I didn’t know her well, but in a small town like Ashton Falls, everyone knows everyone else to a certain degree. I decided to just pop in rather than call ahead for an appointment. She was the best friend of Doug’s wife, Cleo, and I wasn’t certain she’d be amenable to answering my questions. Perhaps if I caught her off guard, she wouldn’t have time to think of an excuse not to see me. “Zoe,” Nora said as I walked through the front door of the office. Luckily, she appeared to be alone. “I was wondering when you’d wander in.” So much for a surprise attack. “I imagine you’re here to grill me about Doug Barton.” Nora was a meticulously groomed woman who I guessed to be around forty. She was a go-getter who was well respected in the community, known for her tenacity as well as her sharp mind. “I’m not sure that grill is the right word, but yes,” I admitted to the stylishly dressed woman, “I did hope to have a few minutes of your time.”
