Next to her, Amethyst’s floaty fairy dress with yards of diaphanous chiffon in a deep purple that exactly matched her lipstick, came off as rather tame. At least the other two women looked normal. Maybe, for once, Pam wouldn’t be considered the oddball.
“Pam, this is Julie Hayward-Kingsley. She’s an up-and-coming photographer. And then we have Gustavia, who is an author of children’s books. That vision in purple next to her is Amethyst Grayson. You’ll have to ask her to read your aura.” Amethyst gave Adriel a nod. “And last but not least, this is Kat Canton. Incidentally, Gustavia is Zack Roman’s sister, and Kat is his girlfriend.”
Before Adriel could provide Kat’s occupation, Pam pointed a finger at her. “I’ve heard of you. You’re the medium who works with Zack sometimes. I had no idea Adriel traveled in such illustrious circles.” Smiles and warm greetings proved a perfect remedy for Pam’s remaining shyness.
“Come, eat dinner with us, and we’ll tell you how we came to be friends. It’s a story worth writing a book about. We’re having…what did you call it, Julie? Potluck? I’m not sure what that is exactly.”
“It just means we all brought food with us. I made my famous eggplant lasagna. Gustavia raided her vegetable garden for salad fixings. Kat brought marinated chicken, and we talked Amethyst into making a batch of those cookies we all love. They’re full of nuts and seeds and hunks of white chocolate.”
Pam’s eyes lit up. This was another way she could fit in. “Hang on one sec. I need to go out to my car.” She returned with Adriel’s favorite: a loaf of Hamlin’s delicious French bread—fully two feet long, and full of crusty goodness. “This should go nicely with the meal.”
By the end of dinner, Pam felt like one of the group. She’d made them recount parts of the story twice. “If I wasn’t in the middle of my own fantastic tale, I’d be calling around to see if there was a rubber room missing its occupants.”
“I think this is the first time we’ve been able to tell the whole story straight out to anyone. Even my folks don’t know parts of what happened. Speaking of family, Adriel filled us in about your brother. I hope you won’t think we’re butting in, but we want to help.” Kat glanced at Adriel for confirmation and waited for Pam’s response, which came in the form of tears.
“You’re all so nice. I’m sorry I’m being so emotional. It’s just everything happened so quickly. But, for the first time in a long time, I don’t feel like I’m all alone.”
“Then I think I should tell you I’ve already had the pleasure of meeting Ben.” Kat’s smile widened at the memory of his sweet face. She went on to help Adriel describe the visit. “From the information he provided, Zack thinks we’re looking for a drunk driver.”
“Oh.” A pause then, “Oh, Adriel. Do you remember me telling you about Bill and the fishing trip? Do you think it could have been him or one of his friends? Kat, tell Zack to look at William Dooley, Damien Oliver, and Graham Brier. Although, if Adriel’s right and Lydia’s death has anything to do with Ben’s, that would eliminate Graham since he’s been living on the other side of the country for years, and I would have heard if he had come back for a visit.”
“Assuming the killer also sabotaged the ditch digging equipment, it probably wasn’t Damien. Remember he mentioned how adding sand to the fuel tank wasn’t the best way to put a vehicle out of commission for an extended period.”
Pam frowned. “I can’t picture Bill being cold-hearted enough to leave my brother in an unmarked grave all these years, but he’s the only one left. Unless it was some stranger passing through, and everything else was just a series of coincidences.”
Chapter 17
“I’m telling you, it wasn’t me. I may be a washed up loser, but I’m no killer.” Bill looked Pam right in the eye.
“Then why all the fuss about the ditch? What do you care?”
Bill lowered his voice. “A friend called in a favor.”
“Who?”
“Doesn’t matter. I just did what I was told.”
“It matters. Lydia Keough may have died to stop anyone finding those bones. I see you hadn’t thought of that.” Adriel said to a shocked Bill.
“It was Edward, okay? Edward wanted the protest.”
It was the last name Adriel expected to hear. Edward could have stopped the construction before it started.
“But you do have a secret.” Adriel made it a statement, not a question. She took a shot in the dark. “Does it have something to do with dancing pants?” His might have been one of the voices from the parking garage.
Pam’s elbow jabbed Adriel hard in the ribs. Based on the color draining from Bill’s face, though, she’d hit pay dirt.
“How did you find out about that?” Panic put him on the hairy edge of the fight or flight response. With his bum hip, he wasn’t going to get far. A look at Adriel and he knew she could take him in a fight. There was nothing for it but to give in and reveal what he had kept hidden for thirty years.
“I cheated on Rosa the weekend Ben was killed. It was a stupid thing to do and I felt horrible about it after. An older girl took an interest in me and my brains fell into
