Her head swam with that painful to contemplate possibility.
“I haven’t spoken to her yet, but it’s unlikely since most of your family say they saw her during the supposed time of the murder. But that doesn’t mean Frank committed the crime.”
Molly’s heart beat faster at his words, at the hint that he wasn’t just her father’s advocate but someone who believed in his innocence as strongly as Molly did. “Hunter-”
A bell rang from the front of the restaurant. “Molly, pizza’s up!” Joe called out.
“Thank God. I’m starving,” Hunter muttered.
She tried not to laugh. A man with an empty stomach was a serious thing. “Do you want to eat here or bring it home?”
“Here, definitely.”
Molly gestured for Joe to bring the pie to the table instead of boxing it up for takeout. “Good choice. Dad said he was going to a V.A. benefit for disabled veterans at town hall.” She glanced at her wristwatch. “And Jessie should be leaving for a school party any minute, but I’d really hate to overlap and have any drama between us tonight.”
Hunter nodded. “Still, it’s good that she’s going out. Better than staying home moping.”
“I hope it means her friends are lightening up on her some.”
Joe strode up to the table, pizza in hand, interrupting their conversation, and seconds later, the waitress brought plates and silverware and they were able to dig in. Actually, Hunter was able to dig in since the steaming hot cheese didn’t bother him. Molly had to wait until the bubbling cheese and red sauce cooled off before she could eat, but she enjoyed watching Hunter practically inhale his food like the big, strong man he was. Finally she was able to enjoy it, too, and they ate in comfortable silence.
She wiped her mouth with a paper napkin and suddenly realized how tired she was. “I am stuffed and exhausted,” she said, laughing.
“Ditto.” He gestured for the check.
She rose from her seat. “I’m going to go to the ladies’ room before we leave.” She wanted to wash the grease and smell of garlic off her hands. She glanced toward the restroom and caught sight of Sonya Markham.
Molly waved at the other woman, who stood picking up an order at the counter.
Sonya glanced away.
Molly shrugged. “Maybe she didn’t see me. Be right back.” She walked to the front of the restaurant and paused by the other woman’s side. “Hi, Sonya!” Molly said, pleased to see the recent widow out and about.
“Molly.” Sonya stopped fishing through her purse, looked up, then smiled.
Molly took in her drawn expression and the bluish tint under her eyes. “How are you doing?” she asked awkwardly.
“Not too bad, considering.” Sonya pushed her dark bobbed hair off her face. “Actually, I’m exhausted,” she admitted. “But I’m sure that’s obvious by looking at me. It’s hard to sleep and it’s harder to concentrate on anything at all.”
Molly couldn’t begin to imagine how Sonya was coping at all. She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry.”
Sonya shook her head. “Don’t be. It’s actually good to get out and start facing the world again. And you and your family have been wonderful to me. Especially your father.”
For a split second, her eyes sparkled with a vibrancy Molly hadn’t seen since before the murder.
“Pizza’s up, Mrs. Markham,” Joe called from behind the counter.
Sonya turned and nodded to the owner, then glanced back at Molly. “I need to pick up my order.”
“I’d like you to meet someone first. Dad’s new lawyer, Daniel Hunter.” Molly gestured for Hunter, waving him over. He handed the waiter his credit card and started toward them.
Molly had wanted to pay for this meal but she’d just have to make it up to Hunter next time. He hooked his black leather jacket from one finger as he joined them. A smile spread over Molly’s lips as she was struck again by his handsome face and the comforting presence that accompanied him.
“Sonya Markham, this is Daniel Hunter, the attorney representing Dad.”
A flicker of gratitude swept over Sonya’s face. “I’m so glad you’re here.” She shook Hunter’s hand. “I swear to you that no matter what the police say, there’s no way Frank murdered my husband.” Her voice cracked on the last words.
“You have my deepest sympathies,” Hunter said. “I’ll do whatever I can to make this ordeal as easy on your family as possible.”
Warmth rushed through Molly at his compassionate tone. He instinctively knew the right thing to say and do, she thought. She was so proud of him, she could barely speak over the lump in her throat.
Still, she forced herself to focus on Sonya. “You know, if there’s anything I can do…” Molly trailed off.
Once again, words of comfort didn’t come easily to her. She didn’t know how to connect with someone else in grief. She just tried to extend herself to Sonya as best she could.
Sonya leaned forward and embraced Molly in an impulsive hug before pulling away. “I know. But like I said, your family has been wonderful to me. Thanks to Edna, we have a home-cooked meal every night, Robin calls often even from college, and if it weren’t for Jessie, I doubt Seth would make it through a day at school. And your father, well, he’s been my rock.” She seemed to be repeating herself intentionally, this time for Hunter’s sake.
Once again at the mention of Frank, Sonya’s face lit up with something more than gratitude, something that made Molly shift uncomfortably on her feet. “You two have such a strong history and friendship,” she said.
“I’m going to have to talk to you about the night of the murder,” Hunter interrupted in a gruff voice.
“I understand. Just say when.” Sonya tucked a strand of her short hair behind her ear.
“Tomorrow would be great.”
“Tomorrow it is.” Sonya suddenly glanced at her watch. “I really have to go. To my car,” she said, flustered. “I’m late for…” She hesitated and fiddled with her hair. “I’m late getting home. I have to bring Seth his dinner.”
Molly recalled Hunter’s impatience for food earlier and couldn’t help but grin. “Yes, I have some small understanding of how impatient men get when they’re hungry,” she said, laughing and lightly nudging Hunter in the ribs.
He rolled his eyes at her, but chuckled, too.
“Well, it was nice meeting you, Hunter,” Sonya said.
“Same here.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Anytime after 10:00 a.m. is fine.” She quickly paid, took her pizza and headed for the door.
“She seems nice,” Hunter said.
“She is,” Molly agreed. “And my father adores her. She was a little off tonight, but I’m sure that’s normal given the circumstances.”
“It probably is. Are you ready to go or do you still need-”
“Just give me a second to go to the ladies’ room,” Molly said to Hunter, then rushed to the washroom.
Once inside, she washed her hands with raspberry-colored liquid soap, causing the strong smell of berries to fill the small room. She stepped to the windowsill where paper towels lay waiting, and dried her hands, looking out the window at the back parking lot.
Since the sun was setting, street lamps dotted the area with light. As if she were watching a scene straight out of a movie, a female figure moved slowly across the lot with a large pizza box in hand, stopping at one of the lampposts and resting against it. The light illuminated her face.
Sonya.
Molly expected her to look for her keys or walk to her car, but she remained where she was.
Molly crumpled the paper in her hands. She stared at the lonely figure and her heart broke for Sonya. Recent circumstances had changed her from vibrant and happy to desolate and sad. She’d have to talk to her father about doing more for Sonya and Seth, not that Molly knew what would help them except time. But she couldn’t help feeling that they needed something.
She tossed the paper towel into the garbage just as a navy Jeep pulled in to the lot. Her father had a navy Jeep. So did a lot of people in town, she reminded herself.
But only her father’s license plate read MEL629. His deceased wife, Melanie, and the date of their anniversary. According to Robin, the plate had been on her mother’s car and her father hadn’t been able to part with it when
