A Chili Death: A Classic Diner Mystery by Jessica Beck

back.”
    “No, thanks,” Moose said.  He chewed his lower lip for a moment, and then asked, “Would it help if I apologized?”
    I was surprised to hear his offer, but I had a hunch that it no longer mattered.  “Let’s just see what she has to say first.”
    “I like that plan,” Moose admitted.  He wasn’t a big fan of handing out apologies, no matter how much they were merited, and I knew that it would have been tough on him doing it.
    Three minutes later, Ms. Ingram came out of her office, a troubled expression on her face.  “Our chief of police just confirmed the news.  I’m sorry, but I’m still not at liberty to disclose anything that passed between my client and me.”  There was something in her glance that told me she wanted to help, but was bound by her ethics.
    “We get it,” Moose said as he started for the door.  “It’s just like I told you, Victoria.  This was just another dead-end.”
    I had a hunch, though.  “You go on without me.  I’ll be right out,” I said.
    My grandfather wasn’t at all pleased with my suggestion, but when he looked at me, I narrowed my eyes, and to my delight, he did as I asked and kept going out the front door.
    Ms. Ingram studied me a moment after he was gone, and then she said, “I’m really sorry, but I meant what I said.  I can’t disclose anything about Mr. Lance or the business I might have had with him.”
    “Understood,” I said as I took a step forward and held out my hand.  “Sorry we got off on the wrong foot.  As I said, my name is Victoria, but I didn’t catch your name in that barrage of initials you use.”
    “I’m Monica,” she said as she took it.  “I find the initials are useful at times.”
    “I have no trouble believing that.”
    “By the way, I love the way you handled your grandfather.”
    I had to smile at that.  “Oh, Moose is pretty harmless if you know what you’re doing.”
    She shook her head.  “I doubt that.  He reminds me a lot of my grandfather, and there’s not a week goes by that I don’t miss him.  You’re lucky to still have him.”
    “It doesn’t always feel that way, but I know what you mean.  Do you mind if I ask you a nosy question?”
    “That depends.  Does it have anything to do with Mr. Lance?”
    “No Ma’am,” I said.
    “Then I’m game.”
    “You’re clearly very good at what you do, so I’m curious.  What made you set up practice here?”
    She offered the hint of a smile as she explained, “I was born just outside of town, and when I left for Duke, I had grand dreams, but this place kept calling to me, and as soon as I finished law school, I came back home.  There’s just something about small town life, isn’t there?”
    “I know.  I couldn’t imagine ever leaving Jasper Fork.  Monica, I need some advice.”
    “That will cost you a dollar,” she said with a slight smile.
    “You actually charge for giving people directions?” I asked.
    “If you want our conversation to be just between us, pay me the retainer and I’m all yours.”
    I smiled as I handed her a buck.  “Those are pretty good rates for a Duke graduate.”
    She scribbled out a receipt and handed it to me.  “What can I say?  You caught me on a good day.  Now, how can I help you?”
    “I understand that you can’t talk about your relationship with Howard Lance, but I was wondering if you might tell me where I might go to get a few answers.”
    “In general, you mean?” she asked, clearly leading me in that direction.
    “Of course.  Any overlap of information would strictly be a coincidence.”
    “Well, I’ve always found that if there’s something I want to know about anyone in a town that’s new to me, I head over to the restaurant closest to the town square.”
    Was she trying to tell me something?  It was time to probe a little more.  “And if we were discussing Laurel Landing?”
    “Oh, I’d say the BBQ Pit would be the place to go.”  She gave me a simple set of