Leon glanced at the twins and Lia to make sure they were still occupied with their game. “Was the body in the trunk until the murderer moved it to Flora’s shed?”
“I think that’s the most likely scenario.” Laurie nodded. “If that wasn’t the case, the killer had to move the body a few times. From the trunk, to another hiding place, then to the shed. It’s possible, but it adds another move that wasn’t necessary.”
“You’re talking as though this is logical.” Flora spoke in an undertone. “Yet none of it makes sense. Jennifer didn’t know anyone in town. Who would she have picked up in her car during her lunch break?”
“That’s what we need to find out,” Laurie said. “I spoke to Dr. Laxman, but he couldn’t give me any more information about the call he made to Jennifer’s cell phone. It lasted only a few minutes, and he had no reason to believe it wasn’t her he was speaking to. Jennifer either arranged to meet someone, which, given what you’ve said, seems unlikely, or her killer tricked her into letting him into her car.”
“To do that, he must have come across as trustworthy.” Flora thought of her own situation. “We talked about not knowing our way around, how hard it was to get to know new people. Jennifer wasn’t an outgoing person. I can’t see her picking up just anyone.” She glanced from Laurie to Leon. “She had met Alan Grayson before. He came to the center for a meeting with the trustees when they discussed the possibility of a merger.”
“Why would Alan kill a young woman he’d only just met?” Leon asked. “I can stretch my imagination far enough to accept that desperation might have led him to kill Joy and Lilith, but this?”
“Whoever killed her would have been covered in blood,” Laurie said. “Jennifer was in the driver’s seat and the killer was in the passenger’s seat. The killer then drove the car to its hiding place. Even if he carried a change of clothes with him, it would have been impossible to get rid of all the blood.”
Flora rubbed her hands up and down her arms. She felt a sudden chill that had nothing to do with the warm room. “You said it was likely that all three women were killed because of their links to me. Jennifer’s murder certainly doesn’t feel random. It seems too convenient that she arrived in town and was killed almost immediately.”
Laurie frowned. “That’s a good point.”
“I didn’t know I was making a point,” Flora said. “I was just thinking aloud.”
Laurie’s notetaking was in full flow when Cameron wandered over and presented his wife with a glass of sparkling water. “I know it’s no use to tell you to stop working, but you can at least avoid dehydration.”
Although Laurie rolled her eyes, the glance they exchanged was filled with affection and understanding. It tugged at a point in the center of Flora’s chest, but, where it would have once caused pain and reminded her of what she’d lost, it now triggered a different emotion. One that felt like hope. She caught Leon’s eye and the smile that flickered between them felt as warm as a hug.
“Did Laurie tell you what we discussed?” Cameron asked.
“We’ve been too busy talking about the investigation,” Laurie said.
“One of the biggest issues for all of us is your safety, but we don’t want to spook your patients,” Cameron said to Flora. “It seems to me we could solve that problem with my original proposal... The one that Alan Grayson turned down.”
Leon frowned. “You mean the merger between the Ryerson Center and the Main Street Clinic?”
“Yes. It wouldn’t be formal, of course, because you don’t have that authority. But while Alan remains missing, you could operate your clinic out of the Ryerson Center’s premises.” Cameron’s calm tones made the proposal sound straightforward.
Flora could see Leon thinking the idea through. Although she’d dismissed his suggestion that she needed a bodyguard, she couldn’t deny that having him close would make all the difference to her well-being. She didn’t want someone else. He made her feel safe. Even so, Cameron’s suggestion was a big step, particularly as Leon wasn’t a senior partner at the Main Street Clinic.
After a moment or two, he gave a decisive nod. “That could work.”
“What about your patients?” Flora asked.
“They can still see me. They will just need to come to a different building,” Leon said. “And, since I suspect my receptionist is about to quit, the timing is good.”
“We can get a message out to your Monday appointments and divert future calls to the Ryerson Center.” Cameron was already in organizational mode. “A vague story will suffice. I find ‘operational issues’ covers most things.”
“My husband the businessman.” Laurie fluttered her eyelashes at him, before switching back to her brisk manner. “I’ll leave you to work out the logistics. Call me if you need anything.”
When they were alone, Flora turned to face Leon. “Are you sure about this? I’ve already turned your home life upside down. Now, your working arrangements are being disrupted because of me.”
“Will I have a desk that doesn’t have one wobbly leg?” She nodded. “And a swivel chair that actually swivels?” Another nod. “Do you have a coffee machine that produces coffee instead of weak, brown sludge? And air-conditioning that works?” She was laughing now as she continued to nod. “Then try and stop me being there with you on Monday morning.”
A few minutes later, his attention was claimed by Vincente and Flora turned to find Bryce at her side. “I guess this wasn’t the introduction you were hoping for when you moved to a new town.”
Flora smiled. “You could say that.”
He looked across at where Leon was deep in conversation with his brother. “You know, if I had a problem, I can’t think of anyone better to turn to than Leon Sinclair.”
She raised her brows. “He might be surprised to hear you say that. He told me
