Henrietta Gets A Clue

I moved through the crowd to head off the lawman. Benidez had known me since I was a little girl, too. And usually cut me some slack. There were a few times he’d school me in the lore of the Collapse, in my pre-teen days. I hoped to take advantage of those fond memories and protect my aunt. Bold as brass, I stepped right up to him. “Sheriff.”
“You came back to town at the craziest time.” His voice sounded familiar and reassuring. He and the librarians had always given me a feeling of safety. Sheriff Damien Benidez was a rock in this town.
Aunt Julia had been making a little extra selling moonshine. No one seemed to mind. I could imagine what jokes she was telling her customers right this moment behind us. No one had challenged her open secret because Auntie was a wizard at her still. Yes, it was illegal on the books. But no one had heard of an arrest in years. Besides, this was one big deal, the rail spur from Clovis to New Tucumcari. At least in this north eastern quarter corner of the state.