Page 43 of Counter Attack

“I think it’ll do him a world of good. He’s used to being in the thick of things, and even though he’s confident of your abilities, I’m sure he misses the action.”

She sighed. “I needed to hear that.”

Nathan climbed out of his truck and followed Alexis to the back door, where the aroma of bread baking had his mouth watering. “Something smells so good.”

She inhaled deeply. “Gram’s biscuits—I can make a meal on those alone.”

Her grandmother turned as they entered the kitchen. She was taking a black skillet filled with hot biscuits from the oven. “Supper is ready to be put on the table.” Then she nodded at Alexis. “Your grandfather is in the den. He’s been a little shaky since we returned home, so would you make sure he gets in here okay?”

“Why don’t I go?” Nathan asked. If Carson was shaky, he stood a better chance of keeping him on his feet than Alexis.

When no one objected, he walked to the den. Carson stood at the window looking out, his walker and wheelchair ten feet away from him by the sofa.

“Sir,” Nathan said, “I’ve been sent to tell you supper is ready.”

Carson slowly turned to him, and the look on his face broke Nathan’s heart. Carson took a halting step, and Nathan felt he should offer to help him, but somehow he couldn’t.

“Don’t ever get old, son.” Then without another word, Carson steadied himself, holding on to the furniture as he shuffled to his walker. He rolled the walker around, then stood straighter and shot Nathan a look reminiscent of the old Carson Stone. “Don’t tell them I was standing at the window without this confounded thing.”

“Don’t worry, and you will get stronger—it takes time to recover from a heart attack.”

“If you ever do,” Carson muttered. “The thing I can’t stand is the hovering.‘Carson, don’t do that. Carson, don’t forget your walker. Carson, take your medicine...’I had a heart attack, not a mental breakdown.”

Nathan turned his head so the sheriff wouldn’t see his grin.“Do you think you’re up to helping us plan strategy on this murder case?”

“Of course I’m up to it.” Energy infused his voice. “How soon can we get started?”

“After supper.” Nathan didn’t want to incur Judith Stone’s wrath. “The note the killer left with Gina Norman referred to castling, and I’ve promised to show Alexis what that is on the chessboard.”

“I haven’t played chess in years, but I used to be pretty good at it.”

“Maybe you can help us get into the killer’s head.”

24

Alex pushed the English peas around her plate.

Her grandmother cleared her throat. “Something wrong with those peas?”

With a start she looked up and did a mental shake to clear her head. “No, ma’am. I’m just tired. And can’t quit thinking about what Mark told me about that poor woman killed this morning.”

He’d called with background information on Gina Norman just before she sat down.

“You want to talk about it?” Gramps asked.

Nathan put his fork down. “I’d like to know what he found out too.”

Maybe it would help, except her grandmother had a firm rule of not talking business at the supper table. She glanced at Gram. “Do you mind?”

“No, go ahead, child.” She raised her eyebrows. “Only this once, though.”

Alex took a deep breath. “She was single, with no children, but does have a mother in Chicago. Mrs. Norman told Mark she hadn’t talked to her in a couple of months—evidently they’re not close. She mentioned something about a brokenengagement, and that she thought her daughter moved to Pearl Springs to teach at the high school. When Mark checked, that turned out not to be true.”

Nathan cut a piece of the country-fried steak. “Did the mother have a name or a phone number for the fiancé?”

She nodded. “Keith Sanders, but when Mark called him, he was in Oregon. Been there two weeks.”

“With the pawn found in her possession and the note, the fiancé wasn’t our number one suspect anyway.”

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