When Secrets Strike by Perry Marta

Author:Perry, Marta [Perry, Marta]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 2015-10-28T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

AARON FELT AS if he’d been sitting in Matthew Gibson’s old kitchen for hours answering questions, but since it was only now getting dark, it couldn’t have been that long. Fortunately, the old Formica table and chairs had been left in place, or they’d have been sitting on the floor.

Mac studied the small notebook he’d been writing in. “So you’re not sure exactly what time it was when you arrived at the house?”

“No.” He clamped his lips shut on the word. Mac knew as well as anyone that farmers didn’t consult watches and cell phones constantly. Aaron didn’t have one, for one thing, and he didn’t need it. Work on the land wasn’t done by the clock.

“Sorry.” Mac managed a slightly more human look. “I’ll let you go soon, honest. How long had the car been sitting by the house?”

“No idea,” he said tersely, and then regretted it. Mac was just doing his job, and Aaron had no reason to make it more difficult.

“Wouldn’t you have seen it earlier, like when you left your lane?”

“Probably not.” He frowned, trying to visualize the view of the Gibson property from their farm. “The tree line hides that section of the drive from sight.”

“But you saw it tonight?”

Aaron nodded. “Sarah and I happened to be coming up the road from the Stoltzfus place as the sun was setting. I guess the angle was just right for it to glint on the metal. I noticed it and pointed it out to Sarah.”

He heard the sound of heavy footsteps in the other room, and someone shoved the front door open with a squeak. They must be taking poor Matthew away.

“Sarah isn’t still out there waiting, is she?” Aaron asked. “She doesn’t need to see Matthew’s body again.”

“No worries. I sent her home a half hour ago. Eli came over when he saw the police cars, so he took her. He said something about an accident she was in today?” Mac made it a question.

Aaron rubbed the back of his neck, trying to focus. “It’s odd. I had just been saying to Sarah that we should tell you about it when this happened.”

“An accident with a car?” His friend’s tone was sharp. He was no doubt wondering why he hadn’t been called at the time.

“No, nothing like that. She was driving home with my sister Becky and my two girls in the buggy when a wheel came off, down by the Everly place. They were fortunate not to be hurt worse.”

“I’m sorry. Your little ones are all right?”

“Fine.” His thoughts flickered to Sarah shielding them. “Ben Stoltzfus and I both looked at the wheel and the axle. It seemed to have grease on it, or maybe oil. And Eli takes too good a care of his property to let his daughter drive a buggy that isn’t safe.”

“You think it was done deliberately.” Mac filled in the blanks quickly. “Why?”

“I’m wondering if the firebug might fear Sarah could identify him in some way.” Aaron shook his head, wishing he could shake off his worry as easily.

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