Page 48 of Jenna's Threatened Sanctuary

“No, but I’ll text him and see if he’s found anything more.” Calvin grabbed his phone and sent off a quick text.

“What would your next move be?” Jenna asked. “If you were attacking this case just like every other one you’d worked before.” He was damn good at his job. That’s why she’d reached out to him in the first place. She didn’t want to hold him back, even if she refused to leave his side while he worked.

“I still want to talk to the administrative staff at the church Stella cleaned. That’s the last place that follows the timeline of Stella’s shift in financial status. Plus, she spent a lot of time there. Could be someone we haven’t spoken with who knows more than they’ve mentioned.”

Jenna let her gaze wander past the packed parking lot to the towering evergreens surrounding the lot. “I haven’t heard back from Father Bowman. I need to get the details of Stella’s funeral from him as well. We could stop by the church on the way home. We might stumble upon someone working who knew Stella.”

“Are you feeling all right? Maybe you should rest a little before we go to the church.”

“I’m fine,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

He quirked one eyebrow. “Really?”

“Okay,” she said on a sigh. “My head’s killing me, and I still feel a little sick to my stomach. But that doesn’t mean I need to rest. I can keep moving, keep going.”

Grabbing his keys from his pocket, he shook his head. “But it doesn’t mean you should.”

She gave him a hard stare, unwilling to back down.

His phone dinged, and he glanced at the screen. “It’s Dean. The bulk of the money from Stella’s bank account came from a local bank in a small town in North Dakota. That’s weird.”

She searched her memory for anyone she knew from North Dakota and came up empty. “Any chance he found a name connected to the account?”

“Not yet, but he’s still digging. He’ll let me know if he finds anything else. Hopefully he’ll find something soon, but for now let’s head to the church.”

Walking beside him, she steeled her nerves for another disappointing excursion. She wouldn’t admit it to Calvin, but she was losing hope that they’d ever find Stella’s killer.

21

Unease knitted Jenna’s stomach as she stared up at the church with its white steeple on top of the pitched roof. Unshed tears clogged her throat, but she forced them away and marched toward the door. Pain beat against her skull like a hammer striking a blow with every step, but she couldn’t let Calvin see how much she hurt. He’d insist they head home and she rest, and she would, after they talked to the staff.

A quick glance at the lone car parked in the lot made her wince. Chances were slim that the one vehicle belonged to someone who could help them. But unless they tried, they’d never know for sure.

Calvin jogged to her side, and they stepped from the gravel parking lot onto the sidewalk just as a man with a full head of dark hair dressed in black exited from the wooden doors at the top of the stairs. He pivoted and surprise widened his eyes, quickly followed by recognition. “Dr. Simon. How are you holding up?” He descended the steps, stopping in front of them with an outstretched hand. “I planned to call you later. We have most of the arrangements made for Stella’s funeral.”

“I’m doing okay and thanks. I appreciate you and everyone else here helping with the service.” Jenna accepted his hand and gave one shake before gesturing toward Calvin. “Father Bowman, this is Calvin Spradling.”

Calvin placed his palm in the priest’s before he dropped it. “Good afternoon.”

“Nice to meet you,” Father Bowman said. “Were you a friend of Stella’s?”

Calvin shook his head and took a step back. “No, Father, but I’m very sorry about what happened. I’m a friend of Jenna’s and am helping to investigate her death. Jenna mentioned you’d give her a list of people who Stella dealt with for cleaning purposes.”

Father Bowman winced. “I’m so sorry I haven’t been quicker with getting you those names. Between my regular duties, planning Stella’s funeral, and comforting the grieving of one of our parishioners, it slipped my mind.”

“That’s all right,” Jenna said. “Any chance we can get those names now?”

Father Bowman cast his furrowed brow up the staircase leading back to the church then glanced at his watch. “I’m in a bit of a hurry, and no staff is working at the church today. I can call you later this evening, if that’s all right. Then I can also give you the details of the funeral.”

Jenna shifted her weight and pushed her cold hands in her leather jacket pockets. “How about just a name or two? I can grab the other information off the church website.” Time wasn’t on her side and sitting around waiting for the priest to call would drive her nuts.

“I suppose that would work. Patsy Holdmeir, the church secretary, might have some information. As well as Zach Piedmont. He’s the head of maintenance here. Not sure if you’ll find their numbers on the church website, but if not, Patsy will be here tomorrow. We try to keep the church open to the publicwhen possible. For prayers and confession and such. You just happened to catch us at a bad time.” He flashed a wide smile.

Jenna blinked, surprised by the amount of charm a member of the clergy could exude. Hell, if more priests and pastors looked like Father Bowman, the pews would be packed every Sunday. “I’m sure we’ll find what I need.”

He dipped his chin than clasped his hands in front of him. “Good luck. I’ll speak with you later. Calvin, nice to meet you. Jenna, God bless.”

“What are the odds a secretary and head of maintenance will have the answers we need?” she asked Calvin as she watched Father Bowman dash to his car.

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