The Shortest Years by Kelly Simmons

Author:Kelly Simmons [Simmons, Kelly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Moonlight
Published: 2022-11-24T16:00:00+00:00

NINETEEN

Melinda

She ordered a hundred custom mini journals in gold and white with Father Callahan’s favorite bible quote on the front: “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

How often had he mentioned this passage when referring to Parent Grief Group? Ten times at least. He was one of those priests who seemed to know the entire Bible by heart, and sometimes Melinda looked around his office expecting to find lists of passages by subject. But no, he seemed to hold it all in his head, and remember them the way stage actors could drop Shakespeare into everyday conversations.

Was it pandering to choose that for the cover? Yes. Did she have a budget that could stretch to allow it? Also yes if she baked her own cookies for a few months instead of buying them. Was it an attempt to buy the attendees’ loyalty by giving them a gift that didn’t give off sad energy? Possibly. But it was also a simple, seamless way to get Bobby Charles talking. And once he got going, she didn’t even have to ask him pointed questions. The answers just flowed out of him.

“Maybe the church would like a flag next year, too,” she said innocently. “Do you sell many of them? I did see Jonna’s over at the park the other day.”

“Spring and summer are a big time for flags, generally,” he said, “although I didn’t sell any this week. Jonna came back in, though. Needed some high-quality flyers for their charity. Going gangbusters, from what I hear.”

“Wow, a charity?”

“Yeah, they’re going to get funding.”

“Funding,” she repeated. She supposed Jonna and Taylor needed the money, but she couldn’t imagine them doing the paperwork, setting up non-profit status, building a dot org website. They just didn’t seem that diligent to her.

“Well, good for them. Jonna still lives nearby I guess?”

“She’s been living at home, just a few blocks up on Mariposa. A little duplex next to that awful house with the pool, you know the one? Dad’s a drinker and the kids all go crazy splashing and screaming while he sleeps it off. Terrible situation.”

She nodded. She knew exactly what house he meant.

“But apparently she’s moved out.”

“Oh, but still nearby?”

“Oh no, out a few counties, on a farm.”

“Wow, she seemed, I don’t know, like a homebody.”

“Yes, she wasn’t much of an adventurer, even as a baby. Always clinging to her mother. But one of her cohorts lives out that way and gave them a place to stay.”

“Them? She have a new boyfriend? Good for her.”

“No, it’s the three of them out there. The gals from the charity.”

Melinda tried to hide her surprise, her concern, and yes, something she couldn’t put her finger on right away. An element of anger, yes, but a good base of what could only be called jealousy, followed with a frosting of fear. They were organized. They had a headquarters. They had a charity and funding.

Maybe what she’d seen Taylor do was just a coincidence, a misguided prank.

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