A Reckoning

Shannon braced herself for a fight and decided to start talking, whether he wanted to hear it or not. "Wait a minute, please," she started. "I know this sounds crazy but Mr. Chickless didn't murder my great-grandmother." The Sheriff paused for a moment knowing he couldn't get her to shut up now. "The real murderer is." and Roy Schwartz came in and interrupted her. "Sheriff, Hazel Middleton's lawyer just got here. I thought you would want to talk to him."

"Shannon, hold that thought. I have to speak with that lawyer now. We'll talk later, okay?" he said and patted her on the head like a small child. Shannon could feel her face grow hot and she felt the anger well up in her. She would not be silenced anymore and especially not today. "Edna Moore's grandfather killed my grandmother." Both Roy and the Sheriff turned and looked at her like she had worms crawling out of her ears. "What did you say?" the Sheriff said tersely. Shannon felt scared because he had never looked so angry with her before. "I said," Shannon said loudly, "Edna Moore's grandfather killed my grandmother. He used to work for the family and he was in love with my grandmother," she said without taking a breath. Afraid that she would be interrupted again, she plowed on ahead. "He killed my grandmother and her daughter with a shotgun and I have the evidence, a box full actually." The Sheriff looked at her differently now and she definitely had his full attention."