Killerfind by Sharon Woods Hopkins

her that she’d
missed lunch.
    LuEllen hung up and turned to Rhetta. “There’s pizza
in the kitchen if you haven’t eaten yet,” she said, then swiveled back to face
her computer screen.
    Rhetta groaned. Although she loved pizza, she’d have
to run an extra mile if she gave in and ate it. She shook her head. “Thanks,
but I think I’ll wait and eat an early dinner instead.” Her stomach loudly
protested her mouth’s decision.
    Plopping down at her desk, she fished out her cell
phone. The deputy had asked her to turn it off when he was interviewing her.
She powered it back up and three missed calls flashed on her screen. Two of
them had left messages. She didn’t recognize the third number.
    “Call me,” Ricky said in the first message, sounding
out of breath. Rhetta figured that she’d probably called while sanding a
car—Ricky’s version of multi-tasking.
    The second message was from Randolph. “Call me when
you get a chance. The sheriff’s office has been looking for you.” His deep
voice sounded serious.
    She called him first and explained where she had
been. “I don’t like Talbot Reasoner. Don’t support him in this election.” She
told him what happened.
    “I was going to call him about getting the Z28
released,” Randolph said, and she heard him sigh. “I guess that isn’t going to
happen.”
    Just then her phone beeped and she recognized
Ricky’s number. “I’ll call you back, Sweets. Ricky is trying to reach me.”
    “No need, just wanted to be sure you didn’t get
hauled to jail.” He chuckled. “Love you,” he added, then disconnected. Rhetta
smiled.
    “What’s up?” Rhetta said, answering Ricky’s call.
    “I listed my Trans-Am on eBay auction with a fifteen
thousand dollar reserve, and I just got an email from a guy who says he wants
it.”
    “That’s great!”
    “I’m pretty happy, too. I’m so excited I had to call
you. I guess I’ll pull down the eBay auction. He’s overnighting me a cashier’s
check.”
    “So, when do you get the Mustang?”
    Ricky laughed. “You know me so well. I called the
guy selling it, and I’m going to go out there this afternoon and give him a
deposit.”
    “Why don’t you wait until you get the check and it
clears, just in case. Your buyer might change his mind, not send out the check,
and you’ll be stuck having to buy the Mustang.”
    “You’re right. I guess I’m just so excited. This is
the first car I’ve ever listed on eBay. I didn’t realize it would sell so fast.
There’s still five days left on the auction.”
    “I’m sure happy for you, although I’ll miss Monster.
It’s an awesome car.” Rhetta chuckled. “Are you sure you want to get a Ford?”
They both laughed. Ricky had always protested Fords. However, she’d confessed
to Rhetta in what she admitted was a moment of weakness that she’d always
yearned for a first year Mustang. She vowed to paint it bright red.
    That reminded Rhetta. “By the way, who do you know
out your way who drives a brand new red Mustang convertible?”
    “No one out my way, but Jeremy has one. Why do you
ask?”
    “I saw it on your road when I went out to your place
the other day. I meant to ask you then, but forgot.” Rhetta vividly remembered
the one-finger salute, but didn’t mention it to Ricky. Another reason to
dislike Jeremy.
     
     
     

     
     
     
    ednesday
afternoon the Streak’s outside thermometer read 102 when Rhetta slid behind the wheel. Before she’d
locked up her office for the day, she’d glanced at the weather icon on her
desktop, and if it was to be believed, the area was experiencing the hottest
September on record. Inside, the SUV had to be twenty degrees hotter. She
cranked on the air conditioner, setting the fan to high speed and rolled down
the window to blow some of the heat out. Sweat beads immediately popped out on
her forehead.
    Her cell rang just as she began pulling out of the
parking lot. She’d forgotten to set the iPhone on the console.