Page 13 of In Her Memory

“Frank is staying at the house for the time being. He came over as soon as I told him about Piper going missing.”

“Good man, Frank. Always had a soft spot for your family.”

“I know,” Jenna said. “But even Frank can’t be there forever. And Mom’s pride... she won’t want to appear weak in front of him.”

“But she might with me. Because I’ve seen her at rock bottom already.”

The words were an acknowledgment of shared history that Jenna wasn’t fully privy to. She’d heard the story—how Zeke had refused to sell her mother whiskey one night, had talked to her for hours instead. But she also knew that Mom had almost dropped out of AA on account of her attraction to Zeke. Jenna didn’t know whether the attraction was mutual, only that Mom and Zeke had somehow resolved that situation.

“With Frank there, I doubt she’ll have a relapse right away,” Zeke said, his clear blue eyes holding hers steadily. “But you’re right to be concerned about the days ahead. I’ll wait until this afternoon for her to call. If I haven’t heard from her by then, I’ll reach out myself.”

Relief washed over Jenna, “Thank you.”

“But if it comes to that,” he added firmly, “I’ll have to be honest that you came to me first. I won’t start our conversations with a lie, even one of omission.”

“I understand,” Jenna said. “And I think that’s the right approach. She did bring up contacting you, after all.”

“Exactly. This isn‘t an ambush—it’s just following through on what she already agreed to do.” Zeke’s gaze softened. “Margaret’s stronger than she thinks. She made it through losing both Piper and Greg. She’ll weather this storm too.”

Jenna’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out to see Spelling’s name on the screen. “I have to take this,” she said, lifting the phone to her ear. “Sheriff Graves.”

“Sheriff, it’s Spelling. Just arrived at your station. Where are you?” The colonel’s voice was clipped, all business.

“I’ll be there in ten minutes,” Jenna replied, then ended the call with a quick goodbye.

“Duty calls?” Zeke asked.

“Always does.” She pushed away from the counter. “Thanks for this, Zeke. It means a lot.”

“Go find your sister, Sheriff. I’ve got things covered on this end.”

As Jenna hurried back to her cruiser, her thoughts felt scattered. Piper was out there somewhere, possibly under the influence of a powerful voice. Her mother was teetering on the edge of a precipice she’d climbed away from with such effort. And now Colonel Spelling was waiting, no doubt expecting answers she didn’t have.

One crisis at a time, she told herself as she slid behind the wheel. First, meet with Spelling. Then find Piper. Everything else would have to wait.

*

Jake stood at the threshold of the laundry room, watching Officer Delgado work methodically around the space where Donna Marsha had died. The body had already been removed by the coroner’s team, but the reality of her death still lingered.

He glanced at his watch—9:15 a.m.—knowing Jenna was elsewhere handling another crisis.

“Check near the washing machines,” Jake instructed. “And the corners where someone might have missed something.”

Officer Delgado’s gloved hands moved carefully as she examined the floor inch by inch. Her dark hair was pulled back tightly, her focus unwavering as she worked.

“Deputy Hawkins.” Nolan Greer’s voice cut through Jake’s concentration. “I thought you were wrapping up.”

Jake turned to find the superintendent hovering in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest. The man’s perpetually tired eyes now held an unmistakable edge of irritation. His work boots shifted against the tiled floor, betraying his unease.

“It’s always good to have another pair of eyes check things out,” Jake replied evenly. “I spoke with Sheriff Graves. She asked Officer Delgado and me to take another look, purely as a matter of routine.”

“Routine? Accidents will happen. That’s all this was.”

“We’re just being thorough,” Jake said, studying the man’s reaction. “Standard procedure for any unattended death.” He couldn’t tell anyone here that Jenna had heard the dead woman say someone did this to her.

“But there was nothing suspicious about this.”

Jake knew that having cops around too long might be hard on the veneer of luxury that Calloway House advertised. But was there anything more behind the superintendent’s insistence that the investigation should end quickly?