Page 74 of Veil of Silence

The thought brought the beginning of a smile, but it faded with the reminder that he would never get the chance to ask.

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

The conversations around the Loveless sisters continued, but their table went strangely quiet as Nora told Wren and Marlowe the rest.

She explained the trip to Southern Heritage Records, the SUV that had followed her and Austin, and the hymnal page left on the porch with calling, come, and home underlined. Then she told them how Christian had walked into the yard during the night as if answering the message.

By the time she finished, Wren had gone pale and Marlowe’s drink sat untouched in front of her.

“He was moving rocks?” Wren asked.

“One at a time, from one pile to another.” Nora swallowed. “And he said, ‘Sinner, come home.’”

Wren slowly lowered her cup to the table.

“He may have been dreaming,” Nora added. “Austin thinks it could be connected to something Christian experienced while he was gone.”

“Then maybe everyone needs to stop treating him like a suspect.” A new edge entered Marlowe’s voice.

Her youngest sister had always been fiercely protective of Christian. Lately, it felt as if Nora had to defend every question she asked and every concern she raised.

“No one questioned him last night.”

“I don’t only mean last night,” Marlowe shot back. “The FBI keeps questioning him. Donnelly was digging into the case again. Now Austin is here, and you’re watching every move Christian makes.”

Nora’s grip tightened around her mug. “A man is dead. Preston is missing. Someone followed us, and someone left a message at the house. I can’t pretend none of that is happening.”

“I’m not asking you to pretend.” Marlowe’s voice remained low, but hurt surfaced beneath it. “I’m asking you to stop deciding what the rest of us are allowed to know. Why did you wait so long to tell us this? Did you think we couldn’t handle it?”

The question landed hard because it was true.

Nora met Marlowe’s gaze, and she offered a somber nod. “You’re right. I do keep things from you.”

Marlowe blinked, clearly unprepared for the easy admission.

“I should have told you,” Nora continued. “I thought I was protecting you and Wren, but I should have told you.”

Wren reached across the table and rested a hand on Nora’s arm. “None of us knows how to do this.”

“No,” Marlowe said, her expression softening. “We really don’t.”

Nora covered Wren’s hand with hers, then looked at Marlowe. “I want Christian to be okay. But I also need to understand what’s happening.”

“So do I.” Marlowe pushed her cup aside and placed her hand over theirs. “Even if I don’t like where the answers lead.”

For a few seconds, the three of them sat that way, joined across the small table as the coffee shop moved noisily around them.

Then Wren glanced at the time. “We need to go.”

Nora withdrew her hand and reached for her coat. Outside, more volunteers were moving toward the church.

Somewhere beyond the square, Preston was still missing.

Whatever else the sisters disagreed about, they could search for him together.

Austin shoved his hands deeper into his jacket pockets and kept walking, looking for some decent coffee.