Someone to watch over me

confidence. One was a woman with a baby he kept asking to hold, and he would touch her in the wrong way when he took the child. Do you know what I mean?“
    “I get the picture,“ Walker said, frowning.
    “Another was a single woman who wouldn’t even tell me what he said to her, it was so awful and personal.”
    She looked at him for confirmation. He seemed unaware of her gaze.
    “Anything else?“ was all he said.
    “Just that the last time I saw him, I think it was Saturday morning before he died, he had the satchel with him. I heard it was missing when he was found.“
    “Several people have told me he had it,“ Howard Walker admitted. “But it’s been found and is being examined in Albany.“
    “Where was it found?“ Lily asked.
    “That’s not information I’m free to give out,“ Walker said.
    Lily wasn’t much liking this one-way conversation. She respected his honorable attitude, but it thwarted her curiosity.
    When they pulled up in the drive to Grace and Favor Cottage, Lily said, “Dinner is just Robert and me and Mimi. Potluck leftovers. You’re welcome to join us.“
    “Why not? I’m not going to hear anything from Albany on a Sunday.“ He leaned across Lily and pushed open her door. “I’d enjoy talking to you and Robert and getting to sit down and eat something somebody else cooked.”
    It quickly became obvious that Walker wasn’t going to talk about the murder in front of Lily and Mimi. He and Robert droned on endlessly about the baseball season, comparing pitchers and first basemen. Since neither of them seemed particularly knowledgeable, it was clear they were merely making conversation that would drive the women away from the table as soon as possible.
    When Walker left, Lily cornered Robert in the yellow parlor where he’d stretched out on a sofa near the window with the Sunday papers.
    “Why won’t Howard Walker tell me anything?“ Lily asked. “I suspect he’s told you everything he knows.“
    “I think he didn’t want to speak about it in front of Mimi.”
    Lily shook her head. “It wasn’t Mimi. It was me. I rode up the hill with him telling him what I knew, and he said flat out he wouldn’t say what he knew.”
    Robert thrashed a paper into a vertical fold and said, “Maybe it’s sex. He might think you don’t know about unfaithful husbands.“
    “I was telling him about the same thing.”
    Robert finally laid aside the paper and sat up. “This is just a guess. Walker hasn’t said this to me, mind you, but I think he greatly admires Mrs. Anderson. Who wouldn’t? But murder is most often done by a family member when emotions are running high. I’d feel that way if I were he. Torn between common sense, his own decency, and the unpleasant facts of his job.”
    Lily nodded in partial agreement. It was a possibility.
    “Where did he find the satchel?”
    Robert said, “Under Mrs. Anderson’s bed.“ Lily gasped, “Oh, no! I wouldn’t have his job for anything in the world.”

Chapter 22

    Jack Summer had led the mule up the drive to Mary’s house and watered and fed the exhausted animal while Mary put the children down for naps and took her belongings out of the cart.
    “I stayed at your house for a couple of days,“ Jack said, when the mule had been tended to.
    Mary Towerton turned around and stared at him. “What?“
    “I wanted to hide from everyone to get my notes in order so no one could ask me questions. And I also wanted to be here if you got home on your own.”
    Mary wasn’t pleased. “Did any of the neighbors see you?”
    Jack was surprised at the question. “I don’t know. Look, Mrs. Towerton, I didn’t snoop in your things. I didn’t mess anything up. I didn’t think you’d mind.“
    “Mr. Summer, I’m grateful for all you’ve done, but I’m a married woman!”
    Jack had been trying hard to forget this. “I know. But you weren’t here. I wasn’t disgracing you. I was just ...“ His voice trailed off. Your husband’s abandoned you and your children and is never coming back was on the tip of his tongue.
    But he’d never say that out loud. And neither would she.
    “I’m sorry,“ was all he had said. “Someday I hope you’ll find the time to tell me about your trip home. I’ll be on my way.“
    “Mr. Summer—“
    “No, everything’s all right. You’re home safe. I’ll be getting on now.”
    He had gone off on Ralph’s motorcycle in a few seconds before this unhappy conversation could drag itself out any