'Sightseeing. Someone told me about the Saunders house. I have to admit I was disappointed. They said the place was a little run-down. It's a wreck.'
'So I've heard. My friends and I used to go there when we were kids. Back then it was run-down. I haven't seen it for ages.'
'You and your friends?' He flashed the smile that at first had struck Natalie as open. Now it seemed studied. 'Would that be Lily and Tamara Peyton?'
'Well, yes. How did you know?'
'When I was in Curious Things I could tell you were a good friend of Lily. Tamara was her twin. Simple deduction.' The smile. 'It really is terrible about Tamara. People in town have told me the details of her murder. She was found on this road, wasn't she?'
'Yes.'
'By Lily and you.' She nodded. 'Hell of a thing. Who do you suppose would want to kill a lovely young woman like Tamara?'
'That's what the police are wondering.'
'Then her husband and that Bishop woman. They must have been involved. Did Tamara know?'
'I have no idea,' Natalie said faintly. She was growing alarmed. He was asking too many questions, watching her too intently. 'I really have to be getting back.'
'Why were you running? You looked like you were scared to death.'
'Did I?' She forced a smile. 'What you saw was strain, not fear. I haven't run for a long time.'
'That wasn't a simple jog I saw. Tell me. What's wrong?'
You're scaring the hell out of me, that's what's wrong, Natalie thought. She wouldn't show it, though. 'Nothing is wrong. I just ran too far too fast and I started to feel sick. I'm fine now.'.
'You don't look fine.' He moved one step closer. 'You're very pale.'
Blaine emitted a low growl. Jeff barely looked at her. His gaze held Natalie's.
'I am fine.' Turn around and walk, part of her said. Another part told her not to turn her back on this man. It would be easy for him to grab her and pull a knife neatly across her throat. 'Did you drive out here? I didn't see a car.'
'It's parked over there.' He motioned vaguely toward the end of Tamara's street. 'I've been around here for hours.'
'Then you must be ready to go back. Walk with us.'
'Wouldn't you like to see the Saunders house? You said you haven't been there for a long time.'
No, dammit! she screamed inwardly. Should she chance it and turn away? He certainly didn't seem intimidated by Blaine and she couldn't stand here forever.
'Hi! How're you doin'?'
A kid's voice. Jeff looked past Natalie. She turned her head. A black-haired boy rode a bike toward them. 'Hi!' she called gaily as if she knew him. He looked familiar. Wasn't he the boy who'd hung around the day they found Tamara's body?
'I saw you come out the road, Natalie,' he said, grinding to a halt beside her and hopping off his bike. 'You brought Blaine. Hi, girl.'
Natalie? Blaine? How did he know their names? 'She looks a lot better than the first time you saw her, doesn't she?' Natalie asked.
'She sure does.' He looked at Jeff. 'I'm Jimmy Jenkins. I live in that big blue house across from the Hunts.'
'Jeff Lindstrom.' Tight voice. Tight smile. 'Nice to meet you, Jimmy.'
'Do you live around here?'
'No. Just visiting. Natalie and I were headed back. Are you going to the Saunders house?'
Jimmy shook his head. 'I don't care about that old house. I just came out to see Natalie and Blaine. I'll walk with you guys.'
Bless you, Natalie thought. Jimmy grinned at her. He'd known something was wrong and he'd come to her rescue. She felt like throwing her arms around him.
When they reached the paved street, Jeff gave them an overly hearty farewell and began striding east. Natalie looked at Jimmy. 'Thanks.'
He shrugged. 'No big deal. I saw him hanging around here eyeing the Hunts' house. Then he went out Hyacinth Lane. Then you came and I saw you take off running. I thought something was wrong.'
'I was supposed to meet Lily here. When she didn't show up I got scared. I saw vultures flying around and… well, I thought of Tamara, but it was only a dead opossum.'
'I've been around here all day and I haven't seen Lily.'
Natalie frowned. 'You couldn't have missed her?'
He flashed that grin again. In a few years he'd be a heartbreaker. 'The way she drives her 'Vette? I couldn't have missed her screeching into the driveway.'
'I don't understand,' Natalie muttered. Then: 'Jimmy, how did you know my name and the dog's?'
'Paige Meredith told me. We're friends.'
'Oh, I see.' Natalie remembered Paige mentioning a 'Jimmy' four or five times last night. She obviously had a crush on him. 'I'm certainly glad you came after me.'
'I had to. There's something creepy about that guy.' Jimmy looked at the ground and frowned. 'I thought I saw something drop out of his pocket. There it is.'
He pointed. Natalie bent and picked up an object. It sparkled in spite of the overcast day.
'What is it?' Jimmy asked.
'A silver and amethyst earring,' Natalie said thinly. 'It belonged to Tamara.'
'You sure?'
'Yes. I gave these earrings to her for her birthday.' Natalie frowned and asked slowly, 'Could he have just found this on Hyacinth Lane?'
'Maybe.' Jimmy looked at her solemnly. 'Or else he's been carrying it around since the night Tamara got murdered.'
12
The red Corvette sat in front of Lily's apartment. Natalie, Blaine standing beside her, knocked on the door. In a minute Lily appeared. She wore a robe and her eyes were red and slightly swollen. 'Natalie,' she said without inflection. 'I didn't know you were coming.'
'May I bring in the dog?'
'Of course. I love dogs.' She shut the door. The draperies were pulled. The only light in the room came from a television. A soap opera played with the sound turned low. 'Do you want something to drink? Juice? Soda? Coffee?'
'Wine.'
Lily raised an eyebrow, a ghost of a smile playing around her mouth. 'It's just past noon, Natalie St. John. What would your father say?'
'The same thing he'd say if it were ten p.m.' She deepened her voice. 'My darling girl, alcohol is not good for you.'
'You obviously disagree,' Lily said, pulling a bottle of wine from the refrigerator.
'At the moment it's exactly what I need. I've had quite a nerve-wracking morning, thanks to you.'
'Thanks to me?' Lily poured white wine in a glass, then ran water into a bowl and set it on the floor. Blaine lapped loudly. 'What did I do?'
'You called me,' Natalie said, walking back into the living room and sitting down on the couch.
'I didn't call you this morning.'
