Read Online Marta Perry by Search the Dark - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Search the Dark
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moment for any of the other booths. Across from her, the white-haired woman running the Civic Club’s hot dog stand was working a crossword puzzle, and the two teenage girls who’d been left in charge of the PTA’s soda booth had their heads together, giggling.
Meredith could easily hear the rhythmic tones of Timothy Byler, the auctioneer, carried by the loudspeaker system. The two Amish schools would be well provided for if Timothy had anything to say about it.
The Amish bishop had thought long and hard before he’d given the okay for an Amish auctioneer to use the speakers. New technology was always studied carefully for its possible negative effect on the family or the church. But eventually the bishop had agreed, and Timothy’s cheerful banter echoed through the fire hall grounds.
A couple walked slowly from the parking area toward the auction tent, and Meredith blinked. Victor and Laura—that was a surprise. She hadn’t anticipated seeing Laura out in public after last night’s misadventure.
Dismay flickered through Meredith at the thought of speaking to her. But after a quick glance, the couple started around the semicircle of booths in the opposite direction. Laura was probably no more eager for an encounter than she was.
There was a flutter of movement at the open flap of the auction tent—an Amish woman, tossing a quick word over her shoulder to the person behind her.
Not just any Amish woman. It was her cousin Sarah. She stopped a few feet from the tent, seeming intent on saying something to Samuel, her next older brother. The family always teased the two of them about being twins, close as they were in age.
Samuel would have known Aaron Mast well, having been in the same rumspringa group as the teenager. He’d probably be as disappointed as Sarah when Meredith told her there weren’t going to be any answers about Aaron’s death.
Still, it had to be done, and the sooner the better, so she could stop brooding about it. She was trapped in the flower booth at the moment, but if Sarah looked her way...
She didn’t. Instead, Sarah turned sharply away from her brother and disappeared back into the tent. Samuel, his face set in a frown, followed her.
“What’s wrong? Flower sales in the pits?”
Meredith jumped at the sound of the once-familiar voice. While she’d been concentrating on Sarah and Samuel, Zach had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.
“Don’t sneak up on me.” She’d have busied herself with the flowers, except that it was painfully obvious that there wasn’t a thing to do.
Zach’s eyebrows slid upward. “Walked, not sneaked. There is something wrong, isn’t there?”
“No.” She brushed a dried leaf off the counter. “Can I sell you some mums to brighten up your room at the Willows?”
“It’s bright enough already, thanks.” He gave a fleeting grimace. “Does your problem have anything to do with what happened last night?”
“What do you mean?” She tried looking innocently unaware and suspected he saw right through her attempt.
“You and Jeannette—an unlikely pair if ever I saw one. You were helping a woman into Jeannette’s car.”
Her mind scrambled for a convincing story. Unfortunately she’d never been very good at lying. But if he didn’t know who it was...
“Is this a sample of your police interrogation skills?” Maybe offense was the best defense.
Her question didn’t seem to bother him. He just responded with the smile that still slid under her guard.
“A little friendly interest, that’s all. What was Laura Hammond doing at your place, anyway?”
He’d seen them come out of the driveway, then. “I’m surprised you recognized her after all these years.”
He shrugged. “I didn’t at first, but it came to me after I thought about it. She and Jeannette were always great friends. Why was she at your house?”
“Were you watching my...my house?”
Zach’s eyes flickered slightly at her question. “She wasn’t at the house,
Meredith could easily hear the rhythmic tones of Timothy Byler, the auctioneer, carried by the loudspeaker system. The two Amish schools would be well provided for if Timothy had anything to say about it.
The Amish bishop had thought long and hard before he’d given the okay for an Amish auctioneer to use the speakers. New technology was always studied carefully for its possible negative effect on the family or the church. But eventually the bishop had agreed, and Timothy’s cheerful banter echoed through the fire hall grounds.
A couple walked slowly from the parking area toward the auction tent, and Meredith blinked. Victor and Laura—that was a surprise. She hadn’t anticipated seeing Laura out in public after last night’s misadventure.
Dismay flickered through Meredith at the thought of speaking to her. But after a quick glance, the couple started around the semicircle of booths in the opposite direction. Laura was probably no more eager for an encounter than she was.
There was a flutter of movement at the open flap of the auction tent—an Amish woman, tossing a quick word over her shoulder to the person behind her.
Not just any Amish woman. It was her cousin Sarah. She stopped a few feet from the tent, seeming intent on saying something to Samuel, her next older brother. The family always teased the two of them about being twins, close as they were in age.
Samuel would have known Aaron Mast well, having been in the same rumspringa group as the teenager. He’d probably be as disappointed as Sarah when Meredith told her there weren’t going to be any answers about Aaron’s death.
Still, it had to be done, and the sooner the better, so she could stop brooding about it. She was trapped in the flower booth at the moment, but if Sarah looked her way...
She didn’t. Instead, Sarah turned sharply away from her brother and disappeared back into the tent. Samuel, his face set in a frown, followed her.
“What’s wrong? Flower sales in the pits?”
Meredith jumped at the sound of the once-familiar voice. While she’d been concentrating on Sarah and Samuel, Zach had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.
“Don’t sneak up on me.” She’d have busied herself with the flowers, except that it was painfully obvious that there wasn’t a thing to do.
Zach’s eyebrows slid upward. “Walked, not sneaked. There is something wrong, isn’t there?”
“No.” She brushed a dried leaf off the counter. “Can I sell you some mums to brighten up your room at the Willows?”
“It’s bright enough already, thanks.” He gave a fleeting grimace. “Does your problem have anything to do with what happened last night?”
“What do you mean?” She tried looking innocently unaware and suspected he saw right through her attempt.
“You and Jeannette—an unlikely pair if ever I saw one. You were helping a woman into Jeannette’s car.”
Her mind scrambled for a convincing story. Unfortunately she’d never been very good at lying. But if he didn’t know who it was...
“Is this a sample of your police interrogation skills?” Maybe offense was the best defense.
Her question didn’t seem to bother him. He just responded with the smile that still slid under her guard.
“A little friendly interest, that’s all. What was Laura Hammond doing at your place, anyway?”
He’d seen them come out of the driveway, then. “I’m surprised you recognized her after all these years.”
He shrugged. “I didn’t at first, but it came to me after I thought about it. She and Jeannette were always great friends. Why was she at your house?”
“Were you watching my...my house?”
Zach’s eyes flickered slightly at her question. “She wasn’t at the house,
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