“PAUL! HOW LOVELY TO SEE YOU.Come in.” Natalie moved back into the hall and pulled the door wide.
He called up a smile and stepped inside. “I hope you don’t mind the unexpected visit. I had to run over to the historical society on my lunch hour, and I was so close I decided to drop in. I’ve been thinking of you ever since I heard the news about what happened to Micah yesterday.”
A shadow passed over her face as she slowly shut the door. “I’m still in shock.” She motioned toward the living room. “Please, have a seat. I’ll make us a pot of tea.”
“I can’t stay long enough for tea. I have to be back at my desk in half an hour. But I’ll sit for five minutes.” He followed her in and claimed a chair beside the couch. “I’m more sorry than I can say about Micah. I know how much you counted on him to keep everything around here shipshape.”
“Yes, I did.” She sighed. “One more reason for me to mull over Steven’s suggestion that I sell the place and buy a condo in St. Louis where I wouldn’t have to worry about such matters.”
That was news.
“I didn’t know your cousin was pressing you to move.”
“I wouldn’t say pressing, but heisconcerned about me. More than ever, with Micah gone. He’s planning to come down later this week and spend a few extra days with me. I imagine we’ll discuss my situation.”
Paul smoothed out a wrinkle in the upholstered arm of the chair as he mulled over this unexpected turn of events. His main goal had always been to convince Natalie to give him the journals, not leave the area.
“You may be able to find someone else to handle the upkeep chores here.”
“Lydia, my housekeeper, proposed that this morning too. She said her brother might be interested in taking over maintenance duties on a part-time basis, which should be sufficient.”
“That may be worth considering.”
“Yes, I suppose at the very least it could be a solution in the near term. I do want to follow through on my commitment to Cara before I make any major lifestyle changes.”
The very subject he wanted to discuss.
“How’s the translation coming?”
“Better. We’ve established a rhythm, and the pace is picking up as I get more accustomed to Marie’s penmanship and can decipher it more easily.”
Bad news.
“I’m glad to hear that.” Somehow he held on to his placid expression as he mouthed the lie. “Have you come across any interesting nuggets?”
“Nothing the average person would find noteworthy, but the glimpses the journals offer into this area during that era are fascinating. Cara is beyond excited.”
“I can imagine.” He flicked an imaginary speck off his slacks, keeping his manner and tone conversational. “How far along are you?”
“Closing in on the one-third mark. We’re on track to finishby the end of the semester. Perhaps much sooner if our pace keeps accelerating.”
Paul’s stomach cramped.
What if they got to the end before the election?
What if there was incendiary information in the last journal or two that somehow leaked to the press?
Such a disclosure wouldn’t come from Natalie, of course. She was the soul of discretion.
The professor, however, was an unknown. This research project was important to her. She might not intend any harm, but there was a real risk if Natalie had given her carte blanche to use any of the information they uncovered. What if there was enough in the journals to resurrect an old, rumored scandal? Enough to throw suspicion on a certain high-profile person in relation to Marie’s death?
The press would gobble that up.
And while the woman’s demise was a decades-old cold case, it was possible someone committed to justice would want to dig back in and put it to bed.
Someone like Brad Mitchell.
A person Cara had been having what appeared to be a very friendly conversation with in town soon after her arrival.
