Page 54 of The Souls of Lost Lake

“Did anyone see you?” Noah barked, hurrying to the front windows and drawing the curtains.

“Don’t think so,” Ava gasped. Her lungs hurt. Her legs hurt. Hereyeshurt after what she’d seen. She’d never been sorely fond of Jipsy, but she’d never wished the woman dead as a doornail. And what did that mean anyway? Dead as a doornail?

The preacher pushed past her and flipped the lock on the back door. He untied the curtains over the sink and let them fall into place before turning the full front of his concerned expression on to Ava.

“What in—are you all right?”

“I found Jipsy!” Ava knew her eyes couldn’t be any wider if she’d propped them open with toothpicks.

“Jipsy?” He leaned back against the sink.

Ava nodded. “Dead. Deader than that deer Mr. Sanderson hit with his truck awhile back. Remember that? Lyin’ in the road for two days ’fore someone moved it? All bloated-like.”

Noah ignored her gruesome description. “Where is she?”

“In the woods!” Ava affirmed.

“Yes, butwherein the woods?” Noah pressed.

“In the poplar grove.” Ava furrowed her brow. “I’m guessin’ about a mile or two in past the sawmill.”

“You went past the sawmill?”

Ava could see Noah’s mind spinning. It was one of the most populated places in Tempter’s Creek. “It was still night when I went by. No one saw me. No one saw me now.”

“You don’t know that.” Noah dared a peek out the window, his hand holding the curtain back by an inch or two. He let it fall back into place. “You’re sure it was Jipsy?”

“She hasn’t been dead that long,” Ava nodded. “Still looks like her.” She swallowed down her nausea. “What are we goin’ to do?”

She hadn’t intended on laying the full weight of the problem on Noah. Fact of the matter was, she hadn’t intended on returning to the parsonage ever. But after she’d fallen on top of Jipsy’s stiff body, all of her senses took flight like a flock of crows.

Noah was looking at her strangely.

“What is it?” She realized there were black shutters in the corners of her eyes. Noah was turning all blurry. He was reaching for her. She let him catch her. It felt good—bein’ caught. He was a right bit softer than Jipsy had been.

22

The sound of someone pounding on the door woke Ava with a start.

“Shhh!” Noah pressed his hand against Ava’s arm.

Ava was lying prostrate on the sofa in the front room. She vaguely remembered passing out and Noah catching her as she fell. Now that had been a silly thing to do. She’d never swooned before in her life and—

“Open up, Reverend!” Someone pounded on the door again. It was just out of sight from the front room.

“Shhhh.” Noah held a finger to her lips. His finger was warm where it pressed against her sensitive skin. He stood from his place next to her and headed for the entryway. There was the sound of the front door being opened. She could picture Noah opening it only a fraction and peering out between the crack of the door and the frame, with a foot braced behind the door should someone try to push their way in.

“Sorry for the intrusion.” The voice was Officer Larson’s. Clear as day. It made Ava shrink into the sofa.

“What can I help you with?” Noah’s voice was muffled.

“I had a report that Ava Coons was seen not far from the parsonage here. Just this afternoon.”

“Oh really?” Feigned interest on Noah’s part.

“Yes.”

Silence. Officer Larson was waiting for Noah to offer up information. Noah apparently had no intention of initiating anything.