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across to Carrie, who was straightening up a display of wreaths.
    “Hungry yet? How about I run out for subs and sodas?”
    “I’ve decided to try and lose a few pounds. Again. If I’d thought of it, I would have packed up a salad for myself.”
    “The sub shop has salads. At least I think they do.” As they debated the question, a uniformed police officer entered the store.
    “Mrs. McAllister?”
    The hairs on Jo’s neck stood on end. The patrolman himself looked harmless enough, red-cheeked and young enough to be, well, not her son yet, thank goodness, but at least a much younger brother. But the fact that he had come specifically looking for her set off alarm bells.
    “Yes?”
    “Ricky, my gosh, is that you?” Carrie interrupted. “Remember me, Coach Brenner’s wife? I haven’t seen you since you were on that fantastic soccer team. You all won the trophy that year, didn’t you?”
    “Ricky” paused, apparently struggling between a chatty reminiscence with Carrie and maintaining his official presence. “Yes, ma’am,” he finally answered. “That was a great team. It’s good to see you again.”
    “So you’re all grown up and with the police department now! How time does fly.”
    “Yes, ma’am.” He turned back to Jo. “Uh, Mrs. McAllister? Lieutenant Morgan would like you to come down and talk with him.”
    “Now?” Jo frowned. “If this is about filling out more forms I’d rather wait til I close up, if you don’t mind.”
    “It’s not about filling out forms, ma’am.”
    “I assume it’s about the accident we had here on Saturday. I’ve already told him everything I know about it.”
    “Ma’am, there’s been some further developments on that case, which Lieutenant Morgan would like to discuss with you. Would you come with me, please?”
    From the serious look on Officer Ricky’s face, Jo realized the “please” was just a courtesy. He wasn’t asking, he was ordering. Jo felt her empty stomach sink.
    “Well, I guess I’d better.” She turned to Carrie. “Mind holding down the fort?”
    Carrie shot a reproving glare toward the patrolman. As the coach’s wife, Carrie must have served gallons of Gatorade and orange slices to this former soccer player, but she didn’t look eager to offer any refreshments now. Both elbows jutted out as Carrie braced her hands on her hips. Her brows lowered in righteous indignation.
    “Ricky!”
    Ricky’s eyes turned downward, abashed, but he quickly recovered and looked up at Jo.
    “Ma’am?”
    Jo sighed. “It’s all right, Carrie.” She picked up her purse and turned toward the young officer, not quite holding out her hands to be cuffed, though the image crossed her mind. “I’m ready.”

Chapter 5
    Jo sat facing Russ Morgan, second in command of the Abbotsville Police Department. Officer Ricky had ushered her into Morgan’s office, deep within the building that served as Abbotsville’s Police Headquarters, and he rose from behind his utilitarian gray metal desk to thank her for coming. His tone told her, however, that this was not a social visit, though he did offer coffee. She accepted and sipped it, hoping her grumbling stomach would be pacified until she could find something more substantial.
    Lieutenant Morgan got right down to business. “Mrs. McAllister, I thought you should be informed that the death of Kyle Sandborn has been ruled a homicide.”
    Jo had been in mid-swallow and she sputtered, immediately setting down her mug to avoid spilling coffee all over her white jersey.
    “What did you say?” she managed to croak once her coughs subsided.
    “I said, the death has been ruled a homicide.”
    “But, but, that means murder, doesn’t it?”
    Russ Morgan looked at her as if she’d just asked, “Water means wet, doesn’t it?” which annoyed her greatly. What did he expect? Maybe he was used to talking about homicides, but she certainly wasn’t. Why should he act as if he expected she were?
    “Yes,” he answered