Last Writes (Forensic Handwriting Mystery Book 4) by Sheila Lowe

Author:Sheila Lowe [Lowe, Sheila]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Suspense Publishing
Published: 2016-03-30T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

The crowded breakfast room was filled with the noise of TBLers chattering like a flock of magpies. Having slept little, and fitfully when she did, Claudia got up grumpy and out of sorts. The conundrum she faced about the strange note and its writer had not miraculously solved itself overnight, nor did anything fall into place when she thought about it again this morning.

She was itching to tell Kelly about it, but they had not been alone and able to speak privately. The note was tucked safely away in her purse, which she had firmly under her arm.

Before parting the previous evening, they had agreed that it would work best for them to split up and mingle as much as possible. Claudia would make her move on James Miller after breakfast.

“Esther,” Claudia greeted her, pleased to see their young guide from the day before.

The girl’s face lit up with a big smile, but before she could say anything, the woman walking with her gave her a sharp poke in the ribs and said something into her ear. The smile left Esther’s face. She ducked her head and said, “Good morning, Sister Claudia,” then hurried off toward the kitchen.

What was that about?

The woman who had accompanied Esther faced Claudia with a cool glance that belied her words. “Welcome to the Ark, Sister Rose. I’m Martha Elkins, Esther’s mother.” She looked young to have a daughter Esther’s age—no more than thirty, Claudia guessed. Her skin was smooth, unflawed. Glossy brown hair, pulled back. And right now, a sour expression.

“You have a lovely daughter, Mrs. Elkins. She was a great tour guide yesterday.”

“Yes, well, today she’s got work to do, so she won’t be available to take you around.”

Claudia blinked in surprise. The woman’s taciturn manner didn’t fit with the smiles that had greeted her up until now. “May I sit here?” she asked the woman.

“Suit yourself, there’s a place if you want it.” Then Martha Elkins relented. “Breakfast is served cafeteria style. Go up and get what you want. I’ll save your seat for you.” She indicated a buffet line where the members were dishing up plates of sausage, eggs, and pancakes. Claudia got in line, glad to see that some lighter fare was also available. Like Kelly, she was a night owl who found it hard to face a big breakfast so early in the morning.

As she got in line to dish up her food, she spotted Kelly, already seated on the other side of the room, engaged in lively conversation with a young man whose body language suggested that he was fascinated with her. Typical Kelly. She had always gone for younger men, and most of the time they were happy to oblige. Claudia hoped she was getting something useful out of him.

She carried her plate of fruit and yogurt back to the table where Martha Elkins had saved her seat as she’d promised. The elder in charge of the table turned out to be Esther’s father, an unsmiling man with a stiff demeanor.

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