Just Down the Road by Jodi Thomas

house, and the deputy behind her climbed out of his car and into the front seat of hers. No one else seemed to be in either car, but still the deputy waited behind.
    Alex Matheson moved toward him in the low glow of parking lights. She was a few years older than he was, but Tinch remembered her from school. Everyone always liked Alexandra McAllen, now Matheson. They said she had her mother’s beauty and her father’s bravery. Tinch had managed to stay out of her way most of the time, and the few times their paths had crossed it had been nothing but business between them.
    He grinned, remembering something else he’d heard about the sheriff. Folks said she was Hank Matheson’s girl years before either of them figured it out. Tinch had seen Hank drag her out of Buffalo’s one night with her fighting and screaming, and not one person in the bar seemed to think anything was wrong with the picture.
    If Tinch had decided to pick sides, he would have probably stood with Hank, since Hank was his second cousin on his mother’s side, and family. He guessed that since she’d married Hank, the sheriff was family now too, but they’d never been more than nodding friends when they saw one another.
    “Evening, Sheriff,” he said as she neared the porch.
    Alex looked up. “Got any lights, Mr. Turner?”
    Tinch reached around the screen door and flipped on the light in his wide living room that ran the front of the house. A soft yellow glow flooded the porch. “Just drive out to check on the electricity, Sheriff?”
    Alex almost smiled at him. “No. I’m afraid I’m here on business. Very sad business.”
    Tinch shrugged. Every person he cared much about was dead, so how bad could bad news be? He owned his land outright and the taxes were paid. The night was clear of clouds. Nothing was blowing in, and the last time hechecked he had enough money in the bank to make it through the winter even if he didn’t earn another dime. So whatever the business was, he doubted it would affect him one way or the other.
    “Mind if I sit down?” She moved onto the porch and took one of the chairs.
    He waited. This wasn’t a social call. He didn’t have to offer her a drink or make small talk. He’d just as soon hear whatever she had to say outright.
    “Do you remember your wife having a sister?”
    Tinch relaxed. If that was all this was all about, it wouldn’t be anything that might knock him off his feet again. “Her dad had a second wife after he left Lori Anne’s mother. Lori Anne only visited them a few times when she was growing up. I think they lived in Kansas City. As far as my wife knew, she only had one half sister, who was several years younger. Sadie, I think was her name. They traded Christmas cards for a few years after we married, but I don’t know where Sadie is or if Lori Anne’s stepmother is even still alive.” He noticed the sheriff wasn’t taking notes. “Is that of any help, Sheriff? That’s about all I know. We lost touch maybe six or eight years ago.”
    “A great deal of help,” Alex answered. “We found a woman in a trailer tonight who had overdosed on drugs. Right now we don’t know if it was an accident or suicide, but according to her driver’s license her name was Sadie Ann Noble. You know anyone who could ID her for sure?”
    “No.” Tinch shook his head. “I never met her, and even if Lori Anne was alive, I don’t think she could. The last time my wife saw her, the girl couldn’t have been more than ten or twelve.” A sadness settled in his thoughts. Lori Anne had always thought of her sister as a chubby cherub. He remembered Lori Anne saying once that from the minute she saw Sadie, she wanted to hug her. “After my wife’s dad died, she lost track of his second wife and kid. I tried to find them to let them know Lori Anne died three years ago, but I had no luck.
    “If this woman was Sadie, she’d be about twenty-threeor four by now.” He looked straight at the sheriff. “What