Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 126823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Shabina’s heart sank. “Another local? At the hot springs?”
“He wasn’t local,” the deputy said. “A runaway. He arrived in a stolen van and was living in it out by the springs. He has a history of arrests for petty crimes.”
Martha shook her head. “It’s so sad. He was seventeen years old. A kid with his entire life ahead of him.”
Mary Shelton sighed. “His name was Craig Barker, and he looked twelve to me.”
“He must have been experienced in stealing cars to get away with a van like the one he was driving,” Martha said.
Mary shook her head. “I checked him out, and he certainly wasn’t a hardened criminal. His parents are drug addicts and from the reports I read, there was physical abuse in the home. His father was incarcerated on two occasions for theft. Both parents were brought up on child abuse charges several times when he was younger, but the courts continued to give him back to them. In my opinion, this is another failure of our system for these kinds of kids.”
Shabina rubbed her temples. She had seen so many children in loving families in Saudi Arabia when she was with Salman Ahmad’s tribe. Even then, before she knew the truth about her father, she had felt more loved in that environment than she had in her home with her parents.
“Is it a copycat?” Raine asked.
“Not in my opinion,” Martha said. “I don’t know what the FBI is going to conclude.”
Theresa, Janine and Val entered with Felicity and Eve. Tyrone escorted them to one of the larger tables near the windows. Felicity spotted Shabina and hurried toward her, ignoring the chair Tyrone had pulled out for her.
“Did you hear?” Felicity appeared very distressed. “We recommended the hot springs to Theresa, Val and Janine. They went out there yesterday with Edward. He showed them all around, and they even saw that boy’s van.”
“How did you hear so quickly?” Raine asked.
“Theresa and Val heard it from Tom and Judy early this morning. They walk together in the mornings. Tom and Judy know everyone in Knightly, or at least it feels that way.”
Martha and Mary both gave a low, humorless laugh. “That’s the way it is in a small town. News spreads like wildfire,” Martha said. “Tom and Judy saw we were working late, and they stopped to ask if we needed anything. Tom offered to get us food from the Grill.”
“The FBI agents were there as well,” Mary volunteered.
“What’s your impression of them?” Raine asked.
“Very professional. Good at their jobs and very thorough. They don’t miss anything,” Martha said.
“Yet they let Rafferty throw suspicion on Shabina,” Raine said.
Mary shook her head as did Martha. It was Martha who answered. “They may have had to follow up if there was a reason to suspect you, although everyone knows you work here in Knightly at the café. You can’t be in two places at one time. They do their job to rule out any suspects.”
“I can’t believe anyone would think you were involved in murder, Shabina,” Felicity said, indignation in her voice. “Why would they even consider you a suspect?”
Shabina shrugged, not able to answer adequately. She knew law enforcement hadn’t disclosed information to the public about the items on the altar.
Raine answered for her, sounding casual as she explained. “All the victims were here in the café at one time. As far as I know, that’s the only tie between them. They don’t look at all alike. I don’t see a common denominator yet. If the agents were looking for something, anything at all, to tie them together, it would be this café.”
“I see,” Felicity said, a bit mollified.
Theresa, Val and Eve waved frantically at Felicity. Patsy stood next to their table.
“Felicity, you should order your food. It gets packed in here, and once we’re slammed, getting your breakfast to you takes more time,” Shabina pointed out.
“You shouldn’t feel bad about recommending the hot springs,” Mary added. “You’re just trying to share the various places you enjoyed seeing with your friends.”
Felicity sighed as she turned to walk back to her table. “I still don’t like that Theresa, Val and Janine were out there while a murder was taking place.” She looked back over her shoulder. “They ran into Miguel and Avita. They weren’t using the hot springs, but they’d gone climbing, and a small group of their friends were gathered around a firepit. I think they met out there because Avita’s brother went there a lot with Miguel when they were kids.”
Raine stared after her for a minute. “It’s always amazing to me when someone new moves to Knightly and they’re so friendly that within a matter of weeks they know as many people here as I’ve met after years of living here.”
Martha shook her head. “You know everyone, Raine. You’re just quiet about it. I’m glad those two women are settling in and finding a semblance of peace after what happened to them. It was so terrible for them losing their entire family last year. These murders must be difficult for them. They know what it’s like to feel overwhelming grief.”