your kitchen right now.”
“I know. I wish I could, too,” I said. “But there’s nothing we can do at the moment except wait.”
Julia nodded.
“It’s possible they might think you or Justin killed him,” I said. “Depends on what they think your motive is. Revenge, maybe.”
“Why would I suddenly decide I wanted revenge now?” Julia snorted. “If I’d wanted to kill Godfrey because he got me pregnant and ran out on me, I would have done it years ago.”
“Possibly,” I said. “But now your husband is terminally ill, Godfrey appears and wants to take your son back to California, and maybe you’re so stressed you lose control and strike him down.”
Julia blanched. “I hadn’t thought of that. It does sound plausible when you put it that way. The Lord knows my stress level is through the roof.”
“No wonder,” I said in sympathy. “Anybody’s would be, with what you’re going through with Ezra.”
Julia smiled her thanks. “But I didn’t kill Godfrey, and neither did my husband nor my son.”
“Then we have to look elsewhere.” I paused. “How often did Godfrey come back to Athena over the years?”
Julia thought for a moment. “Every few years, probably. A few times he came on a book tour. Other times for research of some kind.”
“Once his parents left Athena, did he have that many ties here, other than college?”
Julia didn’t appear to have heard me.
“What is it? Have you remembered something?” I leaned forward in my chair.
“Talking about book tours made me think of it,” Julia finally said, focusing on me again. “When I was leaving the hotel earlier today, I saw somebody at the front desk with a box of books.” She shrugged. “At least, that’s what I thought it must be, because I saw the name of Godfrey’s latest book on the side of the box.”
“Who was it?” A potential new suspect, I hoped. All the better for Justin and Julia.
“That woman who owns the bookstore on the square, Jordan Thompson,” Julia said. “And I know for a fact she hated Godfrey with a passion.”
TWELVE
“I didn’t think ministers’ wives listened to gossip.” I said it teasingly, but Julia didn’t take it that way.
“I don’t run around gossiping with anyone.” Julia’s tone was frosty enough to make me wish I was wearing a sweater. “But people tell me things, even when I don’t ask them to. Besides, Melba Gilley’s niece Patty works there. Has since she got out of high school five years ago. She used to babysit Justin, and whenever I run into her, she always wants to talk.”
I nodded. I knew Melba’s niece, Patty Simpson. Plus, I knew Melba. If Patty was at all like her aunt, she knew what was going on around her within a ten-mile radius.
“Okay, let’s say something happened between Godfrey and Jordan Thompson.” I regarded Julia warily. “Something that pissed off Jordan so much she wanted Godfrey dead. How the heck are we supposed to find out what that was? Other than calling up Patty Simpson and asking her, since she seems to know everything.”
“I’m not suggesting that.” Julia scowled. “Although I have no doubt Patty would be happy to tell you that, and a dozen other things besides.” She paused. “I know you go into the bookstore. I’ve seen you there myself, several times.”
“Yes, I do. I go in there at least every couple of weeks.” I have always loved bookstores, and though I have plenty of access to books through the two libraries where I work and volunteer, I can’t resist the lure of the bookstore.
“Then go by there tomorrow and talk to Jordan,” Julia said. “She’s fond of older men, from what I’ve seen. You can probably get her to talk to you.”
“Julia, I can’t believe you’re suggesting such a thing.” I pretended to be shocked, but I was more amused than anything. I couldn’t see myself in the role of homme fatal , persuading attractive young women to spill their secrets.
She didn’t respond.
“I know. I wish I could, too,” I said. “But there’s nothing we can do at the moment except wait.”
Julia nodded.
“It’s possible they might think you or Justin killed him,” I said. “Depends on what they think your motive is. Revenge, maybe.”
“Why would I suddenly decide I wanted revenge now?” Julia snorted. “If I’d wanted to kill Godfrey because he got me pregnant and ran out on me, I would have done it years ago.”
“Possibly,” I said. “But now your husband is terminally ill, Godfrey appears and wants to take your son back to California, and maybe you’re so stressed you lose control and strike him down.”
Julia blanched. “I hadn’t thought of that. It does sound plausible when you put it that way. The Lord knows my stress level is through the roof.”
“No wonder,” I said in sympathy. “Anybody’s would be, with what you’re going through with Ezra.”
Julia smiled her thanks. “But I didn’t kill Godfrey, and neither did my husband nor my son.”
“Then we have to look elsewhere.” I paused. “How often did Godfrey come back to Athena over the years?”
Julia thought for a moment. “Every few years, probably. A few times he came on a book tour. Other times for research of some kind.”
“Once his parents left Athena, did he have that many ties here, other than college?”
Julia didn’t appear to have heard me.
“What is it? Have you remembered something?” I leaned forward in my chair.
“Talking about book tours made me think of it,” Julia finally said, focusing on me again. “When I was leaving the hotel earlier today, I saw somebody at the front desk with a box of books.” She shrugged. “At least, that’s what I thought it must be, because I saw the name of Godfrey’s latest book on the side of the box.”
“Who was it?” A potential new suspect, I hoped. All the better for Justin and Julia.
“That woman who owns the bookstore on the square, Jordan Thompson,” Julia said. “And I know for a fact she hated Godfrey with a passion.”
TWELVE
“I didn’t think ministers’ wives listened to gossip.” I said it teasingly, but Julia didn’t take it that way.
“I don’t run around gossiping with anyone.” Julia’s tone was frosty enough to make me wish I was wearing a sweater. “But people tell me things, even when I don’t ask them to. Besides, Melba Gilley’s niece Patty works there. Has since she got out of high school five years ago. She used to babysit Justin, and whenever I run into her, she always wants to talk.”
I nodded. I knew Melba’s niece, Patty Simpson. Plus, I knew Melba. If Patty was at all like her aunt, she knew what was going on around her within a ten-mile radius.
“Okay, let’s say something happened between Godfrey and Jordan Thompson.” I regarded Julia warily. “Something that pissed off Jordan so much she wanted Godfrey dead. How the heck are we supposed to find out what that was? Other than calling up Patty Simpson and asking her, since she seems to know everything.”
“I’m not suggesting that.” Julia scowled. “Although I have no doubt Patty would be happy to tell you that, and a dozen other things besides.” She paused. “I know you go into the bookstore. I’ve seen you there myself, several times.”
“Yes, I do. I go in there at least every couple of weeks.” I have always loved bookstores, and though I have plenty of access to books through the two libraries where I work and volunteer, I can’t resist the lure of the bookstore.
“Then go by there tomorrow and talk to Jordan,” Julia said. “She’s fond of older men, from what I’ve seen. You can probably get her to talk to you.”
“Julia, I can’t believe you’re suggesting such a thing.” I pretended to be shocked, but I was more amused than anything. I couldn’t see myself in the role of homme fatal , persuading attractive young women to spill their secrets.
She didn’t respond.
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