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The next morning, Greg and I decided to take his mom to see the wedding venue. It was an outing where Emma could come along. There were only a few cars in the dirt parking lot when we arrived, even though it was a beautiful day. As we wandered the mission grounds with Emma, Amanda was quiet. I was worried that she didn’t approve. The weather was cooperating for our outing. The temperature was in the seventies, so we were in short sleeves. Except for Amanda, who wore a hoodie as well. Several of the walkers we ran into wore shorts. We paused at the fountain. The mission’s groundkeepers had kept it running for the winter and cleared some of the vegetation from around it. There was a bench nearby and Amanda sank onto it, pulling out her water bottle. Emma sat by my leg, watching her. She looked up at me and whined.

“Mom, are you okay? Are we doing too much?” Greg sat next to her, holding the water bottle as she du g in her purse.

She didn’t look up as she shook her head. She pulled out a ChapStick and applied it to her lips. “Don’t be silly. I just get a little tired now and then. It’s so dry here. I have to put lotion on right af ter my shower.”

“What do you think of the venue?” Greg decided to take her at her word. But I could see the concern in his eyes. “The arch will be covered with flowers and the chairs will be set up over there. The reception will be held back by the main building. Our friend Sadie Michaels is baking the cake and we brought in a caterer for the reception. As long as it doesn’t rain next Saturday, we’ll be good.”

She surveyed the area. “Make sure the chairs are on either side of that stone pathway. You don’t want Jill’s dress to get dirty.”

I glanced at the pathway to the arch. I’d assumed that the chairs would be set up that way, but maybe Amanda was right, we should check with the venue to make sure. They’d offered the old chapel as an alternative site for the wedding in case of rain. It would work as an option, especially since it would keep me from having to call everyone on the day of the wedding to let them know of a venue change. This wedding had been a pain to pull together, three times already. I was done changing the date. If we didn’t get married next Saturday, I would chalk it up to the will of the gods. Even though I knew in my heart that Greg was the one, I just didn’t have the energ y to try again.

Greg must have heard my thoughts because he winked at me. Sometimes that man knew exactly what I was thinking. More likely it showed on my face. I just wished I had the same insight into his head. Like that bump we’d had when I’d made him a resume. I’d thought I’d done something nice. He, on the other hand, thought I was meddling.

We still needed to clear the air about that, but not until after our house was just the two of us again. I refused to fight with his mom staying with us. We had the rest of our lives to do that. I smiled as Amanda stood. “So, d o you like it?”

“It’s beautiful. I hope that it’s warm like this next weekend.” Amanda pointed to the old buildings near the foothills. “Can we see the rest of the buildings?”

“Of course.” I started telling her about the Spanish missionaries who had built the original mission with the help of the local tribe, the Chumash people. The Spanish priests who ran the missions were more worried about claiming the area for their crown than taking care of the natives. This mission had been wiped out in an earthquake, then rebuilt as part of the Civilian Conservation Corps program during the Depression. “There’s even a ghost story about a Catholic priest who died here during t he earthquake.”

“Well, let’s hope he doesn’t like attending weddings.” Amanda stepped closer to me. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather get married in a church nearby?”

“We love this site, Mom,” Greg interrupted. “And with so many changes, our options have been limited. But when we found this, it was like it wa s meant to be.”

I appreciated his support. I’d been searching for wedding venues for months. Especially after our first choice had been snatched from our grasp due to the location’s rules. “We love it, and Emma will be able to attend, as long as it doesn’t rain. She’s not allowed in the chapel.”

“Well, as long as the two of you are happy with the venue,” Amanda said, but from her tone, I didn’t think she meant it. Greg’s first marriage had been in a huge, historic church. Mine had been at the justice of the peace’s office. This was right in the middle. The place was perfect for us. We were outdoor people who appreciated the history of the area where we lived.

I paused at the chapel entrance. I’d been inside several times. “You guys go ahead. I’ll stay out h ere with Emma.”

The chapel had two entrances, one you could see from where we were standing at the back, and the one Greg and his mother had used, closer to the edge of the building where the cemetery was located behind the mission walls. Most of the graves were unmarked, but there was a large stone cross that marked the cemetery boundary by the walls. My phone rang, making me jump. I answered the call. “This is Jill.”

“Are you coming to the author event tonight?” It was Deek Kerr, my barista and bookstore author-event wrangler. He’d invited a children’s author for an appearance, hoping it would bring in the kids with their C hristmas money.

“Probably not.” I didn’t want Greg to think I was working just to get away from his mom. “Unles s you need me.”

“Nope. I just wanted to make the offer. We’re all ready. How’s the in-law visit going?” It sounded like the shop was b usy behind him.

“As well as can be expected, I guess.” Emma was watching the side of the wall where the adobe had been broken. Anyone could step into the cemetery from the back near the foothills. Of course, there wasn’t much here to protect. I heard Greg talking behind me. “I’ve got to go. T hey’re coming.”

“Have fun,” Deek said be fore I hung up.

I’d thought we were going to have a nice walk and show off where we were going to be married. Now, Amanda had me rethinking all my decisions. The good news was it was too late to change anything. All I needed to do was breathe.

When they walked into the courtyard, I saw Amanda frown. I turned around to see what she’d seen, but we were the onl y people there.

Greg’s phone buzzed, and he held up his hand. “Sorry, I’ve got to take this.”

He left the cemetery area, and it was just me and Amanda. She nodded to the benches outside the walled courtyard. “Can we sit out here? I’m still a little sensitiv e to all this.”

I realized she meant the graveyard. We moved to the benches, which were warmed by the sun along with the wall behind us. We could see the sheep’s pen from where we sat. “I’m sorry. We should have skipped this par t of the tour.”

“Death is a part of life, my dear.” Amanda reached out and tapped my leg with her hand. “I’ve just been thinking about that part of life a little more than normal this past year. I’m a little superstitious, so I’ve been trying to keep it all light and focused as I went thro ugh treatment.”

“I’m sorry we weren’t there for you.” I’d offered to stay with her, especially when she was going through chemotherapy, but she’d rejected my offer. Instead, Jim’s new girlfriend had moved into Amanda’s house with her since they lived in the same town. Beth was a sweet woman whom Jim had met at church. And even though he’d thought he’d never remarry after losing his wife, I’d heard they were starting to talk about wedding plans. Life was too short not to enjoy every day. Especially if you found love a second time.

“Beth was perfect for me. She was born to be a caretaker. Jim’s a lucky man. I didn’t think he’d ever find love again.” Amanda closed her eyes and tipped her face up to the sun. “Life is fu nny, isn’t it?”

Now that I could agree with. Life had a way of throwing you unexpected presents, even if you didn’t want them. “I would have come, though.”

“I know. And I appreciate it. I just didn’t want to interrupt your life here. But with both my boys now in serious relationships, maybe it’s time for me to think about who I want to come into my life.”

“You know both of the guys are going to throw a fit when you start dating.” I could see Greg agonizing over whether to run a background check on any man who dared t o date his mom.

As we laughed about his overprotective nature, he returned to where we sat. “Sorry, we need to cut this short. I’ve been called out to the New Hope complex. They caught someone trying to break in. I’m glad you’re here with me. I’ve got one less suspect.”

“That’s so unfair.” I stood and shortened Emma’s lead. “I’m not always involved when bad things happen.”

Amanda looked between the two of us. “I hope y ou’re kidding.”

“Of course I am.” Greg held out his arm to his mom. “Are you ready to go? Should I drop you girls off at Diamond Lille’s for lunch? I might be able to meet you if this call out do esn’t go long.”

“Sounds like a plan.” I started walking toward the Jeep. “We’ll need to take Emma home first, though.”

* * * *

Greg didn’t make it back to join us for lunch, so we walked home after we ate. When we got there, Amanda excused herself to take a nap. “I need to stay with you two for a while. As much as you all walk, I’ll be back to normal sooner rath er than later.”

I worried about how active we were being, but Amanda had asked us to keep to our normal routine, especially since we were going to be leaving for our honeymoon a few weeks after the wedding. We’d decided to wait until we’d gotten Amanda back home and a few things handled here before taking off. I still didn’t know where we were going, but I was hoping for someplace warm. I wasn’t m uch of a skier.

As I cleaned up the kitchen, I found one of the flyers for Carlie Cordon. I’d mentioned what we’d seen at the compound to Greg last night when we were getting ready for bed. He’d acknowledged what I’d said, but not much more. Then he’d said the one thing that burned me. “She’s an adult. We have to assume she knows what she’s doing, being part of that group.”

I still disagreed with that statement. If your friend was jumping off an unsafe cliff, you’d tell them. And try to stop them. And eighteen wasn’t mu ch of an adult.

When the kitchen was cleaned and Amanda was still sleeping, I grabbed a book out of my tote. Deek expected a review from me, even if I was getting married and hosting my mother-in-law for the month. The good news was the book sucked me in quickly.

I was checking on the roast I’d put into the Crock-Pot that morning for dinner when Amanda came downstairs. She grabbed a soda out of the fridge and sat down to watch me work. “I feel bad not helping. I’m just so tired. I wonder if it’s all the fresh air I’m getting here.”

“You’re probably overdoing it.” I was turned away from her so I didn’t see the anger at my statement, but I felt it with her next words.

“I know what I can do, and contrary to my sons’ beliefs, I can take care of myself.” She o pened her soda.

Emma looked up from her bed, clearly expecting an argument. She was watching both of us to see where this would go.

I called uncle first. “Sorry, I’ll try not t o smother you.”

“I’d appreciate it.” The smile shined through Amanda’s words.

The front door opened. Greg came into the house and went straight to the den to get rid of his gun, then came into the kitchen. “That cult is going to be the death of me. That mom, Molly Cordon? She tried to climb the back wall to find her daughter.”

“I told you I thought I’d seen her daughter hidden away in the dorms at the open house. Molly tried to sneak in that day too.” I felt bad for Molly. All she wanted was to talk to her daughter. To understand her decisions.

“Well, so did a few others. Molly got no fewer than five calls saying Carlie was at the event.” Greg sank into a chair next to his mother. “Kane swears he’s never met her. He suggested that maybe the girl hooked up with some guy and left scho ol on her own.”

“What a nice thing to say to her mom.” I was beginning to dislike Kane Matthews even more. And I wasn’t sure that was possible. I decided I’d give his book back unread at th e next meeting.

“Well, I had to drive Mrs. Cordon back to town and listen to her cry all the way. The good news is that Matthews didn’t file charges since he felt bad for the woman.” He closed his eyes. “This is getting h ard to manage.”

“Do you think the girl is there?” Amanda asked her son.

Greg shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know. Everything Mrs. Cordon has provided seems to indicate that Carlie’s on the grounds. But Matthews is adamant that he’s never met her. Anyway, I’m starving. When’s dinner?”

* * * *

The next morning, I was downstairs at the stove. Greg was making pancakes. Amanda came down to the kitchen and started looking around. “Have you seen my purse?”

“You had it at the mission. Did you leave it in the Jeep?” I grabbed my keys and went out to check my car. No purse. When I came back, I shook my head. “Sorry, it’s not there. I know you didn’t have it at Diamond Lille’s because you said you’d left it at the house.”

“I know, I thought I’d left it here. Now I think I left it in the chapel when I sat down. I took a pill there.” Amanda poured herself a cup of coffee. “I’ll have to go home to get my pills if I do n’t have them.”

“Greg, can you finish the bacon? I’ll run over to the mission and see if I can find your mom’s purse.” I grabbed Emma’s leash. “And I’ll take the girl, so she gets out this morning.”

“Oh, Jill, I can go. I feel like such a burden.” Amanda stood and looked down at the slippers she wore. “I’ll need to change first.”

“Just stay here and chat with your son. Emma and I will be back soon.” I grabbed my keys and wallet. Emma followed me to the door and we headed out to the mission. When we arrived, a light fog covered the parking lot. I didn’t worry about paying since the mission had a fifteen-minute grace period. I parked next to a gray car. Someone else must be on the trails, since employees parked behind the visitor center. I clipped Emma’s leash on and we headed toward the chapel building. The fog was thicker as I made my way down the trail. Emma was quiet as she walked as well. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought my dog was a litt le freaked out.

We went into what I thought was a doorway, but I realized we were in the graveyard. I saw a dark blob in the corner, but as I watched, it disappeared. Probably a tric k of the light.

I went back outside the wall and moved to my right. I passed the first entrance, which was the priest’s quarters. The next entrance took us into the chapel. Three benches lined the wall and I saw something under one. I pulled out a purse and dug for the wallet to check to see if this was Amanda’s. Her driver’s license was in a plastic sleeve in her wallet, givi ng me my proof.

As I tucked the wallet back away, a letter fell out. It was to Greg. And not in Amanda’s writing. I read the first paragraph and realized it was from Sherry, Greg’s ex-wife. She was trying to convince him to take her back. Amanda had agreed to bring the letter to him. She was still Team Sherry. I’d hoped we’d go tten past that.

Emma nudged my leg and I realized I’d brought her with me into the chapel, one of the two places in the park she wasn’t welcome. I tucked the purse under my arm and headed out to the trail. As I did, I saw a priest dressed in robes go into the graveyard. Did they still have Sunday services here? I needed to apologize for taking Emma into the chapel. I followed him, and Emma growled softly un der her breath.

As we went into the graveyard, the blob I’d seen before was visible again. But now, it was closer and looked like something on the ground. The priest I’d followed into the cemetery h ad disappeared.

I walked over and realized a man was lying on the ground. He was face up and his eyes were fixed. Kane Matthews looked arrogant even dead. I dialed Greg as Emma and I stepped away and out of the graveyard. I could barely see Kane’s body, but he was still there. When Greg answered, I told him what I’d found.

“Kane Matthews is dead in the graveyard at the mission. I’ll meet you in the parking lot.” I hung up and took Emma back to the car. The gray car was gone. My Jeep was the only vehicle sitt ing in the fog.