A Baked Ham by Jessica Beck Page B

note as soon as it was clear.   The pick went into one evidence bag, while
the note went into another.
    When he had everything stowed
carefully away, the sheriff turned to me.   “Now, just who have you been antagonizing in the twenty-four hours since
Benny got himself killed?”
    “It’s been twenty-eight,
actually,” I said as I glanced at my watch, “and the list is too long to go
over out here.   Why don’t you come inside
and I’ll make us all a pot of coffee?”
    “Better yet, I’ll make it while
the two of you have yourselves a little chat,” Greg said.
    The sheriff nodded.   “That sounds good.   You wouldn’t happen to have any pie around,
would you?”
    My husband smiled.   “Sheriff, if there’s not pie in my house,
then I’m not living here.   How does Dutch
apple sound to you?”
    “Like a real treat on a chilly
evening,” he said, the pleasure coming through clear in his voice.   “What say we go on in and get started,
Victoria?”
    “I’m game if you are, but I hope
you’re going to share a little with me, too, when I’m finished telling all that
I know.”
    “I might, but I’m not making any
promises.”
    “Then we’ll give you coffee, but
I can’t guarantee that you’ll get any pie,” I said.
    “Don’t pay any attention to
her.   She can’t threaten you with that,”
Greg said.   “I made that pie myself, and
I’ll share it with anyone I care to.”
    I grinned at the sheriff.   “Okay, you caught me.   I was bluffing.   You can have some pie, whether you tell my
anything or not.”
    Greg patted my shoulder and
smiled as he walked into the kitchen to start the coffee.   “Now, where should I begin?”
    “Knowing you, you’ve got a list
of suspects around here somewhere.”
    “As a matter of fact, I do.   Should I text it to your phone?”
    The sheriff shook his head.   “Let’s do this the old-fashioned way.   You talk, I’ll listen and take notes, and if
I need you to elaborate on anything, I’ll ask a few questions.”
    “Have it your way,” I said, “but
I’m still going to refer to my list.”
    “Be my guest,” he said as he
settled in on the couch.
    I called up the picture of our
whiteboard on my phone, and then I got started.
    “Mostly, we’ve just got the
obvious,” I said.   “I’m sure you’ve
already looked at the people on our list yourself.”
    “Indulge me,” he said.
    “Fred Hitchings is first up.   He wanted that lead bad enough to taste it.”
    “Do you think that he’d actually kill
Benny to get a role?” the sheriff asked.
    “You should talk to him about it
and hear him,” I said.   “The man’s a
little crazy when it comes to acting.   Are you going to let me get through this, or are you going to quiz me on
every motive I give you?”
    “I’ll try to restrain myself
until you’re finished,” he said with a wry grin.
    “Sandra Hall is next.   We believe she might have had a brief fling
with Benny that went bad fast.   Next is
her boyfriend, Marcus Jackson.   He’s a
personal trainer and the man has a very bad temper.   Garret Wilkes, the director, had some real
issues with Benny on and off the stage.   Benny was dating Amanda Lark before he dumped her recently, and she took
it harder than she’s letting on, and finally, we have Vern Jeffries, Benny’s
former business partner.   There are
rumors all over town that Benny cheated him out of a great deal of money, and
Moose and I both figure he’s a good candidate to be the killer.”
    “You’re logic is sound, but you
can cross his name off your list,” the sheriff said.   “Vern didn’t do it.”
    I couldn’t believe the sheriff
was telling me that.   Vern had been high
on our list, and his alibi had been nonexistent.   “How can you say that?   He has no alibi.   The man told Moose and me that he was in his
office sitting at his desk working alone all night.”
    “That’s right.   One of my officers was driving past on his
rounds