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“Busy. I’m sending some information from Janey’s sister over with my dad. Do you think one of your group members could verify her alibi? I haven’t been able to reach the guy she says she was with during the time Janey was killed.”
“Sure. But why?”
Drew sighed. “It’s a day spa, and he’s her hairdresser. His name is Roger Kamp. I was wondering if you could go visit the spa to make sure she was there. I know the last time I sent you into a spa, you were nearly killed, but I’m sure this one’s on the up and up. Mom used to go to the same place, and I think so did Sam.”
“So you’d call Sam, but she doesn’t want to talk to you right now. And now that the killer seems to be after me, I might have some vested interest?”
He paused. “Something like that. Is Archer still there, or did you run him off?”
“Hey now, he actually likes me. Did you want to talk to him?” I looked over, and Archer was putting his omelet on a plate.
“No, I just wanted to make sure you weren’t alone. I mean, that you and Killer weren’t alone. You know I love that dog,” Drew teased her. “Dad’s on his way over now. I know you feel like this is overkill, but I don’t want anything to happento you, okay?”
“Drew knows best.” But Rarity smiled when she said it. “Look, I’ve got to get busy. If you talk to Sam, tell her to call me. I’m getting worried.”
“I know, Rarity. So am I.” Drew sighed. “TellArcher thanks.”
“I will.” Rarity hung up the phone and relayed Drew’s message. “He’s asking me to get involved. That’s when I know he’s conflicted on a case. And I know Marcus isn’t getting out of his focusanytime soon.”
“If you were to guess right now who killed Janey, do you have an answer?” Archer took his omelet over to the table with a fullcup of coffee.
She thought about his question. “No. And that worries me. I have plenty of people I think might have. Marcus, Janey’s sister, that creepy lawyer. But if I was under oath, I couldn’t say yes or no to any of them.”
Maybe talking with the sleuthers’ club would help narrow down at least one suspect that might also be the one sending her a fake finger with a warning she wasbusy ignoring.
* * * *
Sunday’s meeting went off without a hitch, but no one had added an additional suspect to the list. Everyone gave their report and updated their books. Then they got ready to eat. Sam didn’t come to the meeting.
Shirley came into the kitchen to help pull out plates and bowls. “We could have used paper. That way you wouldn’t haveto do dishes.”
“I like doing dishes. It helps me think.” Rarity pulled out silverware and napkins. “Okay, guys, everything’s out. Come grab some food.”
The line started, but Rarity stayed on the edge, watching her friends. She dug her phone out of her pocket and called Sam, again. When she got her voice mail, again, she left a message. “Hey, just letting you know we’re eating now if you’re hungry I’m worried about you.”
She put her phone on the foyer table by her purse, just in case Sam actually called. Then Shirley handed her a plate. “I was waiting for everyone to get through the line.”
“And they have. So come on, fill your plate. I know you’re worried about Sam, but not eating doesn’t solve anything. Of course, I’ve never tried the technique, but you know what I mean.” Shirley put an arm around Rarity, and they walked together back to the kitchen. “Oh, I heard your Saturday book club went amazing. All the parents at my church loved Caleb, by the way. I think he’s going to be a keeper.”
“Me too.” Rarity started to fill her plate, and her stomach growled at the smells. Okay, so she was hungry. She sat down at the table next to Jonathon. “Hey, I hope you’re being paid market rate to bemy babysitter.”
“Not a babysitter. Drew’s just concerned about the special delivery you got earlier. Someone knows we’re looking into this murder, and they think if they scare you, we’ll stop looking.” Jonathon took a bite of the chicken. “It’s just the game. This killer has to be someone who wants to stay around in the area and not be caught. So it rules out any random tourists or drive-through suspects.”
“Does it?” Rarity liked hearing Jonathon’s logic, since he’d been with the police for years. He was their logical, systematic voice to the group. “But if it was a local, wouldn’t they know my house versus Terrance’s?”
Jonathon ate some of Shirley’s scalloped potatoes, then went back for a second bite before answering. “Honestly, you’re right. There is that little hiccup in my analysis. But it could have been a local who wanted to delay you finding the box. So they put it on Terrance’s porch, knowing he was out of town and he’dget it to you.”
“Okay, I’m following your logic. But why did they want to delay the package? What were they waiting for? The funeral?”
Jonathon set down his fork. “Sometimes killers don’t make sense. They get something in their heads, and they just do it. You’re assuming we’re working with a logical or evenrational mind.”
“The world’s crazy, and this is just one more bizarre act?” Rarity shook her head. “I can’t leave it at that. I need to know who killed Janey. She was on my watch. I brought her to Sedona to work. I invited her to the party where she met Marcus. If this is him, or about him, I started that chain reaction in motion.”
“So if it was about Janey and Marcus, without us thinking Marcus did it, who else would care?”
Rarity sipped her water. “Someone who wanted Janey to his or herself. If Marcus was seen as the disruptor, maybe someone followed her to the quarry, and when Marcus left, they fought, and Janey was killed.”
“It’s a short window. Marcus left and ran into the hiker on the trail. Then the hiker found her body, what, thirty minutes later?” Jonathon stood and grabbed another piece of chicken and put it on his plate. “I know Sam’s not going to like this, but my money’s still on Marcus. And I think Drew’s thinking the same thing.”
