The Bones She Buried: A completely gripping, heart-stopping crime thriller(20)

She turned when the Fraley children and Grady shuffled back in. Laura’s cheeks were streaked with tears. One hand rested on top of her belly while the other clutched a crumpled tissue. Noah walked over to Josie and took her hand.

Theo looked at his phone. “People will probably start arriving soon. Better get in line.”

They took their places along the side of the room, with Theo closest to the casket, then Laura and Grady, and finally Josie and Noah. Laura blew her nose and then leaned forward, looking first in Theo’s direction and then in Noah’s. “Noah,” she said, her voice shaky and shrill. “Josie can sit over there.” She pointed to the rows of chairs lined up in front of Colette’s casket. For a moment, Josie felt heat rise to her cheeks, but so as not to cause any unnecessary drama, she started to move toward the chairs. Noah didn’t let go of her hand.

“Josie’s standing in the greeting line with me,” he told his sister.

Laura stepped out of the line and pushed past Grady to confront Noah. She poked a finger in the air in Josie’s direction. “You’re not married. She can’t be in the greeting line.”

Theo said, “Laura, really. Don’t be ridiculous.”

Laura shot him a caustic look. “Stay out of this, Theo. You barely qualify for the greeting line. When’s the last time you even spoke to Mom?”

“Laura, Jesus,” Grady said, reaching out to grip her arm. “Stop.”

“I will not,” she snapped. “This is my mother’s funeral.”

Noah said, “It’s my mother’s funeral, too and I’d like Josie to stand next to me to support me.”

Laura folded her arms over the top of her belly. “I don’t want her in the line.”

Josie felt both anger and embarrassment. Acerbic words bubbled on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them back.

Noah stood his ground. “I want her in the line.”

Josie saw a muscle in Laura’s jaw begin to throb and tried to pull her hand free from Noah’s. “It’s fine, Noah,” she murmured. “I’ll sit.”

He didn’t let go. With her free hand, Josie reached up and touched his cheek. “Really. It will be fine. I’ll sit right there—right across from you. If you need me, I’ll only be a few steps away.”

Under Laura’s glare, he slowly relented, his grip on her hand loosening. As Josie took the chair at the end of the nearest aisle, directly across from where Noah stood, Theo mouthed the word sorry at her. She managed a tight smile.

The four of them stood in line with erect posture and tight expressions, the tension among them palpable. It was almost a relief when the mourners started to arrive in a steady stream of faces Josie didn’t recognize. They were friends, neighbors and church members, from what Josie could gather by the small talk they made with the Fraley children after shaking hands, hugging and offering condolences. It was apparent from the long line of people that Colette had been well-loved and respected.

A hand squeezed Josie’s shoulder gently. She turned slightly to see Gretchen in the seat behind her, and a wave of relief washed over her. “Thanks for coming,” Josie said quietly.

“You’re not in the greeting line?” Gretchen asked.

Josie shook her head. “Don’t ask.”

Gretchen leaned in to speak into Josie’s ear. “I alibied these guys, by the way. Mettner had me do it over the phone. Theo was in a business meeting in Phoenix. His immediate supervisor was able to confirm that. Laura was heading up a job fair in Bethlehem. Several people were able to corroborate that. The Halls’ housekeeper confirmed that Grady was home all day working around the time Colette was murdered.”

“That’s good,” Josie said. “I didn’t think any of them had anything to do with her death, but I told Mettner to rule them out anyway.”

“Has their father shown up?” Gretchen asked. “Lance Fraley?”

“No. Laura said he wouldn’t come. Looks like she was right. Did you talk to him?”

“Not yet. I have a call out to him. Hey, who’s this silver fox?”

Josie looked up as a tall, robust man in his seventies with a thick head of striking white hair strode confidently toward the greeting line. He started with Noah and worked his way down, comforting each one of the Fraley children in turn, taking several minutes with each of them while the line of mourners backed up.

“I think that’s Zachary Sutton,” Josie said. “Colette’s old boss. Laura’s current boss.”

“So the boss comes to the funeral but not her ex-husband—the father of her children?” Gretchen asked.

Josie said nothing. She’d just had the same exact thought. However, she also knew how contentious divorces could be. She wasn’t sure that Lance Fraley’s absence was that much of a red flag.

Once the line thinned out, Gretchen stood and made her way over to the Fraley children to offer her condolences. Josie noticed several members of Denton PD filing in, including Chief Chitwood. By the time the viewing period was over, it was standing-room only. The warmth of so many bodies combined with collective sadness made what little air was left in the room heavy and cloying. Josie took off the bolero sweater she’d worn over her black sheath dress and shifted her dark hair on her shoulders, trying to cool off. Several people spoke about what a kind and generous person Colette was; how devoted she had been to her children and the church. Then Theo gave a rousing eulogy, and when Josie looked around toward the end of his speech she saw that most attendees were quietly crying.