1225 Christmas Tree Lane - Debbie Macomber [59]
“Someone who worked on Martha’s will, a paralegal,” Dave explained. “His name is Geoff Duncan. He’s serving prison time now. He was trying to impress his fiancée’s family, so he stole the jewelry, pawned it all and spent the money.”
“Lori Bellamy, the fiancée, didn’t have a clue what Geoff had done,” Emily said. “She’s Lori Wyse now. She got married not long ago to Lincoln Wyse, who opened a body shop in town earlier this year. They seem to be a good match, although they had a few problems with Lori’s family. But apparently that’s all settled now.”
“This Geoff guy. Did he have a grudge against you?” Kent asked.
“Not that I know of. I was just the perfect candidate for him to frame because, as Martha’s pastor, I spent a lot of time with her. Like I said, I seemed to be the last person to see her alive, and I was also the one who found the body. The obvious suspect.” He shook his head. “Thank goodness Sheriff Davis and Roy McAfee looked beyond the obvious.”
“It must’ve been a terrible time for you,” Beth said sympathetically.
“The worst, but we made it through and I’m so grateful we did.”
“I can imagine.”
“Some people are far too willing to give up on…” She let the rest fade once she realized what she was about to say. Emily didn’t want to embarrass the divorced couple.
Kent moved closer to Beth. “I agree.”
“So do I,” Beth said, almost before the words had left Kent’s mouth.
They looked at each other, but the moment was broken by the sharp peal of Kent’s cell phone.
He answered it on the second ring, and although Emily couldn’t make out what was being said, the person calling him was clearly female—and clearly upset.
“Yes, of course,” he said. “Yes, I know.” He closed his cell with a snap. “I apologize, but I need to leave.”
He reached for his coat and, after a few words of farewell, was out the door.
“I know it’s none of my business, but who was that?” Dave asked Beth.
“His…friend,” Beth said.
Emily looked at Dave just as he turned to look at her. So the rumors of a female companion had been correct, and for some reason this woman had stayed back at the B and B. There were more obstacles to a reconciliation between Beth and her ex-husband than either of them had guessed.
Chapter 17
“Did you see the way Dad looked at Mom during the service?” Bailey whispered to her sister in the darkened bedroom. Sophie was in the twin bed next to hers. Although she’d turned out the lights several minutes ago, Bailey was too excited to sleep.
“Yes, I know but—”
“They’re falling in love all over again,” Bailey broke in. “I can feel it.”
“Well, maybe, but…”
“But what?” Bailey muttered. Sometimes her sister could be so…negative. Well, she refused to allow Sophie’s skeptical remarks to dampen her good feelings.
For a time it seemed that everything they’d planned was about to fall apart. Then, at the very last minute, their father had shown up at the church…alone. It’d been perfect. Just perfect.
Bailey hadn’t asked about Danielle and neither had Sophie. Their dad had slipped into the pew next to Beth, and their mother had smiled over at him and…
Oh, it’d been sheer bliss. Love radiated between them. If this were a movie, a crescendo of music would have burst forth, and there would’ve been joyful singing in the background. Actually, there was music, but it had come from the church choir. Still, the effect was pretty satisfying.
“Can I talk now?” Sophie asked impatiently.
“Oh, all right.”
“I have a question.”
“Ask away.” Bailey sighed, suspecting that Sophie was going to ruin Bailey’s Christmas Eve by casting doubt on the likelihood of their parents reuniting. Her father had introduced Danielle as a “friend.” They were the ones who’d made the assumption that she was more than that.
“What about when Danielle phoned? Dad left in a mighty big hurry after that.”
“Yeah, I know,” Bailey admitted with more than a little reluctance.
“He’s still at Danielle’s beck and call.”
“But we can’t be sure of all the circumstances and—”
“There are no buts here,” Sophie fumed. “I don’t