Free Killing the Secret by Donna Welch Jones

pinned it on her chest. Today, she’d pretend she had strength and power. Tonight, she’d allow herself to fall apart—alone.
    Lexie arrived at the office a little before eight. Tye, Delia, and Clay were already at their desks.
    “Delia, I need you to stay here and answer the phone,” Lexie said apologetically. “I’ll take your place as soon as the funeral is over. That way you can go to the family home.”
    “Yes,” Delia acknowledged as she slumped against the file cabinet.
    Lexie continued, “Tye, I need you to record everyone at the funeral who went to high school with you. There’s apparently a tie between that class and these murders.”
    “Will do.”
    “Clay, I’m glad you didn’t wear your uniform because I need for you to blend in. Listen for speculations about why anyone would want to murder Abbey.”
    “I didn’t wear my uniform because I didn’t want to be on duty. Now I have to spy on the mourners?”
    “Exactly, Clay. You’re one of us whether it embarrasses you or not. People aren’t going to want to be seen with me, much less talk to me. I will be our eyes from the Baptismal loft,” Lexie said.
    “Tye and I will be back here at three to interview Jamie, Beth, Loretta, and hopefully, Mariah. You two don’t need to come back until tomorrow morning.” Lexie knew that she sounded like a drill sergeant, but that’s what she needed to be on this forlorn day.
    Lexie drove to the funeral alone. A group of four men stared as she exited her car.
    “What the hell are you doing here?” one of them hollered as she walked toward the church.
    She didn’t respond. Soon she was within four yards of them.
    “You’ve got some nerve coming here after what you caused,” bullied an obese bearded man.”
    Lexie kept moving. Behind her she heard a familiar voice respond to her tormenters.
    “I don’t think Abbey would want you making a scene at her funeral. Do you?”
    The first heckler shrugged his shoulders and walked faster toward the church. The others followed.
    Lexie stopped so Red could catch up.
    “Got some mean people here at this funeral. I’m thinking you need a sheriff escort,” Red said as a smile formed on his face.
    Lexie looked up at him. “Maybe I should nominate you for the good Samaritan award.”
    “Probably so,” he agreed. “But I’m going to desert you to sit at the front. Gary asked me to be one of the pallbearers.”
    “He’s likely to fire you if he sees you with me.”
    The pair separated at the back door. Lexie went behind the church stage and climbed to the platform behind the baptistery. Above the congregation, she could watch without being seen.
    Clay apparently thought a sexy woman in her twenties was a suspect. She was the only person he seemed to be investigating.
    Tye was at the back of the church searching faces as people filed into the church.
    Lexie wasn’t sure what she was looking for—someone who cried too much, or too little? Even a small slip-up by the killer might give them a clue.
    The pews were full. People stood at the back of the church and overflowed into the balcony. Where would I sit if I were the murderer? I’d probably sit in the balcony so I could see it all without being part of it. Of course, in this case, the logic didn’t seem to apply since there was such a crowd.
    Jamie was the first person Lexie recognized as she visually scanned the balcony area. Jamie was seated alone and wore a large-brimmed black hat, no doubt a new fashion accessory. But Lexie wondered if she was hiding something.
    All the Diffee farmers congregated at the top.
    Lexie looked laboriously at each head searching for a wig or a toupee, but she didn’t see any. Row after row of sad faces was all that she saw. There was no hint of a murderer among them.
    Mariah said she’d come, but none of the faces resembled the girl from twenty years before. Lexie was irritated at this discovery. Now a trip to Washington was necessary.
    Loretta was gasping. Her sobs