Free 2 A Deadly Beef by Jessica Beck Page A

in.
    "There
you are, Ron.  I’ve been looking all over the county for you this
morning.  Where have you been hiding yourself?"
    "I’ve
been working," Ron said.  It was clear that he was uncomfortable
being questioned by the sheriff, even if it all seemed pretty casual to me.
    "Are
you still at Sally’s place?" he asked.  "I thought that
was just temporary."
    "It
started off that way, but she’s hired me on full-time," Ron said.
    "Good,"
the sheriff said as he patted the farmhand on the back.  "That means
you’ll be around Jasper Fork if I need to talk to you."
    "Sure
thing," Ron said, and then he started for the door.
    I
called out, "Hang on a second, Ron.  Is there something I can get
for you?"
    He
just shook his head as he put his hand on the door.  "I changed my
mind.  I’m not hungry after all."
    "Hang
on a second," the sheriff said.  "I’ll walk you
out."
    Ron
was clearly not pleased by the prospect, but he couldn’t very well refuse
it, and the two men disappeared together.
    "What
was that all about?" Ellen asked as she approached me a few seconds
later.  "I saw you and Ron chatting, but the second the sheriff
showed up, the man took off like he was on fire."
    "I
wish I knew," I said. 
    Ellen
just shrugged, and then she went back to her customers.
    Five
minutes later, the sheriff came back into the diner, alone.
    "Is
Ron still a suspect in your mind?" I asked Sheriff Croft before he could
say a word of greeting.
    "In
Wally Bain’s murder?" the sheriff asked.
    "No,
in the crown jewel heist.  Of course in Wally’s murder.  What
else could I have been talking about?"
    "There
are more crimes than murder going on around here these days," the sheriff
said cryptically.
    "What’s
that supposed to mean?"
    "Nothing,"
he said, dismissing it handily.  "How about some breakfast?"
    "Thanks,
but I already ate," I answered with a slight smile.
    "That
wasn’t an invitation," he said.  "As a matter of fact,
I’m meeting someone here in a few minutes, but there’s no reason
why I can’t get a quick bite in first."
    "It’s
awfully early for a hot date, Sheriff."
    He
shook his head.  "This is business, not pleasure."
    "Anybody
I know?" I asked.
    The
sheriff thought about it for a second, and then he shrugged. 
"Word’s going to get out soon enough, but if you start grilling her
before I have a chance to talk to her, our time for cooperating is over. 
Do you understand me, Victoria?"
    "I
promise I won’t say a word to her, whoever she might be," I
said.  I was dying to find out who the sheriff was meeting, and I would
have promised just about anything to know.
    "It’s
Jan Bain."
    That
surprised me, though it shouldn’t have.  "Wally’s sister
is coming here?  She hasn’t been back to Jasper Fork in twenty
years."
    "Well,
a death in the family will do that to you," the sheriff said.
    "Is she a suspect, too?" I asked. 
    Sheriff
Croft shook his head.  "Victoria, not everyone I interview is on my
list of possible murderers; you know that, don’t you?"
    "I’m
assuming that she’s going to inherit the farm, and everything else Wally
owns, so that gives her motive," I said.  "Besides, everybody
knows that she and Wally never got along."
    "Victoria, you need to stop jumping to conclusions.  Remember your promise."
    "I
will, and I’ll keep it.  I just don’t think you should dismiss
her so quickly."
    "Who
said anything about dismissing her?  Now, let me mind my business, Woman,
and you mind yours," the sheriff said.
    I
watched Sheriff Croft as he took a seat at one of our booths, and I wondered
just what he and Ron had discussed outside.  The hired man hadn’t
been happy about the sheriff’s sudden appearance, for whatever reason,
and Sheriff Croft was being a little dismissive of my questions.  I
supposed that was his right, but I didn’t have to like it.  Life
would be so much simpler if everyone told me everything I wanted to know, but I
knew that wasn’t going to happen.  I just hoped