Page 37 of Only Girl Alive

Candace interrupted her thoughts.

“Kathryn did not kill them,” she fervently stated.

“Why do you think that?” Eve asked, puzzled.

“She knows my previous husband’s sins do not belong to him. He must have gotten in the way and that’s why he died.”

“Kathryn left the house the night of the homicides and you don’t think she’s involved?”

“No.” She looked away and Eve could feel the lie.

“Sister Sheila told me you were afraid. Is that because you feel you should be punished?”

“He said it was our sins that made him do horrible things. I—”

Two vehicles pulled into the inner courtyard and interrupted Candace. A man got out of the first car and Aaron stepped from the second. Eve knew the officer at the Tanners’ home would call someone up his chain of command. It took them longer to get here than Eve expected.

“Is that your husband?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Is there anything else you can tell me?” She wanted to ask about the attic but with her previous reaction and her husband’s arrival, she couldn’t.

“I think Kathryn knows who killed them.”

Nineteen

Aaron was furious, which didn’t surprise Eve. Candace’s husband immediately ushered the women inside the house. Bina approached her quickly.

“Be the eyes and ears,” Eve muttered, and turned to her stepbrother.

“You have no right to be here,” were his first words. His jaw was locked in anger, his blue eyes pinpoints of displeasure.

Eve remembered the disquiet in his gaze when they were children. She’d suffered the consequences repeatedly. She was no longer that young girl without recourse. She was standing within her stepbrother’s church domain with the judge’s authority behind her and she was tired of his never-ending interference. If she allowed anger to lead, she would lose this battle. She bit her tongue and reined in her resentment before speaking.

Mr. Wilson stepped back outside but it didn’t stop her.

“I am conducting a homicide investigation and have every right to be here. I will interview the women of this home.” She stopped and turned to Mr. Wilson. “Those interviews will take place immediately.” He simply glared. Wearing a suit, he obviously worked something besides a contracting job. He was somewhere in his forties, which was young for such a large family. She looked back at her brother. “I also need that list of Tanner’s prior wives so I can interview them too.”

A huge truck roared into the yard. Aaron didn’t look at it so he knew who it was. Eve stopped speaking and watched two men climb from the vehicle. They were backup for Aaron.

“Brother Owens,” one of the men greeted her stepbrother.

“Brother Hammond, Brother Bockstater,” Aaron acknowledged, and they shook hands. The two men wore suits and ties. Both appeared to be in their sixties. Eve wondered where they stood in church hierarchy. She didn’t recognize the names.

The seed bearers would be middle-aged to older men. The thought disgusted her. Everything about these men did, even if they weren’t the chosen. She shouldn’t carry this preconceived dislike but this case was bringing out the worst in her.

“Detective Bennett was just leaving,” Aaron told them, which brought her focus back to him.

Eve stepped closer to her stepbrother and addressed the two men who had not bothered to look at her. It gave her reason to believe they were involved in whatever the church was covering up.

“I’m investigating the Tanner murders, as you’re aware. I have full authority to go where the investigation leads. I will be interviewing each woman in this home.” She turned and shot Aaron a cold look. “I will say when I leave.” She then gave her attention to Mr. Wilson. “We’ll start the questions now and do them in my vehicle. They should be short and not disturb your household more than necessary.”

Mr. Wilson looked over Eve’s head and addressed the men.

“I’m sure you can handle this from here. My family needs prayer.” He turned and entered the house, closing the door solidly behind him.

Eve caught the angry flash in Bina’s eyes. It wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. It always pointed to church cover-up that Eve’s team was unable to prove.

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