Skating Around The Law by Joelle Charbonneau

concerned, the Indian Falls Sheriff’s Department couldn’t find their own houses without a road map. “Did they look in the right place?”
    â€œI don’t know. After Sean ran into you, he realized he’d forgotten Mack’s house keys. He had to go back to the sheriff’s office for them.”
    I licked the filling from the éclair while contemplating Mack’s money. It was possible that Deputy Sean was slightly more competent than I’d given him credit for. If so, he would have tossed the mattress. I thought Sean was a jerk, but I didn’t think he was a crooked cop who would keep the money for himself and lie about finding it. That meant that during the time he’d gone back to town and returned, someone else had gone into Mack’s house and stolen the money. The question was who. Then again, Sean might be completely incompetent, and the money might still be sitting in the bedspring bank.
    We shoved everything back into the basket, and Lionel drove us back to town. I had him drop me off at Annette’s salon since I had no idea what time Louise’s daytime programs ended. No way was I going to witness my grandfather and Louise feeling frisky. Besides, Annette and I had unfinished business.
    â€œDon’t forget about my camel ride,” I said, hopping down from the truck. “You promised.”
    Lionel gave me a smile that said riding Elwood wasn’t the only thing he was promising. With a wave, he drove off.
    Monday apparently wasn’t a busy day for Shear Highlights. Annette was in the middle of the salon wielding a blow-dryer on the only customer, a vaguely familiar twenty-something woman. Annette smiled and motioned for me to take a seat. I did and flipped through a magazine while I waited for her to finish. I looked up when Annette and her dark-haired client headed for the cash register. The newly styled woman stopped dead in her tracks. I looked around for the cause of her distress. Considering the lack of options, I had to assume it was me.
    Great. Either my deodorant had stopped working or this woman thought I was a potential murderer.
    I said, “Hi,” and gave her a friendly smile. No serial killer here.
    The woman didn’t smile back as she made a dash to the counter. A minute later, she bolted out the door.
    â€œWhat’s with her?” I asked.
    Annette shrugged and took the seat next to me. “I don’t know. She was fine until you got here. Have the two of you had a problem or something?”
    â€œI don’t think we’ve even met.” I threw the magazine I’d been reading onto the glass coffee table. “Do I know her? She looks kind of familiar.”
    â€œHer name’s Danielle Martinez.” Annette kicked her feet up onto another chair. With a relieved sigh she said, “Danielle moved here a little over a year ago. She works at the Lutheran church doing secretarial stuff. I heard that her family lives in Galena and that Danielle moved here to get away from them.”
    I scrolled back through my memory trying to decide why she looked familiar. Nothing. Not that it really mattered. For all I knew she reminded me of someone on television.
    Annette arched her back and asked, “So what’s up? Do you finally want that haircut?”
    â€œNo, I’m avoiding going back to Pop’s place. He had a date there when I left. Three is most definitely a crowd.”
    â€œHey, your grandfather’s dates are keeping me in business. They keep coming in asking me to help them look their best.” Annette peered out the front window. “Where’s your car? Did you park at the rink?”
    I was tempted to say I walked, but Annette would never believe I’d chosen using my feet over driving. Besides, the town’s grapevine was probably already in high gear. Annette was going to find out anyway, so I told her, “Lionel dropped me off.”
    Annette’s eyes widened, and