Free Hidden in Shadow Pines by Nancy Roe Page B

head down, twisting strands of her hair. “Yes…but…”
    Hudson interrupted. “Now that everyone is accounted for, I best be going. Stop by the grocery store soon, Isabella. I’ll give you the grand tour. Have a good day, ladies.”
    Once Hudson had closed the door behind him, Jaime got up and stomped into the kitchen. I followed her. “Are you mad at me? What did I do?”
    Jaime stood with her back to me, screaming, “You can’t just leave the house without letting me know where you’re going.”
    My arms crossed, I shouted back, “I’m thirty-four, not fourteen. I’ve been living on my own for sixteen years. I can handle being on my own.” That was life in Darden, not in Shadow Pines. I was a prisoner here, wasn’t I?
    Jaime turned around. Biting her lip, she said, “You don’t understand. I just need to know.” Her hands trembled slightly.
    I thought back to the conversation I’d overheard yesterday afternoon with Jaime and the Stetson cologne man. Maybe if I pressed her for answers, she would crack under pressure.
    “Why do you need to know? I didn’t even know where I was going until I walked out the door. Don’t you ever just go for a walk? Let your feet guide you to new places? You should try it. Maybe it would help you loosen up. You seem awfully uptight this morning.” If I sounded angry with Jaime, that was because I actually was. But then, she was a prisoner here, too, even if she didn’t know it.
    “I have responsibilities. You’re my responsibility. I have to report on your actions.” Jaime started to cry. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t supposed to tell you.”
    “It’s okay. Nobody will know you told me.” The gentle-hearted soul in me came out and I gave her a hug. Not a long hug, just one long enough to give her the impression I cared, which I supposed I did.
    Jaime blinked back her tears. “Thank you.”
    I wish I could’ve mustered some of Jack Deveraux’s interrogation skills, but I’d been too soft. “I’m going to take a quick shower. Then we’ll have breakfast.”
    Jaime tried to smile. “Okay. After that, you can help me bake sugar cookies for the faith interaction meeting tonight. We can make different colored icings and decorate the cookies.”
    “Sure. Sounds fun.” Here I was lying again. It sounded as much fun as a root canal.
    Passing through the dining room, I looked out the front window to where the van had been parked minutes before. “Does Hudson have a white van with a blue stripe?”
    “Yeah. So do Lincoln and Francine. Why?”
    “I’ve seen it around town a couple of times.” I didn’t tell her I’d also seen the van in Darden.
     
    Zachary Larson started the faith interaction meeting with sad news. Gloria Pettit had died that afternoon after suffering a heart attack at the clinic. The funeral would take place Tuesday morning at ten. He spoke of her dedication to her family. Her smiling spirit. The clinic would accept donations to buy new equipment in Gloria’s honor.
    The one person I’d trusted was now dead. No one knew I’d seen her this morning, except the driver of the white van I saw turning the corner when I left her house. Had it been Hudson?
    Oliver Blair spoke. “At this time, anyone who would like to say a few words, please come to the front.”
    Devlin Stovall limped to the microphone. “I seen her this morning. Stopped at clinic for stomachache. I got to say bye.”
    Thomas Moe spoke next. “Gloria was a dear friend. I’ll miss our weekly Scrabble game nights.”
    Francine Stovall took the microphone. “Gloria helped me through my husband’s death and my son’s accident. She had a good shoulder to cry on. I’ll always remember her as a kind and gentle person.”
    Several other people spoke, and then Claudia Parker spoke last. “If anyone needs professional help to get through this difficult time, I’ll be available the next two days in Room 14.”
     
    Thomas waited at the end of the pew. “Isabella, could I talk to you