Prompt: Friend
The door to the interviewing room swung open before Jeremy, the lead detective of a murder case, quickly walked out. Frustrated, he slammed the case folder down and leaned against his desk. Jeremy was so mad over the interview that he didn't notice anyone had walked up until they spoke.
"Got nothin?"
Jeremy looked up and saw the chief at his desk, "Nothing. Her alibi checks out. Even the bartender puts her and her friend at the bar an hour before Janie's ex-boyfriend was killed."
"Still think she killed him?" the chief asked.
"It's always the spouse or significant other. I feel it deep in my bones," Jeremy punched the desk to drive the point home, "My hands are tied though. We have no body, no murder weapon, and everyone I've talked to collaborates her story."
"Let her go then. Evidence is bound to turn up eventually or she'll make someone mad that is covering for her," the chief assured him, "You'll get her one day."
Jeremy straightened up, "I hate small towns. They view the police as bad people when we're only trying to help. Everyone in this town would bend over backwards to cover up anything if we accused someone they liked. I know that's what's happening here. I just know it."
"Small towns are known for their fights and feuding families too," the chief added, "Something is bound to turn up."
Jeremy headed back to the interrogation room. He hated that this woman was going to get away with murder. Jeremy had a bitter taste in his mouth when he gave the order to let their prime suspect go.
**********
Hours later Lanie was sitting on her best friend's couch sipping a cold beer.
"I told you the police had nothing on you. Don't worry so much," Nicole said, relaxing in her recliner.
"I was worried the alibi wouldn't hold up. We didn't get to the bar until much later than they said," Lanie replied.
"Barbara isn't against telling a little white lie by smudging the times. Especially when it deals with an abusive man," Nicole informed her with a wink.
"I'm still not sure that we did the right thing by burying the gun with the body," Lanie said staring into space thinking over all the ways they may have screwed up.
Nicole looked Lanie in the eye before speaking again, "I'd rather keep an eye on one location than several. Plus, if they would find either of those things then you'd be charged for murder. Best to make it harder on them."
Lanie thought about it for a while then asked, "How's the Elm in front of the courthouse coming along?"
"Growing like a weed, actually. It's taller than the others the city planted on Arbor Day," Nicole started to laugh, "It has better fertilizer than the others."
Janie laughed along with her best friend. It eased the tension of being interviewed for days by relentless cops. She took another sip of her beer and relaxed, sinking into the couch.