“Him or anyone else.”
“She flirted with every man she saw. Beth’s boyfriend had a real thing for her. Turned to mush every time she came in the room and it made Beth powerful mad. The ladies at church loved to listen to her sing but didn’t like it when she lingered after service at the socials and talked to the married men.”
“I keep hearing that.” She hesitated. “Did she show an interest in any man?”
“If she did, I didn’t notice.” Her gaze warmed with a memory from the past. Gently she touched the headscarf that covered her thinning hair. “I used to try and style my hair like hers. I wanted it to be long and blond. Once I went to the drugstore and bought a bottle of blond hair dye. My husband found it. He made me pray with him for hours.”
Rachel’s heart reached out for the young girl.
Kate curled thin, deeply veined fingers into fists. “That story makes my husband sound like a bad man. He wasn’t. He wanted the best for me, and the idea of me copying a barroom singer was terrifying. He saw the troubles behind Annie’s smile.”
“What did he see?”
Kate hesitated a moment. “I never like to speak ill of the dead. And I never spoke against Annie.”
Rachel heard the hesitation in her voice. She didn’t have to say a word because Kate had the look of a woman ready to talk.
“She was real sweet and nice when I first met her at the church. But over time, when I’d see her at the house she was moody and angry. She got into a heck of a fight with Beth one night. Beth was sure Annie was sleeping with her boyfriend.”
“Was she?”
“It wouldn’t have taken more than a wink to encourage him. He all but drooled over Annie.”
“So no?”
“I don’t know. Annie was messing around with someone.” A sigh lifted and released fragile shoulders. “Since I saw you on the TV I’ve done a lot of thinking. Not much else I can do these days. I don’t have a future, only a past. Behind Annie’s bright smile and sweet voice were lots of dark secrets.”
“Her sister Margaret says that she was perfect.”
“I remember Margaret. She was about sixteen when Annie died. And she adored her sister. But she was sixteen and Annie was one person for her baby sister and another when she went out at night.”
“What about Jeb?”
“Another admirer. Another man who fell under her spell.” A hint of bitterness coated the words and then a quick smile to soften it. “That sounded judgmental. I’m sorry.”
“How old was Brenda?”
“Twelve years old. I was married to the assistant pastor of the church. When Ray died, Pastor Gary gave me a job in the church office and I’ve been there ever since.”
Brenda gave off the vibe of an energetic woman. She couldn’t see this woman dating KC. “You have any idea who Annie might have been seeing?”
Rattling teacups signaled the return of Brenda who carried in a large serving tray with a teapot, china cups, and a plate of cookies. She smiled as she set the tray in front of Rachel.
“It’s nice to have the company,” Brenda said. “These days it’s me and Momma. We don’t get many visitors from the church these days.”
Kate frowned. “That’s not true, Brenda. Pastor Gary was just here.”
Brenda smiled at Rachel as she poured her tea. “We understand he’s a busy man and has a lot of duties with the new church expansion and all. He’s a good man.”
“He was like a second father to Brenda after Ray died. We’d not have made it without him.”
Rachel accepted the cup, declining the sugar and milk. “I hear it is one of the biggest churches in the region.”
Kate sat a bit straighter, her pride clear. “He built it from near nothing to a real palace for the Lord.” She waved away a cup heavy with milk and sugar. “We were meeting in a community center when we first started that church. There must not have been more than one hundred people attending in those days. But he had a fire in his belly and God in his soul. It didn’t take long before the congregation outgrew the community center. We had our own building in two years. Not fancy like today but it was big and we were all proud to call it our church home.”
Her love and respect for the man energized her. “Would he remember Annie?”
Kate reached for a cookie and broke off a piece. “I’m sure that he would. He loved her singing and he was the one that married Bill and her. She was such a pretty bride.”
“You were there?”
“I played the organ.”
“I understand many local churches helped search for her when she went missing.”
“Our church was one of many that sent volunteers. We searched all the woods, abandoned buildings, and along the river. Never found one sign of her.”
“Did Bill Dawson search for her?”
“No. He was too torn up, or so he said. Many thought he might have been the one that killed her.”
“Why?”
“The husband is the first suspect, isn’t he? And they fought a good bit right before the baby was born.”
“What did they fight about?”
“I never could tell. But I saw them arguing after church one day.”
“You are still involved in the church?”
“Until six months ago when the cancer made me too sick to work.”
Brenda shook her head. “That was a sad day when we boxed up Momma’s desk. She was the heart and soul of that church. Pastor wouldn’t be the man he is today without Momma.”
Kate nibbled the cookie. “That’s not true. He would have done fine without me.”
“He would have done well enough, but you were the one that helped him stay focused.”
“I’m glad to know I had a part in the success.” She rolled her head from side to side, closing her eyes. “Ms. Wainwright, I know I said I wouldn’t mind the fatigue, but I think I overspoke. My energy dropped as if someone opened a trap door.”
Rachel set her cup down. “Of course. Thank you for your time, Kate.”
Brenda rose. “I’ll show you to the door.”
They wove through the house and a framed image sitting on a half-moon table caught her attention. It was Kate in younger, healthier days standing next to a vibrant, laughing man in front of a red car. “That’s a nice picture of your mother. Is that your father?”
“I wish.” Sadness passed over her gaze like a spectator before she picked up the picture and wiped a piece of dust from the glass with her sleeve. “That’s Pastor Gary. That picture was taken about the time Momma started working at the church.”
“She clearly thinks a lot of the man.”
“He and the church were her entire life,” Brenda said. “She’s devoted her life to them.”
“A rich full life, judging by all the pictures.”
Brenda replaced the image. “Yes.”
Rachel reached for the front door. “Do you go to church there, Brenda?”
“I did until three months ago. Between work at the hospital and taking care of Momma I don’t have much time. And I want to take what time I have with her.”