does that have to do with death or LaNelle?”
“Nothing. I just think it’s fun.” Celeste smiled beatifically when Sarah burst into laughter. “Now, let’s stitch for a bit, shall we?”
They picked up their needles, scissors, and rulers and went to work. Eventually the women who had known LaNelle the best began to share stories about their friend, and, in doing so, offered one another comfort.
At the end of the evening, Savannah and Sage walked home together. It was a beautiful summer evening, cool and clear with a slight breeze perfumed by the flowers that lined the streets. Savannah felt better than she had in days. Well, actually, two weeks. “That was nice. It was almost as if … well …”
“Broken hearts healed a little?” Sage asked.
“Well, yes.”
“That’s Celeste’s specialty. And speaking of such things …” Sage’s eyes sparkled. “Did you happen to notice who didn’t fully participate in the champagne toast to end the evening?”
Savannah nodded. “Actually, I did.”
“I think somebody might be expecting.”
“I wondered about that myself.”
“For a minute there, I thought we might get an announcement.” Sage glanced up at the starry sky and sighed, “If it’s true … oh, Savannah … joy will fill my heart to overflowing. Racer is going to need playmates his own age.”
Savannah grinned. “You’re calling him Racer, too?”
“Did I do that?” Sage winced. “Curse that husband of mine.”
“Well, I hope there’s something to it.” They crossed the footbridge over Angel Creek and Savannah added, “It feels fitting to me. Death and life. I’ve had enough death for a while. I’d really enjoy some life.”
Sage gave her a sidelong glance. “Then why did you dump Zach?”
“I didn’t dump Zach!” Savannah stopped abruptly. She hadn’t dumped him. She’d just … rejected his love. “Why is everyone saying that? Did he say something?”
“Zach hasn’t said squat to anyone as far as I know. That’s what we’ve speculated. He seems to be kinda cranky.”
“That’s because he’s trying to find who’s responsible for the death of our friend,” Savannah fired back. Immediately she regretted it. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be Debbie Downer. I just don’t want to talk about Zach.”
Sage slipped her arm through hers. “Okay. Just let me say one thing. He is a good man.”
“He’s definitely a man.” She deliberately changed the subject. If one more person told her how good Zach was, she would scream. I know he’s good. He’s Sheriff Andy. “I didn’t have a chance to talk to Colt today, and I wanted to thank him for sticking up for TJ at the pub last night.”
“Heard about that, did you?”
“First thing this morning.”
“I heard Gabi Romano has knocked on the door of half the residences in town asking questions. The sooner they can find who stole that sign, the better for everyone.”
They’d reached the intersection of Cottonwood and Fourth, and they waited for a pickup to pass before stepping out into the street. “I asked TJ if he knew anything about it,” she confessed. “Not that I thought he did it. Despite his attitude, TJ is a smart kid.”
She reconsidered that observation when she entered her kitchen a few minutes later to find the bread, peanut butter, jelly, and chips spread across the countertop, and the slow cooker filled with beef stew she’d made early that morning untouched.
“The least he could do is clean up after himself,” she muttered before walking to the base of the stairs. In a loud voice filled with frustration she called, “TJ Moore, you come down here right now!”
The call came in while Zach met with his deputies to go over the day’s events. Ginger knocked on his office door and said, “Sheriff, I think you should take this.”
“All right.” He picked up the receiver and punched the button of the line that was blinking. “Sheriff Turner here.”
The voice was little more than a whisper, disguised—a towel over the receiver, if he had his guess—but he could tell it was a young person. Boy or girl, he wasn’t certain.
The two short sentences sent his stomach plunging. The line disconnected before he could ask any questions. “Ginger! I need the caller ID on that number.”
“I’m on it, boss.”
Zach considered his next move. Ordinarily he’d follow up a call like this one by knocking on the suspect’s door and asking to have a look around. Under these particular circumstances, he’d better do everything by the book.
Ace wandered over to rub against Zach’s legs, and he absently petted his buddy as he thought through his choices. LaNelle had