Page 74 of The Aura Answer
“Art critic from the paper. I think Verity called him.”
Gracie couldn’t concentrate on selling Bertie’s work while her house was at stake.
“My office is worth something tome,” Hayes shouted. For an accountant, he was dressed quite festively in red tie and green sweater. “Who came up with this?” He turned on cowboy-wannabe Layman. “I thought you wanted the Satterwhite farm for your damned shopping center.”
“He only considered outside of town because Mayor Larraine blocked him with zoning in town,” Evie called. “Block says y’all were supposed to get rid of Larraine.”
Get rid of Larraine? Vote her out—or kill her? Gracie sucked in her breath. Jax spoke before she could phrase any question.
He sounded very controlled, as if suppressing fury. “Who arranged for the zoning lawsuit to be finalized the same day as Block’s bond hearing?”
Ah, she breathed in relief. Leave it to Evie’s lawyer man to grasp the logistics.
“I set Arthur Block’s hearing according to his lawyer’s schedule.” Looking very un-Santa-like, Judge Satterwhite’s wrinkled brow pulled down ominously as he nodded at Turlock Sr.
Heads turned to watch late Mayor Block’s silver-haired lawyer. Turlock Sr. shrugged and admitted nothing.Conspiracy and secrets, Gracie thought. Old-fashioned honesty and democracy vanished when greed prevailed.
“Judge Rhodes?” Jax demanded when the younger, visibly angry judge didn’t speak up.
“Why does this matter?” Nick whispered.
“Block’s killer must have known Block and Larraine would be here at the same time, and there would be a crowd to cover his movements,” Gracie whispered back.
Looking pale and furious in his blue suit, Rhodes finally replied, “The zoning law should never have been passed! The council should have rejected it instead of letting that faggot bully them.”
Gracie winced at the slur, remembering Rhodes and Larraine had gone to school together. The mayor had probably put up with those insults every day as a kid. Instead of breaking her, as the bullies intended, it had apparently made her stronger—and taught her their tactics.
“So in retaliation, you set the zoning hearing for the same day as Block’s release, knowing he’d have a mob of supporters and a news conference right outside your door?” Jax pushed harder.
Nick whispered an expletive.
Before anyone else could react, Rhodes’ necktie flew up in the air and slapped him in the face. He screamed and struggled to catch it—while his suit coat blew erratically in a nonexistent wind. He grabbed at his carefully combed hair, but the wicked breeze revealed his receding hairline.
Everyone watched in astonishment as the judge danced and swung at an invisible attacker.
“Bertie says you’re the manwith a gunwho woke him by kneeling on him,” Evie cried over the murmurs and snickers echoing through the rotunda.
Iddy’s raven screamed and flew over the judge’s head, visibly shaking him more.
“Stop it, stop it! Let me out of this circus!” His usual impassive expression now bordering on frantic, Rhodes aimed for the front stair, evidently expecting the towering, muscular Cajun to give way and let him pass.
Roark did no such thing. Arms crossed, he stoically dared anyone to squeeze by.
“Bertie insistsyou woke him up,” Evie said helpfully. “And it’syouhe’s hitting on, Your Honor, not Teddy. Do you remember waking up Bertie, sir? Maybe when he was in the attic?”
“Dead men can’t talk!” Rhodes had developed a gray tinge beneath his pale skin. “I didn’t wake up anyone! That damned queer is the criminal here.” He swirled and headed for the back stairs and the sheriff. “You can’t hold me. This is a free country.”
“Our beloved former mayor’s spirit is calling you a pathetic loser,” Evie shouted after him. “Block is saying it’s all your fault if the mall plans fall through, and Layman owns the town.”
Layman leaned against the railing, cowboy boots crossed, looking bored. Gracie contemplated smacking him upside the head with his mall drawing, but she feared the riot of noise below was Larraine’s arrival.
“I don’t like this,” Nick whispered. “Judge Rhodes is about the right size for the man who shot at Larraine at the Barn.”
To her dismay, he started easing in the judge’s direction. Could he stop a judge from leaving?
An eerie wail filled the rotunda as the sheriff vacillated between his respect for the law, his disbelief in ghosts, and his desire to nail a murder suspect.
Unlike the sheriff, Gracie had no reason to doubt her sister, but she did doubt her own ability. Shakily, she realized it would be cowardice to let her fear allow a possible killer to walk away.
