Page 68 of Fatal Witness

“What in the world is he doing in Montana?” Nonny asked.

That question popped into Dani’s head as well. “I’ll ask him and get back to you.”

She ended the call and slipped her phone in her pocket as Mark set her soup on the table. He nodded toward the pastor. “Dani Collins, Rick Adkins. He’s the pastor at Community Fellowship, where Mae and a few others that you know attend, me included. Believe it or not, he’s on our flight. I asked him if he’d like to join us—that okay?”

“Of course.” She was curious to know what he was doing in Montana.

Rick sat across the table as Mark took the chair beside her. “I’ve been meaning to ask if you would rather I introduce you as Dani Bennett,” Mark said.

After considering the question, she shook her head. “Let’s leave it at Collins for now. It’s what I’m used to.” Dani turned to the pastor. “So how long have you lived in Pearl Springs?”

“I actually grew up there.” He sipped the liquid in the cup. “Left for college and then seminary and returned in the midnineties when my daddy decided to retire.”

“Then you would’ve known my parents.”

He nodded slowly. “Your mom more than your dad, since he rarely came to church. And I remember you. You were a quiet little thing.”

“I’m sorry I don’t recall you, but then I remember very little of my past in Pearl Springs.”

“But you do remember some things?”

“Fragments, nothing concrete.”

“I figure your memories will come back to you eventually.” He smiled. “My door is always open if you’d like to talk sometime.”

“Thanks.”

“You know,” Mark said, “a lot of the people who left Pearl Springs have come back. Me included. And Alex. And the mayor’s uncle, Craig Tennyson.”

“And now me,” Dani added.

Rick smiled. “Mae will be so happy to have you home. We’ve talked extensively about you. She never gave up hope. I understand she’s staying at the Stones’?”

“Yes.” It warmed Dani’s heart once more to know her grandmother had been searching for her. She removed the lid from the soup. Chicken noodle. Her favorite. “Thank you,” she said to Mark, then turned to the preacher and casually asked, “Why were you in Montana?”

“I wasn’t actually in Montana. I was fly fishing in Sheridan, Wyoming—I’m flying out of Billings since it’s the closest major airport.” He raised his brows. “And you two?”

“We were in Clifton,” Mark said. “Dani’s uncle died, and she had business to take care of. Alex sent me along.”

“My condolences on the loss of your uncle,” Rick said to Dani. His gaze dropped to Gem.

“Did you get to visit the Badlands while you were here?” she asked before he could ask the question on his face—like why would Alex send her K-9 officer and dog with Dani.

“Which ones? The Dakotas or the Montana Badlands?”

“The ones near Clifton.”

“I’m not sure where that is, so I’m sure I didn’t.”

Another question popped into her mind, but she focused on eating her soup. “This is pretty good,” she said to Mark. “How’s your sandwich?”

“Bread’s tough. I wish I’d gotten the soup.” He glanced towardthe kiosk. “And a plane must’ve come in—there are too many people in line now.”

Rick checked his watch. “I need to make a couple of calls. I’ll see you two at the gate.”

After he left, Mark asked, “What was that all about?”

“What do you mean?”

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