Bernadette waited for more before she started speaking again. “Emmy, I know you’re running for sheriff because it’s what your daddy wanted, but I’m gonna tell you this as one woman politician to another. Our constituents are unforgiving babies. You gotta work twice as hard for half the credit, and then you gotta show up the next day and work twice as hard again.”
Emmy suppressed an eye roll becauseduh, but she took the opening. “I wondered if you could help me with some fundraising for my campaign.”
“Well—” Bernadette was thrown. “You know you’ve got my support, but I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to publicly take sides. All donations are searchable on the state database.”
“Do you know some other people who might be interested in helping?”
Bernadette gave an indulgent sigh. “I guess start calling your cousins. They own the auto parts factory and half the land in the county. I’m sure they’d be happy to help.”
“What about Ezekial Gilchrist?”
Bernadette didn’t have a quick response this time. “Now, Mr. Gilchrist is an interesting person. I had the honor of his support in my last campaign.”
Emmy asked, “The runoff, too?”
She didn’t answer the question, but it was clear that the tone of the call had shifted. “I’ve known Mr. Gilchrist nearly half my life. He’s always been a champion. I was a juror on his wife’s murder trial back in oh-two. Obviously, we didn’t know each other when the trial was going on. Sitting in that jury box is what got me interested in the law. I saw how important it is for good people to make sure the system is working.”
Emmy felt a smile tugging at her lips. Bernadette was trying to control the narrative. “What was the trial about?”
“I’m sure you remember, Emmy. It was a big deal at the time. Evelyn Gilchrist was murdered.”
“Oh, yeah. Neil Delano was found guilty, right?”
“Right.”
“Then he was murdered in prison.”
“Was he?”
Emmy could practically hear her sweating through the phone.
Bernadette said, “After the trial, Mr. Gilchrist reached out to thank me. We prayed together for his wife’s soul. He’s a godly man.”
“Did he pray with all the jurors, or just you?”
“I wouldn’t know. You’d have to ask them.”
“Do you remember their names?”
“I can’t recall,” Bernadette said, because she knew it was illegal to lie to a police officer. “That was some time ago, Emmy. Why are you asking about this? Bill’s out there acting like he’s a victim. Poor Mandy might not even make it.”
“Maybe I could ask Mr. Gilchrist if he remembers any other jurors. Can you set up a meeting for us? I know you’re the outside counsel for Evelyn’s trust.”
Bernadette grunted exactly the same way Reggie had. She knew the gloves were off. “Let’s see how the election goes next month, Emmy. No point in anybody talking to you if you’re not gonna be sheriff anymore.”
Emmy set the phone down on the basin counter. She wondered if Bernadette was calling Ezekial Gilchrist right now or driving over to his house so there was no record of the call.
Jude opened the bathroom door. “Hey, how’s it going?”
Emmy looked up from her phone. Jude hadn’t closed the door. She seemed different, more guarded, less eager to jump into a conversation. Something had changed again. Emmy could feel it on her skin, like a kind of electricity in the air when a storm is about to break open.
She asked, “What happened?”
“Nothing.” Jude gave a dismissive shrug, which was also odd, because she wasn’t usually the dismissive shrugger in the family. “Cole’s taking Ginny home. I gave the names of the otherjurors to one of your deputies to look up. There were two men and one woman, but also an alternate who didn’t go into deliberations. She might remember something.”
Emmy couldn’t delve into her sister’s sudden onset changeability right now. She motioned for Jude to close the door. There was a reason Emmy had made the phone call to Bernadette in the only place in the station she could be alone. Julian and Levi were being less defiant, but they were still Brett’s guys. She didn’t want Reggie finding out what Hellbitch was up to.
She asked, “What are the names?”
