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“Jeez! I know who he is! Is everyone related here?” Katrina asked.

“Just about.”

Katrina led her to the couch, where they sat holding hands, waiting for Alphé. The sound of his truck echoed through the house.

“I’ll let him in,” Katrina said.

Waiting at the door for him, she watched him get out of the truck, and for the first time since she’d been with him, he looked tired, and he looked old.Oh God, no. please protect him.She opened the door and walked down the walkway to meet him.

“Oh, Alphé, I’m so sorry.”

He leaned over to kiss her. “I smell like fish and went into church like this. I completely forgot about it until I saw one of my mother’s friends grimace and hold her hand under her nose.”

“Why was anyone even there tonight?”

“Lent. Praying for strength. Is Calista still here?”

“She is, Alphé. She’s scared to death this guy is going to come after her now.”

“Yeah, it’s a little late.”

He held the door for Katrina. Calista stood up.

“The children are in the kitchen,” she said, nodding to the closed door. “Alphé, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” He took a step toward her, seemingly to hug her, and glanced at Katrina, stopping himself.

“I know, but I feel responsible somehow,” Calista said.

“Alphé, go get cleaned up, and we can eat dinner,” Katrina said. “I want to call the sheriff, too.”

“Good idea,” he said, leaving for his bedroom.

“He’s mad, that’s clear,” Calista said after he left the room.

“Austin accused him of killing his brother. There is bound to be some unpleasant feelings to deal with.”

“I’ll get dinner on the table.”

While Katrina dialed the sheriff’s number, Calista had the children put their homework away so they could eat. “Your dad is home,” she said. “He had a rough day.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Pris asked.

“Something we call adult situational crisis.”

“Ugh, I think I’ve already had that,” Angela said, returning books to her backpack. “I’ll set the table.”

“Aw, thank you, sweetheart.”

While the family got dinner on the table, Katrina got in touch with Dave Chastain. When she heard his voice, she thought of him at Maggie’s Sunday afternoon. He was a bigger, clean-cut, younger version of Justin, and more than a little spectacular.

“Sheriff, this is Maggie Angel’s friend Katrina Blanchard.”

He didn’t speak right away. It was too good to be true if she was seeking him out.

“Hi. What can I do for you?”

“I’m a friend of Alphé Beaumont. His sister-in-law is dating Austin Macon, the guy who’s stirring the pot about Rodney Beaumont’s death.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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