“Not particularly. He may have changed careers in midlife. Lots of folks do that.”
“True.” Pausing until he joined her, she watched his expression closely as she added, “But they don’t usually drop off the face of the earth. Would you mind asking Harlan to look into it for me?”
“Sure.” With a shrug and a casual gesture toward the exit, Shane eased her ahead.
Jamie wished he’d allowed her to walk next to him because she wanted to see how long it took for his concerned expression to fade. Of all the officials involved, Max Williford was the one person besides her brother who was most likely to know what had happened to cause the change of plea halfway through the trial.
She desperately hoped they could locate him. The deep recesses of her mind added, Alive.
TWELVE
Unsettling feelings kept Shane on edge during the drive to Serenity Chapel. He had wondered how long it would be before Jamie Lynn decided to look up her brother’s defense attorney, once she learned his name. The problem was, Shane had already searched. The middle-aged man seemed to have dropped of the face of the earth.
The same as Jamie’s parents did, Shane thought. He supposed that was not an uncommon phenomenon in a crowded city environment. In a small town, however, it was rare that someone wasn’t privy to inside information. Not much stayed private. All he had to do was ask a few loaded questions and an answer should be forthcoming. If his buddies couldn’t tell him, surely a member of his mother’s quilting or knitting group would have enough facts to put them on the right path.
Taking Jamie’s arm when she slowed her pace, Shane guided her to the front entrance. The double doors swung open. A crew-cut greeter with a smile as wide as the Mississippi Delta handed Jamie a bulletin and pumped Shane’s hand. “Welcome, welcome. Glad to have you with us.”
“Thanks, Don. I’d like you to meet Jamie Lynn Henderson. She lived here a long time ago.”
To Shane’s relief and approval, the magnanimous greeter shook Jamie’s hand as if she were the most important person present. That was one of the secrets of their close-knit church’s success. Everybody was welcome and accepted. A twinge of guilt rocketed up Shane’s spine, reminding him that he would do well to emulate the genuine openness of the elderly man.
“Have to come early to get a pew in the back,” Don said with a wink. “You’d best get in there and grab a good spot for your guest.”
“Mom promised to save us places.”
“Wouldn’t count on it. Not this morning. Marsha and Kyle headed for Children’s Church when she found out they were shorthanded. I reckon she’ll stay back there.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“Does everybody keep track of everybody else around here?” Jamie Lynn asked aside.
Shane chuckled. “Lots of times it’s handy. Like now.”
As she slipped her hand through the crook of his elbow, she leaned closer to whisper, “I’m not sure I’d recognize Randall or Abernathy from the old newspaper photos of the trial. Do you see them yet?”
“No. They usually sit with their wives on the far side of the sanctuary, about halfway back.” He gestured with a tilt of his head. “I never paid attention to what they drove or whether they came early or waited for the service at eleven. We’ll go scope out the parking lot if I don’t spot them pretty soon.”
“Okay.” Her grip tightened.
“Relax. Nothing bad is going to happen to you in church.” He felt her shiver.
There was plenty of unoccupied space in the sanctuary. Shane chose to escort Jamie Lynn along the back aisle while he checked the congregation for the men they sought. Neither was present. Yet.
“Why don’t I show you around?” Shane suggested. “Give you something to do besides sit here and fret.”
“Sounds like a good plan.”
“Speaking of plans, coming here to meet these guys was my mother’s idea. She should be doing this with us.”
“We could find her and ask her,” Jamie suggested.
He was delighted to see her unwinding a bit as they left the main sanctuary and started down a hallway toward the fellowship hall and kitchen. The nursery, pastor’s office and other Sunday school rooms were also clustered at the rear of the architecturally simple structure.
“We have expansion plans for back here,” Shane explained. “That’s why this part isn’t bricked up fancy on the outside the way the front is. When we’re done, the building will be shaped like a big cross and we’ll have room to expand the core as needed.”
Not receiving any comment, he paused and studied Jamie Lynn’s face. She had paled and was staring out the windows at the paved parking area.