LITMIR.BIZ

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think it gives her a purpose again. I want her to run it.”

      “Even now? After the stroke?”

      “If she can recover enough, sure. If not, then we’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it. The place should be ready by end of July. I’m hoping to get all the permits and approvals by August, so we can open for business.”

      April asked him a few more questions, trying to get clear in her mind the scope of the project. She thought of Maddie raising three girls all the same age. Almost like raising triplets. Had she wanted to foster more children? Would the past accusations prevent her from taking charge of the home? She and Eliza were adults now. They could make new statements, and try to clear Maddie’s reputation.

      She hoped the stroke wasn’t permanently incapacitating and that Maddie had her chance to run the home, but she had a long way to go before she’d be up to the task.

      April heard a car in the driveway and went to the back door. It was a sheriff’s vehicle, pulling to a stop just as she reached the screen. A tall man climbed out, his dark hair gleaming in the sunshine. He looked tanned and fit. A deputy or the sheriff himself, she wasn’t sure, but a far cry from Sheriff Halstead and his paunch.

      Cade joined her. “It’s Sam. I asked him if he could speed up the search for Jo. I hoped maybe he’d locate her while you were here.”

      “Cops are looking for her?”

      “As a favor only. They’ve got contacts unavailable to the rest of us.” Cade walked down to meet the man. “Hi, Sam.”

      April stood in the door and watched. She glanced at the patrol car. Jack Palmer sat in the front seat. She turned and went back to the table. She’d had enough of that man to last her forever.

      A moment later Cade and the sheriff entered the kitchen.

      “April, Sam Witt,” Cade introduced. “Sam, April Jeffries.”

      “Pleasure, ma’am.”

      “Hello,” she said, wondering what his relationship was with Jack Palmer. The reporter had been in the front seat, so he couldn’t be under arrest. Too bad.

      Sam put his hat on the table and pulled out a chair. Cade placed a full glass of iced tea in front of Sam a moment later.

      “Guess you heard I’m searching for Jo Hunter,” Sam said to April after taking a swallow of the tea.

      She nodded.

      “Got any ideas where she might be?”

      “I don’t even know where she was sent when we were split up.”

      “She went to Meridian,” Sam told her. “Seems strange all three of you were sent so far apart, especially after being raised together most of your lives.”

      “Seems strange we were sent anywhere,” April returned. “Jo blamed Maddie initially, but she said she told the truth later and no one would believe her.”

      “Who did beat her?” Sam asked.

      “I don’t know. She never told us, but she was really angry with Maddie. The next day Social Services came in and we were shipped out. I never knew what happened to either of the others until Eliza called me a few weeks ago.”

      “Doesn’t the official report say?” Cade asked, straddling a chair and studying Sam.

      The sheriff shook his head. “The entire file is skimpy. Poor practices seemed to have been the norm with my predecessor. The notes only say Jo’s accusations grew more outrageous the more she talked.”

      “Did anyone contact her foster family in Meridian?” April asked.

      Sam nodded. “Seems Jo ran away within two months. They thought she’d tried to return to Maraville, but there isn’t anything in the records I could find to show that.”

      “Maddie said she didn’t,” Cade said. He looked at April. “We talked about you girls a bit before she had her stroke. I didn’t know she’d hired a detective to find you, but I knew she regretted the way things had turned out. And she wanted to see all three of you again.”

      “Any special place Jo talked about, where she might have gone?” Sam asked April.

      “We all talked about leaving Maraville when we were younger. But New Orleans was our mecca in those days. Could she have gone there?”

      Sam shrugged. “Maybe. But if she did, she changed her name or married or something. There are no records for a Jo Hunter in New Orleans that come close to Jo’s description or age. Or anywhere in Mississippi or Louisiana for that matter.”

      “So where does that leave us?” April asked.

      “Guess we’ll keep trying.” Sam finished his drink then rose. “Thanks for the tea, it hit the spot.”

      “Sorry Jack didn’t want any,” Cade said.

      “I need to get him home. He gave that talk today, and then did rounds with me. I think he’s tired, though he’d never admit it.”

      “From a talk?” April asked.

      “He was injured pretty badly in Iraq. He’s still recovering, so he tires easily.”

      That explained the cast and cane. She could relate to getting tired easily. Her own recovery from this bug was taking longer than she’d expected.

      The sound of tires crunching on the shell driveway could be heard. Cade went out the back door.

      “See you around,” Sam said to April as he prepared to leave.

      “I hope you can find Jo before I have to return to Paris.”

      “I don’t hold out a lot of hope,” he said, “but we’ll keep looking.”

      Eliza and Betsy came into the kitchen, laughing. Eliza was holding Cade’s hand.

      “Sam, I thought that was your car. Stay for dinner. Cade’s cooking on the grill, and Dex is coming over. We’ll have a party.”

      “Thanks, but I have company.”

      “I saw the guy in the car. He’s invited, too. The more the merrier. We’re having barbecue chicken, ribs and plain steaks. I’m whipping up a terrific salad and Betsy has the most delicious yeast rolls. And there’s chocolate torte for dessert.”

      “I’ve heard about that dessert from Suzanne Canaday,” Sam said with a grin. “I’ll ask Jack.”

      April frowned. She didn’t feel up to a party of any kind, much less one where that man would be present.

      “April, be a sweetie and help me,” Betsy said, already pulling flour from a cupboard. “I need the oven set at three seventy-five and some muffin tins, please.”

      As she rose to help, April hoped Jack would refuse the dinner invitation.

      Unfortunately, her luck wasn’t running that way. A couple of moments later he entered the kitchen, leaning heavily on his cane. From the frown on his face, she didn’t think he was enthused about staying, but had gone along for his friend’s sake.

      Sam made the introductions and then gestured to the table. “Take a seat and put your foot up.”

      “I’ll get you some tea,” Cade said, going to the counter and stopping to give Eliza a quick kiss on the way.

      For the next few minutes confusion reigned as Cade and Eliza prepared the meat for the grill, Betsy and April worked together on the rolls and then carried dishes, silverware and citronella candles outside to the picnic table on the flagstone patio.

      Glad to have something to do, April was conscious of Jack’s dark mood as he sat and watched the others. He didn’t contribute to the conversations flying around, and looked as if he wished he were anyplace but here.

      Feeling perversely uncomfortable

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