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Lola crossed her arms. “Sausage and cheese biscuit?” Lola asked.
Ellie nodded. “Add a ham and cheese biscuit with a fried egg for Special Agent Fox. And two coffees to go.”
“Be right up.” Lola disappeared into the kitchen.
The sheriff angled his head toward Ellie. “Any word on the body you found at Widow Lake?”
“Not yet. Derrick and I are meeting at the station. He has something on the car.”
Lola returned with Ellie’s order, and she paid and stood to leave.
“Keep me posted,” Bryce said.
Ellie nodded, then bypassed Maude and her brood on the way to the door.
“Did you hear about that body they found in the lake?” Maude said in a hushed voice.
“Was it an accident or a murder?” Carol Sue whispered.
“My God, I hope we don’t have more crime around here,” Edwina, the mayor’s wife, mumbled.
“This town used to be safe.” Maude shot a pointed look at Ellie. “Detective, should we be worried about our families again?”
Ellie didn’t think so. But she’d been wrong before. She cleared her throat. “If I learn that families are in danger, I’ll report that. For now, I think this is an old case.” She hoped she wasn’t mistaken this time. “Good day, ladies.”
Maude’s look of distrust made doubts creep in, but Ellie ignored it and hurried to the exit. The best way to keep the town safe was to do her job.
Outside it was so hot she could hardly breathe. The sun was already beating down as if the sky was on fire, flowers literally wilting in front of her eyes.
She phoned Laney on the way to the police station. “Any info on the remains?”
Dr. Whitefeather cleared her throat. “No ID yet. But I have determined the remains belong to a man, early twenties at the time of death.” Laney hesitated. “As for cause of death, I found signs of blunt force trauma that suggests he may have been struck on the head from behind.”
Not a simple accident, then, Ellie thought. She was dealing with a murder.
TWENTY-EIGHT
CROOKED CREEK POLICE STATION
Five minutes later, Ellie parked at her office. She spotted Deputy Shondra Eastwood giving her girlfriend Julie a big hug, then Julie drove off with a wave.
“You look happy,” Ellie said as Shondra walked toward her.
Shondra blushed. “I feel like I should pinch myself.”
“Just enjoy it,” Ellie said, grateful Shondra had found someone special.
“Got another call from the Rogers woman early this morning,” Shondra said, her smile fading.
“Did that bastard hurt those dogs?” Ellie asked as they walked up to the station entrance.
“He threatened to hit her. She sent him packing. Told him she’d rather sleep with the dogs than him.”
“Good for her,” Ellie said with a smile. “Do you think he’ll stay away?”
“He will if he knows what’s good for him,” Shondra said. “I warned him if he touched her or those dogs again, I’d show him what a fist in the face felt like.”
Ellie laughed softly. She loved Shondra’s spunk.
