Deadly Homecoming by Barbara Phinney

Author:Barbara Phinney [Phinney, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Fiction, Romance, General, Religious
ISBN: 9781426825859
Google: tT0zABrRNtYC
Amazon: B00NH84FXK
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2008-12-01T08:29:08.223000+00:00

Even as the woman talked, Peta found things falling into place. She looked down at her watch, a simple gold-toned timepiece on an expandable strap. The date by the number three was one day behind.

108

Deadly Homecoming

The woman chattered on, but this time to her mother, who must have just come within earshot. Peta’s thoughts were racing. Her watch had added a day to June. Thirty days hath September, April, June and November…

“I see the problem!” the woman bubbled on. “Mum says she asked you the date, and you told her what to write on the receipt.”

“Yes, I did. And I said it was the end of the month.”

She could hear the elderly woman agree. “And I looked on the calendar and saw June 30. I hadn’t changed the month yet.

I wasn’t thinking it was already July.”

Peta felt a deep sigh draw through her. The woman sounded contrite. “I’m sorry. I can see on the computer that you’d reserved a room for the night of the thirtieth, and I finished your file after Mum said you’d left. You did stay until July 1.

I’ll make up a new receipt for you, and pop it in the mail.

How’s that?”

“Good, but what I need you to do is call the police here on Northwind.”

The woman gasped. “The death of that man! The reporters are saying he was murdered. My word! They don’t think you did it?”

“I couldn’t prove I wasn’t on the island until July 1.”

“Oh, dear, you were here most of the day on the thirtieth.

I remember. You were so tired from driving you fell asleep on the lounge chair out back.”

Peta said a quick prayer of thanksgiving for the woman’s good memory.

“I’ll call the police and straighten it all out,” she told Peta.

“Don’t you worry, dear. I’ll tell them everything.”

Peta hung up and then sagged, tears forming in her eyes.

One big hurdle overcome. She finally had a verifiable alibi.

She should tell Lawson.

Barbara Phinney 109

Getting to the lighthouse was easy, especially with the narrow trail they’d taken from the police station. Peta was able to slip past there, still a beehive of activity compared to what should have been. On Main Street beyond the station, she could see people outside. Most, she didn’t recognize. Police from the mainland, here to help with the compounding trouble? Several were still inspecting buildings and the road. The geological bump, or whatever had caused the rumble, must have been felt the strongest there. But still no sign of what had caused it.

She crept into the woods behind the station, then hurried past the church. The trail Lawson had mentioned was empty and she reached the lighthouse within minutes.

“Hey.”

Lawson looked up, surprised to see Peta silhouetted against the bright day, but at the same time, finding a grin creep up into his face.

Then the smile vanished. He’d been peering at a battered map and turned his attention back to it. “I thought we decided that you should stay indoors?”

“I’ve got good news.” Quickly, she told him about her phone call.

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