Part 44 (2/2)
”Yes, of course.”
”Thank you.”
When she hung up, Cathy turned to Lorie. ”That was strange. John Earl's secretary said that he wants to see me ASAP to talk to me about Felicity and Seth.”
”That is strange. What could be so urgent that he needs to see you right away?”
”I don't know. She just said that there's a problem involving Seth and Felicity. I can't imagine what it could be. I just hope Seth hasn't done something stupid because he's angry with me.”
”Why don't you go on over there and talk to John Earl now. I'm sure whatever it is, he's already dealing with it. Felicity's a handful, but she's basically a good kid.” Lorie laughed. ”Actually, she reminds me of myself at that age. I was always doing something I shouldn't, always s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up. But my folks weren't as understanding and supportive as John Earl and Ruth Ann. If they had been...”
”I'll try not to be long,” Cathy said. ”But if for any reason I can't make it back here to Treasures this afternoon, I'll call you.”
”Don't worry about it. I can hold down the fort. Just go find out what's going on with Seth and Felicity.”
”Give me my purse, will you.” Cathy held out her hand. ”It's under the counter beside yours.”
Lorie pulled out the small leather clutch and handed it to Cathy. ”And remember to cut Seth some slack. He's going through a pretty rough patch right now. If he's done something he shouldn't have, point out to him that everyone makes mistakes and forgiveness works both ways.”
Cathy groaned. ”All things considered, I guess I can overlook almost anything he's done.”
Seth glanced at Missy, who clutched the steering wheel with both hands and glued her gaze to the rearview mirror as she backed her car out of the parking lot on Main Street.
”I haven't driven anywhere since my father died,” Missy said. ”I'm sort of nervous.”
”We could have walked to Treasures,” Seth told her. ”Or if you want me to, I can drive. I've got my permit. I'll be sixteen next month.”
”It's okay. We'll get there a lot quicker if we drive instead of walk, and it's important that we talk to your mother as soon as possible. If we're right about Felicity...”
”Maybe we're wrong. Maybe I've jumped to conclusions. Just because she's weird and was talking trash about killing her dad doesn't mean she's the Fire and Brimstone Killer.”
”You're right, it doesn't. But what if she is and we don't tell anybody and she actually kills her father?”
”I keep going over the facts,” Seth said. ”Whoever killed my dad and yours and the other clergymen had it in for men of G.o.d, right? And this person has to be all screwed up in the head. Also, the killer has to have access to a car and has to know how to drive. And don't forget that whoever planted your locket at the last crime scene had to be someone who had access to it, which means somebody in the Harper household. Whoever did that doesn't like you, otherwise she wouldn't have tried to frame you. All the evidence adds up to Felicity.”
Missy s.h.i.+vered. Her whole body rippled with tremors. ”Maybe not. What if it's someone else in the Harper house?”
”Like who?”
”Mrs. Long, maybe. She's a strange old woman, and it's obvious she doesn't like me.”
”But does she hate preachers for any reason?” Seth asked. ”I'd think she might have a fondness for them since her son-in-law is a minister, and so was her husband.”
Missy slammed on the brakes so quickly that if he hadn't been wearing a seat belt, Seth would have gone sailing through the winds.h.i.+eld.
”What the heck?”
”Oh, Seth, it could be Mrs. Long or...No, no, I won't believe it's her.”
”Who? Mrs. Long?” Seth asked, but Missy shook her head. ”Why did you stop in the middle of the street? If another car comes along, we could get hit from behind.”
Missy nodded, took her foot off the brake, gave the car enough gas to propel it forward and then she glanced at Seth. If I tell you a secret, will you swear to me that you won't tell another living soul?”
”Yeah, sure. What is it?” Seth watched the play of odd emotions crossing Missy's face. Whatever she was going to tell him must be pretty horrific.
”Swear to me. Say the words.”
”I swear I'll never tell.”
”Ruth Ann's father did to her what my father did to me. He raped her from the time she was a little girl until the day he died. That's why she took me in, why she's been trying to help me.”
”s.h.i.+t! That means Mrs. Harper must have hated her father and could hate all ministers.”
”It gives her a motive,” Missy agreed. ”But it also gives Mrs. Long a motive. She must hate what her husband did and probably hates herself for not being able to stop him.”
”So you think she's stopping other ministers from doing bad things?” Seth asked. ”But my dad was one of the good guys. Why would anyone kill him?”
”I don't know. All I know is that someone in the Harper house could be the Fire and Brimstone Killer. I just don't know who. It could be Felicity or Ruth Ann or-”
”Turn off here and hit the alley behind the street,” Seth told her. ”Treasures has a parking area in back.”
Missy turned off North Main and quickly made a right into the alley. She pulled her car into an empty slot at the back of the Treasures building, and she and Seth got out and hurried to the back door. Finding the door locked, Seth banged on it with his fist. Finally, Lorie opened the door and stared at them, obviously startled by their unexpected appearance.
”What's going on?” Lorie asked.
”I need to speak to my mother right away,” Seth said.
”She's not here,” Lorie told him.
”Where is she?”
”She got a call from John Earl's secretary. Something about a problem with you and Felicity, some trouble y'all had gotten into,” Lorie said. ”She left a few minutes ago to go over to the Baptist church and talk to him.”
Seth's gaze met Missy's and he knew she was thinking what he was-that something was wrong, bad wrong.
”Somebody lied to Mom,” Seth said. ”Felicity and I haven't gotten into any trouble. There's no reason Reverend Harper would need to talk to my mother about me. And his secretary isn't at the church. She went home for the afternoon.”
”You two come on in.” Lorie held open the back door. ”Tell me what's going on. I can see that you're both scared spitless.”
Seth allowed Missy to enter first, and then he followed her and waited for Lorie to close and lock the back door. Standing in the narrow hallway that separated the bathroom and the storeroom, Seth gave Lorie a condensed version of his and Missy's theory.
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