Page 70 of Trouble Comes in Threes

I swallowed. “Yes.”

“Can you report it?”

“It’s all hearsay, so I’m not sure what good it would do.”

He leaned his head over the table and lowered his voice. “I could unofficially look into it.”

I shook my head. “While I appreciate the offer, I was sworn to secrecy.”

He ate his fry, then picked up another. “This person is from Pickle Junction?”

“Yes.” His question made me nervous.

“Does this have anything to do with the murder down there?”

“Not that I know of, but I can’t rule it out.”

Randy swore under his breath. “Why won’t you tell Joe?”

“I haven’t seen him since I came by this information.”

“And how did you come by it?”

I slowly shook my head. “I can’t tell you.”

His face paled. “Are you mixed up in the criminal element?”

“No,” I said firmly. “I am not. I have four kids to think about.”

“Then how did you come by this information?”

“I didn’t go lookin’ for it,” I said in exasperation. “It just came to me.”

He started to say something, then stopped for a moment before ending with, “You need to tell Joe.”

“And I will, but right now, I’m more concerned that this person is terrified to talk to the sheriff’s department about what they know.”

Frustration wrinkled brow. “Did you tell them your husband is the damn sheriff?”

“Of course I did,” I said with a huff. “Trust me, it didn’t persuade them to trust him.”

“But they trusted you?”

I sat back in my seat and gave him a dark look. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Did this person specifically search you out?”

“Why would they do that?” I hedged.

“It just seems strange that you came by this information the day after a murder took place.”

“Look, Randy,” I said with a sigh. “I’m just trying to work my landscaping job while raising four kids. I don’t have time to be doing any underground criminal shenanigans.”

He didn’t look convinced.

I decided there was no way of being subtle now, so I might as well go for direct. “Things seem to have been quiet since Carmichael and his men were arrested and incarcerated. Do you think someone new has moved into the county?”

“Because of a single murder?” he asked, watching me carefully.

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