Steve retook his seat, his gaze turning stormy and his collar appearing too tight. The guy even looked like a lawyer sitting in his parents’ house in casual clothing.
Teri shrugged. “Morris is a nice guy. Teaches at the college with Sharon, and they didn’t meet on that cruise. They’d worked at the same place for a couple of years, and then a bunch of faculty took a two week cruise to the Bahamas, and apparently they fell in love and did something spontaneous by getting married. They were friends before, and my sister has always followed her emotions. Her taste in men has always been . . . eclectic.”
“How long have they been separated?” Huck asked.
“Two months,” Steve Bearing said.
His mother focused on her son. “That long? I thought it was only a few weeks.”
Steve sighed. “She came to me two months ago to begin divorce proceedings. The papers are drawn, and I was about to have Morris served, but Aunt Sharon popped by the office and asked me to hold off until she returned from her writer’s retreat. I figured you knew.”
“I knew she wanted a divorce but also thought she might change her mind,” Teri whispered.
Steve nodded. “She did. Several times, and I have no clue what she might’ve decided while at the cabin writing.”
“When did you last speak with her?” Laurel asked.
“She dropped by my office on her way out of town two weeks ago,” Steve said. “That was the last time I spoke with her.”
Aeneas stretched from his post by Huck’s feet, and Huck let him wander. He sniffed the mayor’s legs, and the mayor leaned over to pat him on the head. Then he moved to Mrs. Bearing, and she shifted her pants away from his fur. Almost seeming to shrug, the dog trotted over to Steve, who was watching Huck.
Steve bent over and scratched the dog’s ears. “Cute dog.”
“Isn’t he, though?” Laurel asked, watching everyone carefully.
Steve stood again. “If you have any other questions for my family, please call me first. I guess I’m representing everyone.”
Laurel stood. “Do any of you know a Dr. Charlene Rox? She’s a psychiatrist.”
All three of them shook their heads in the negative. The mayor frowned. “No. Is that the woman who was killed by Witch Creek?”
It wasn’t a surprise the man already knew about Dr. Rox. “Yes.” Huck stood. “Mrs. Bearing, is there anything else you’d like to tell us? No matter how small, it might help.”
She stood to face him. “No. If I think of anything, I’ll call you.”
Huck handed her a business card. “Anytime, day or night. Even if it seems inconsequential, it might help.”
“All right.” She slipped the card into her pocket.
“I’d appreciate it if you both kept my office updated.” The mayor turned. “In fact, I insist upon it.”
Chapter Twelve
A search of Sharon Lamber’s home revealed that the woman was neat and meticulous with organized drawers and clean sheets. There were two pictures of her during her wedding ceremony on the cruise, and other than that, there was no sign that she was married. No men’s clothing in the closet or shoes in the rack by the door. She had a small greenhouse off the main house with some flowers and many spices and plants.
No dahlias.
Laurel returned to Huck’s truck and texted Nester. “It looks like Sharon lived here alone and Morris had already moved out. We need to ascertain where he’s living.”
Aeneas sneezed from his warm crate in the back seat.
Huck looked up at the darkened clouds. “There’s a storm moving in, and the community college is closed, so how about we search her office on Monday and also catch Morris at work?” He glanced at his watch. “We haven’t eaten all day, and I’m meeting a . . . well . . . friend for dinner.”
Friend? He’d said that in an odd way. “All right. Just drop me off at the office, and we can meet up first thing Monday.” She fastened her seatbelt and had Siri find a number for her.
Huck shifted his weight on his seat and started the engine. Heat instantly blew from the vents.
Laurel lifted the phone to her ear just as a chipper voice answered, “Greenfield Architecture and Landscaping, this is Haylee.”
