The Search The Secrets of Crittenden Cou - By Shelley Shepard Gray Page 0,48
on this one, nothing would get done.”
“Ah.”
“But there’s more to it than that.” He leaned forward, looking at Frannie intently, like he was practically begging for her to understand. “I also didn’t want to feel. Feeling everyone’s pain hurts.”
She saw the guilt in his eyes. And though she knew little about the things he was speaking of, she ached to reassure him. “Perhaps that’s what police officers need to do, jah? If you dwell too much on the hurt, you can’t do your job.”
“But is that doing my job?” His expression was doubtful.
“Someone has to. And it seems like you are the right man to do it. Otherwise you wouldn’t be a detective, right?”
“I guess you have a point. Hey, how did you get so smart?”
“I’m not smart.”
“I’d beg to differ.”
Beg to differ. It was an unusual phrase, but it had a certain ring to it, she thought. “Luke,” she asked. “Do you know who killed Perry yet?”
“You know I can’t answer that.”
“Ah,” she murmured, just as the curtain moved and a nurse walked through.
“Frannie Eicher, I’ve heard you want to leave us,” the woman who was her father’s age said with a mock look of hurt. “Is that true?”
“I am afraid it is.” She, too, pretended to feel something different than she was, but unlike the nurse, Frannie knew she wasn’t fooling anyone, not even for a second. She was more than ready to say goodbye to her beige room.
The nurse smiled broadly. “If you’re ready, then it is time for us to take care of things. We’ve got a couple of paperwork issues to deal with.” She turned to Luke. “And you’re going to take her home, sir?” When Luke nodded, the nurse showed them both forms and discussed pain relievers and follow-up appointments.
And Frannie felt her mind drift. She thought of all the information she’d shared. And about what she hadn’t shared.
Did Luke know who killed Perry? Would the questioning ever end so the town could finally get back to normal?
Chapter 16
“The folks who visit my inn are sure nothing exciting ever happens in Crittenden County. I do my best to let them think that. It’s better for business, you know.”
FRANNIE EICHER
Miss? Is anyone here?”
“I’m here! Hold on!” Beth fairly flew down the stairs.
But instead of a lone man, a couple in their mid-forties stood waiting for her.
Beth practically hugged them, they looked so nice and unintimidating. “I’m sorry, I was just cleaning a room.” She definitely didn’t want to share that she was snooping!
“It’s okay, dear,” the lady said. “We wondered if you had any vacancies tonight.”
“Oh, certainly,” she said. “For just one evening?”
“That’s all we have time for.” She pulled out a new map that the visitors’ bureau of Marion had started passing out. “But I’m hoping we’ll still have time to visit some of the Amish stores and nurseries in the area.”
Still feeling like her heart was beating so fast it was going to jump out of her chest, Beth breathed deep and smiled. “Oh, for sure. Tomorrow, go out in the morning and you’ll see lots of farms and businesses.”
“But not at night?”
“Most of the businesses close at sundown.”
“I suppose that’s just as well. We drove a few of the winding roads but turned around before we got turned around. I mean, it gets really dark out here. Who knows what could happen?”
“Only God knows, for sure,” Beth said. After she got them settled into their rooms, another visitor appeared at the door—Lydia Plank.
“Lydia, hi. You don’t need a room, do you?” she joked.
Lydia grinned. “I do not. Instead, I thought I’d stop by and see if you needed any help with the inn.”
Almost afraid to accept, Beth tentatively said, “Help?”
With a wink, Lydia explained. “With the cooking and baking. And the dishes . . .”
“You, too, know I’m terrible at those things?”
“I know they’re not your strongpoint,” she clarified.
There was a time to have pride, and there was a time to know when pride was overrated. “I’d love the help.”
“I’m so glad,” Lydia said as she walked straight back to Frannie’s kitchen. When she saw Beth’s pile of dishes in the sink and stack of recipes on the counter, she raised her brows.
“I need a lot of help.”
Rolling up her sleeves, Lydia said, “I’ll make raspberry filled muffins. How’s that?”
“Good. Ah, what would you like me to do?”
Turning serious, Lydia said, “Lend an ear? I need a friend to listen to me do some thinking about Walker.”