Page 143 of Seven Deadly Sins

Twenty cute little houses lined up on both sides of a grassy square. Off to one end, a rubber ground had been laid in preparation for playground equipment. A pond sparkled from a hundred yards away, and an area had been cleared for a community garden.

“Wow. I almost want to live here.” Harper headed down the grassy patch and peered into a house already drywalled. It was very unfortunate the building had been stalled until Robert forced the issue.

“Two bedrooms, one bath, and less than a thousand square feet.” Liam read off a sign. “All homes will come equipped with solar panels and well water. Barker thought of everything.”

Harper snapped some photos. “I’ll send these to Robert. Let him see the progress and send Amber home.” She hoped. She sent the photos.

After touring the rest of the tiny community, they returned to the jeep with no response from Robert.

~

Rain splattered the windshield, slowly at first, then a downpour. Liam turned on the windshield wipers to high. A quick glance at the clouds let him know it would be a quick shower.

His phone rang. Annie informed him that someone had come forward by the name of Bill Spooner saying he’d had someone approach him about being enlightened.

“Meet him at the bar on Highway 64.”

“On it.” He turned the jeep in that direction and tossed Harper a grin. “Your press release might have given us something.”

“Your idea.” She crossed her fingers. “Here’s hoping without putting too much stock in anything.”

“Pessimist.” He chuckled.

Fifteen minutes later, they pulled in front of a wooden, weather-beaten building with a tin roof. “This place been here a long time?”

“Roy’s Bar and Grill is a landmark.” Harper shoved her door open and stepped onto the gravel parking lot, then sprinted to the building.

Inside, Liam pushed wet hair out of his face and paused to allow his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting, then called out for Bill Spooner.

“That’s me.” A middle-aged, balding man waved at them from the other end of the counter. “Let’s sit back here.” He slid off a stool and led them to a table in the corner. “I don’t want anyone butting their noses in where they don’t belong.” Once he sat, he slapped a business card on the table.

Liam read the words printed there. “Enlightenment awaits you.” A phone number had been scrawled under the words. “Did you call the number?”

“No way. I don’t believe in that stuff.” He twirled his almost empty beer bottle on the table. “This yahoo sat at the bar next to me and started yapping about sin and a better world. He used the word entitlement, so when I hear the detective mention it on the news, I knew I had to call.”

“We appreciate it.” Harper leaned her elbows on the table. “Can you describe this man?”

“About my age. Dressed in old fashioned clothes that a college professor might have worn. Peaky cap. Spoke well.” He finished his beer. “That’s about it.”

“You didn’t see what he drove?” Liam motioned for the man to have another drink.

“Nope. I almost tossed the card in the trash but pocketed it instead. He tried talking to Larry, that’s the guy in the overalls, but Larry ignored him.”

“I’ll see if he’ll speak to us.” Harper moved to the bar.

The man she approached shook his head, slapped money on the bar, and marched from the building without a backward glance.

Harper returned to her seat. “He’s scared. Said he doesn’t want that maniac coming after him.”

“I ain’t scared.” Bill frowned. “I haven’t committed any of those seven sins. At least not that anyone would notice. I can’t ID the man, and I’m sure you’ll keep my identity a secret.”

“Absolutely.” Liam stood. “We’d appreciate you coming down to the station to speak to a sketch artist sometime today.”

“Sure. I can do that. I’m off today with nothing better to do.”

“Thank you.” Liam shook his hand.

In the jeep, he turned to Harper. “We’ll most likely never know whether that was Thompson in a disguise or anyone else.”