Read Online Shadow of Doubt by Terri Blackstock - Free Book Online

wasn’t easy being a bivocational shepherd, and in a small town like this it was hard to know what was confidential and what was common knowledge. Nick would be beating himself up for days.
    â€œSo is Celia in jail?”
    Dan decided to speak up, for he had talked to Jill earlier and knew they had let her go. “No, she’s not in jail. Don’t go getting all excited about this. They just questioned her about it. But there’s no evidence that she knew a thing about it. Jill’s got them testing his coffee cup at work and taking food samples from the cafe he stopped at on his way out of town yesterday, and she’s even got them searching Celia’s parents’ house in Jackson since Stan was there yesterday.”
    George sat slowly down in his seat. “You know, I gotta say I waked up more’n once durin’ the night thinkin’ how she knowed it was arsenic. How did she know?”
    There was dead silence from Nick, Dan, and Mark. Finally, Mark spoke up. “It’s probably going to hit the paper tonight,” he said. “So I’ll tell y’all, but I expect you to keep it under your hats. Got it?”
    They all agreed.
    â€œIt turns out Celia was married before, and her first husband was poisoned to death. Arsenic. Now, that doesn’t mean—”
    â€œShe killed her first husband?” George asked on a whisper.
    â€œNo!” Dan said. “See what you’ve done, Mark? She was acquitted.”
    â€œDid Stan know about this?” Slater asked.
    â€œShe said he did,” Mark told him.
    â€œCourse, we won’t know for sure till he wakes up,” Slater pointed out.
    â€œLook what you’re doing!” Dan got up, angry. “You guys know Celia. You know she wouldn’t do a thing like that. Already you’re doubting her.”
    â€œDan, what we really know about her?” the big Cajun asked. “Arrybody knows she ain’t been in town that long.”
    â€œShe’s been here longer than you have! What do you want?”
    â€œBut I growed up here,” George defended. “I knew most arrybody.”
    â€œAnd she came so mysteriously,” Slater added. “Nobody knew nothin’ about her except that she was Aggie’s niece.”
    â€œThat was enough! We all know and trust Aunt Aggie. And besides, Celia was a sweet, soft-spoken, gentle woman, and most of us liked her instantly.”
    â€œThat had a lot to do with the fact that she’s one of the prettiest gals in town,” Slater said. “But for all we know, she could have been a cold-blooded murderer with a pretty face. For all Stan knew, either. And now look at ’im.”
    Nick intervened. “Guys, please. You can’t burn her at the stake before you even hear all the facts. Celia’s got a sweet heart, and it isn’t capable of murder. You know it, and I know it.”
    â€œDoesn’t matter,” Dan said bitterly. “It makes juicy gossip, so they’re going to run with it. If she gets hurt in the process, who cares, right, Slater?”
    Slater swung around, red faced. “Yeah, Nichols? I guess you’re just feelin’ all superior because you had inside knowledge. Is Jill representin’ her?”
    â€œAs a matter of fact she is. And I don’t have inside knowledge. I just happened to be outside last night when Celia was brought in. I knew better than to say anything.”
    â€œCome on,” Nick said in a sterner voice. “That’s enough. We don’t need this!” He turned to George, then to Mark and Dan, members of his church, all of whom seemed to be seething for one reason or another. “Celia is our sister. She’s part of our congregation. She needs our prayers, not our indictments.”
    â€œThen she has been indicted?” Slater asked.
    Dan wanted to hit him. “No, you fool, she hasn’t , so why don’t you just keep your mouth shut about