Small Town Justice by Hansen Valerie

Author:Hansen, Valerie [Hansen, Valerie]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-01-08T08:00:00+00:00

TWELVE

Unsettling feelings kept Shane on edge during the drive to Serenity Chapel. He had wondered how long it would be before Jamie Lynn decided to look up her brother’s defense attorney, once she learned his name. The problem was, Shane had already searched. The middle-aged man seemed to have dropped of the face of the earth.

The same as Jamie’s parents did, Shane thought. He supposed that was not an uncommon phenomenon in a crowded city environment. In a small town, however, it was rare that someone wasn’t privy to inside information. Not much stayed private. All he had to do was ask a few loaded questions and an answer should be forthcoming. If his buddies couldn’t tell him, surely a member of his mother’s quilting or knitting group would have enough facts to put them on the right path.

Taking Jamie’s arm when she slowed her pace, Shane guided her to the front entrance. The double doors swung open. A crew-cut greeter with a smile as wide as the Mississippi Delta handed Jamie a bulletin and pumped Shane’s hand. “Welcome, welcome. Glad to have you with us.”

“Thanks, Don. I’d like you to meet Jamie Lynn Henderson. She lived here a long time ago.”

To Shane’s relief and approval, the magnanimous greeter shook Jamie’s hand as if she were the most important person present. That was one of the secrets of their close-knit church’s success. Everybody was welcome and accepted. A twinge of guilt rocketed up Shane’s spine, reminding him that he would do well to emulate the genuine openness of the elderly man.

“Have to come early to get a pew in the back,” Don said with a wink. “You’d best get in there and grab a good spot for your guest.”

“Mom promised to save us places.”

“Wouldn’t count on it. Not this morning. Marsha and Kyle headed for Children’s Church when she found out they were shorthanded. I reckon she’ll stay back there.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

“Does everybody keep track of everybody else around here?” Jamie Lynn asked aside.

Shane chuckled. “Lots of times it’s handy. Like now.”

As she slipped her hand through the crook of his elbow, she leaned closer to whisper, “I’m not sure I’d recognize Randall or Abernathy from the old newspaper photos of the trial. Do you see them yet?”

“No. They usually sit with their wives on the far side of the sanctuary, about halfway back.” He gestured with a tilt of his head. “I never paid attention to what they drove or whether they came early or waited for the service at eleven. We’ll go scope out the parking lot if I don’t spot them pretty soon.”

“Okay.” Her grip tightened.

“Relax. Nothing bad is going to happen to you in church.” He felt her shiver.

There was plenty of unoccupied space in the sanctuary. Shane chose to escort Jamie Lynn along the back aisle while he checked the congregation for the men they sought. Neither was present. Yet.

“Why don’t I show you around?” Shane suggested. “Give you something to do besides sit here and fret.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.