clothes in her arms. “You forgot these.” She panted.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Thank you. I’ll return these tonight.” I motioned to the borrowed clothes I had on and then took the offered dress.
She smiled. “That will be fine. But, before you get away, I’d like to ask you to join us at Braums. It’s just a few of us that get together each week.” She held her side as if she’d developed a painful stitch.
Braums is a hamburger and ice cream restaurant. If I agreed to eat with them, I’d avoid having a private meal with Brandon. I’m not sure why I felt the need to keep some distance between us but I did. Maybe it was the thought that he’d been closer to Mitzi than I cared to think about. “I’d love to join you.” I answered.
“Oh, good. We always meet at the one on Fifth and Main Street.”
“I’ll bring her.” Brandon’s deep voice pulled my gaze up to his. Once more his knowing eyes twinkled down at me.
“That would be wonderful. We’ll only be a few moments. I think the Kellys will be joining us, too.” She turned and walked back to the church.
He opened the passenger door of his truck. “I’m glad you accepted our invitation. I’d like for you to get to know my church family.” His smile gave me a warm feeling deep in my stomach.
I slid onto the seat of the truck. The scent of leather cleaner filled my nostrils.
Brandon shut my door and hurried around to the other side. He waved at several families as we pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road. We rode in silence for several long moments. As he pulled into the parking lot, he asked. “How’s the investigation going?”
“I’ve just started.”
A soft chuckled came from his side of the cab, “So in other words, you haven’t learned anything?”
“Not a thing.” I admitted, staring at a large poster of a banana split that hung on the storefront window.
He shut off the motor and turned to face me. “Did I hear you tell Mrs. Williams you’re going to start going to the women’s meetings?”
I unfastened my seatbelt. “I thought I might.” I moved to exit the vehicle. My nerves were already a bundle of jumping grasshoppers. I could feel them deep in the pit of my stomach.
His hand covered mine on the seat. “Wait. The others won’t be here for a while. I’d like to talk.”
I tugged my tingling hand away and rested it in my lap. “About what?” My gaze met his once more.
“I was serious when I offered to help find Mitzi’s murderer.” He paused. “Are you going to allow me to, or not?”
What was he talking about? “I thought you were helping me. Aren’t you going to find out who the mystery writers are in your class?”
“I want to do more.” He confessed. “It makes me nervous knowing you are determined to find a killer.”
It was such a sweet thing to say, and from the expression on his features, I knew he meant every word. “I’m not in any danger. But if it will make you feel better I’ll keep you posted on what I’m doing next.”
He nodded. “And that is?”
“I’m going to start at the ladies cookbook night.” I couldn’t remember the exact name for it so waved my hand and said, “You know, that cookbook thingy.”
His laughter filled the truck. “You have got to be kidding. What makes you think someone from church hated Mitzi so much that they’d kill her?”
Why do men have to act like jerkalopes? “If I don’t check how will I know? Just because someone goes to church doesn’t make him or her perfect. The newspapers prove that every day.” I had a strong urge to wipe that expression of glee off his face.
“Ok, ok.” He held up his hands and continued laughing.
Now, I wanted to shoot him. If he could read my thoughts, he’d know that good, God-fearing people have these impulses to kill at a moment’s notice. Not that I ever would.
“I’m serious. You don’t know what triggered Mitzi’s murderer to kill her. It could have been anything. Think about it.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Thank you. I’ll return these tonight.” I motioned to the borrowed clothes I had on and then took the offered dress.
She smiled. “That will be fine. But, before you get away, I’d like to ask you to join us at Braums. It’s just a few of us that get together each week.” She held her side as if she’d developed a painful stitch.
Braums is a hamburger and ice cream restaurant. If I agreed to eat with them, I’d avoid having a private meal with Brandon. I’m not sure why I felt the need to keep some distance between us but I did. Maybe it was the thought that he’d been closer to Mitzi than I cared to think about. “I’d love to join you.” I answered.
“Oh, good. We always meet at the one on Fifth and Main Street.”
“I’ll bring her.” Brandon’s deep voice pulled my gaze up to his. Once more his knowing eyes twinkled down at me.
“That would be wonderful. We’ll only be a few moments. I think the Kellys will be joining us, too.” She turned and walked back to the church.
He opened the passenger door of his truck. “I’m glad you accepted our invitation. I’d like for you to get to know my church family.” His smile gave me a warm feeling deep in my stomach.
I slid onto the seat of the truck. The scent of leather cleaner filled my nostrils.
Brandon shut my door and hurried around to the other side. He waved at several families as we pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road. We rode in silence for several long moments. As he pulled into the parking lot, he asked. “How’s the investigation going?”
“I’ve just started.”
A soft chuckled came from his side of the cab, “So in other words, you haven’t learned anything?”
“Not a thing.” I admitted, staring at a large poster of a banana split that hung on the storefront window.
He shut off the motor and turned to face me. “Did I hear you tell Mrs. Williams you’re going to start going to the women’s meetings?”
I unfastened my seatbelt. “I thought I might.” I moved to exit the vehicle. My nerves were already a bundle of jumping grasshoppers. I could feel them deep in the pit of my stomach.
His hand covered mine on the seat. “Wait. The others won’t be here for a while. I’d like to talk.”
I tugged my tingling hand away and rested it in my lap. “About what?” My gaze met his once more.
“I was serious when I offered to help find Mitzi’s murderer.” He paused. “Are you going to allow me to, or not?”
What was he talking about? “I thought you were helping me. Aren’t you going to find out who the mystery writers are in your class?”
“I want to do more.” He confessed. “It makes me nervous knowing you are determined to find a killer.”
It was such a sweet thing to say, and from the expression on his features, I knew he meant every word. “I’m not in any danger. But if it will make you feel better I’ll keep you posted on what I’m doing next.”
He nodded. “And that is?”
“I’m going to start at the ladies cookbook night.” I couldn’t remember the exact name for it so waved my hand and said, “You know, that cookbook thingy.”
His laughter filled the truck. “You have got to be kidding. What makes you think someone from church hated Mitzi so much that they’d kill her?”
Why do men have to act like jerkalopes? “If I don’t check how will I know? Just because someone goes to church doesn’t make him or her perfect. The newspapers prove that every day.” I had a strong urge to wipe that expression of glee off his face.
“Ok, ok.” He held up his hands and continued laughing.
Now, I wanted to shoot him. If he could read my thoughts, he’d know that good, God-fearing people have these impulses to kill at a moment’s notice. Not that I ever would.
“I’m serious. You don’t know what triggered Mitzi’s murderer to kill her. It could have been anything. Think about it.
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