It's Murder at the Buy-Right

10

"Well, well. What do we have here? A little garbage found its way home. From the looks of it, he appears to be a little overripe."

It was Richmond Eades.

"What's the matter with you?" Deke said. "Are you drunk?"

"Nah. Never touch the stuff until after ten," he said.

"You the only deputy we got, Eades?" Deke asked.

"Feels like it, sometimes."

Just then, Sheriff Albion walked up. He was a large man, well-past middle age, with a mottled complexion that always reminded Deke of something on the verge of spoiling.

He hooked a sausage-like finger into his belt loop. The other hand pushed back the brim of his large tan hat. Sweat beads glimmered on the sheriff's forehead. Large sweat stains bloomed beneath his arm pits. He stared at the corpse for a few seconds, taking it in.

"You find the body?" he asked.

"Sure did," Deke said.

"He been moved?" Albion asked.

"He's just like I found him. Moved that piece of cardboard over there to get a better look. I came out here to empty some trash. I noticed his shoes sticking out from under that flattened box. Guess he's been out here all night. No need to check his carotid. He's blue as a blueberry."

"Go back inside," Albion said. "We'll take care of this."

"You're welcomed," Deke muttered to the unspoken thanks.

Deke was walking back to the front of the store.

"And stay close by. We'll have plenty of questions."

When Deke entered the store, Daisy Ann pounced on him like buttery brown on toast.

"I can't believe it! What's happened! Who did it? What did they say?"

"Not much of anything," he said. "Albion and Eades are handling everything."

"Albion! Well, I guess it takes a murder to get that broad butt out of the office."

"You're right about the butt. It's as big as Texas, but nobody said anything about murder, Daisy Ann."

"Well, what else could it be? That boy didn't die of old age! Then again, maybe he was overcome by the fumes out back.

Yeah, that's it.

That dumpster can have some pretty toxic stinks. Especially in the summer. Or maybe he got bit by a mosquito. They can be pretty wicked this time of year, too."

"Calm down," Deke said. "You're getting hysterical."

"Hysterical! It isn't everyday you come in here and tell me we've got a dead body out back."

"No. You're right. It isn't."