One Deadly Sister (Sandy Reid Mystery Series #1) by Rod Hoisington

she’s being straight with you? Not that you’d have the faintest idea one way or the other.”
    “She called the cops on me, but that was a normal reaction. She was close to the victim so was upset about his death.”
    “Why were you running around like Dudley Do-Right anyway?”
    “What’s wrong with helping people? After all, I didn’t help you.”
    “So, you went for the granny-sex to ease your conscience about me?”
    “I’ve had some bad luck with women, now drop it.”
    She stood and reached for her briefcase. “Job one is to get you out of here. That means we’ll start our own investigation. Give me your attorney’s name. I can do legwork for him and for you. Start getting your ideas together. I’m not a lawyer and I’m not qualified to handle your defense. I am, however, absolutely incredible at running around and pissing people off. Did you sign a statement?”
    “Yes, was that wrong?”
    “Not if you told the truth. I need a copy of it. Your attorney will have it. I’ll go see him and then crash.”
    “Lawyer is Jeremiah Kagan. He’s probably still alive. You can stay at my place.”
    “Cops most likely got a warrant and tore up your place. Know a good motel, someplace with an Internet connection?”
    “Try the Inn Towner,” he said half joking. “And Sandy, it’s great to see you.”
    “Well, take a fast look at me, because I don’t intend to hang around here letting you screw up my life for very long.”
     
     
     

Chapter Eleven  
     
    D uring those first few days after the shooting of Senator Towson, the citizens knew only that the nearest thing to a celebrity the town had ever known was murdered. Their astonishment soon changed into outrage. The anger would worsen, if they became aware of certain undisclosed details. Neither the citizens nor the media were yet aware of the alleged rape, the suggestion of a Sonny Barner murder or the names of the townspeople disclosed in the suspect’s statement.
    State Attorney Moran and Chief Oehlert had good reason to be worried. Just a matter of time before details would leak out.
    Early on Wednesday morning, Moran summoned Goddard to his office. The chief was already there pacing around nervously, and explaining they couldn’t locate Sonny Barner. “He runs his exterminating business out of his house. No sign of him there and his answering machine is full. If he’s alive he stopped functioning.”
    Moran studied the folder on his desk. “According to Reid’s statement Loraine Dellin shot him. You should be out looking for his body, Goddard. Do me a favor and find it before some reporter trips over it.”
    The detective took the chair opposite Moran’s desk. “I don’t believe he’s dead. He was Towson’s exterminator and serviced his apartment the afternoon of the homicide. CSI found a service receipt from Barner Exterminating at the crime scene. Marked 2:15 p.m., Saturday. So, he might be a second victim. Looks more like a suspect to me.”
    The chief didn’t get it. “Are you talking about the timing?”
    Moran referred to his notes. “Reid’s statement has Loraine shooting Barner on Friday. Now we learn that the next day he’s working in Towson’s apartment. Obviously, she didn’t shoot him, at least not on Friday and Reid is lying.”
    “Or Loraine lied to him about shooting Barner,” Goddard added. “Apparently, Barner and Towson were both alive Saturday at 2:15 p.m. The question is, was Towson still alive when Barner left?”
    “Barner could have shot him then or gone back later and shot him.” Moran started thumbing through the folder. “Okay, so we need to rule out a second murder. But if Barner’s not dead then where is he? Now, what about the rape of Tammy Jerrold?”
    “Tammy says it never happened and is intensely afraid the allegation might become public,” the chief said.
    “We don’t want it public either. People would go crazy if a rape were tossed into this homicide.” Moran held up the folder.