"I'm not the only one who's got my hands full,” Sadie said. “Nan's got the Fossum family in storage at the mortuary. I don't know how she's going to manage. I still can't believe all three of them died in that accident."

"From what Nan said, Deputy Friborg stopped by twice to look at the bodies.” Anguish tightened Jane's aged features. “He must really miss his friend to view his body twice."

"I don't think that's why Deputy Friborg wanted a second look.” Sadie looked through the window at the mortuary next door. “From what Nan said, he's not totally convinced it was an accident."

"What?” Jane whispered. “Do you mean…?” Jane's mouth hung open in disbelief.

"Shut your mouth before a bird builds a nest and you choke on it. I'm not in the mood to do CPR."

"Not an accident?” Jane said. “When you told me Tim thought his dad was murdered, I didn't believe it. But if Deputy Friborg is concerned, maybe it's true."

Goose flesh rose over Sadie's arm as Jane's comment hit her. If the deputy's curiosity snowballed into a full-blown murder investigation, it would only add to her problems because Tim was one of her crossers.

Jane's gaze darted back and forth. “Who would want to hurt the Fossums?"

"Hopefully no one. I think Tim's imagination got the better of him.” Tim Fossum's body lay in cold storage at the mortuary next to his parents. It wasn't unusual for crossers to deny their demise. The fact that Tim didn't cross over when his parents did made it harder for him to accept. If he fostered a notion of murder, it gave him something to concentrate on, other than his death decision.

"The poor lamb,” Jane said. “What a terrible thing for Tim to go through."

"How do you think I feel? I'm the one who broke the news to Tim. To make it worse, he's forced to make a death decision that might prevent him from ever seeing his parents again.” Sadie tipped her head upward and sighed. “It breaks my heart to see him so confused."