DS 09 The Language of Death by Emrick K.J

Author:Emrick, K.J. [Emrick, K.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Cozy Mystery
Published: 2014-06-08T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

The Church of the Sacred Visitation was a narrow but tall stone structure not far from the Smithsville Town Hall. Darcy had noticed it last night when she and Lorne had walked around town. It had a tall spire on the front of its peaked roof with a bell in it that rang out loud, low tones now to mark the start of the services.

Chloe was being honored by a large part of the town, it looked like. Rows and rows of pews were nearly filled from side to side with people in suits and ties and black dresses. Even though it was a weekday, that hadn't stopped people from coming to say goodbye to Chloe.

Darcy sat up front with Lorne and Veronica and Sami and Chloe's parents. It was hard for Darcy to sit there and be friendly, knowing that one of the people she was sitting next to was a murderer. The look Lorne had given her as they sat down told her he was having the same problem. Thankfully it was a time to sit solemnly with a serious face and not talk much. It made it easier to hide her real feelings.

Darcy's gaze kept drifting to the polished brown casket set up on its expandable cart at the front of the church, just below the altar. Her friend's body was in there. Ready to be laid to rest in the ground. Darcy hoped she could lay Chloe's spirit to rest as easily.

The priest was dressed in a long white robe with a red silk stole over his shoulders. He was a young man, with straight blonde hair and thick glasses. His voice rang out through the church as he talked about the value of all life, and how sad it was when any one of us should be lost so early. He added in a few specifics about Chloe, things Darcy had heard him ask Chloe's mother about just before the service started. It gave his words a more personal quality.

After a few recited prayers by everyone gathered, the priest asked if anyone wanted to come up to the altar and share their stories of Chloe.

Chloe's mother stood slowly and made her way to the front of the church, up onto the altar, the priest smiling and showing her to the podium with its slanted top and microphone. She swallowed and gave everyone a weak smile, and then started telling a story about Chloe when she'd been just six years old and climbing a tree for the first time in her life.

Darcy had heard this story before, from Chloe, and she remembered the ending. Chloe had fallen and scraped her knee up to the point that her mother had brought her to the hospital to get the bleeding to stop. Then, when they got home, Chloe had gone right back to that same tree and started climbing it again. This time, she made it up into the branches.

Behind Chloe's mother, a figure appeared. Darcy shook her head with a smile.

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