Secondhand Stiff by Sue Ann Jaffarian Page A

Renee were standing next to me, both in shock. “Leave Ina alone,” Renee pleaded. “She didn’t kill Tom. She wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
    Fehring ignored Renee and stood in front of Ina. “You’re under arrest for possession of an illegal firearm, Mrs. Bruce.”
    Just before being led away, Ina spit at Fehring’s feet.
    â€œNice,” Fehring commented to Whitman. “I can see questioning her is going to be a barrel of laughs.”
    Andrea Fehring turned to me. “So, Ms. Grey, what’s your involvement in all this?”
    â€œIna is my husband’s cousin.” I pointed at Renee. “This is Renee Stevens, my mother-in-law, and next to her is Grace Littlejohn, my mother.”
    Fehring gave Renee a perfunctory nod, but her eyes lingered on my mother, who took it as a cue to speak up.
    â€œWe were here for the auction,” Mom explained. “Ina let us tag along today. I really don’t think she knew her husband was up for sale.”
    â€œMom,” I cautioned under my breath.
    Fehring let a small smile crack her face. “I can see the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.”
    By the time Greg arrived, I had gone through my questioning by the police and half of the crowd had been sent home. Ina was on her way to the police station.
    â€œIna’s been arrested!” Renee said, rushing to Greg as soon as he was cleared through the gate. “Do something.”
    Greg put a comforting hand on Renee’s arm. “Hold on, Mom. Let me get some facts first.” He turned to me. “Ina was arrested for murder?”
    â€œNo,” I told him, “on a gun charge. She had a gun in her backpack and no permit.”
    Greg’s head dropped in disbelief. “Oh, Ina.”
    â€œDid you find her an attorney?” I asked.
    â€œYes.” Greg pulled out his cell phone. “Steele’s getting someone he knows.” He placed a call. “Mike, it’s Greg. My cousin was just arrested on a gun charge—concealing, I think—and has been taken to the station.” He waited, listening. “Yeah, Long Beach. Have your guy meet me there. I’ll be there as soon as I get Odelia and our moms squared away.” He listened again. “She’s right here.” He handed his phone to me, but I refused to take it. Greg shook it at me again. I shook my head at him and backed away. Greg put the phone back to his ear. “Sorry, Mike, she’s busy. But I’ll have her call as soon as she can. Thanks for your help.” He paused, then said, “Okay, I’ll tell her.”
    â€œSteele said you could take the rest of the week off if you need to, as long as you tell him where you put the Billings file.”
    I crossed my arms. “The Billings file is on his desk. I put it there last Monday, right before Mom and Clark showed up on our doorstep and I left for the holiday. This is just a ruse to get me to call him.”
    Greg stuck his phone into his shirt pocket. “You know he’s not going to rest until he hears the whole story from you personally.”
    â€œNot my problem, especially right now.” I turned to watch the police let a few more people go. One of them was Mazie Moore. As soon as possible, I wanted to know more about Mazie and Linda’s relationship. When Detective Whitman had asked for Ina’s bag, I’m betting he knew there was a gun in there. He seemed too sure and smug about it. Someone must have tipped him off. Maybe Mazie or Linda had set Ina up. Maybe one of them did the killing or knew about it and used Ina’s gun possession as a distraction. Hard to tell.
    â€œSweetheart?”
    â€œHuh?” I turned my attention to Greg to find both him and Renee watching me.
    â€œI was talking to you, and you were definitely somewhere else.”
    Instead of answering, I returned my gaze to Mazie. I sucked my front teeth while watching her drive away in a