“I do it. I have so many apps on my phone I don’t know what to do with them, but they come in handy.”
Even though snow had started, they kept up their leisurely pace, enjoying each other’s company, appreciating the intimacy of the dark night and the cold around them. They were close together as they walked, creating heat, and bonding in their way.
“Have you heard any more about Glenda?” Daisy asked.
“The police questioned her for a few hours. Surprisingly, she didn’t call a lawyer.”
“I wonder why not.”
“She said she was completely open with them and told them everything they wanted to know. I don’t know what that everything was, maybe about her past with Margaret, maybe about an affair with Rowan.”
“She confessed to that?”
“I don’t know that either. Neither Rappaport nor Willet would open up about the investigation. You know how they can be.”
“I know. But I wonder how the cast is going to feel with Glenda in their midst if they think she’s a suspect.”
“They’re probably watching each other carefully thinking everybody’s a suspect. This murder investigation certainly isn’t cut and dried.”
The snow fell faster now.
Jonas suggested, “Let’s walk back to the house and sit on the swing on the porch. I’m glad you haven’t taken it down yet for the winter.”
“I might not. Even when it’s cold, I like to go out there and sit.” After they circled the path around the garage, they headed back toward the house.
Once they were seated on the swing, Jonas’s arm around Daisy’s shoulders, she leaned into him. He took one of her gloved hands into his. He was wearing leather gloves and they couldn’t feel each other’s heat. But they held on anyway.
“I’d like to ask you something,” she said softly.
“Go ahead.”
She hesitated.
Jonas shifted toward her. “Are you afraid it’s something I’ll get upset about?”
“Possibly, but I don’t want you to be.”
He gave a shrug. “So ask, and we’ll see what happens.”
Pragmatic to the core, Daisy thought. But that gave Jonas balance and sometimes her too. “Do you feel left out or unsettled because Vi and Foster chose Gavin to be godfather?” Daisy had filled Jonas in on Vi’s and Foster’s choices.
She felt Jonas lean away from her slightly, and she turned her head to face him.
He began, “Truthfully, for about two seconds I was hurt. But there were so many good reasons why Vi and Foster should have asked Gavin and not me. First of all, Gavin has a better grasp on faith than I do. I still struggle with it—with my dad’s death, my mom’s struggles afterward, and Brenda’s death. Maybe I’m still angry at God. I don’t know. But after I thought about it, I knew Gavin was the right man for the job. He’s raised three good kids. He knows what he’s doing. He’ll take the honor seriously.”
Daisy wished she could help Jonas take a leap of faith, but faith was too personal to interfere with. Jonas removed his glove and stroked Daisy’s cheek. She shivered, but what she felt had nothing to do with the cold.
“You’re chilled,” he said. “We should go in.”
With a smile, she shook her head. “No, I’m not cold. I just like you touching me. Do you mind that we’re going so slow . . . that we haven’t slept together yet?”
“Some people would think we’re foolish, I guess,” Jonas said, still looking straight into her eyes. “But I think we’re building. What we’re building slowly will last.”
In her mind Daisy thought, I’ve fallen in love with this man. But she couldn’t say it yet. They were building friendship, trust, maybe even a life together. There would be time enough to say the words, she hoped.
* * *
On her lunch break on Tuesday, Daisy drove to Willow Creek Community Church. The clothes drive they were holding was a special one—Sleepers for Kids. Daisy had gone to the baby shop downtown and purchased a few sleep sets from six months to toddler to six years old to ten years old. She hoped they would help a family who needed to keep their children warm at night.
She saw the sign outside the side entrance to the offices behind the church where Vanna’s office was located. A square of cardboard announced, ALL SLEEPERS FOR KIDS MUST BE DONATED HERE. KNOCK ON THE DOOR OR RING THE BELL AND SOMEONE WILL GIVE YOU A PLACE TO PUT THEM.
Daisy climbed the two steps at the side entrance and rang the bell. The bags weren’t particularly heavy, and she didn’t mind waiting. She’d used one reusable tote bag from Vinegar and Spice, and another from the Covered Bridge Bed and Breakfast. They were canvas totes and she often took them to the grocery store or wherever else she needed to use one.
A girl of around ten answered the door. She had red hair and curls to her shoulders, and very green eyes. “I’m Leah,” she said, a little shyly. “Do you have donations? Grandma will be so happy.”
Soon Vanna was in the hall. “I see you’ve met my granddaughter. She’s usually pretty shy. She has a cold so she’s home from school, helping me today.”
Leah said, “I recognize that this is the woman you talk about often—Daisy Swanson. You say she has a good heart, so I knew I didn’t have to be afraid of her.”
“I hope you don’t have to be afraid of me,” Daisy said.
Leah lowered her voice. “Grandma said you help solve murders.”
“I don’t spread it around,” Daisy whispered.
“She says the only reason you can do it is because you know how to ask the right questions, and you don’t make people mad.”
“That’s a high compliment. I try not to make people mad. Maybe that leads me to the right questions.”
“Come on now, Leah,” Vanna said, swinging her arm around her granddaughter. “You have to rest a bit.”
“Resting is getting boring.”
“Spoken like a ten-year-old,” Vanna whispered to Daisy as Leah ran toward another room at the back of the church.
“Are you
