Read Online Danger in Plain Sight by Marta Perry - Free Book Online Page A

know what his mother said? Why? What difference does it make?”
“None,” she said quickly, fearing she hadn’t been quick enough. She glanced at Adam, to make sure he hadn’t missed the implication. Whoever her mystery guest had been, it hadn’t been the neighbor bringing the casserole. “How is Thomas?”
The teenage son of their Amish neighbors had gone through a terrible ordeal during the summer, when he’d been accused of killing a woman. That was the case which had brought Jessica to Springville to defend him, and incidentally to fall in love with Trey.
“He seems to be doing all right,” her mother said, frowning a little. “He’s very quiet, but at least he’s stopped refusing to leave the farm.”
“Poor kid,” Link said. “If it hadn’t been for Trey and Jessica, I hate to think what would have happened to him.”
“And your mother,” Adam added. “She’s the one who was determined to defend Thomas.”
That action had had unintended consequences, as the investigation had eventually led to the man who’d killed Dad. Tough for all of them, but at least they no longer had to face the thought that he’d committed suicide.
“Another case of the Morgan family butting into other people’s business,” Link said lightly. He put down his fork to cover Marisa’s hand with his. Marisa returned his look with one so tender that it nearly brought tears to Libby’s eyes.
She didn’t envy them their happiness. Marisa was perfect for Link—gentle, kind, artistic, with a shy warmth that seemed to bring out Link’s gentleness. They’d met through a twist of fate just a few months ago, when Link had found a clue to the long-ago disappearance of Marisa’s Amish mother in the house their uncle left him.
Link glanced at Adam. “I understand you made a house call this afternoon?” His tone made it a question.
“Your sister heard someone in the house when she came back this afternoon,” Adam said, before anyone else could begin explanations. “She called me, so I came over and checked it out. Nothing seems to be missing.”
She managed not to remind him of her computer. Pointless to keep going over it.
Link’s expression darkened. “Are you sure? How did they get in?”
Libby wasn’t going to give her mother away, but it seemed likely that Geneva’s guilty look had done that already.
“Mom.” Link’s tone was close to a howl of frustration. “You left the house open again, didn’t you?”
“It’s not going to happen again,” Adam said. “By the way, I thought you invited me here to pump me about the investigation.” He put a large forkful of chicken potpie in his mouth.
“Not exactly that,” her mother said, clearly ready to change the subject. “But we do want to know what’s happening.”
“We got a preliminary report back on the vehicle,” Adam said. “Based on the paint scrapings and the height at which the buggy was hit, we’re looking for a black pickup truck or van.” He shrugged. “Doesn’t exactly narrow it down a lot. I’d hate to guess how many there are in the county, and it doesn’t have to be someone local.”
Link shook his head. “I’d think only a local was likely to be on Dahl Road at that hour. It’s not as if it’s midsummer, when you stumble over tourists everywhere you turn.”
“I just don’t understand what Esther was doing there, for that matter.” Mom’s face crinkled in distress. “Where on earth was she going?”
“Good question,” Link said. “It’s not on her way home from anywhere she’d be likely to go.” Everyone who knew the area and the Zook family would be bound to see that.
“Your sister thinks Esther was coming to see her.” Adam’s tone expressed his doubt. “Based on Esther’s letters—”
“Letters?” Mom was on that in an instant, as Libby had known she would be. “What letters?”
Libby glared at Adam, but he spread his hands, as if to say that it had to come out. And he was probably right.
“You know that