This time Amy did look at me. “Are you going to try to help him? Or do you just want to put the last nail in his coffin?”
“If Austin is innocent, I want to know who killed Kacey. I didn’t know her very well, but she seemed nice. She deserves for her murderer to be caught.” What I didn’t add was that if it was Austin, he needed to rot in hell.
She leaned back in her chair. “He told me he grew up in a small town back East. His dad was a minister and his mom stayed at home. They were one of those old religious sects, maybe Quaker? I’m not sure he ever said, but I got that feeling. I know he was against the war, but he never said if he had to serve or if he had been drafted.”
“The Vietnam War? He was hiding from being in the service?” I’d remembered seeing the history videos of the anti-war protests, but if Austin was a Quaker, I thought they were pacifists. “What else did he say?”
“I don’t know if he really did get drafted, I just know he was very anti-government and had a fear of authority figures. I saw him disappear into the back every time Toby would drive by at night on his regular patrol. I just thought it was Austin being paranoid.” Amy leaned forward. “You didn’t answer me. Do you think he’s innocent?”
I stood and looked at my friend, hoping I wouldn’t widen the gap that seemed to be growing between us. “Honestly, I don’t know, but at least there’s something to check out now.”
As I left City Hall, I walked toward Sadie’s house. She would be in the garage-turned-bakery today, making treats for my shop as well as Diamond Lille’s. I wondered if Austin had ever told her about his past.
I dialed Greg’s number. He’d dropped me off last night with a kiss and a wave, and I hadn’t heard anything from him this morning. I knew from the gossip grapevine that he and Toby had picked up Austin from his apartment over the bike shop at three that morning. Rumor had it that he was only there for questioning, but my gut told me you didn’t bring someone down in the middle of the night to ask them a few more questions. My call went straight to voice mail.
“Hey, I’m thinking of you. Make sure you get some sleep.” I clicked off the phone and turned down Sadie’s street. The yards here were all as brown as my own, no rain to replace the sprinkler ban that had been announced through a letter from the city council, but signed by the conservation committee.
I knocked on the garage door, and then when I didn’t hear a response, I tipped my head inside. Sadie stood with her back to me, using the large, noisy mixer. From the smell of whatever was baking in the oven, it was muffin day. I loved her peanut butter cup muffins, all mixed up with chocolate, peanut butter, and a sweet vanilla batter binding them all together. It was heaven, or as close as I’d come.
The radio played a song I didn’t recognize, but I knew she was listening to the Christian music station out of Bakerstown. The song was upbeat and positive, singing about having faith and being rewarded with a dance beat. I stepped toward the radio and turned the sound down a few decibels. Sadie flew around and smiled when she saw me just inside the door.
“Hey, Jill.” Sadie turned off the mixer. “Hold on and let me check the oven real quick. Then we can have coffee and you can tell me you love my new muffin creation, Springtime Orange Cream. Or would you rather have a chocolate peanut butter muffin cup?”
“Whatever you’re having.” I put my purse on the stool next to mine and climbed up, putting my feet on the rungs. The coffee carafe was already on the counter, so I took a cup off the little tree where Sadie kept the clean ones and poured some. I gave Sadie a free pound of coffee once a month. The hazelnut cream filled my mouth without additional calories or creamer. This was the way coffee was meant to be: dark, rich, full of flavor, and without cream or sugar. Greg felt a little different. He liked his coffee with lots of sugar and French vanilla creamer. Of course, you could argue that he liked his sugar and creamer with a little coffee.
I watched as Sadie pulled a rack of muffins out of the oven, turning them out on the wire rack she had on a large metal table nearby. She put two muffins on a plate, pulled a knife out of the drawer, and brought over the butter. She set everything on the counter and refilled her own coffee cup.
She studied me as she sat down, pushing a muffin toward me. “So, what brings you out on a Monday? Typically, you’re lost in a book right now.”
“You’re right, but I wanted to get here before the rumors reached you.” I broke off a piece of the muffin and popped it in my mouth, the orange flavoring reminding me of the push-ups we used to buy off the ice cream truck. “These are really good.”
“Thanks. So, what’s the rumor? I hope your honey’s not putting me in the calaboose for killing Kacey.” Sadie shook her head. “Say that five times fast, I dare you.”