"What about your brother? Does he have an alibi for the time of the murder?"
"He left at noon."
"Sandy, give me some credit. He could have gone back up there later that afternoon and shot Towson. Does he have an alibi for all of the afternoon?"
"He was driving around trying to see people. I'm investigating his alibi."
"Don't try to bullshit me, Sugar. He has no alibi or you'd be screaming it out from the rooftops." She rolled back her chair and smiled. "How about you? Anything you haven't done lately but would like to? Maybe something I can help you with?"
Sandy gave her a slight frown and stood.
"I'm sorry. I'm not very good at this am I?" Linda stood. "It's getting late. At least let me buy you a drink. I know a special bar. We can eat there too. You can even dance if you want to."
"Thanks, Linda, but that's not me. How about a sandwich and a cup of coffee instead? Someplace we can talk."
"I'll settle for that, for the time being. Let's go, I'm dying to hear about your unnamed police source." She held the door for Sandy. "We'd better take my pickup. Your car stands out like a Georgia peach in a bushel of Vidalia onions."
"Yes, I've heard."
Linda frowned. "In fact, I think you should hide it. My advice is for you to keep a low profile for two reasons. You don't want the TV people directing their cameras at you. Eventually the town's going to figure out you're the killer's sister. They just might direct some of their anger at you."
"Well then, we better take your pickup. My car is probably rigged for an explosion when I turn the key."
Linda didn't smile and that bothered Sandy. Surely, the town's hostility couldn't be that serious. It was fortunate this influential reporter was talking like a friend and seemed to be coming around to her side. One of her biggest worries was the investigation would just drag on and on. Sandy didn't have that kind of time.
Linda seemed receptive; maybe right then was the time to take a chance and get things moving. She stopped in the middle of the parking lot and faced Linda. "Look, I can tell you some other things. This is bigger than you think. People you know around town have been brought into this. There's a woman who stands to gain financially from the killing. There's another person who has been missing since the murder. Trust me, Linda, the investigation is broadening."
"You think you can handle all this stuff by your cute little self?"