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Beth.”
    â€œIt’s as good as done.”
    â€œOh, wait,” Mr. Place added with a little gasp. “Tell ’em all the good news after wading through all this mess about the tips.”
    Periwinkle lightly clapped her hands several times. “Yes, I almost forgot. It could be huge news for The Twinkle. Maura Beth, do you remember the text I got a good while back from Waddell Mack, the country singer? He said some friends of his had come through Cherico and eaten here and had recommended it highly to him.”
    â€œI think I vaguely remember something about it, but to be honest with you, I don’t listen to country music.”
    â€œOh, I didn’t either—until I married Harlan John Lattimore and kept his books for him all those years before our divorce. I guess I heard more honky-tonk songs than I can count on that jukebox of his out at the Marina Bar and Grill. Honestly, it began to grow on me. Yeah, I know—sometimes it seems a little bit corny. Like, Waddell’s latest hit is ‘Don’t Sell Me Short When I’m Longin’ for You.’ But it’s kinda catchy—you don’t forget it.”
    Maura Beth felt it was her duty to smile at her friend’s enthusiasm. It was the least she could do. “Well, to each his own.”
    â€œSure enough. But anyway, I got another text from Waddell Mack himself while you were off in Key West, and he said he would actually be passin’ through Cherico on his Christmas tour in early December. Seems he’s got two gigs in Mississippi—one in Tupelo at the BancorpSouth Arena and another one in Natchez at the Convention Center down there. Said he’s bound and determined to try two places to eat that come highly recommended—The Twinkle right here and Fat Mama’s Tamales down in Natchez. I’m so excited!”
    â€œThat is terrific news,” Maura Beth said. “What an opportunity for you and the restaurant!”
    â€œIdd’n it? And he said he’d be glad to tweet about us before and after; and when I asked him if he’d autograph a picture of himself so I could hang it on the wall, he said he’d be more’n happy to do it. It’ll be tremendous publicity for not only The Twinkle but Cherico, too. And right now we could use some a’ that!”
    â€œYou’ll have to be sure and keep me posted on the details.” Then Maura Beth quickly surveyed the table. “So, display of hands. We’re all coming to the meeting at the library Friday, right?”
    All hands shot up immediately.
    â€œExcellent. Cherico is nothing if not the little town that could.”

3
    The Eyes and Ears of Cherico
    S heriff Lon Dreyfus was a man who got right to the point. His frequent talks to civic groups never ran over or caused carefully planned agendas to fall apart—although he made it known that he was always available as a backup should any guest speaker fail to appear. Tall and gangly with an impressive salt-and-pepper mustache that dominated the lower half of his narrow face, he was a towering presence wherever he appeared on or off duty. Few people had ever chosen to “mess” with him, so to speak—not even Councilman Sparks and his City Hall cronies. In fact, the two men and their entourages kept a civil distance from one another, respecting each other’s territory in a gentlemen’s agreement between those in power in Cherico.
    â€œThere are some things I can’t tell y’all about because we can’t share everything about an ongoing investigation,” the sheriff was saying, standing behind the podium in the library lobby. Before him in a semicircle of folding chairs sat most of the members of The Cherry Cola Book Club, hanging on his every word. One or two were even taking notes.
    â€œBut I can tell ya what to be on the lookout for in the future to help nip crime of any sort—especially with Christmas shopping not all