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say a word, I asked, “Is there actually some good news for us today?”
    “She’s not that bad once you get to know her,” Zach said.
    “And exactly how long is that going to take?”
    “Once you were gone, I gave her a few references of fellow officers around the state, and she called a few she knew while I waited outside. The frost zone retreated quite a bit once she talked to some folks we both know and respect. It should make life at least a little easier for you now.”
    “Thanks,” I said. “I appreciate that.”
    “Hey, if I can’t pull strings for my wife, what good is it having them?” Zach put a hand through his hair, and I knew that was a sign that there was something he needed to speak with me about but was not all that crazy about bringing up.
    I saved him the quandary. “Go on; just spit it out. What is it?”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “You’ve got something you have to tell me, but you don’t want to do it.”
    He shook his head. “How can you read me like that? Remind me never to play poker with you.”
    “You’re stalling,” I said.
    “You’re right.” He shifted a little in his stance, and avoided eye contact with me as he blurted out, “I want to hang around here awhile, if you don’t mind.”
    I nodded. “It’s fine with me. Should we go over to Mast General Store, or would you like to go by the Mellow Mushroom and get a bite to eat?”
    A frown crossed his face. “You don’t understand, Savannah. I’m going to stay. You’re the one leaving.”
    I was puzzled by that. “Are you finally getting tired of me, Zach?”
    “No, but I managed to get North to loosen up some, and she’s willing to take some outside advice, as long as it’s not directly related to you. It’s a fine line she’s dancing, but she knows that she might be in over her head, so she’s willing to cut me a little slack.” He smiled at me, and then added, “This is a step forward, Savannah. It keeps me close enough to the investigation so I’ll know what’s going on.”
    I couldn’t argue with that, even though I knew theprospect of staying pleased him. Zach made no secret about the fact that he loved being around an active police department, so it wasn’t exactly a sacrifice on his part, but he was still doing it for my benefit. “How are you going to get home if I go back to Parson’s Valley? I don’t mind waiting for you.”
    He shook his head. “It’s not necessary. North’s going to drop me off later. She’s decided to go talk to Laura, Sandra, and Harry today. By the way, you did a great job in there. You were calm and rational as you pointed out the other prime suspects who had contact with Joanne today. I was really proud of you.”
    “Thanks. It wasn’t pleasant going over it again and again, but having you there beside me really helped.”
    He hugged me, and then said, “I’ll call you later with an update. Are you going to stay in town for a while?”
    I thought about doing some browsing in Asheville, but I was suddenly in no mood to shop. “No, I think I’ll head back home.”
    “That sounds like a plan. See you there,” he said.
    As I left Zach, I glanced back and saw him walking briskly into the police station. It wouldn’t have surprised me if he’d started skipping. My husband loved being around an active case, no matter how much he protested to the contrary.
    But at least this time he was on my side.
    As I drove back to Parson’s Valley, I suddenly knew that going straight home wasn’t really an option for me, either. Though Zach was watching my back with the police, there was another group of people that might not believe so readily in my innocence. If the folks in our town thought I was a murderer, it could make life miserable for us both. I was the newcomer there, still an outsider in many of theirminds. It just made sense that I’d be the first one they suspected, especially after they heard about Joanne’s puzzle, and my supposed competition. It