Page 36 of The Aura Answer
Nick didn’t relax. Neither did Evie. They both appeared ready to commit murder. Only Jax knew their target was whoever had killed the harmless father of two.
The sheriff nodded wearily. “Let’s go over this again. You were there from nine until approximately ten? When Sammy went out front. Did you hear anything?”
Warily, Nick thought about it. “I finished up the last frame and cleaned up while I waited for him to be done with his customer. The only thing I heard was the bell over the door and the furnace making popping noises. When he didn’t return, Ipacked up and went out the back.” He looked unhappy. “If the second door ring wasn’t a second customer, then it may have been the first one departing. Since Sammy didn’t return, he may have been dead when I left. Had I gone out that way, I might have saved him.”
Evie reached over to squeeze his arm.
The sheriff shook his head. “He died instantly. You left when?”
Nick shrugged. “I didn’t look at the time, but you can verify my return to the house with Gracie. She helped me unpack the sketches.”
“Was there anything interesting in the sketches?” Evie asked, having overcome her snit. “Bertie said he was following theturds. I think he meant the Turlocks.”
Jax almost sympathized as the sheriff rubbed his wrinkled brow. Only Evie would talk about a dead man as if he were alive and turn a murder investigation to ghostly artwork.
“The people and buildings in Bertie’s work are meaningless to me. I really didn’t have time to study them after I returned. I was building a tent for the kids.” Nick sat up eagerly. “Teddy Jr. said he meant to talk to Sammy today about the sketches. Do you think the thief was after thesketches? They might be more valuable than we thought.”
“What thehellare we jabbering about?” Troy lost his patience.
“Ghosts,” Jax said succinctly, warning the officer. “Evie believes Bertie Walker may have sketched the mayor’s killer or at least knows who it is.”
“And if Bertie was following Teddy Jr. until someone gave him drugs...” Evie jumped in. “You need to talk to Junior Turd. Why does he want Bertie’s art? Maybe whoever gave Bertie drugs needed to get into the attic to figure out how to shoot the mayor and Bertie sketched him. Maybe he saw something whenhe was following Teddy. Maybe both of the Walker brothers were killed for the sketches! We need to study those pictures.”
The law officer looked to Jax in frustration. “I don’t know how you do it. You’re a lawyer. Tell them everyone knows ghosts can’t talk and their sketches aren’t evidence or a reason to kill.”
Jax shrugged. “They know.”
“We don’t care.” Evie stood up as if she’d been dismissed. “We want justice. If the courts won’t give it—”
“Don’t finish that sentence, Evangeline. We won’t have vigilante justice in this town.” The sheriff stood up with her. To Jax, he added, “Get them out of here and may God have mercy on your sanity.”
That didn’t sound like the sheriff meant to question the Turlocks. If Evie was chasing a potential killer...
Jax gave Nick’s shoulder a shove to get him moving and practically dragged Evie until they were back on the street. “What the hell was that about the ghost and the Turlocks? You know Toby is refusing to pay his father’s bill to senior Turlock, claiming he’s being defrauded?”
“You interrupted before I could find out more.” Instead of being grouchy, Evie wound herself around Jax and kissed his cheek. “You’re practically glowing with the need for answers.”
“That’s not a thing.” So, he was the grumpy one. He didn’t like his fiancée accused of murder. “I read about auras. No one mentions glowing for answers.”
She looked pleased. Nick looked thoroughly confused.
Instead of arguing, Evie turned to their befuddled guest. “I read auras. I do not read them the way they do in books. I can’t explain better than that. I mean, yes, I can read ordinary aura things like if someone is unhealthy or worried or whatever. That’s amateur stuff.”
“Why don’t you stop right there before you drive Nick screaming into the streets, if he isn’t ready to already?” Jaxsuggested. “Let’s look at sketches. Troy will eventually admit he needs to see them.”
Nick grabbed Evie’s bike and fell in step. “I don’t much like the law,” he admitted. “They lack imagination and empathy. I don’t believe in ghosts or auras, but at least they’re creative.”
“Cops aren’t paid to make up things or feel them. I don’t think scientists would accept auras or ghosts either.” Jax understood how Nick felt. He’d had his run-ins with officialdom. And Evie’s family... still ran circles around laws.
“You believe people wear rainbows?” Nick asked him incredulously. “You’re a lawyer!”
Evie patted Nick on the shoulder. “You don’t have to believe. You just need tolisten. Let me tell you that the sheriff is in over his head. Accept that he doesn’t have the force capable of solving all these crimes. You don’t have to know how I know. Or why I believe the sketches are our best clue. Just apply your creative brain to help solving the puzzle.”
Jax absorbed the wonder that was Evie as they strolled home in harmony. He didn’t understand what she did any more than she understood the law. All they had to do was accept each other’s expertise and go from there.
Except one of the Turlocks could be a murderer, and sooner or later, Evie would go after him. Jax inwardly shuddered. How did he keep Evie safe while she was bent on catching cold-blooded killers?
“If the killer was at the Barn when I was, what are the chances he’ll come after me next?” Nick asked gloomily.
