Page 22 of Fatal Witness

Keith. An emotion she couldn’t put a name to flashed over Dani. She had so many questions, but there wasn’t enough time to get into them now. Pushing a smile into her voice, she said, “No. I thought you were Evelyn.”

“Tell her I said hello and to come visit us sometime.”

He almost sounded believable. “I will. Can I call you back later? I’m almost at the restaurant, and I’m running late.”

“Late? That’s not like you. Is anything wrong?”

Everything, maybe?“No, I overslept. I’ll call you later.”

“Wait—what time do you think you’ll get in Monday? I thought I might pick up a couple of steaks to grill for dinner.”

“Let me get back to you on that.” She disconnected before he could throw another question at her.

Dani pulled into the restaurant and found a parking spot, but she didn’t get out right away. Instead she took a couple of deep breaths. Unfortunately, they didn’t do much for the knots twisting in her stomach at the thought of talking to Keith later. Or the decision she had to make. She’d told Mark Lassiter she would come to Pearl Springs tomorrow, but after thinking about it, doubt had crept in. Should she go home first and discuss what she’d learned with Keith?

But would he tell her the truth? He’d been lying for twenty-five years. Maybe not lying, but certainly withholding information. She didn’t know what to do.

She did know she had to calm herself before she met Evelyn. If her friend suspected a problem, she wouldn’t stop until she pried it out of Dani. She focused on her breathing, forcing her muscles to relax. Slowly the tension eased from her body.

With renewed energy, she entered the restaurant and scanned the room. The hostess glided toward her. It was the only word Dani could think of for the way the woman walked.

“Are you looking for Professor Engels?”

“Yes, but how did you know?”

“The red curls,” she said with a smile.

Dani trailed the hostess, feeling like a hippie from the sixties in her peasant dress. Good thing she hadn’t braided her hair. Immediately the image of the woman she’d sketched popped into her mind. Could that be her grandmother?

She couldn’t think about that right now and slid across the bench opposite her friend. “Sorry I’m late.”

Evelyn made a show of checking her watch. “Twenty minutes is somewhat early for you.”

Dani held up her forefinger. “You’re never going to let me forget that one time I got lost and was half an hour late for a meeting, are you?”

“And what fun would that be?”

They both laughed. Evelyn was already a master potter when Dani took her first class under her, and the woman had scared her to death. Confident, talented, and outspoken—all the things Dani was not. It’d taken the whole semester to learn that Evelyn Engels used her personality to push her students to be their best, and if one of them poured their passion into the clay, they had a friend for life.

“Keith said to tell you hello and for you to come visit sometime.”

Evelyn lifted an eyebrow. “Really?”

She nodded.

“If I thought he meant it, I would.” Her eyes softened. “I heard about Laura, and I’m so sorry. I always liked her.”

A lump formed in Dani’s throat. “Thank you. Fifty-five is much too young to die.”

“Absolutely.”

Neither of them spoke for a minute, then Dani asked what had been going on in Evelyn’s life. While the older woman talked, Dani listened, absently picking at a hangnail on her thumb.

“And then a Martian landed and took me on board his ship.”

“Good.” Dani jerked her head up. “What?”

“Just checking to see if you were listening.”

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