both all right. I’m sure lunch will be ready soon. I’ll let you both know when it is.”
“Thank you,” Scott said warmly. “That sounds great.”
Meredith couldn’t help but be grateful for his calmness. As soon as the feeling registered, she immediately experienced a flicker of doubt. Rachel’s agitation certainly made sense given the circumstances. As much as she appreciated it, Scott’s calmness was the more unusual response in the face of everything that was happening. Maybe she should consider that suspicious....
She studied his face, trying to determine if there was something else there. She couldn’t read anything in his eyes other than the openness that seemed to radiate from him.
Behind him Rachel had started to pace the room again. Meredith watched her for a moment before Scott closed the door.
She was about to move down the hall when the one of the doors slowly began to open. Her wariness growing, she watched as Jessica poked her head out an instant later. Eyes wide, she glanced in both directions. As soon as she spotted them, her gaze narrowed, the now familiar contempt entering her eyes when they landed on Meredith. Straightening, she stepped all the way out into the hallway, allowing them to see she still had that bookend clutched in her right hand.
“I see you two are still together,” she noted. “What’s going on?”
“I’m just checking on everybody, making sure you’re holding up okay.”
Jessica’s mouth twisted in a sneer. “Making sure we’re still alive?”
Meredith forced a smile. “That, too,” she admitted. “What are you doing?”
“Going to the bathroom, since my room doesn’t have one of its own,” she griped. Pulling her door shut, she turned the knob to make sure it was locked. With one last look of distaste at Meredith, she started to turn away.
Meredith suddenly remembered the question she hadn’t been able to ask Rachel moments ago. The bride wasn’t the only one who could answer it. “Jessica?”
Her shoulders tensing, Jessica stopped and shot a glance back at them. “What?”
“When I saw you and Rachel talking this morning, you looked really upset, even angry with her. Do you mind if I ask what you were talking about?”
The woman’s face flushed an angry red. “As a matter of fact, yes, I do mind.”
“Really?” Tom asked. “Some might think that means you have something to hide.”
“I don’t care what some people think, and I definitely don’t care what either of you think. It’s none of your business.”
“One of your best friends was murdered and the killer is still on the loose.”
“This has nothing to do with that. I was just angry at her for bringing us here.”
“That’s all it was?” Meredith asked, unable to hide her skepticism.
“I just said so, didn’t I?” Jessica snapped.
“You know, we could always ask Rachel.”
Meredith had hoped to provoke a reaction out of her. Instead, the anger slowly faded from Jessica’s face. She lifted her chin, her lips settling back into a smirk. Even before she spoke, Meredith understood. Whatever it was, Jessica didn’t think Rachel would tell them.
“Go ahead. I don’t care what you do.”
Spinning on her heel, she quickly hurried down the hall away from them, dashing into the bathroom and slamming the door behind her.
The noise echoed down the hallway. Meredith let out a long, slow breath, fighting the frustration and disappointment churning in her belly. Jessica was the last person she would have expected to cooperate with her, but that didn’t make her refusal any less discouraging. They needed answers—badly.
“What was that about?” Tom asked.
Meredith suddenly realized she’d never told Tom about the scene she’d witnessed. “After I cleaned up the dishes from breakfast, I saw her and Rachel talking in the hallway. Or, more accurately, it looked like she was berating Rachel, although they were too far away and speaking too low for me to hear what they were saying.”
“You think it could be something related to the murder?”
“I don’t know,” Meredith admitted. “But given the circumstances I had to at least ask, in case there was any chance it was.”
“Why didn’t you ask Rachel when we saw her?”
“I wasn’t sure how open she would be in front of Scott. To be honest, I don’t know how much she’ll admit even if he isn’t there, but I have to try. Hopefully, I can get a moment alone with her soon.” She looked up at him. “Unless you think she’d be more likely to talk to you.”
He frowned, considering the question. “I can certainly try if I get a chance to