<span style="font-weight: bold"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #FF80BF"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;">Mary Stevens</span></span></div></span><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><a class="postlink" href="http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/l/tid/62875643.jpg">[ img ]</a></div><br/><br/>Mary had finally gotten her cup of coffee and was sitting back down on her stool when the Sheriff walked in. She nodded hello,<span style="color: #FF80BF">"Mornin' Sheriff, what can I do ya for?"</span>she asked.<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #0080FF">"Need to talk to you about Sarah, if you don't mind. I know Deputy Hanesworth interviewed you, but I have some follow-up questions,"</span></span>the Sheriff said, and Mary couldn't help keep her sadness off her face. She had likely been the last one to see Sarah, as they had exchanged goodbyes outside the grocery store.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF80BF">"Ya know Sheriff, y'all should just let ol' Bob go. I mean, can't he retire from home? Everybody in this town knows he's done mucked things up to begin with..."</span>the irritation was obvious, her little southern drawl coming out heavier than usual with her mood. Her close friend was missing and not a damn new thing had come up.<span style="color: #FF80BF"> "Want a coffee? On the house, just like every Sheriff before you,"</span>she said, walking from around the counter, giving it a smack twice with the palm of her hand and motioning for the Sheriff to follow her. There were some dining booths towards the front of the store as the gas station used to have some little food shop in it. It was long gone, but the tables remained. They were convenient, she supposed.<br/><br/>She sat on one side of the hard plastic booth, waiting for the Sheriff to take his own seat. She hoped her boss got in soon. She hated manning the store alone, the place just gave her the creeps and none of the surveillance cameras actually worked.<span style="color: #FF80BF">"Alright, go ahead. Shoot. I done told Bob all I know, but that ol' geezer probably didn't take it all down, huh?"</span>Sheriff Lorenzo wasn't a bad guy, but she always felt like he was hiding something. What it was, she'd likely never find out, but something about him just rubbed her wrong. Maybe it was just that he was a yankee. She tried her best to be friendly though, just like her momma had taught her.