Into the Weeds, by Alice Hatcher

 "Into the Weeds," by Alice Hatcher, in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, January/February 2025.

I have said before that my favorite stories tend to have at least one of four characteristics: a brilliant premise,  heightened language,  a twist ending, or, as in this case, great characters. 

Mark Rousseau, the narrator, is the only cop in a small town.  He laments that "There's a certain kind of loneliness that comes from living in a place where you know everyone, but where most people associate you with the worst day of their lives."

 An interesting observation, but Officer Rousseau is not the great character.  That would be Mrs. Stockard, eighty-five years old and, well: "People who don't know any better -- tourists -- would probably call Mrs. Stockard 'spry' or 'feisty'. I would call her 'mean.'"

I would agree.  She might say she simply doesn't suffer fools gladly but she thinks just about everyone is a fool, or lazy, or a junkie, etc.

She interrupts the cop's breakfast to tell him she struck a man on a back road that morning. Not her fault, of course. He "walked into my truck... Am I talking too fast for you?"

There aren't a lot of surprises in this story.  The whole plot is spelled out pretty clearly as we go.  But you will enjoy spending some time with Mrs. S., even if Rousseau does not.