Page 44 of June's First Murder
Her voice grew more animated, faster, the way it always did when she was piecing together something important. "I think we should look at who in Meadowlark Creek has been to jail… outside our area.”
The idea hung in the air between them, heavy with implication. Pippi yelped again, sharper this time as a warning bark that made both women freeze at the knock on the front door.
They walked to the front together, seeing Sheriff Gordon standing on the porch, his weathered face wearing a scowl that would have intimidated most people. She opened the door.
"Ladies..." His voice carried official weight and barely suppressed frustration. "I think we need to talk."
Sara Lee's eyes widened, her face going pale.
But June simply held Gordon's gaze, inclining her head with graceful acknowledgment as she invited him in. "I think that's a good idea, Sheriff," she said calmly.
They moved to the living room, where June sat on the sofa. Her hands folded neatly in her lap, and she indicated with a small gesture that Sara Lee should sitbeside her. Her granddaughter obeyed, though June could feel the tension radiating off her like heat.
Sheriff Gordon sat as well, leaning back in the winged back chair. Then he said, without preamble or any of the usual small-town pleasantries, "Whatever you know, I need to know."
June lifted one eyebrow, a gesture she'd perfected over decades of dealing with people who sometimes needed to be reminded how to act in the library. "Well then, Sheriff Gordon," she said, her voice pleasant but firm, "then I think you also need to share."
The sheriff's jaw worked for a moment, clearly wrestling with protocol and practicality, and with what he was supposed to do versus what might actually be useful. The silence stretched between them, taut as a wire.
Finally, he sighed heavily, the sound of a man who knew when he was outmaneuvered, and he pulled out his own notebook. The leather cover was worn smooth from years of use, the pages inside filled with neat handwriting documenting the usually quiet crimes of Meadowlark Creek.
"All right," he said, resignation and perhaps a grudging respect mixing in his voice. "Let's see what we've both got."
19
SARA LEE
Sara Lee watched as Sheriff Gordon leaned back, the comfortable chair easily supporting a man of his size. His eyes moved between her and Nana June with an expression that managed to be both irritated and curious, like a man who'd walked into a situation he wasn't quite sure how to handle.
"I want to know what you two have been doing," he said, his voice carrying the weight of official authority but also something that sounded almost like reluctant admiration.
Sara Lee's palms were sweating. She resisted the urge to wipe them on her jeans, knowing it would only make her look more guilty of... something. But once again, her grandmother appeared as calm as ever. Nana June's hands were folded neatly in her lap, her posture erect, her expression pleasant but not quite friendly.
"I was as shocked as I could be when I heard you two were asking questions all over town," Sheriff Gordoncontinued, looking down at his notebook. "You know better, Ms. June. Both of you do."
"I know that you have to follow the rules and follow the law. But we were there." Nana June's voice was quiet but firm, each word deliberate. "Our dog found his body. We were the first on the scene. We were the ones who called you."
She paused, then reached over and placed her hand over Sara Lee's. The warm, steady pressure gave her courage.
Nana June continued, her gaze never leaving Gordon's face. "And we'd spent the previous day watching Raymond interact time and time again with members of his family and this community. We saw his behavior. We saw how people reacted to him. Then to find him dead the next morning..." She let the words hang in the air for a moment, the weight of that discovery still fresh despite the few days that had passed. "It created something in us. The desire to find out the truth and protect those who have no more guilt than just disliking the man."
Gordon's weathered face softened slightly, the hard lines around his mouth easing. "Ms. June, I understand that. I really do. That's the reason I went into law enforcement. When I see a crime, I want to find out who did it. And protect the innocent." His voice carried genuine respect as well as a dose of frustration.
"I know that, Sheriff," Nana June said gently.
Sara Lee remained quiet, letting Nana June’s experience to continue soothing the sheriff’s ruffled feathers.
"But, you didn't have a crime yet. You had a bodythat could have just been a simple case of accidental, self-inflicted alcohol poisoning. You needed to wait until you received information from the medical examiner. But we didn't want any time to be unused."
"I could have you arrested for obstructing the investigation, you know," he added, though the threat sounded halfhearted.
Sara Lee's eyes widened, her heart suddenly pounding. Arrested? Could he really do that? She looked at her grandmother, half-expecting to see concern, but her grandmother’s expression hadn't changed at all.
"No, you can't," Nana June said with absolute certainty, her voice as calm as still water. "Because we haven't obstructed anything. We have simply chatted with our friends and neighbors."
"Yes, about the victim!" Gordon's patience was clearly wearing thin, his voice rising slightly.
"Oh." Nana June leaned back against the sofa cushions, and a look crossed her face that reminded Sara Lee of when Mister Smee got into the cream pitcher that had been left on the table. It was one of being pleased and utterly unrepentant. "So, Raymond isn't just deceased but is considered to be a victim. Therefore, a crime was committed."
