Small Town Justice(43)

A man’s face was visible through the glass for mere moments before he ducked away.

She gasped. Wanted to scream. Knew she should race to the door and peek out to try to get a better look at him.

Instead, her feet remained rooted while her brain tried to convince her that she’d imagined the face.

She closed her eyes. The image grew clearer. It wasn’t his overall appearance that frightened her. It was his eyes. The way he’d stared at her. The hatred she could feel all the way across the room. She didn’t have to know who he was to sense malevolence. Shane had been wrong. No place was safe. Not even church.





THIRTEEN

“You knew what he suspected?” Shane was astounded. “Why didn’t you do something?”

“Your father asked me to avoid getting involved,” Pastor Malloy said. “After he passed away I spoke with the new sheriff and did a bit of my own investigating. Nothing concrete turned up.”

“But you believed Dad?”

“As far as it went,” Logan answered. He rested a hand of comfort on Shane’s shoulder. “We can’t go around accusing people of bribery and other crimes just because we suspect they may be guilty. That’s why courts require witnesses and proof.”

“Honest witnesses, you mean.” Shane was adamant. “Let me tell you what’s been going on since Jamie Lynn Henderson came back to Serenity and started asking about the accident that killed Dad.”

The pastor checked his watch. “Sorry. Can it wait until after morning services?” He smiled wryly. “The congregation expects me to preach in a few minutes and they get real testy if the preacher doesn’t show up.”

“I guess so.” Frustrated, Shane stepped back. “I need to see if a couple of people are here yet, anyway.”

Logan Malloy’s smile faded. “Don’t do anything you’ll be sorry for. Leave the dirty work to the professionals.”

“If I was sure they’d done their jobs in the first place, I would.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “The more I learn, the more questions I have and the less I believe justice was served.”

“Then take your concerns to Harlan or the chief of police and let them look into it. They’re both good, honest men. You can trust them.”

Shane huffed. “Yeah. I trust most of the folks in Serenity. That’s why what’s been happening to Jamie Lynn is so confusing. Somebody in this town is trying to scare her off and I intend to find out who.”

He could tell by the expression on his pastor’s face that the man did not support his amateur efforts. That was not a problem. If Logan was worried about Jamie Lynn’s welfare he might be more likely to offer useful advice, or even assistance in the field, although Shane knew enough about the pastor’s busy schedule to doubt he’d have much spare time. Folks who thought the clergy worked only one day a week had never followed a pastor around, day by day. Poor Logan had once told him that the only vacation he hadn’t been called back from was one where he and Becky and their kids had flown out of state.

Given the stresses of that job, Shane hated to lay more burdens on Pastor Malloy’s shoulders if he didn’t have to. Maybe the man was right. Maybe he and Jamie hadn’t made the best use of Harlan’s talents.

Shane knew he was still wishing Sam could have investigated his own death. If he had, how different might things be?

For one, perhaps the Henderson boy wouldn’t have been charged at all, let alone convicted so easily. If that had happened, maybe the whole family would have remained in town and he’d have gotten to know Jamie under different circumstances. Shane couldn’t imagine overlooking her the way he must have when she was a girl. She was striking. Her ebony hair shone like the wings of a blackbird in the sun. Her deep brown eyes sparkled with golden flecks. And when she focused them on him...

Shane shook off thoughts of Jamie and started to follow the pastor back to the sanctuary. A sense of foreboding stopped him. The urge to look in on the nursery and children’s church was so strong he couldn’t push it aside.

Wheeling, he started to walk, then jog. Few others were still in the hallways and the last choir member was closing the door of the passageway they used to reach their assigned places. At the far end of the hall, one of the ushers was locking the exterior doors so they could be opened only from the inside. There had been a time when Shane had thought such strict precautions unnecessary. Now he was glad the safety measures were in place.

He slowed, rounding on the nursery door, and opened it quickly. The children were so enthralled in the Bible story they ignored him.