Page 8 of Fatal Witness

He was one of the few people she actually engaged with. Maybe because they were neighbors on Eagle Ridge. Or more likely because he made it a point to chop wood and lay it by her back door at least once a week during cold weather. Sometimes, if she wasn’t working in her pottery shop, she would invite Mark and Gem into the house, Mark for coffee and one of her rich fudge brownies and Gem for a special homemade dog treat.

From what the sheriff had told Mark, it hadn’t always been that way. She’d been active in church and some of the women’s groups in Pearl Springs even after her husband had been killed in a logging accident. But when her daughter and son-in-law were murdered and her granddaughter disappeared, she’d retreated to her home and pottery studio on Eagle Ridge.

So what had brought her out today?

5

Mae noted Mark’s SUV in the parking lot as she pulled her small pickup into a visitor’s spot and got out. She was counting on him to be on her side. Alexis too, maybe—if her grandfather hadn’t undermined Mae’s credibility.

She knew why Carson Stone called her his “thorn in the side.” The first few years after someone killed Neva, Mae had bugged the stew out of him with her theories on the murders. For all the good it had done. Not that Carson Stone wasn’t a good sheriff. He was, but there’d been so few clues to go on. He’d leaned toward the killer being from Chattanooga since that’s where the jewelry stores her son-in-law broke into were located.

Mae wasn’t so sure. The day they were killed, Bobby had asked her to hide a small package, but when she wanted to know what it was, he became enraged and stormed out of her house. She’d called her daughter as soon as he left, and Neva confessed that Bobby was involved in a burglary ring. Something had gone wrong, and he’d brought the stolen goods home.

The last conversation she’d had with her daughter was etched in her memory like stone.

“Make Bobby give the stolen goods back, Neva.”

“I’ll try, but you know Bobby.” Herdaughter was practically in tears. “I’m scared, Mama.”

“CallKeith. He’ll help you figure out something.”

“Bobby sayshe’s involved too.”

Mae had trouble believing that. She’d known both Bennett brothers all their lives, and unlike Bobby, Keith was rock solid. Mae had never understood whyNeva chose Bobby over his brother or why Keith hadn’t fought harder for Neva. “Make Bobby do the rightthing, and—”

“You don’t understand, Mama. I can’tmake Bobby do anything, and he says we’re leaving Pearl Springs.”

“Just call Keith. He’ll help you.”

“Iknow. I gotta go. Love you, Mama.”

“Love you too, Neva.”

They were the last words she’d spoken to her daughter.

The investigation into the murders showed only one call from Bobby and Neva’s house after that one—to Keith Bennett. She believed in her bones Keith had come to his brother’s house and found Neva and Bobby dead and had taken Danielle with him. She never understood why he’d taken her granddaughter with him when he ran instead of bringing her to Mae ... unless Danielle saw what happened and he was afraid for her life.

Hope fluttered in her chest. Maybe she’d get her answer if this Dani Collins turned out to be her granddaughter.

Mae grabbed the magazine and photos of Danielle and Neva she’d taken from the crime board. The Russell County Sheriff’s Office had the resources to find Dani Collins and Mae didn’t. That’s why she was here.

She locked her truck and hurried inside, winding her way around to Alexis’s office. “Afternoon, Marge.” She smiled at the woman behind the desk. “I believe Alexis is expecting me.”

The office manager returned Mae’s smile. “She is, but first, how are you?”

“Good. Keeping busy.”

Marge tilted her head. “Do you have any of your large pitchers? I want to get one for my daughter for Mother’s Day. It’s her first one, you know.”

Mae swallowed a smile. Marge’s daughter had called earlier in the week with the same request. “Not right now, but I have four waiting for handles—they’ll be ready by next Friday.”

“I’ll come see you.” She nodded toward Alex’s office. “Door’s open and Mark’s here too.”

Mae took a deep breath and walked through the doorway. Tension eased out of her when only Mark and Alexis were in her office. She’d been dreading Carson. She nodded at the two deputies.

“Good to see you, Alexis, I mean Alex. You too, Mark. Gem’s looking good,” Mae said.

The dog sat on her haunches and looked from Mae to her trainer. A low whine came from Gem’s throat.

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