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and I could always eat more leafy greens to keep things moving.
    “Ms. Rose.”
    I started upon hearing my name again on Sheriff Norwood’s lips and whirled to face him. So we were at Ms. Rose? I had also heard a certain coolness that hadn’t been there the day before, and a cramp started in my gut. I shouldn’t be surprised. This was bound to come. He had looked into my past. No doubt about it from the hardened expression on his face. I raised myself up to my full height and pasted on a smile. His countenance altered minutely, telling me the smile had failed to fool him.
    “Good morning, sheriff. How are you?” I said.
    He nodded his head in greeting but then dispensed with the niceties. “I’ve been trying to reach you. Are you avoiding me?”
    I blinked at him. Avoid the police in a small town. That was a good joke. “No, of course not, but you shut me out of my shop, so it’s not like I can go there. Home and wander around with nowhere to go are my options.”
    “Your phone.”
    I gasped, recalling I had shut off both the sound and the vibration after it seemed that everyone in Briney Creek tried to reach me. I dug it out of my purse and turned the sound back on. Right away, messages popped up, and the emblem that said I had a voicemail. I had no doubt by the irritation radiating from the sheriff that at least one was from him.
    “I apologize. I really wasn’t avoiding you.”
    He made a small noise I didn’t know how to interpret. Was he always so disagreeable, or was it that he was new on the job, and didn’t appreciate a murder landing in his lap so soon. I imagined this fact had something to do with it and was doubly glad for my own career choice. Doubtful I could be a policeman or even an investigator despite my natural curiosity.
    The sheriff took my arm. “We need to talk.”
    I let out a small squeak and pulled from his grasp. He glared at me.
    “Am I under arrest?” I asked, a lump of fear gathering in my throat.
    “Not at this time.”
    “Then I would like to finish my grocery shopping.” I must have sniffed the fruit too much to take the attitude I took, but really to have him grasp my arm in such a way in public? There weren’t that many people off work and shopping that time of morning, but there were a few, and I wouldn’t have it spread about town that the sheriff hauled me out of the grocery store under suspicion of killing Alvin Aston.
    The sheriff must have guessed the way my reasoning had gone and had mercy on me. “Fine, but I’m staying with you until you’re done. You’re not putting me off. I want this case settled as soon as possible.”
    A response trembled on my lips, but I bit it back and agreed. We left the fruit aisle together and headed toward the back of the store to the meat section. Originally, I hadn’t intended to get much, but I wanted to put off this interview as long as possible. Bending over the refrigerated cases, I compared prices between cubed beef already seasoned to a slab of shoulder roast. I didn’t eat much red meat, preferring to make small healthy changes that didn’t hurt too much. Turkey, chicken, and fish were my mainstays.
    To his credit, the sheriff continued along with me in silence until we reached the cereal aisle. Then he nabbed the biggest box of bran cereal from my fingers and dropped it into the cart. He stared pointedly at the other box, and I put it back. Scanning my cart, I admitted that I had to put a stop to the delaying tactic. My budget didn’t allow for half the items I had selected, so I wasted more time returning many to where I had found them.
    Sheriff Norwood blocked my path after ten minutes, curling strong fingers around the edge of the cart and leaning toward me. “If you don’t finish this right now, I will interview you here.”
    I swallowed. “Fine. I’m done.”
    We headed up to the cashier, and I ran my items through the checkout. The woman’s fingers flew over the keys of the register without her looking.