A Justified Murder (Medlar Mystery #2)(51)

After he sat down, two women and a man got up from the front pew and sang “Tears in Heaven.”

After they finished, the pastor led the congregation in prayer. When the service was over, the people began to leave. What little they spoke was done in whispers.

Outside, all four of them went to Jack’s truck and leaned against the long bed. They were watching the people file out.

“I don’t know about you guys,” Jack said, “but I feel like I’ve just come out of a two-hour therapy session.”

“The question,” Sara said, “is whether we were the patient or the doctor.”

Chet gave a snort of laughter at that, then stepped forward and looked at them. “I don’t mean to intrude, but I’d really like to talk to you three. Flynn says you know a lot about this case.”

“We told him everything we know.” Jack sounded hostile.

“There were a few things we left out,” Sara said. “Were you the one who told Everett about the cross sewn into the baby bootie?”

“Yes.” He nodded toward a big green SUV. “That’s mine. I brought some boxes of info about the case with me. I thought I’d get a hotel somewhere, unload them, and you could look at what I have.”

Since his eyes never left Sara’s as he said this, they weren’t sure if his “you” was singular or plural.

“We can put them in my dining room.” Sara walked with him to his car.

“Think we should check into a hotel?” Jack muttered.

“I’d tell you to be nice but I feel the same way,” Kate replied.

When they saw Sara get into Chet’s SUV, Jack opened the driver-side door of his truck.

Kate got in and scooted across. “My suggestion is that we make a run to Chipotle and pick up a lunch for four. Otherwise, you and I will probably be relegated to being houseboys.”

Jack and Kate looked at each other and smiled. It felt good to be together on this.

It took over an hour to go to the restaurant on University, then get back to Lachlan. As they neared the house, Jack said, “Maybe we should go see a movie. Give them time alone.”

“Good idea,” Kate said. “However... I am a tiny bit curious as to what files he has on the White Lily Kidnapping. Do you think Aunt Sara will tell him about hearing Tayla on the phone, then about...? You know?”

“Your father and Charlene?”

Kate nodded.

“Your dad was Sara’s brother. I don’t think she’s going to tell his ugly secret to a stranger.”

“I hope not.”

“I wonder—since he’s former police—if he knows anything more about Janet’s personal life. Where she came from, her family, that sort of thing.”

“How long ago was it that he talked to Everett?”

Jack nodded. “And what else did he tell that blabbermouth that Gage didn’t tell us? He certainly sugarcoated their stories at the memorial.”

“Oh yeah. When the teens told us, they were...”

“Insufferable,” Jack said.

“Right, but today they had a studied remorse.” She looked at him. “It was perceptive of Mr. Dakon to notice that no one was crying.”

“Except Gage. But then, his life as a reporter might be over. No wonder he was bawling.”

“Catalog writing! Pretty horrible fate. But if he could help break the White Lily case, it would all change.”

Jack was turning into the driveway. “I wonder where Janet got that bootie?”

“And where is it now?” Kate asked.

Jack pulled into the garage and turned off the engine. Sara’s MINI was in place and he’d seen that Dakon’s SUV was in her favorite spot to the side of the house. “Maybe we could be of some help in figuring out the answers.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Kate could feel a bit of excitement running through her. “It really is a mystery of who, why, how. Was Janet’s murder connected to an old kidnapping? What did Sylvia have to do with it?”

“If anything.”

Kate looked at him. “The photo!”

Jack smiled. “Ah yes. The man who got away.”

“The one who wanted his picture taken. Maybe Chet could find out who he is.”

“So, it’s gone from Mr. Dakon to Dakon and now it’s Chet?”

“You should tell about Kyle’s extreme jealousy since you understand it so well.”

He ignored her jab. “Megan left out the jealousy part in her oh-so-clean little speech, didn’t she?”

“Everyone left out all the juicy bits. In fact, no one told how truly nasty they’d been to Janet Beeson.”

“But she forgave them all.”

Kate opened the truck door. “I’m hungry. You hungry? Maybe Chet wants to eat. Maybe while we’re being chummy over green chili, we can ask him a few questions.”

“Are you saying we should suck up to this intruder who seems to be stealing our beloved Sara away from us?”

“Jack, you are reading my mind.” She got out and closed the door behind her.

Smiling, he grabbed the big bag of food and followed her into the house.

Inside, it wasn’t what they’d expected. Not that they’d discussed it, but Kate and Jack were surprised. The kitchen table was covered with unfurled rolls of plans of the houses Jack had remodeled.