Colleen Coble (20 page)

“I have been. I want justice for Ben. And for Gina.” She lifted her head and stared up at him. “Have you looked for her log-in information?”

He forced himself not to look at her lips, only inches away. “Not yet. I’m going to go over her laptop and see what I can find.”

“Maybe we can check it after Tom leaves?”

“Good idea.” Plus, it would allow him to spend more time with her. He guided her onto the fallen log but left his arm around her as they sat in the warm spring sunshine. “I hate seeing you upset. Let’s think about something else while we’re waiting.”

She pressed her lips together. “I’m all right. It was just a shock.” She smiled but it was forced. “What else do you want to do? Help me gather wildflowers? Some of them are very good in tinctures.”

“Tinctures? What is that? Some kind of drink?”

She laughed. “Sort of, but I doubt you’d like the taste of most of them. They’re herbal remedies. I like natural medicine. Give the body the right nutrition and it heals itself. It’s amazing the way God designed us.”

He liked seeing her eyes light up. “Such as?”

She pointed out a woody vine with white flowers. “Take the passion flower. It’s great for anxiety and insomnia. It can even be helpful with seizures. Barberry is great for skin ailments, even scurvy. And bitter orange helps with nausea.”

He leaned in closer. “What about a love potion?”

She laughed, then her expression went somber. “I don’t think you need any assistance.”

His throat tightened at her words and the expression in her eyes. “You think I’d have a chance with a really beautiful new resident who doesn’t know me all that well? Maybe I could slip her a potion, and she’d look a little more favorably on me.”

“It doesn’t take long for someone to see your qualities. Anyone who has caught your eye is a very lucky woman.”

Her eyes fluttered closed, and she leaned in close enough for him to smell the minty freshness of her breath. He pulled her
closer and his lips just brushed hers. Then a man hollered for them in the distance.

“Tom’s here,” he whispered. “But we’ll resume this conversation at a later date.”

T
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E
dith expertly taped the disposable diaper into place, then released the squirming toddler. “So Tom will let you know if he finds any fingerprints?”

“Or anything else.” Amy held out her arms, hoping Raine would run into them, but the little girl giggled and ran for her Uncle Curtis.

“Dude!” she squealed, throwing herself against him.

Smart baby. That’s where Amy wanted to be too, and the realization was uncomfortable. Sheldon thought Amy wanted him, and the terrier launched himself into her lap and licked her chin. She took solace in being wanted and rubbed the dog’s head. He wiggled all over with delight.

Curtis picked up his niece, then sat on the sofa with his feet on the coffee table. His lids drooped, and there were dark circles under his eyes. “We need to go through Gina’s things. I checked her laptop, but there’s nothing in her history about logging in to a bank account.”

Edith wiped her hands with a towelette. “It’s all in the spare room. Most of it’s in her cedar chest, but there are some boxes in the closet too.”

“You didn’t go through it, did you?” Curtis asked. “I thought
you said you just packed it away until you had the heart to look through it.” Raine grabbed a fistful of his hair and tugged.

Edith nodded. “That’s exactly right. I threw her things into boxes and got rid of the furniture. All except for her chest and bed.” She lifted little Raine from his arms. “Time for your nap, young lady.”

The child cried, reaching out her hands for Curtis. When he shook his head, she turned to Amy and clenched and unclenched her hands. “Mom.”

Amy couldn’t resist. Edith didn’t stop her when she took the baby from her arms. As she nuzzled the little one’s soft skin, she caught a tender expression flitting across Curtis’s face. She averted her gaze and began to softly sing “Amazing Grace” to Raine. The child sagged against her, and her head drooped. Amy swayed where she stood, and it was only minutes until Raine’s breathing deepened.

“You have the touch,” Edith said approvingly.

If only Edith knew how she longed to hug this baby tight and never let go. Raine would be the recipient of all the love stored up inside Amy’s heart. “Could you show me her bedroom?”

Edith studied her expression, then nodded. “This way.”

Amy followed her down the hall to the first room on the right. It was painted Cinderella pink and was charmingly furnished with white furniture and a block rug in pinks and lavenders. Edith lowered the side of the crib, and Amy laid Raine onto the pale pink sheet. The rail squeaked a bit as she raised it, but the little girl didn’t stir.

Edith turned on the baby monitor and carried it out of the room with her. “She’ll sleep a couple of hours. You two will have plenty of time to look through the spare room. If you don’t mind, I’ll run to the grocery store while she’s napping.”

“Of course.” Amy took the baby monitor as Curtis joined them. “Where is the room?”

“Here.” He stepped across the hall and pushed open the door to reveal a large bedroom painted in pale cream. A sleek black bed dominated the room. There was a cedar chest at the foot of it. “She loved that chest. Ben gave it to her.”

“Looks Amish.”

“It is.”

“Call me if you need me.” Edith walked away without waiting for an answer. Moments later the door to the garage closed.

Amy glanced around the room. “Where should we start?”

Tension radiated from Curtis. “The chest, I guess. It’s hard to think about all the hopes she had packed into that chest.”

She touched his arm. “I know this won’t be easy. Would you rather I do it alone?”

The muscle in his jaw flexed. “I can do it.”

A wave of protectiveness washed over her, and she wished she could hold him and soothe his pain. Instead, she cleared her throat and went to kneel by the cedar chest. “This is beautiful.” The wood was smooth under her fingertips as she caressed it. She released the latch and raised the lid. A rush of aromatic cedar wafted into the air. “Oh, it smells wonderful.”

There was a white silky garment on top. “Is this a wedding dress?” She lifted it out and saw the intricate beadwork. “It’s lovely. Was it Gina’s?”

“I didn’t know she had it.” Curtis’s voice was strangled. “Her hope was always that Ben would marry her.”

A week ago she would have bristled at the condemnation in his voice. Instead, she ducked her head and bent to her task. With the gown in her hands, she rose and shook it out, then laid it on the bed before returning to her perusal of the trunk’s contents. The rest of the contents were paraphernalia like Raine’s baby book, candles, classic Jane Austen books, a silver serving tray, stainless tableware, a blue-and-white teapot with matching teacups, and a set of nice dishes.

Some of the things seemed to be items that a woman about to be married would be compiling, and the realization brought tears to Amy’s eyes. Poor Gina. And her pain was Ben’s fault. If only Amy knew
why
Ben hadn’t married Gina. Surely there was a reason.

One by one, she lifted the items from the chest until it was empty. She sat back on her haunches. “There doesn’t seem to be anything here with bank information. No notebook or anything like that.” It took less time to repack the chest than it did to empty it. She rose and picked up the gown again.

Out of curiosity, she glanced at the label. “This is a Vera Wang.”

Curtis looked confused. “What does that mean?”

“It would have cost her the earth. Probably at least twenty-five thousand dollars!”

His brows rose. “You’re kidding. Where would she have gotten that kind of money?”

“Maybe this is where some of that money went. We should hang this up.” She shook it out again, and something fell onto the floor.

Curtis swooped down to seize it. “It’s a journal. Maybe it will have some information in it.”

Amy wasn’t sure she wanted to know everything. She didn’t want to see Curtis’s disappointment in finding out more about Gina’s activities.

Raine was still sleeping, and the house was quiet as they sat on the sofa. Curtis held the journal in his hands and tried to get the courage to open it. He was no coward, but he dreaded finding out something about Gina he would be happier not knowing. What if she’d been selling drugs or stealing? A thousand possibilities raced through his head.

Amy touched his hand. “Want me to read it?”

He shook his head. “I want to do it.” He flexed the pages back and turned to the first page. The pastor’s name was on the first line, followed by the words
STUDY TIME
. Then Libby’s name was listed with the words
DUE DATE APRIL 19
. “I think it’s a prayer journal.”

He flipped to the next page and saw she’d written out prayers. She prayed for his safety, for Raine to grow up to be a godly woman. His eyes burned at the evidence that his sister took her faith seriously. Whatever she’d been caught up in, he was ready to bet that it had been inadvertent. She’d changed so dramatically after she became pregnant with Raine.

Amy’s shoulder brushed his as she leaned closer to read the journal. “She loved you very much. And Raine.” Her voice was choked.

“Gina had a lot of love in her. It wasn’t always channeled in the best way. I’m not saying she didn’t do something wrong that got her killed, but I’m sure where she is now.” He started to close the journal, then stopped. “I guess we’d better read all of this. There might be a clue in what she prayed for.”

“These are dated. Maybe start at the back?” Amy suggested.

He slipped to the back cover and found the last pages blank, so he fanned through them to find the last entries. “This one is two days before her death.”

Amy leaned close again. “Mind if I read it with you?”

He moved the journal so it was half on his lap and half on hers. “You might pick up some clue I miss.”

Dear Lord, I’m so afraid that Ben and I are in too deep. I should never have let myself get into this situation. Ben’s arguments made sense at first—oh, who am I trying to kid? You know all things. You know I went into it with my eyes open. You warned
us that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils. It’s true. It’s so true. And so is vanity. I have tried to be truthful and honest, but I let my desire for Raine’s future security sway what I knew was right.

I’ve been such a hypocrite. Help me make this right somehow, God. Maybe the truth needs to come out. In fact, I’m sure it does. I’m going to tell the truth. Protect us all, God.

“Wow,” Amy said, her voice soft. “What could she be talking about?”

“I have a terrible feeling that it might be drugs.” Curtis told her about Josh seeing Gina on Ocean Street.

She scooted away from him. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“There was no proof, and I really didn’t believe it. But it’s clear she did something she knew was wrong because of money. And where else would she have gotten that kind of money?”

Her hands balled into fists. “You think Ben got her involved, don’t you?”

“I don’t think she would get into something like that on her own,” he countered. “I’m sure you don’t think your precious brother would do anything wrong, but unlike you, I try not to look at her through rose-colored glasses. Everyone has good and bad in them. Even Ben.”

“Ben was a good man!” she fired back. She jumped to her feet. “I’d better go. Tell Edith I’m sorry I couldn’t stay.” She rushed toward the door.

Curtis started to go after her, then heard Raine cry out for him on the monitor. What could he say to Amy anyway? Until she was ready to look at her brother clearly, they were at an impasse.

T
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A
my spent the next two days finishing preparations for setting up her clinic. Dr. Hollensby called and agreed to supervise her, so she was fully legal. She’d already received several calls from pregnant women who were eager to have her help them deliver, but she’d put them off. After such a busy time, she quickly agreed to meet Libby for lunch at the Oyster Café.

Libby was already seated under a red-and-white umbrella on the brick patio when Amy arrived. Noah slept in his carrier with his thumb corked in his mouth.

“I love to see a baby sucking his thumb,” Amy said after she hugged Libby and settled into her chair.

Libby grimaced. “I’m not going to be excited about the orthodontic bills, but it makes for a happy baby. He hasn’t even been getting up in the night.”

“No wonder you look so rested.” Amy picked up the menu.

Libby playfully smacked it out of her hand. “Oh no you don’t. I want to hear about the car bombing. Curtis told Alec about it at work. You should have called to tell me about it.”

“I didn’t want to worry you. We’re fine. Neither of us even got a scratch.”

“But someone tried to
kill
you, Amy!”

Amy’s heart faltered, but she managed a confident smile. “We
don’t know that for sure. Maybe Curtis was the target or it was a random act.”