Free Come Home by Lisa Scottoline

not at her. They used to be so close. “Listen to me—”
    “No, you listen to me. ” Victoria’s fair skin flushed with barely controlled rage. “You didn’t love Dad, and you didn’t love us, either. You threw us out!”
    “No, that’s not true.” Jill edged away, mortified. Her face felt like it was on fire, her mouth had gone dry. She wouldn’t stay another minute if it upset the girls. The crowd murmured. The rector grasped Victoria by the arm, but she pulled it away.
    “Now it’s my turn to throw you out, Jill. Leave. Go!” Victoria pointed to the door, but Jill was already in motion, turning to catch up with Megan, the two of them fleeing, their pumps clattering on the colonial floorboards.
    “Jill, no!” Abby shouted, and just when Jill thought it couldn’t get worse, she realized that Abby was running after them.
    “Megan, wait!” Jill called out, but Megan blew through the glass doors into the church’s courtyard. Jill ran through the doors after her and reached Megan, who was crying, full bore, in the rain.
    “Mom, what did I do? What did I do?”
    “Nothing, honey.” Jill hugged Megan just as Abby came flying out, her cheeks tear-stained, her mascara dripping black.
    “Jill, I’m sorry.” Abby ran headlong toward her, and Megan backed off. Jill caught Abby as she burst into new tears. “I’m so sorry.”
    “Abby, what’s going on?”
    “I’m sorry, it’s my fault, I messed up. I didn’t tell her, but I didn’t think she’d freak out in front of everybody.” Abby sobbed, shuddering. Megan stood aside, wiping her eyes, but Jill couldn’t go to her, because she was comforting Abby. “Dad said you cheated on him, that you wanted a divorce, you met another man.”
    “ What? ” Megan blurted out.
    “No, that’s not true.” Jill released Abby. “Abby, go inside. This isn’t the time or the place—”
    “Was he lying?” Abby wiped her eyes, leaving mascara smudges. “You didn’t really cheat on Dad, did you?”
    “My Mom would never do that!” Megan shouted. “She cried, I heard her, lots of nights! He probably cheated on her !”
    “No, he didn’t!” Abby shouted back.
    “Yes, he did !” Megan yelled louder, veins bulging on her neck.
    “Stop fighting, both of you.” Jill took control, horrified. “Abby, we have to leave. Go inside. Take care. Good-bye.”
    “No, wait, don’t go.” Abby grabbed Jill’s arm, her tears abruptly stilled. “Can’t you just come over, like I asked? Please, after the service? Somebody murdered Dad, and we have to find out who.”
    “No, Abby, I can’t.” Jill pulled her arm away.
    “Mom, was William murdered ?” Megan asked, her voice breaking.
    “No, he wasn’t,” Jill answered firmly, taking Megan’s hand. She could see Victoria inside the church, hurrying toward the glass exit doors. “Let’s go.”
    “Yes, he was, Megan!” Abby called out, and behind her, Victoria was opening the door, followed by the rector. “Somebody killed him, I know it! Jill, please, help me!”
    Jill hustled a weeping Megan away just as Victoria emerged with the rector.
    “Please, Jill, I need you!” Abby called again, but Jill kept going.
    Running from one crying child, with another.

 
    Chapter Ten
    Jill sat across from Megan in a restaurant near the church, a small, quiet place that seated them at a table in the back. Megan had stopped crying in the ladies’ room, though her eyes were still puffy and reddish, and she’d cut her lip on her braces. “Are you okay, honey?” Jill asked Megan, worried.
    “Yes.” Megan drank some water, crestfallen. “Victoria was so mad, I didn’t mean to upset her.”
    “Honey, stop, you didn’t do it. Victoria didn’t expect us, and we caught her by surprise. She’s a little crazy right now, is all.”
    “What’s Abby talking about, that William was murdered ?” Megan’s eyes rounded, a bloodshot brown. “Was he, Mom?”
    “No, sweetie.”
    “Why does Abby think he