Marta Perry - Murder in Plain Sight

“Why not? If you were old friends-”

“Cherry wouldn’t settle for a mechanic. She wanted better for herself.”

She raised her eyebrows. “How would an Amish farm kid fit into that?”

“He wouldn’t.” Chip’s face tightened and his hands clenched, but he didn’t make a move toward her. “No way Cherry would ever get serious about a kid like that. She might party with him, just for laughs, but that’s all. He got mad when she turned him down. He killed her.”

“We don’t know that. It could have been someone else.”

“He was the one was there,” Chip said stubbornly. It was unanswerable. It might also be the view a jury would take.

“Was she dating anyone else?”

“Hey, I didn’t follow her around. She didn’t tell me everything. She coulda been. Like I say, she wanted better. Always had. She wasn’t gonna end up living in a trailer, trying to feed six kids, like her mother did. That’s why she worked at the inn. Said she met a better class of guys there.”

“Anybody in particular?” Like the manager, for instance?

He half turned toward the car. “Don’t know. I got work to do. You want to know anything more about Cherry, you better ask someone else.” His head came up, and something malicious sparked in his eyes. “Ask Trey Morgan. Seems like you two are thick as thieves. Ask him.”

It was like a dash of cold water in her face. “Why would Trey Morgan know anything about Cherry?”

“Cherry always said he was her favorite customer. Used to go in there for lunch all the time, talked to her. Gave her big tips.” He turned his back entirely. “Maybe he wanted something in return, y’know?”

She didn’t know. But the sick feeling in her stomach said she’d have to find out.

GENEVA WAS INTENT ON getting everyone together to talk about the case that evening, as if they were a committee planning a new playground for the school. Jessica suppressed the impatience that roiled through her and took a chair in the conversational corner of Geneva’s pleasant living room. She’d have to get through this, and then she could make an opportunity to talk to Trey about Chip’s accusation.

Just the thought of how he might respond, let alone how she would bring it up, was enough to give her a queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Geneva had admitted to receiving a few unpleasant calls in the wake of her television appearance. That couldn’t help but make Trey even more resentful and less inclined to talk about his association with Cherry.

Maybe this council of war of Geneva’s was a good thing. It gave her a little more time to think, at any rate.

She glanced across at Trey. He was handing out coffee cups at Geneva’s direction, his expression as calm as ever, but she had the distinct impression of something under that placid surface-of strong emotion suppressed for the moment but ready to spring forth at the first excuse.

An excuse like a gesture of comfort turning into a kiss that had seared her heart. She backed away from that subject hurriedly.

Leo settled on the sofa next to Geneva, and Bobby perched on a straight chair he’d pulled over.

It was an unconventional group, that was certain. Jessica pulled a file from her briefcase. Back in the office, she might consult with another attorney, a legal assistant, maybe an investigator. Not a nearly retired lawyer, a crusading housewife and a…

She stopped there, unable to think how to classify Trey. Not a client, though she supposed the money that paid for the defense came from him, as well as his mother. Not an investigator, although he’d been playing that role. If Chip had been speaking the truth, Trey was withholding information. He-

Trey looked at her, as suddenly as if he’d read her thoughts. Her breath caught, and she slapped the folder onto the table with hands that weren’t quite steady. A sheet of paper slid out.

“What’s this?” Leo picked it up.

“A copy of one of the notes. Sorry.” She reached out for it. “I thought I should hang on to it.”

Leo nodded, sliding his glasses into place to look closely at the note. “Did you ever figure out what this is at the bottom?”

Trey came to lean over his shoulder. “A hex sign, very stylized. Mom did find one very similar in Dad’s collection.”

“Did he tell you anything about it?” Leo asked. “I don’t recall ever seeing one like this.”

Geneva shook her head. “I think he said someone gave it to him, but he didn’t say who.”

“You didn’t mention that when we were talking about the symbol.” What else are you keeping from me, Trey?

He shrugged, moving back to his chair. “I was distracted.” He met her gaze, as if to say that they both knew what had distracted him.

“Is the hex sign an Amish thing?” She put the question hurriedly, trying not to look at Trey but finding it impossible.

“Not Amish.” Leo answered for him. “I’d call the hex sign a Pennsylvania Dutch heritage symbol. Supposedly early settlers brought the idea with them from Germany. You’ll see the same symbols painted on furniture and carved into dower chests.” He turned back to the paper in his hand. “But this…” His frown deepened. “It reminds me of something, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

Bobby cleared his throat. “I was thinking…” His voice died out when everyone looked at him.

“Yes, Bobby?” Geneva said, her tone encouraging.

“Chip Fulton,” he said. “He works on my car, so it wouldn’t be hard to strike up a conversation with him about Cherry. I mean, if you want to follow up on him. He might say more to another guy than he would to you.” His eyes fixed on Jessica.

“That’s probably true.” She’d trust Bobby to be more tactful in that situation than Trey would be.

“I will, then.” He seemed to slide back as if into the wall, effacing himself. Maybe he felt awkward being drawn into this situation, but after all, he’d been involved from the beginning. The Morgan family clearly trusted him to be discreet.

“I’ll look into the symbol,” Leo said. “If that’s all right with everyone. Geneva, might I borrow the hex sign from Blake’s collection?”

“Of course. I’ll get it for you.” Geneva started to rise, but Jessica held up a hand to delay her.

“One other thing I thought you might help me with. I’d like to find an informal setting to talk with Elizabeth Esch, Thomas’s sister. I had a feeling she knew something she wasn’t willing to say in front of her parents.”

“I’d love to do that.” Geneva beamed at the idea of something useful. “I’ll tell her we’re making strawberry jam. We can do a lot of chatting over a batch of jam.”

Jessica half expected a protest from Trey at that, but none came. Maybe, after Geneva’s adventure with the television reporter, he’d given up trying to keep her out of Thomas’s defense.

“I need to speak with one of Cherry’s coworkers,” she said. “I’ll try to set that up for tomorrow.”

“I’ll drive you,” Trey said immediately.

“That’s not necessary.” Being alone in a car with Trey, the echo of Chip’s hints sounding between them…no, she didn’t want that. “I’m sure by tomorrow I’ll be able to drive myself.”

His jaw tightened. “I’ll drive you,” he repeated, in a voice that didn’t brook argument.

“Is there anything we’re missing?” Leo said, with an air of shoving himself between two combatants. “Geneva, have you had any more unpleasantness after your interview?” He sounded just as disapproving as Trey had, although not so hot under the collar.

Geneva’s cheeks grew pink. “Not what I’d call unpleasant. I mean, if people are childish enough to say they don’t want to serve on a committee with me because of my principles, I can’t help that.”