Where Shadows Meet(24)

“Hello, Sarah,” Hannah said. She made an awkward move to embrace her friend, but Sarah stepped back with an alarmed expression and a quick glance at her children.

“You are all right?” Sarah asked, her gaze going past Hannah to the car. “Where is your husband?”

How did she explain it? Sarah would never understand. “We’re separated,” was all Hannah could manage.

Sarah’s already-wide eyes did a slow blink, and her mouth twisted into a frown. Angie got out of the other side of the car, and Sarah glanced at her. A formal smile froze on her face.

She wouldn’t be rude to a guest, Hannah knew. It might have been smarter than she realized to bring Angie. “Sarah, this is my, ah, good friend Angie Wang.” She’d nearly introduced Angie as her publicist. That wouldn’t have gone over well.

“Hello,” Sarah said in a forced tone. “Could I, um, get you some tea or coffee?”

The Amish prized hospitality. Since Angie wasn’t under the Meidung, she was welcomed, though Hannah was a pariah. The thought hurt.

“No, thank you. We stopped for coffee on the way,” Angie said. “Your kids are cute.”

Sarah’s distracted glance went to where the children still bounced on the trampoline. “Naomi and Sharon.” She looked back at Hannah. “Why are you here after all this time?”

Sarah wasn’t going to make it easy. Hannah would give anything for things to be the way they were ten years ago, before everything changed. “Is Luca home?”

“No, he’s on a trip to Indianapolis to sell some plants. He won’t be back until next Monday night.” Sarah bit her lip and looked as though she was about to cry. “You should go, Hannah, before the bishop knows you’re here.”

“I need some answers first,” Hannah said. She might as well make this quick. There was no welcome for her here. She reached into the car and grabbed the picture of the little girl off the seat. “I wonder if you know this little girl. Maybe you’ve seen her around the area? The picture was taken just down the road.”

Sarah frowned, but she took the picture and stared at it. “She has the look of my Hannah. She could almost be your daughter.” She gave Hannah a quick glance. “Who is this child?”

“I’m not sure.” Hannah longed to pour out the story. Once upon a time, Sarah would have listened to every heartache, cried with Hannah over every painful moment. Now they were like two strangers.

Sarah handed back the picture. “I’ve never seen her.”

Hannah pressed for an answer she wanted to hear. “You’ve never seen her around? She’s standing by the covered bridge down the road.”

“She’s a stranger. What is this about?”

Before she could answer, the sound of an engine and tires on gravel made Hannah turn. The bubble lights atop a blue SUV made her stomach dip. A familiar set of wide shoulders exited the driver’s side of the vehicle. She had no trouble putting a name to the tanned face under the hat. The firm lips and piercing blue eyes sometimes haunted her nightmares.

Detective Matt Beitler. After living with Reece, she thought of him as Matt now, though her husband’s former partner still terrified her. She forced herself to stand her ground when those eyes that noticed everything looked her way. If she hadn’t been so frightened, she might have laughed at the way his nostrils flared like those of a dog at a fresh scent. His lids came down into a squint that told her he hadn’t forgotten her any more than she’d been able to rid herself of memories of him. His gaze pinned her in place.

“Hannah Schwartz.” He drawled the words. “Where’s O’Connor? He took my favorite gun when he vanished.”

She remembered the gun. Reece probably still had it. “I have no idea,” she said. “We’ve been separated for five years.”

He raised his eyebrows at that, then shrugged. Another deputy got out of the passenger side, and Hannah caught a glimpse of a dog in the back of the SUV. She struggled to remember the dog’s name. Ajax. The other deputy was putting away his phone. He walked with a swagger that announced his importance. He probably was attractive to the ladies, with his young Elvis look.

Matt looked her over. “How long have you been back in town?” he asked.

“About ten minutes.”

“Where were you yesterday?”

She put out her hands, palms up. “What—I’m under suspicion already?”

His gaze sharpened. “How did you know we have another murder?”

“I—I didn’t,” she stammered. “I mean, you were acting suspicious of me. Isn’t there always some crime happening?”

“Not like this. And not in Parke County. This is Indiana, not Chicago.” His gaze dismissed her and went to Sarah. “Do you have a minute, Mrs. Schwartz?”

Sarah took a step back. “Luca isn’t here right now. He’s in Indianapolis. He won’t be back for another week.”

“I need to talk to you,” Matt said in a gentle voice.

When a man as hard and focused as Matt Beitler sounded sympathetic, something bad had happened. Hannah and Sarah exchanged frightened glances, and Sarah edged closer to Hannah. Hannah slipped her arm around Sarah, and her friend didn’t pull away this time.

“What’s wrong, Matt?” Hannah asked. She bit her lip when he frowned. Maybe he didn’t like her using his first name. Some people could be touchy about that.