“I was listening at the door,” Kohnex said. “But I had a feeling she was somebody prominent in town. Even though she hadn’t been turned over and I couldn’t see her face, there was something about her. I don’t think you’d call it an aura, more like an essence.” He tapped his bottom lip and stared off into the distance. Then he looked back at Laurel. “Like you two. I knew before the pastor used that unfortunate word that you and the captain were tied together. Strong bonds there.”
Huck didn’t have time for this bullshit.
“You’ve been through chilly storms together, haven’t you?” Kohnex asked.
Laurel barely kept from rolling her eyes. It was close. Huck saw her lids twitch, but she managed to restrain herself. He liked that about her a lot.
She removed her gloves. “Pastor Caine, you were with Ms. Carrington from nine last night until when?”
“Until I got the call from Timmy,” the pastor said. “He said he found a body, and I came here right away. This is not good for me or the church. Tonight was supposed to be our first live service. I’m taking the church national. It’s going to be a megachurch, Laurel. But we can’t hold a live service when there’s a dead body out back, and now it seems it’s the mayor’s wife? What a disaster.”
“Well, gee, Pastor,” Huck drawled. “I’m real sorry to ruin your day.”
The pastor put both hands on his hips. He wore black slacks and a white button-down shirt, even though he’d been called out of somebody’s bed to get to the church. Did he always dress up?
Laurel cleared her throat. “Let’s all remember that we do not have a positive identification for the victim yet.”
Zeke focused once again on Huck. “Didn’t you have an altercation with the mayor’s wife recently?”
“How do you know that?” Laurel asked quietly.
The pastor kept his gaze on Huck this time. “I pay attention when one of my girls is dating somebody. I try to learn everything I can about them. I’ve got more Google alerts on you than you can imagine, and I quite enjoyThe Killing Hour. That Rachel Raprenzi is fascinating. I think she still is enamored with you.”
“Ah, Rachel,” Kohnex said. “I watch her, too. Yes. I can see a connection between the two of you.” He gasped suddenly and grabbed his throat, turning toward Laurel. “Something’s coming for you. Oh, my. It’s a force. A force that wants just you. You’re in grave danger.”
Huck might actually have to hit this guy. “She’s an FBI agent. Stop making things up.”
“I’m not. I can see it. I can sense it from two different directions actually. And one . . .” He leaned in. “Is very close to you,” he whispered. “Do you have a sibling?”
“No,” Laurel said shortly.
Kohnex looked down at his dog. “I think that you do. There’s a familial essence, a connection to the danger.” He peered into the distance again, and his tone deepened. “Somebody wants to harm you, Agent Snow. You need to be very careful.”
Yep. Huck was going to have to clock him. He sighed. “Do you have any connection to Teri Bearing, Pastor Caine?” He emphasized the“Pastor” this time.
Zeke shrugged. “The Bearings attend the church, so I know Teri and the mayor and their kids. They joined long before I left on my sabbatical, and they’re still members now. I think they were actually looking forward to the live sermon tonight. The mayor wished to give a brief talk about the community, you know, to bring in people.”
“Where is Pastor John?” Laurel asked, referencing the pastor who’d taken over for Zeke when he’d disappeared for years.
“Oh, my. Did I forget to call him?” Zeke asked. “I saw him when I left last night, but he may have stayed here all night. I don’t know.”
There was no doubt in Huck’s mind that Zeke Caine knew Pastor John’s location at all times. Pastor John had been the one to set up this live national sermon service. He couldn’t have been too happy when Zeke had returned and taken over. “Does Pastor John still live in the church cabin to the west?”
“No,” Zeke said. “John purchased one of the cabins farther down to the east, a distance from Timmy’s place. There’s a series of them that were built by a family named Bollington at least thirty or forty years ago. They’ve each been individually sold through the years.”
Huck glanced toward the outside door. “Just down this river?”
“Yes. He purchased it a month ago, I think. But I have no idea what time he left the church last night.” Zeke pressed one hand against his cheek. “You don’t suppose Pastor John killed Teri, do you?”
“Why would I suppose that?” Huck asked.
Zeke looked away and then back. “I don’t know. But they were seeing each other.”
“Defineseeing,” Huck said.
The pastor shook his head. “I really shouldn’t. I’m not one to engage in gossip.”
“This is a murder investigation, Pastor Caine,” Laurel said.
