out I’m the executor of Jimmy’s will. He hadn’t got no close kin left. So I have to decide how to dispose of the body when they get done with it and release it .” She stared out at the mountains then back at me. “I thought I’d just have him cremated and get on back to my life, but now that I’m here, I don’t think I can do that.”
    I wondered again about Jimmy Dean Finley. What kind of life must he have lived to have no one who wanted to plan a funeral for him? “You know, his grandma lived here. She died a little while back. He came to the funeral and just stayed on.”
    “Yeah? Her and him never did get along when I knew him. But I guess , like they say, blood’s thicker’n water. You think I oughta have him buried here?”
    “There were folks in town who were quite fond of him,” I said carefully. “They might get a sense of closure if you have a funeral.”
    She snorted. “Closure? Reckon that’s why someone killed him? So they could get closure?”
    “Do you know why someone might have killed him?”
    She threw her cigarette down and ground it into the dirt with her heel. Then she carefully picked up the butt and stuck it into her pocket. “I have no idea. Unless Jimmy changed quite a lot, it could a been just about anything. Wonder how much a funeral would cost? I could spend a thousand or so of what I’m getting, I guess. After all, if it wadn’t for him, I wouldn’t have any.”
    “I could show you where the local funeral home is.”
    “Tell ya what — you do that later on. Right now I’m ready to find the nearest watering hole. I’ve had about as much of this dry - county stuff as I can handle for one day.”
    We climbed into the Mustang , and the engine roared to life. She spun gravel as she peeled onto the road and headed back to town.
    *****
    The next night , Carly walked into the deserted dining room as I was wiping the crumbs from the last dirty table. “Think you and I can handle the cleanup if I let the others go on home?”
    “Sure.” We hadn’t had a chance to talk since the diner opened. I followed her into the kitchen.
    Debbie and Susan both looked relieved when Carly told them their shifts were officially over.
    Susan picked up her purse. “I’m dog tired. I’d forgotten how hard this was.” She must have noticed Carly’s funny look, because she quickly clarified, “I’m thrilled to have the job. It’s just been several years since I’ve waitressed. I’ll have to get back in the groove.”
    “You’re doing great,” Carly assured her. “Thanks for pulling a double yesterday.”
    “See y’all tomorrow.” Debbie followed Susan out the door. “I’m going home to put my feet up.”
    Carly and I finished putting the dishes away. Together we walked out to do a last - minute check of the dining room before tackling the bathrooms.
    Marco was standing near the front door.
    “ Marco !” Carly said. “I thought you were