“You said ‘find the guy.’ He knows who and where Marcus is, so you think someone else killed Janey?” She sipped her coffee. “Why? What do you know?”
“The hiker who found the body. I talked to him last week at the shop. He said he ran into Marcus on the way out. Marcus told him that his girlfriend was at the quarry and asked if he would look out for her.” Archer shrugged. “I know it doesn’t mean he didn’t kill Janey, but if he had, why would he send someone directly to the quarry to look for her?”
“Yeah, that’s not logical.” She pointed to the stove. “Anything I can do to help?”
“I’ve got this. You get ready for your group. I take it they’re showing up around twelve thirty?”
“Yeah, Shirley wanted to go to service, so we just set it later. I can hang out here by myself if you have to leave before Jonathon arrives.”
“Not going to happen. Besides, he called a few minutes ago. He’ll be here by seven thirty so I can meet my group at eight.” He slid the finished omelet onto a plate. “Here you go. Eat it while it’s hot.”
“You know, I might just keep you after this is all over. I like being served breakfast at home.” She smiled as she took the plate from him.
“It’s Sunday. Monday mornings are much more hectic.” He poured more eggs into the pan and got the other ingredients ready. “By the way, Killer went out with me about thirty minutes ago. And I put the bedding away in the linen closet, so there won’t be questions from your group about me staying over.”
“Protecting my honor?” She took a bite of the omelet.
He laughed and shook his head. “Protecting me from all the ‘when are you going to marry the girl’ questions.”
“Self-preservation. I like that in a man.”
He turned back to the stove. “Whatever. Just get busy eating. I don’t want you sitting here eating when your group arrives.”
The phone rang, and she picked it up. “Hey, Drew, how are things?”
“Busy. I’m sending some information from Janey’s sister over with my dad. Do you think one of your group members could verify her alibi? I haven’t been able to reach the guy she says she was with during the time Janey was killed.”
“Sure. But why?”
Drew sighed. “It’s a day spa, and he’s her hairdresser. His name is Roger Kamp. I was wondering if you could go visit the spa to make sure she was there. I know the last time I sent you into a spa, you were nearly killed, but I’m sure this one’s on the up and up. Mom used to go to the same place, and I think so did Sam.”
“So you’d call Sam, but she doesn’t want to talk to you right now. And now that the killer seems to be after me, I might have some vested interest?”
He paused. “Something like that. Is Archer still there, or did you run him off?”
“Hey now, he actually likes me. Did you want to talk to him?” I looked over, and Archer was putting his omelet on a plate.
“No, I just wanted to make sure you weren’t alone. I mean, that you and Killer weren’t alone. You know I love that dog,” Drew teased her. “Dad’s on his way over now. I know you feel like this is overkill, but I don’t want anything to happen to you, okay?”
“Drew knows best.” But Rarity smiled when she said it. “Look, I’ve got to get busy. If you talk to Sam, tell her to call me. I’m getting worried.”
“I know, Rarity. So am I.” Drew sighed. “Tell Archer thanks.”
“I will.” Rarity hung up the phone and relayed Drew’s message. “He’s asking me to get involved. That’s when I know he’s conflicted on a case. And I know Marcus isn’t getting out of his focus anytime soon.”
“If you were to guess right now who killed Janey, do you have an answer?” Archer took his omelet over to the table with a full cup of coffee.
She thought about his question. “No. And that worries me. I have plenty of people I think might have. Marcus, Janey’s sister, that creepy lawyer. But if I was under oath, I couldn’t say yes or no to any of them.”
Maybe talking with the sleuthers’ club would help narrow down at least one suspect that might also be the one sending her a fake finger with a warning she was busy ignoring.
* * * *
Sunday’s meeting went off without a hitch, but no one had added an additional suspect to the list. Everyone gave their report and updated their books. Then they got ready to eat. Sam didn’t come to the meeting.
Shirley came into the kitchen to help pull out plates and bowls. “We could have used paper. That way you wouldn’t have to do dishes.”
“I like doing dishes. It helps me think.” Rarity pulled out silverware and napkins. “Okay, guys, everything’s out. Come grab some food.”
The line started, but Rarity stayed on the edge, watching her friends. She dug her phone out of her pocket and called Sam, again. When she got her voice mail, again, she left a message. “Hey, just letting you know we’re eating now if you’re hungry I’m worried about you.”
She put her phone on the foyer table by her purse, just in case Sam actually called. Then Shirley handed her a plate. “I was waiting for everyone to get through the line.”
“And they have. So come on, fill your plate. I know you’re worried about Sam, but not eating doesn’t solve anything. Of course, I’ve never tried the technique, but you know what I mean.” Shirley put an arm around Rarity, and they walked together back to the kitchen. “Oh, I heard your Saturday book club went amazing. All the parents at my church loved Caleb, by the way. I think he’s going to be a keeper.”
“Me too.” Rarity started to fill her plate, and her stomach growled at the smells. Okay, so she was hungry. She sat down at the table next to Jonathon. “Hey, I hope you’re being paid market rate to be my babysitter.”
“Not a babysitter. Drew’s just concerned about the special delivery you got earlier. Someone knows we’re looking into this murder, and they think if they scare you, we’ll stop looking.” Jonathon took a bite of the chicken. “It’s just the game. This killer has to be someone who wants to stay around in the area and not be caught. So it rules out any random tourists or drive-through suspects.”
“Does it?” Rarity liked hearing Jonathon’s logic, since he’d been with the police for years. He was their logical, systematic voice to the group. “But if it was a local, wouldn’t they know my house versus Terrance’s?”
Jonathon ate some of Shirley’s scalloped potatoes, then went back for a second bite before answering. “Honestly, you’re right. There is that little hiccup in my analysis. But it could have been a local who wanted to delay you finding the box. So they put it on Terrance’s porch, knowing he was out of town and he’d get it to you.”