Page 22 of Vows of Murder

“I take it Tina’s his wife?” Amanda sipped her coffee, clearly amused by the conversational turn.

“For better or worse. Tina’s in it for the long haul. I think she believes that someday Baylor might take her to the top of the California political heap, at least.” Darla explained our mayor and his wife’s agenda. Then she turned back to me. “So you’re telling me you haven’t been investigating after finding Kane’s body on Sunday?”

“Darla, I’ve been a little busy,” I tried to explain.

Amanda held up her hand. “I’m afraid I’m keeping Jill too busy to get involved with Greg’s investigation. Well, me and the wedding. Do you want to help us make birdseed packetswhile we chat?”

The look on Darla’s face was priceless. There was nothing she would more hate to do more when she had on her reporter hat. “Sorry, I need to go check out my next lead. Jill, please just think of me if you hear anything. I need to put this story to bed by Thursday night. Especially since we have the rehearsal on Friday.”

I smiled at Amanda. “Darla’s one of my bridesmaids.”

“Oh, fun. So we’ll have lots of time to chat. My other son Jim and his girlfriend are arriving today. I’m sure Beth will be able to help me finish theseup in no time.”

Darla stood and motioned me to follow her to the front door. “I didn’t think you wanted all the trappings of a traditional wedding.”

“It makes her happy.” I shrugged. “As long as we don’t have candlelighters and ten sets of groomsmen and bridesmaids, I’m fine with a little birdseed. Besides, it’s outdoors and the birds willappreciate it.”

“Just remember, it’s your day. Well, yours and Greg’s.” Darla pulled me into a quick hug. “I can’t believe you two are getting married. Finally.”

“Don’t hold your breath until I walk down the aisle on Saturday. Lots could go wrong between now and then.” I glanced over at Amanda, who was counting out her packets and making piles of ten. “I don’t want to jinx it.”

Darla stepped out onto the porch. “The one thing I’ve found out is that Roger Matthews has a bit of a rap sheet. He’s not the angel his brother was. Or maybe Roger was always the brawn and Kanewas the brain.”

“Why would he kill his brother? That would be like killing the golden goose, right?” I thought about the open house. The security the compound had set up was over-the-top. “And if Roger was in charge of security, he could play to his strengths, not pretend to be in touch with some higher power. Kane was off-the-charts charismatic. Is Roger?”

“That’s a good question. I don’t know. But you can be sure I’ll find out.” Darla pulled out her phone andtexted a note.

“Just be careful,” I called as she walked out to her vehicle. “I don’t want to have to replace a bridesmaid last minute.”

“I love you too,” Darla responded as she held a hand above her headto wave at me.

As I closed the door, I realized I was worried about Darla pushing the wrong buttons with the New Hope group. I’d seen firsthand yesterday the power they had over their people. If Darla got in their way, she could be thrown into one of those vans and disappear. Just like Carlie and the other woman taken in by the police, who were now in the local hospital’s mental ward on a seventy-two-hour hold. They’d both reacted violently to seeing their family member. The Bakerstown police chief suspected they had some kind of drug in their system, so he had them tested and kept safe until he could be sure he was gettingthe full story.

Greg had been called to Bakerstown last night to help with Molly. Vince was pushing her to “claim” her daughter and take her out of there. Greg told Molly if she took Carlie now, her daughter would just run back to New Hope. At least with the medical hold, she’d bedrug-free when she made her choice. And maybe Molly could help Carlie make the right choice.

Greg had told me all this as we sat and ate warmed-up pizza after he’d finally come home last night. He didn’t think Molly was involved in Kane’s death, but he hadn’t been able to rule her out yet.

When I came back to the kitchen, Amanda looked up. “Anything you wantto talk about?”

I shook my head. “Darla’s always looking for a story. Even when there isn’t one yet. Greg will find out who killed Kane Matthews, not only because he’s good at investigating, but because he wants justice to win. Sometimes the press wants quick results when it’s really a lot more than a paragraph on page one with a picture.”

“And yet, you’re friends with her,” Amanda said.

I smiled as I moved the cookies out of my reach and grabbed an apple to cut up. “She’s a fierce friend and I’m lucky to have her.”

Amanda smiled at that description butdidn’t respond.

After our coffee was gone, I opened my laptop. “So, what else is on your to-see list?”

She shut my laptop. “Let’s hang around the house today. I need a break. When Beth and Jim arrive, they’re going to be a lot. If you need to do anything for the wedding or go shopping, that’s fine. I’ll just hang out here with Emma.”

I wanted to chat with Amy and see whatever paperwork the New Hope group had put in when they opened their compound. I also wanted to run to the library at the college and see if I could find out anything about Kane, his brother, or the church itself. Then I wanted to stop at the mortuary, where our county coroner lived and worked. Doc Ames loved to chat about his cases and I could pretend that I was there to see if he and Carrie were comingto the wedding.

All things I couldn’t do with Amanda. Not without Greg finding out. I tucked my laptop into a tote. “This works out great. I need to check in at the shop, then run to Bakerstown and pick up some things for dinner. I’ll be back no later than four. Jim and Beth are due inat six, right?”

“That’s what they said. Jim’s usually early, so I’d expect them around five,” Amanda warned as she moved to the couch. “I’d love torelax with a movie. Seeing Vince the other day, well, he’s draining. Even on hisbest behavior.”

Man, I understood that. I’d been in relationships like that, where it was all about the other guy. Walking on eggshells and trying not to cause a scene. “Do you want me to bring youback anything?”

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