Free Deadly Places: A Mapleton Mystery Novella by Terry Odell Page B

collect any inheritance?”
    “She doesn’t know if he left a will, or if the kids were even in it, although it’s possible the courts would award her whatever he owed in child support. I’m not up on the laws in Texas. Right now, I’m only thinking of her, and it freaked her out when the cops started asking questions.”
    Ed tilted his head. “I’m assuming what I overheard was you telling her not to tell them anything.”
    “Correct. I hope she’s listening to my cop advice and not my big brother advice, which she’s been ignoring since she was four.”
    Ed chuckled.
    “What’s so funny?” Colfax asked.
    “Seems strange, hearing you take the opposite side of things. Normally, it’s all about getting people to talk, trying to avoid them lawyering up.”
    “Normally, they’re not my sister.”
    “You think she’ll listen?”
    “I damn well hope so. I told her I’d cover her expenses for getting a lawyer on board.”
    “I’m sure the Texas cops won’t be as effective as you are when it comes to spouting all the reasons a suspect doesn’t need a lawyer.”
    Mary Ellen’s “Coffee’s ready” halted their conversation. She brought in a tray with two steaming mugs of brew, offering it to Colfax, who lifted a mug. After putting the tray on the end table, she said, “I’ll leave you to your work.”
    “Won’t be much longer,” Colfax said. “Your husband’s been kind enough to help me work through a small family matter, and I appreciate you letting me have his ear for the evening.”
    So, Colfax had read her correctly.
    Mary Ellen’s smile loosened—a subtle shift to be sure, but enough so Ed knew he’d been forgiven. He detected a hint of more forgiveness waiting upstairs. She turned, and yes, the little hip sway as she sashayed to the door said he’d definitely better not stay down here too late.
    The door clicked shut. “What’s your plan?” Ed asked Colfax.
    “Give my sister until tomorrow to cool down and get rational before I hint around about your Paula’s Places theory. She always takes a negative stand, no matter what the subject. She’s denying she had anything to do with Rudy’s death.”
    “You believe her?” Ed asked.
    “I can’t read her over the phone, not while she’s this upset. If I wait awhile, she’ll come around, call a lawyer. And act like it was her idea in the first place.”
    “Not to get personal—”
    “Which means you are getting personal, but go ahead.” Colfax sipped his coffee.
    “You said your sister needed the child support money for her kids, right? She wasn’t asking for it because she could .”
    “Unless she’s got a mint salted away I don’t know about, that’s correct. She’s got a decent job and I’m sure she’s got benefits, but it’s not cheap bringing up three kids today.”
    “Or two,” Ed said. “But what I’m driving at, is I can’t imagine anyone offering to kill someone out of the goodness of their hearts. Somewhere, these people have to be paying for the service. How would your sister manage that? Or any of the other … customers … of Paula’s blog? Seems if these ex-wives could afford to pay an assassin, they wouldn’t need child support.”
    “Good point. But as you and Sam discussed, there are other people who might be willing to pay the price for them. Hell, maybe there’s a secret crowdfunding option out there.”
    Ed snorted. “Yeah, right. But should we be following the money trail?”
    “Another good point. I’m going to assume anyone who’s running an assassination ring flying under the radar for years would be smart enough to hide the dough. Before now, nobody’s looked for it. Until now, when one lucky small town cop who was bored with his own small town cop routines started seeing things nobody else noticed.”
    Ed took Colfax’s empty mug and set it on the tray. “I think I heard an insult there, but it’s late, so I’ll let it pass.”
    “Without cause, we have no way to access any