Free Mourning Moon (A Guinan Jones Paranormal Mystery #2) by Callista Foley

It reminded me of a receiving line. Luke must have read my confusion.
    "It's customary at this church for attendees to give the family condolences before leaving for the cemetery."
    As we neared the family , my eyes alighted on Desmond's mother, her hair pulled back in a severe bun. Next to her, Desmond's father wore a wan smile. He was almost gaunt. I mumbled something like, "So sorry for your loss."
    Luke let go of my hand and hugged Mrs. Drake. She was calm, almost stoic. He whispered something to her, and she nodded. I greeted the rest of Desmond's family and felt a tap on the shoulder.
    "Wait for us," Embry said in a low voice . Ione trailed behind him. Her face was so white and movements so jittery, I thought she'd faint at any minute.
    Luke and I waited off to the side , watching the family. "They don't deserve this," he said. "This should not have happened."
    "The police will sort it out," I said.
    "They'd better. Because if this turns into a cold case, I'll—"
    "You guys going to the cemetery?" Embry said, loosening his tie. He'd quickly filed past the family.
    "Of course," Luke said. "Aren't you?"
    While they glared at each other, I watched Ione. Mrs. Drake held her hand and whispered to her. The woman ignored the people streaming past her. Ione stood stock still.
    "Don't turn it into a big thing, Luke. I just asked, okay?"
    Ione didn't speak at all. She just listened.
    "If you do n't want to say goodbye to him," Luke said, "just run along home."
    "I'm going to let that slide. This is upsetting for all of us."
    I moved closer to Ione and Mrs. Drake and made out some of the woman's words. "...glad to know your brother is well. I was thinking about..."
    "You've got some issues, Luke."
    Ione swayed.
    "Embry," I said, "I think you'd better—" Before I could say another word, Ione slumped to the floor. People gasped.
    "My God," Embry said. He was at her side and lifting her head from the floor.
    "Give her some air," someone said.
    "Let's get her to the library," a man said. "There's a sofa in there."
    Embry picked her up and followed him.
    Luke and I looked at each other. "What was that about?" he said.
    "Let's find out."
    We trailed them down a long hallway. They entered the last room on the left. Luke and I remained just outside the door. Ione had regained consciousness. The man left the room and returned with a glass of water. She took it with a trembling hand.
    "I didn't eat this morning," she said. "Stupid."
    "I wonder if she's pregnant."
    Luke and I turned at the same time. Sinder stood behind us. She wore a long, dark-green, long-sleeved dress that seemed to be made of velvet, and her hair looked like she hadn't brushed it in days.
    " Ione's upset," Luke said.
    "Oh, really?" Sinder said. " More upset than me? Than you, his best friend? Fainting. What drama."
    When the man saw that Ione was all right, he excused himself.
    "Would you feel better if I fainted?" Luke said after the man disappeared into the sanctuary.
    She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. I stared at her and wondered what effect she was trying to achieve with the wild hair and smoky eyes, at a funeral, no less. "You give off a lot of negative energy for someone who says she practices good magic."
    She blanched. "I do practice good magic. I just don't like Ione Hamilton."
    "Or Luke Chapman," I said. I didn't know where this sudden anger came from. "Do you like Embry? Or me, for that matter?"
    Sinder brushed her hand down her dress and stood straighter. "Guinan, you're new. You don't understand the dynamic. All is not what it seems."
    "So why don't you tell me ? Just get it out of your system. What am I missing?"
    Luke, who'd begun to pace the hall, stopped and glared at her . "Don't even think about it."
    I looked from one to the other .
    "Don' t dredge up all that crap," he said through gritted teeth. "At least not here."
    Sinder looked around and held up her hands. "Why not here, a place of confession and forgiveness?"
    Luke walked past her and