Edna’s odd behavior unnerved Cordelia, but she didn’t want to risk another public altercation, so she let her go. Daisy clearly hadn’t let the pastor’s brush-off get her down. She stood by one of the picnic tables, licking watermelon juice off the end of her fingers while a girl of about five sat at her feet braiding a daisy chain around her ankle. Porter Sheldon was telling her a story and looking at her like she hung the moon. He held a stack of his reward posters under his arm, the ones offering cash for anyone who had information on his break-in. The sheriff must’ve been so preoccupied doing Sean’s bidding that he didn’t have much time left for his actual job.
Martina waved to Cordelia and rushed over. “I was hoping to see you here today. My boyfriend, Stewart, had a fallout with the old pastor, but he’s hoping this one will be a little more open-minded. How did your date go?”
Cordelia winced. “Not great.”
“Oh. That’s too bad.” Martina’s face fell. “I hope you at least got a nice meal out of it. I haven’t been to the family restaurant in years, but my tía just told me they did a big renovation on it recently, put in a fancy saltwater tank and everything.”
That would explain why Martina hadn’t mentioned the tank when Cordelia was looking into it. “It was beautiful. You should make a night of it there.”
“We’ll see if I have time after this next election.” Her face brightened as her gaze landed on Stewart, whom Cordelia recognized from his picture. “I’ll catch up with you later.”
Daisy had moved on from the picnic table. Cordelia glanced around, and her attention snagged on the new pastor, who appeared to be in a heated conversation with Sean O’Leary. He must’ve been the reason Edna had been skittish, but why would she be afraid of her business partner? Sean had his back to her, but she’d recognize that bald spot and ill-fitting suit anywhere. Who wore a suit to an outdoor potluck? Cordelia glanced down at her own attire and grimaced.
The pastor caught her staring, and she quickly spun around before Sean could be alerted to her presence. By the time she’d gathered her wits again, Sean was gone, the pastor had his hands full with Daisy, and Edna was pacing the edge of the festival with her phone at her ear. As soon as she spotted Sean, she hung up and bolted.
Cordelia might’ve hated confrontation, but something was going down. The dread gathering in the pit of her stomach had nothing to do with Cindy Baker’s fruit salad.
Daisy caught her eye, and Cordelia motioned for her. Extracting herself from the pastor with some reluctance, she hustled over. “I was just getting to my pitch.”
“Never mind that.” Cordelia took her hand, dragging her along as she tried to keep track of Edna. “There’s a storm brewing.”
“I know. I saw Sean O’Leary.” Daisy tried to dig in her high heels at first, but they were really thin, so she eventually gave up and let herself be dragged along. “Can’t we just avoid him?”
“No. And Edna’s acting strange.” Cordelia paused. “Stranger than normal.”
They continued to weave around people until they reached the edge of the park. Edna glanced behind her just as Cordelia pulled Daisy behind a stone statue of John Wayne, who had never been to Sarsaparilla Falls, but apparently really liked root beer. By the time Cordelia peeked her head out again, Edna had disappeared into the alley between Parson’s Drugstore and the Calico Cat consignment shop.
“Come on, we can still catch up.” Cordelia ran across the street toward the alley, with no one at the potluck paying them any mind.
“This might be a bad idea.” Daisy’s ice-pick heels clicked against the pavement.
Cordelia was certain this was a bad idea, but she was in too deep now. And she needed to know what Edna was up to. She wouldn’t get a moment’s peace until the business between them was settled for good and Sean O’Leary had set his sights elsewhere.
Digging her keys out of her purse, she thrust them at Daisy. “Go get the car and pull it up to the alley. If she leaves, we need to follow.”
“Okay.” Daisy bit her lip as she glanced between Cordelia and the alley. “I don’t usually drive. I mean, I can, but I haven’t driven in a while.” She took a few steps back, as if debating whether she wanted to stay or go, before a look of determination crept over herfeatures. “I’ll be fine.” She broke into a full run toward the street where they’d parked.
Creeping into the alley, Cordelia kept her back against the brick wall of Parson’s, sliding along the shadows. The tip of her toe hit an empty soup can and the rattle of metal across concrete made her cringe, but no sounds followed. Cordelia blew out her breath and continued until she reached the back of the buildings.
The low murmur of voices had her ducking behind a dumpster. There was no mistaking the stern Irish lilt in Sean’s voice or the nasal whine of Edna’s. She sounded like she was pleading with him, and whatever they were discussing wasn’t going in her favor.
“I told you, if we make a move on the Chickadee, that FBI agent will be all over us. He’s already questioned me once,” Edna bit out.
Cordelia strained to hear Sean’s response, but she was at the wrong angle and his words carried in the opposite direction.
“He has no idea. I never mentioned you,” Edna said. “Cordelia West saw our equipment. She knows we’re after oil, but I don’t think she knows it’s on her property.”
Cordelia’s brows pinched. How could Edna be so sure of herself? No one would know for certain if there was oil on Chickadee land until they drilled, which Edna had already made clear she didn’t want to do. Seemed like they were all going to a lot of trouble for a rumor.
Before Cordelia could contemplate it further, Edna let out an earsplitting scream. Heart racing, Cordelia jumped out from behind the dumpster just in time to see Sean forcing her into the trunk of his car and speeding away.
Chapter Twenty-Six
CORDELIA BURST OUT OF THE ALLEY JUST AS DAISY SCREECHED AROUNDthe corner with her car and skidded to a stop in front of the drugstore. Flinging open the passenger door, Cordelia jumped into the seat. “Go. Around back. We can still catch them.”
Daisy opened her mouth to ask something, when a black sedan peeled out from behind the row of businesses, tires smoking, as it careened around a sharp turn and barreled down the road that would lead them out of town. Gripping the steering wheel, Daisy slammed her foot on the gas and sped after them. Cordelia’s head smacked the back of the seat. She grappled with the seat belt, securing it just as Daisy took a corner at a finger-numbing speed.
“Hold on,” Daisy said. “We’re about to go faster than a sneeze through a screen door.”
