Pastor John clasped his hands together, a veil dropping over his expression. “I’m sorry. There’s nothing else to add on the subject, and I probably broke the confidence of a friend by mentioning it. Abigail deserves better.”
Laurel swallowed. “Perhaps Pastor Zeke Caine’s disappearance isn’t such a mystery after all.”
Huck stood. “The dog has been alone long enough. Thanks for your time, Pastor.” He turned and strode out of the room.
Pastor John’s dark eyebrows rose. “Is it me or any church?”
Laurel moved to follow Huck. “Thank you for your time, and I’m sure we’ll be in touch.” She quickened her pace but didn’t catch up to Huck until he and the dog were already in the truck, so she hopped into the passenger side.
“That guy’s hiding something,” Huck said, starting the engine and driving rapidly down the plowed road. “I’m hungry.”
“Me, too,” Laurel said, her mind spinning. Dr. Abigail Caine’s father was the Genesis Community Church pastor, who was now missing. Although her ex-boyfriend, the new pastor, didn’t seem too worried about it. Laurel tried to organize her thoughts as Huck drove quietly back to the quaint square where the area’s businesses were grouped together.
They ate lunch at the Corner Diner. Aeneas sat beneath the table, and nobody seemed to mind. Laurel dug into her Cobb salad. “Remaining unincorporated probably saves this area funds when it comes to public services.”
Huck sat across from her in the comfortable burgundy-colored booth, thoughtfully eating the fat fries he’d ordered with his burger. “I suppose so.” He leaned back so the waitress could refill his water cup. The woman was in her late forties and had focused all of her attention on him while they were ordering. She was full bodied, and her breasts almost brushed his arm. Huck didn’t seem to notice.
Laurel did. She shook her head after the waitress had sashayed away. “Do you have this effect on all women?”
He paused in the middle of pouring more ketchup on the paper in his basket. “Huh?”
“Nothing.” Laurel sipped her diet soda. Her mother would not be happy with the chemical intake, but sometimes a woman needed a vice. “What did you think of the pastor?”
Huck tilted his head. “I’m not sure. The fact that he keeps his pot business a secret from his congregation seems disingenuous to me. However, his private life isn’t their business. He doesn’t seem too worried about Pastor Caine, although he did seem quietly concerned about Dr. Abigail Caine.”
“That just shows he has a brain,” Laurel said thoughtfully. She ate more of the lettuce. The dressing had a hint of spice to it, and the entire bowl was delicious.
The waitress returned, this time with a pitcher of diet soda to top off Laurel’s glass.
Huck gave her a smile, and the woman twittered. “If you don’t mind me asking, did you know Lisa Scotford?” he asked.
The waitress sobered and her thickly made-up eyes watered. “Yes. She was a sweetheart and often spent time here doing paperwork in a booth. She liked apple pie.” She sniffed. “It’s so sad.” Her gaze landed on the weapon strapped to Huck’s thigh. “Do you have any idea who hurt her?”
“We’re working on it,” Laurel assured her. “Was Lisa ever here with anybody? We know she had a boyfriend, but we don’t know who it was yet.” Unless there were several men in Lisa’s life, but that seemed unlikely.
The waitress withdrew the pitcher. “You should talk to the pastor at the church. He’s the one who runs the community.”
That was an interesting turn of phrase. “What do you mean, he runs the community?” Laurel asked, reaching for her glass.
“Nothing. I didn’t mean anything.” The woman took another step back.
Huck leaned toward her. He glanced at her name tag. “It’s okay, Delores. We’re the good guys. We don’t want to cause any problems with the church or community. We just want to find the person who raped and strangled Lisa before leaving her body naked in the freezing snow.”
Delores paled, which made her bright blue eyeshadow glow on her face. “Wh . . . what I meant was that the church owns most of the businesses in town, including this one, and we don’t want bad press. It’s a wonderful church, and we give so much back to others. We’re just a small-town community that takes care of its own so we have a safe place to live.” She shuffled her feet. “At least, I thought it was until Lisa got kidnapped.”
Laurel kept eating and motioned subtly for Huck to keep questioning the woman. She was too charmed by him to run away.
Huck reached out and patted Delores’s arm. “I’m so sorry about that, and I will find the person who hurt her. I promise.”
Delores swayed toward him. “I’m sure you will, and I’m so thankful.”
“It would help if you told me anything else you knew about Lisa,” Huck said. “Who did she date?”
Delores shrugged. “I only saw her with other young people from the church. I never noticed her kissing or snuggling in a booth with anybody. I’m sorry. Although she and Jasmine Caine ate and worked in the booth here many times, so if anybody knows who Lisa dated, it’d be Jasmine.”
A second waitress sidled up, obviously having overheard the conversation. She was in her early thirties with curly black hair, smooth brown skin, and sparkling dark eyes. “Do you have any idea who killed all of those women?” she asked.
Laurel read the woman’s name tag. “Hi, Jaida. We’re following up on several leads.”
