Somehow she would find a way to help Matilda. It was the least Sarah could do for a kindred spirit.
The drive to the cemetery took only three or four minutes.
Sarah opened her door as soon as he’d shut off the engine. She scanned the cemetery. No sign of Matilda.
Sarah had taken only one step from the Jeep when she stopped dead. She stared at Mattie Calder’s headstone.
Sitting there watching Sarah or maybe waiting for her to arrive were three black crows.
29
Noon
In just one hour the special afternoon prayer service would begin.
Deborah Mahaney stared out the window over her kitchen sink and peered next door at the church’s towering stained-glass window. The beautiful rendering of Jesus ascending to heaven gave her comfort even now, in this tragic time.
Today Christopher had a brief faith-building sermon planned for their grieving congregation.
Evil had struck again and taken another of their sweet children.
Deborah’s gnarled hands ached. She rubbed them together.
The memorial service would be tomorrow morning at eleven. Poor Rachel couldn’t bear the thought of going through the service days from now. She wanted it behind her.
The ache in Deborah’s heart went soul deep. Such tragedy.
As much as she grieved for the Gerards and the Appletons, Deborah had problems of her own, too.
The FBI agent was coming this afternoon. He’d come once already to question Christopher about his discovery of poor Alicia’s body. But this time was different. Like that awful Sarah Newton, he wanted to talk to Christopher about Valerie.
Dear God, what was she to do?
Deborah closed her eyes and prayed hard.
How could this be happening? So much time had passed and there had been no trouble. Why now? Poor Valerie was dead. What difference would it make now?
All the difference in the world, Deborah feared.
Her crippling arthritis worsened every year. Poor Tamara was just about to graduate high school. She would be going off to college. That took money. Deborah’s medicine and mounting doctor bills took money and insurance.
If Christopher’s secret was discovered ...
God, what would she and Tamara do?
Tamara had suffered far too much already.
Deborah understood that even if the police didn’t find that dirty little sin, she would. Sarah Newton had a reputation for finding what others missed. She would not stop until she had ruined them.
If Deborah continued to wait ... it might be too late.
She had watched for a sign, but nothing came.
God often expected his sheep to think for themselves.
Perhaps this was one of those times.
She had to make a plan to save herself and Tamara from Christopher’s terrible, terrible sin.
