Tansy Taylor by Kathy LaMee Page B

city is growing.” Becca stomped out her butt and plucked a piece of chewing gum from her purse. “Want one?”
    “Thanks,” I said, taking her up on her offer. We headed back toward the building and the gloomy fluorescent lighting.
    “I’m going to meet her again after work so we can figure out when we should go back to Mr. Big’s to check out some more of the people there.”
    “Let me know what you find! I can help if you want next weekend. I’m pulling some overtime here on the second shift though, so I can’t help in the evenings.”
    “Thanks, I’ll let you know when we need you.” I gave her a quick squeeze and we headed back in to finish out the workday.
    I went home, changed, and then met up with Callie at the diner. A coworker had traded her for her weekend shifts and so Callie was pulling a lunch shift in exchange. She was grieving, but still had to pay the rent. Luckily, Dixie’s was a breakfast and lunch only meal spot. They closed at four so by the time I got there at six, Callie was done prepping for tomorrow and was waiting for me.
    I gave her a big hug, she looked like she needed one.
    “Thanks, I needed that. I made you a Reuben, if you’re interested in some dinner.” She pushed a huge sandwich and a bag of locally made chips toward me.
    “Awesome, thanks! I’m starved!” I drug the plate the rest of the way across the table and then bit into the thick sandwich, tasting corn beef and kraut with a hint of Thousand Island dressing. “Oh, this is wonderful!”
    “It’s one of the diner’s specialty sandwiches, and my favorite, so I made us a couple up for dinner.”
    We sat and ate through most of our sandwiches in silence. I sat back and wiped my mouth with the napkin. My pants were suddenly too tight. “Thanks again, that was one of the best Reuben’s I’ve ever had.”
    Callie chuckled. “So, any ideas on what we should do next? The cops don’t seem to be able to help us much, since there really isn’t much to go on. They’ve interviewed everyone down at the dealership, and while they said they aren’t sure that they are the most honest bunch, they all have alibis for when Buster disappeared. I just have this gut feeling though that it has to do with the dealership. Buster was a simple guy-he went to work, hung out with his friends and worked on cars and stuff. He spent the rest of his time with me. It’s not like he had unaccounted-for time or a shady side, you know.” She sighed in what I could only say was frustration.
    “Well, I think we should go with your gut on this one. We’ve sort of out-played the grieving sister bit though. Plus, Johnny sort of saw me and Becca downtown on Friday night, and I’m not sure I want to revisit that. I got pretty drunk and I have a feeling that I may have given him the impression that I was interested in him or something.” I took a sip of my drink while I tried to remember at least some of the details after we’d let Ringlers, but it was a big hazy mess. I shook my head.
    “Does he know that you aren’t who you said you are?” Callie said.
    “Oh, no, I made sure to tell Becca to call me Sandra and I’m sure that he didn’t think otherwise, since he was drinking quite a bit too. Plus, I really am attracted to him. That’s sort of the problem.” I put my hands to my forehead; just thinking about it gave me a headache.
    “I’m lost,” Callie said. “You like him, but you don’t want to see him?” She looked at me quizzically.
    “Well, ya. I can’t very well go out with him as ‘Sandra’ but I can’t go telling him that I’m not who I said I am, right? It could blow our investigation and he would probably lose all interest in me knowing that I lied to him both at Mr. Bigs and then the entire time we were out on Friday.”
    Callie frowned. “Oh, I guess you’re right. We can’t blow our investigation, not when we’ve just begun!” She popped a chip in her mouth; at least it looked like she was getting her