Why the Rock Falls by J.E. Barnard

Author:J.E. Barnard [Barnard, J.E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths
ISBN: 9781459741492
Publisher: Dundurn
Published: 2020-11-14T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Jan groaned. So much for perfection. As the video panned around Mrs. Harder’s Old West bedroom, it captured one vividly out-of-era detail. On a shelf under a knotty wood bedside table was a wicker basket filled with bright yellow prescription containers, clearly marked in modern black fonts. How had she not noticed that in the eight times she’d viewed the clip before including it in the final video? She snipped the revealing frames and chose a replacement image from her still-photo file. In it, the oblique sunlight was highlighting those same white labels and yellow pill bottles, but she photoshopped balls of grey wool in their place. Inserted into the video, the image displayed small and then zoomed in on the pretty quilt to distract from the wool seams. She watched the whole video again. Was it perfect? No. This time she caught a reflection in the dresser mirror of Mrs. Harder leaving the room. Just the back of her head and torso, but the modern clothing and short auburn hair were enough to ruin the illusion. She replaced that shot with a still, too, and watched for what seemed like the hundredth time.

As the last frames of the log cabin video flickered by, she checked her watch and decided it was good enough. Maybe not up to Hollywood standards, but she was only an art director’s assistant’s contract helper. She started the video uploading to Davey’s site and set aside the laptop. A good day’s work. Once she’d rested up from this, she would call Jake’s place and see how Michael was doing, maybe invite him to come along to her next art collection excursion and get some ice cream.

She’d barely closed her eyes before a vehicle pulled up outside. Not Terry’s truck. It sounded like Rob’s car, but what would he be doing here at quarter after four? He didn’t usually leave the museum until five. The front door clicked. “Rob, is that you?”

“It’s me. Are you awake?”

“Sort of. What’s up?”

“Remember those things I wouldn’t tell you yesterday?”

She sat up, wincing as the light struck her overworked eyeballs. Rob stood in the doorway, looking as shattered as she had ever seen him. She rolled off the couch and went over, wrapped her arms around him, and held on.

After a while he pulled back. “I’d better tell you all this now. Lacey will be up in a few minutes.”

“She’s home? Did they find Orrin and Tyrone?”

“No. Nothing to do with the search. She happened to be handy when things exploded this afternoon, and we drove out from Calgary together. She’ll be heading back to the ranch soon, and I’ll need both of you up to speed before she goes.” He dragged himself into the living room and slumped on one end of the couch.

She crawled back into her nest at the other end. “Okay, talk to me.”

After that highly confusing beginning, he didn’t seem to know quite how to go on. Eventually, she prodded him.

“Is this about your alibi for Saturday morning?”

He nodded.

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