Sandpiper Way (Cedar Cove #8)(100)

His wife closed her eyes. “I wish you watched Law & Order more often. Then you’d know what I’m talking about.”

He didn’t have time for television. “You’re overreacting. If I was in New York City, yes, I’d pay for legal representation, but this is Cedar Cover and the sheriff is a friend.”

Emily considered that for a moment, then said, “I’m afraid Sheriff Davis won’t be your friend once he looks at the accumulated evidence.”

Dave sighed. From the outside, it looked as if he was indeed the guilty party. He couldn’t even explain most of the so-called evidence stacked against him. He didn’t have any idea how those diamond earrings had found their way into his suit pocket.

He couldn’t explain why the letter he’d seen with his own eyes had never made it into Martha’s last will and testament.

He decided to take Emily’s advice.

“I’ll call Roy,” Dave said. He trusted Sheriff Davis, but it wouldn’t hurt to have someone on his side. Dave hated the thought of having to defend himself. He was an honest man. But no one was above suspicion. Including a pastor.

Emily folded her hands prayerfully. “Thank God you’re willing to have Roy there.”

Dave tried to be optimistic. However, if he was arrested and charged, Emily would never be able to manage financially. Within a few weeks they’d be hopelessly behind on their bills. The house would go into foreclosure, and his wife and sons would have to move in with her parents. What a mess all their lives would be.

Dave couldn’t allow his mind to wander down such dangerous paths. Still, it remained a possibility. He could very well be arrested.

He turned to the phone again and dialed Roy’s number. Emily watched him closely. A minute later he hung up.

“Well?” his wife asked anxiously.

“I spoke with Corrie. She said Roy’s already down at the sheriff’s office and it would be a good idea if we left now.”

Her face pale, Emily nodded. “I’ll get my coat.”

Suddenly uncertain, Dave wrung his hands. “I think I’d prefer to wait,” he said.

“Wait?” Emily exploded. “For what? To be arrested?”

“I’d like to put this off until after Christmas.”

“Dave, be realistic,” she pleaded. “We can’t have this hanging over our heads through the holidays. You don’t believe putting this off, even for an hour, is going to help, do you?”

“What about the Christmas Eve services at church?” Would Sheriff Davis let him out of jail to conduct a religious service? It didn’t make sense, no matter how many promises he made to come back at midnight.

“Roy’s with the sheriff. He’ll protect you.”

His wife held the private investigator in high regard. Dave knew that Roy would do what he could, but wouldn’t stand in the way of the law. If Sheriff Davis felt he had no choice but to make an arrest, nothing Roy said was going to change his mind.

Then again, his wife had a point. The weight of all this had nearly buried him; he wasn’t sleeping well, his appetite was gone and his nerves were stretched to the breaking point. He had to be willing to trust that God would see him through, regardless of the outcome. This was without a doubt the biggest leap of faith he’d made since accepting his call to the ministry.

“Let’s go,” he whispered, inhaling a deep, fortifying breath.

Neither of them spoke on the drive downtown. It seemed that everything had already been said. They were about to confront whatever needed to be confronted. Together.

Fifteen minutes later, Dave and Emily walked hand in hand into the sheriff’s office. Phones rang, uniformed men and women scurried about, and there was an atmosphere that was both controlled and frenetic.

Dave introduced himself to the receptionist, who apparently recognized him.

“I’ll tell Sheriff Davis you’re here.”

“Thank you,” Emily said.

His wife’s hand tightened around Dave’s. “Geoff Duncan’s here, too,” she whispered.

They both knew why. He was there to explain that the letter Emily had asked to see wasn’t in the file the way Dave had claimed it would be.

“He didn’t show up for either of the counseling sessions I scheduled,” Dave whispered back. The second cancellation had been a blessing in disguise. The stable for the live Nativity had to be rebuilt after the donkey had kicked the side wall and the entire structure collapsed.

Dave and several volunteers had spent a couple of hours repairing it. Later that afternoon, he’d been on the phone for a solid hour seeking a replacement donkey—one with a gentler nature. He couldn’t have made the counseling session even if Geoff and his fiancée had shown up.

Allan Harris arrived, looking harried and impatient. He frowned at Dave, then moved across the waiting area to his legal assistant. “Do you know what this is about?” he demanded.

Geoff seemed to be ignoring them and under the circumstances Dave couldn’t complain.

“You were called here, too?” Emily asked.

Allan set his briefcase down and methodically removed his leather gloves, one finger at a time. “Yes. I’ve got appointments I’ve had to reschedule. And without Geoff to answer the phone, I had to close the office.”

Dave was about to mention that this wasn’t exactly convenient for him, either. He chose to keep the comment to himself and felt certain God would reward him.