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the freedom to live it again.
    "Get a hold of yourself," she told herself with a frown. "You didn't kill her, there has to be a way to prove that."
    That's when Bekki decided she wasn't going to leave it in the fumbling hands of the police department, she was going to figure out who the killer was herself, no matter what it took to do so. As she sat up in her bed she recalled how it had felt when Nick had placed those handcuffs on her wrists. She was seething with anger that he would think it was acceptable to do such a thing. It didn't matter to her that it was just his job, after the summer they had shared, she expected him to know her better than that, she expected so much more from him.
    She wanted to stay holed up in her house all day. She wanted to hide out from the looks and the curious questions, but she knew she couldn't. The more guilty she acted the more guilty people would believe she was. She left her house with her chin held high, hoping that no one would notice the tremble in her hands. Her mother was waiting for her at the salon.
    "Oh my God Bekki, what happened?" she asked as Bekki unlocked the door. "Did you really get arrested?" she asked.
    "Not exactly," Bekki replied as they stepped inside. "I was taken in for questioning, but I wasn't booked."
    "Oh thank God, Dad has a call into cousin George, you know he's a lawyer," she patted Bekki's arm lightly.
    "Cousin George is a paralegal," Bekki said firmly and sighed as she set her keys and purse down on the front counter of the salon. "Don't worry Ma, everything is going to be fine. I'm going to figure out who really did this."
    "But how?" her mother asked, still looking very frightened. "You're not a detective."
    "Well, I'm going to be one now," she replied. "Now go home and rest Ma, you're supposed to be on vacation. I have customers coming in first thing."
    "Shouldn't you close down the salon for the day?" her mother suggested nervously.
    "It's fine Mama," she promised. "If people don't want to come in, they will cancel their appointments." As if to punctuate this statement the phone began to ring shrilly through the salon.
    "Ah there's a cancellation now," Bekki smiled grimly.
    "All right if you're sure," her mother said with a frown. Just then Sammy walked in.
    "Morning," she called out as she poked her head into the reception area. "Just checking to make sure there's no wild bar fight going on," she chuckled. It was Sammy's attempt to brighten the mood but it only made Bekki grimace. She didn't want to remember what she had done the night before or the way that Nick had looked at her.
    After her mother left, a few customers did trickle into the shop. Some just wanted to see if they could find out more details, while others were there to show their support.
    "Well, it doesn't surprise me," Mrs. Culpper said with a lofty smirk. "She had it coming, if you ask me."
    "Why do you say that?" Sammy inquired as she ran a comb through Mrs. Culpper's thinning red curls.
    "Well, everyone knows she had a lover," Mrs. Culpper explained in a hushed whisper. "I bet that scoundrel decided to do her in, maybe she got too old for him," she giggled devilishly.
    "She was having an affair?" Sammy asked with interest and met the woman's eyes through the mirror.
    "Oh yes, his name is Pete, the dry cleaner," she giggled again. “I am not sure if they were still together though. I actually saw them in the parking lot the other day having a fight. They stopped when they noticed me but I overheard something about not getting a divorce,” she said in a hushed voice.
    "Hmm," Sammy smiled to herself and added an extra dollop of conditioner to the woman's hair.
    Mrs. Collingswood, the pastor's wife was in Bekki's chair.
    "Oh dear sweetheart, I am so sorry you're going through this tough patch, but don't you worry, God always looks out for his own," she smiled sweetly at Bekki through the mirror. Bekki arched a brow and opted not to remind Mrs. Collingswood that she had not been to