Page 75 of Sutton's CEO

“I was headed back home the other night,” he began, but I interrupted him.

“’Home’ meaning my house, or here?”

Earl turned beet red, “To the parsonage when I overheard Father Montgomery speaking in harsh tones with Mad Max.”

I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I still wasn’t certain how I felt about Max. It seemed that he was popping up all over the place and every situation seemed to be more unsavory.

“Did you hear what they said?”

My voice was shakier than I would have liked, but they didn’t seem to notice.

Earl shook his head. “No, not the whole conversation. But I did hear something that might be important. Max said something about Father Montgomery having a son. The priest has never been married. Then Max pressed further and said if Stan wouldn’t do something about the problem, he would.”

“Who is Father Montgomery’s son?” I couldn’t seem to wrap my head around what they were telling me.

Alice tapped her lip. “Well, it begs to reason that Ruth Ann never told anybody about who Gabe’s daddy was. And can you imagine the scandal if people found out that Father Montgomery had fathered a child out of wedlock?”

“And a bar owner to boot? Well, shoot, I think he just might do something terrible to stop that information getting out.”

Alice grinned. “And how hard would it be for the Father to sneak into the parsonage and snag the gun Martha stole from your place?”

I blew out a breath. “You realize that you have little proof over these accusations. For the most part, it is guesses and conjecture.”

“That’s why we need you!” Earl’s eyes were pleading.

“I don’t see how this is going to get you out of Martha’s wrath when she finds out you are cheating on her.”

I had to tell them the honest truth. I saw the disappointment in their eyes and hated that I put it there.

“You need to tell Martha the truth.” I reached out and touched Earl’s knee.

“She’s crazy.” Reena’s voice was laced with fear. “Maybe it was her that killed Gabe.”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. I honestly don’t know. But I need to talk to Knox about what Earl overheard. And Earl, you need to be telling your wife the truth. The last thing you need is for her to find out and go postal on Alice and Reena.”

The color drained from his face, making him look every bit of his eighty years.

“I’m sorry Earl, it has to be done.”

The last thing I expected was for the three of them to skip town by morning.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Mark

It’s every man’s wet dream to be disturbed during morning sex by a howling maniac. Especially one that has just found out her geriatric husband has decided on a polyamorous relationship that doesn’t include her.

“I just don’t understand how he could do this to me!” Martha sobbed into a rather questionably clean handkerchief.

Sutton patted her back awkwardly. “Are you sure he’s gone?”

At this, she looked over at me in warning, the words clearly unspoken but I heard it all the same:Do not say anything.

Sutton had told me about her unusual visit with Earl, Alice, and Reena the day before. I had patiently waited outside for her in the car after she categorically refused to allow me to come in with her. I don’t think I was being ‘overly protective.’ Her words, not mine.

There is a murderer on the loose and she insists on staying in a town where the majority of its residents treated her like dirt beneath their shoes. I don’t think we can be too cautious.

“Am I sure?” Martha’s shrill voice cut through any thought process I might have had. “Those vultures swept in and stole my man!”

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