“Well, this part of Catherine’s history makes sense of the story Chloe Evans told me about Catherine doing the writing workshop for the youth group. And of how amazing her journals are. The word choices she makes are stunning.” Rarity waved at Terrance, who was on his porch drinking a beer. She stopped and reached for her tote to get her keys.

“And why she was so involved in local community events. She wanted to help the world, even if it was in small ways.” Archer held out his hand for her keys, and she dropped them into his palm.

As they stepped into the house, Rarity turned on all the lights, making the great room bright and cheery in the darkening gloom outside the windows. She let Killer off his lead and went to check his food and water bowls. She turned to Archer. “I just hate the idea that she lived in fear all those years if his story is true. Maybe her husband’s death was random.”

“Well, now we have a location. Let’s see what the local papers said about his death. Maybe we’ll find out more about Catherine at the same time.” He held up his phone. “Should I order us pizza or sandwiches for dinner?”

“How about pasta and a salad?” She opened a drawer and pulled out the delivery menus from the local restaurants. “You pick the place and then I’ll figure out what I’m eating.”

“You should pick.” He pushed the menus toward her.

She pushed them back. “I wouldn’t have the menus if they didn’t have something I liked. Besides, you offered, so you’re buying.”

“Of course, I am.” He flipped through the menus, and within ten minutes, dinner was on its way.

During this time, Rarity had pulled out her laptop and a couple of notebooks and pens, putting them on the table. She took out two bottles of hard cider she knew he liked and put them on the table along with a bag of chips and a bowl of salsa. “Let’s get researching.”

Even with narrowing down the time frame and with Catherine and Tom’s actual names, nothing was showing in the news about the shooting.

The doorbell rang, and Archer stood. “I’ll get dinner if you’ll clean us off a place to eat. I think we’ve hit a brick wall. Maybe your reporter friend wasn’t as truthful with names and places as we’d hoped.”

Rarity was beginning to have the same doubts about the stories she’d been told. “Food will give us perspective. Let’s eat and ignore this mess for a while.”

After dinner, Rarity sent Archer home. He’d been up for hours since he’d taken out a six a.m. hiking tour that morning. He’d proposed they make a pot of coffee and keep working, but she declined the offer. “I’m crashing soon too. I’d like to finish reading these journals tomorrow so I can get that off my to-do list. Although I have to admit, they’re fun to read. Catherine was an astonishing person.”

Archer kissed her at the door. He leaned on the doorway, watching her, his eyes already half-closed. “Make sure you lock up after I leave.”

“Make sure you get home safe. Text me when you’re there, or I’ll call Drew to go check on you.”

He smiled at that. “I’m not sure I like that my girlfriend has as good of a friendship with one specific local cop as I do. Good night, Rarity. Sweet dreams.”

She watched him walk to the sidewalk before she shut and locked the door. Then she watched through her side window until she couldn’t see him anymore. Then she went back to the table. Killer wanted to be picked up, so she did. As she thought through the problem, she told the dog the whole story. She closed her eyes for a few minutes after laying it out, then realized they hadn’t checked the most logical spot. The obituaries.

She wrote down the years and months for five years. Two before Catherine moved to town and two after the date that Chloe remembered. If there was a Tom killed near Des Moines, his death would have been recorded. If she came up with nothing, she’d call Drew and tell him that Lloyd’s story was bogus. If she came up with more than one possibility, she’d take down the information and research them later.

By the time she’d finished, she had five strong candidates. She’d check each one against the other. Maybe she’d have some names to check out before she crashed.

As it turned out, she had three names. Three names, and it was three o’clock in the morning. Time to get some sleep.

* * * *

Rarity’s alarm wasn’t ever set for Sunday. Mostly because she’d read somewhere that taking a break from the rush of a driven life was crucial to being healthy. She’d thought she’d slowed down her work activities when she bought the bookstore. But what she was finding out was, to make the store successful, she had to do everything. Which had increased her work time. Well, she had Darby’s help now, but she couldn’t expect a part-time employee to handle the accounting or even strategic planning. She’d set up Sunday as a no-work zone. Except for strategic planning time.

Last Sunday she’d made a vision board for the bookstore. One of the pictures had led her to thinking about doing more events. So today, that was her plan. Brainstorm events and possible speakers for the next quarter. She’d list out her top ten, then try to schedule an event around the subject. Like hiking. She could have Archer come in and do a talk about hiking the area and have local books on display. Of course, he hadn’t written a hiking book, yet, but maybe he’d be willing to donate an evening, especially since he could market his own business at the same time.

She set a pot of coffee to brew, then swam. When she came in, she got ready for her day. She made an easy breakfast, then went into the living room to start her work. She’d cut off no later than noon and then do some reading or maybe a craft. She’d just started working when a knock came at the door.

She opened the door, expecting to find Archer or maybe Sam. Instead, Terrance stood on her porch. “Good morning. Did you come for coffee?”

“I wouldn’t turn a cup down.” He followed her into the house.

“Have a seat over at the table.” She took out another cup and filled it and refilled her own before she sat down. “What’s going on that has you up this early on a Sunday?”

“Habit. I’m an early riser.” He sipped his coffee, then set it on the table. “Look, the reason I came by was to see if you were all right. I tried to tell myself I was just seeing things last night, but I checked before I came over. I found footprints in the sand around your back gate. I think someone was trying to sneak in. You did replace the locks on the gate like I suggested, right?”

Chapter 19

After Terrance left, Rarity walked around the house as well, taking Killer with her. Not that he was much of a deterrent, but maybe if people were watching her, she wouldn’t look like she was looking for signs of a break-in.