Down Home and Deadly

the pew behind us.
    She leaned forward. “Hi . ” S he spoke in the low tones people often adopt in funeral situations. “I don’t usually cover funerals, but since this guy was murdered, I figured I might get a column out of it for the paper.”
    “I doubt there will be many people here,” I responded.
    “That’s why I dragged Ricky along.” She patted his hand tucked around her elbow. “I thought it’d look more respectful if there were a few people attending.”
    “I brought Carly for the same reason,” I said.
    Like Carly, Rick looked as if he’d rather be anywhere but here, but he mustered a smile.
    “Yep, that’s me. The pew-filler,” he muttered.
    “It’s so nice to have someone who doesn’t mind giving up his free time when I need him.” Tiffany gave Rick a dazzling smile.
    Over Tiffany’s shoulder, I saw Gail and Marco c o me in. Marco looked extremely uncomfortable and kept tugging at the tie wedged around his throat. Gail had the appearance of someone performing an unpleasant duty. She and Marco sat toward the back and spoke to each other in whispers without looking around at all.
    An elderly couple entered next. They spoke briefly to Jolene and settled themselves directly in front of me. After a few moments of getting settled, the gray - haired woman turned around to me.
    “Excuse me. Were you married to Jimmy? Someone said his wife was here.”
    “That woman at the back is his wife.” Her husband nudged her and spoke loudly enough to be heard all over the building. “She told you that. You should’ve worn your hearing aid. Now turn around here and quit meddling.”
    I bit back a smile. Would that be Alex and me in forty years? I glanced at them again. They looked vaguely familiar , and I was pretty sure they were the couple who talked loudly during the last funeral I attended.
    “I was Mindy Finley’s closest neighbor and best friend for thirty years. If I want to ask questions about her grandson, I will.” She twisted back to face me. “I hadn’t seen Jimmy since he was a kid. He used to stay with his grandma sometimes. He worried her to death with his constant shenanigans. She bailed him out time and time again until she had nothing left to give.” She shook her head. “But he had the nerve to show up at her funeral looking for an inheritance. Now he’s got himself killed.”
    Her husband tugged at her, and she turned around without waiting for any comments from me. Just as Tom started to escort Jolene to the front of the funeral parlor, the door opened and closed quickly and someone sat toward the back. I glanced around as discreetly as possible to see if I could spot the newcomers. Harvey and Alice. Came to make sure their nemesis was really gone, I guessed.
    Across the way, and also on the back row, was a woman with a black dress, black hat, and glasses. I peered at her and nudged Carly. “You’re right. Down Home ’s staff is almost all here. Debbie’s even back there.”
    Carly nodded dully , and I turned my attention back to her. “Are you sick?”
    She shook her head.
    Before I could question her f u rther, a loud “Psst!” brought my attention to the aisle.
    Jolene had stopped right beside me with Tom LeMay still on her arm. She looked at me and motioned around the sparsely populated room. “So which one was J.D.’s girlfriend?”
    Heat cre pt up my face. I glanced at the spectators , who were all watching me. Debbie had taken the sunglasses off and was staring at me, wide-eyed. Lisa glanced toward me then looked away. “The one in black,” I whispered.
    Before she could press me, Tom tugged gently on her arm. “Miss Highwater, we really must begin.”
    She waggled her fingers at me and walked to the front and sat down.
    Without warning, “Born to Be Wild” blared from the speakers. Everyone jumped. Jolene had apparently done a little tweaking of the funeral plans that she and I had made together. When the song finished, a man in a black suit got up and read the obituary. Then he cleared his throat. For the next few minutes, he spoke in fairly generic terms about how quickly life passes by and how awful it is to waste it.
    Even though I knew what he said was true, my mind started to inventory all the people who might have killed Jimmy Dean Finley, their motives, and their alibis. Beside me, I suddenly felt Carly shaking. I looked over and drew in a sharp breath. Tears were coursing down her face , and she was quietly sobbing. “Carly?” I