Page 24 of Promise Keeper

Before I could reach the coffee table in the family room where I'd placed my cell phone the night before, the land line rang. I answered it in the kitchen. "Hello?"

"It's Roy. The raccoons have taken over the church basement."

"Oh, good gravy. I'm running late anyway. Let me get back in touch with you later and we'll figure out where to work. Is Johnna with you?"

"Right here," he said.

"Okay, let her know, too."

"Ten-four. Over and out."

Before I could hang up, my other line beeped and I switched over. "Hello?"

"Cameron Cripps Hayman, consider yourself officially notified by the Daughters of Metamora that you are the defendant in a town tribunal to be held at 2:00 PM today at the Soapy Savant."

"Irene? Aren't you in Florida?"

"I am. Failure to appear will result in an automatic guilty plea to be entered on behalf of the defendant and significant fines and punishments to be incurred on behalf of same."

"Tribunal? The Daughter's can hold a tribunal?" I almost burst in a fit of laughter. "You can't be serious."

"This is a very serious matter. I'll be attending via video call."

"You? On a video call? How's that going to work?" Irene was on the same level as Johnna when it came to technology.

"You will have a chance to plead your case and may bring representation."

"For what? What did I do now?"

"You're charged with slanderous speech and defamation of character against your neighbor and Daughter of Historical Metamora, Fiona Stein."

"Slanderous speech...Fiona...?"

"You accused her of murder."

Johnna! It had to be Johnna who blabbed. She got kicked out of the library and the cops called on her at Schoolhouse Antiques. To top if off, she flapped her gums to Fiona.

"Two o'clock?" I asked, resigned to the fact that I'd been busted by the Daughter's yet again.

"Yes. Be on time."

She hung up.

On the stairs, Ellsworth peered through the banisters at me. "Your mom's a meanie," I told him. He put his paw through and batted at me, then ran back upstairs.

I hadn't even changed my clothes yet and this day had already gone to the dogs. Cats. Raccoons. All of them could have it.

12

Ifound my mom at Monica's house. They were painting the kitchen a sunny yellow. The window was open, and even if it was a little chilly, the birds were chirping and the scent of fresh grass and budding leaves filled the air. Isobel lay beside the refrigerator--her old favorite spot when she was at my house--and supervised.

"You're not working today?" Mom asked. She stood on a kitchen chair in her jean skirt and espadrilles, a bandana wrapped around her hair, trimming above the doorway.

"There's a real chance I'll go to jail for strangling Johnna if I see her today," I said. I told them about Irene's call.

"Do you really think Fiona's behind the bones?" Monica asked.

"I don't know. She's the best suspect I have at the moment." I didn't tell them about Soapy and I wouldn't unless I had more solid proof that he had something to do with it.

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