“I’m not exactly in the police’s confidence.” Kate made a face. “In fact, I think they’d like it if we’d all butt out of official business. But I think they are trying to locate her and get a warrant for DNA testing.”
“But don’t you think it’s odd that none of us guessed Josie was pregnant that spring semester? We were all in Edith Sutton Hall together.”
“Good old Edith Sutton. Long on Southern charm, short on amenities. I’m certainly glad I’m not living there any longer.” Kate glanced with satisfaction around her spotless kitchen, done in subtle earth tones. “But really, is it so surprising? Senior year we had private rooms, so it’s not as if anyone was with her twenty-four hours a day.”
“Even so, you’d think we would have noticed something. All those nights when we sat around the lounge and talked until one in the morning, all those warm evenings when we went up on the roof.” It came back so vividly—the scent of jasmine in the air, the soft sounds of the women’s voices confiding secrets in the dark. “You’d think she’d have said something.”
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I was totally preoccupied that semester with what I was going to do after graduation. I was probably too self-centered to notice anyone else’s trouble.” Kate sounded almost amused at the girl she’d been.
“Not self-centered,” Jennifer protested. “Just busy.”
“Well, you were, too. As I recall, you went home every weekend to help take care of your mother. I was sorry to hear about her death, by the way. I don’t know that I ever told you that.”
Jennifer nodded, her throat tight. Her mother had made a gallant effort to live a normal life despite her multiple sclerosis. “She insisted I live on campus that semester. She didn’t want to deprive me of that experience, even though they could have used me at home.”
“Mothers have a habit of wanting the best for their children,” Kate said. “I don’t think I really understood that until I was a mother myself.”
“I suppose it’s possible Josie thought she was doing what was best for her child. Maybe she intended to give the baby up for adoption.” She thought about what Mason had said—that Josie hadn’t wanted them to know, hadn’t wanted their help. “Do you think she’d have come to one of us if she’d needed anything?”
Kate tilted her head to one side, considering. “Josie was always a bit of a mouse.”
“She was quiet. So was I.”
“That’s different. You were warmhearted but shy, just like you are now. Josie—I don’t know. She was quiet, as you say, but she could be as stubborn as a mule laying back its ears.”
That startled Jennifer into a laugh. “I guess so. Remember when she was determined to challenge you for the solo at the Christmas choral concert? Everyone knew you were the better singer, but she wouldn’t leave it alone.”
“I remember that I got obsessed about it, too,” Kate said dryly. “Not very becoming for the Christian I professed to be.”
“I guess we were all baby Christians then, for all we thought we knew.” She reached out impulsively to touch Kate’s hand. “I’m sure you’ve thought about it. Do you have any idea who the father could have been?”
Kate shook her head slowly. “I’ve been over it and over it, especially when the police were so sure it was Parker. I just don’t remember Josie even dating anyone that winter. She was friends with Penny, of course, but Penny was never really involved with the rest of us. For the most part, the gang of us from CCF just hung out together instead of pairing off.”
“I wish—” She stopped and shook her head. “It’s foolish to wish to change the past. But I’d like to think I’d been kind to Josie when she was going through all that.”
Kate nodded. “I know what you mean. It gets to me to know that all these years she’s been lying there alone.”
“Same here. But she wasn’t really there. And not really alone.” She blinked back tears. “Would it be awkward if I asked you to pray for her with me?”
“It would be very right.” Kate’s hand clasped hers, and she bowed her head.
Jennifer took a breath, and the words seemed to form in her heart. “Dear Father, we hold up to You our sister, Josie. We know she’s safe in Your hands now, and we ask You to bring her peace.”
“And forgive us, Father, for any chance we missed to show her love and kindness.” Kate’s voice was husky. “Amen.”
Jennifer squeezed her hand before releasing it. “I don’t know that we solved anything tonight, but I have to say I feel better.”
“I do, too.” Kate wiped away an errant tear. “Goodness, I haven’t cried in I don’t know how long. Maybe I’d better eat another piece of cake.”
Jennifer laughed, shoving her chair back. “You do that. Cake is definitely comfort food. I’d better get going or Dad will be worried. He hates it when I drive at night in the rain in that old clunker of mine.”
“Come back anytime.” Kate gave her a quick hug. “I can’t promise it will be this quiet, but I’d love to have you here.”
She nodded, opening the door. A gust of wind blew a spray of rain into her face, and she fought to get her umbrella up. “I’m going to run for it. Good night.”
She raced toward her car, getting soaked but unable to do anything about it, and then fought to get the umbrella down. She’d probably have been better off without it.
Thankfully she slammed the door on the rain and reached for the ignition. A hot shower and a change of clothes would feel good when she got home. Kate’s charming cottage was near the campus, so it was a good five miles to the house in the country Dad had insisted was his perfect retirement place. Her things would be clammy by then.
It didn’t take long to get out of Magnolia Falls, no matter where you were. She was clear of town in a few minutes and onto the narrow county road that led home. Unfortunately the rain showed no sign of lessening. It beat on the windshield relentlessly, with her wipers struggling unsuccessfully to keep up.
She slowed, mindful of the swamp that bordered the road on the right, and squinted. The rain reflected her headlight beams back at her from the black macadam, and she could barely see the edge of the road.
Not much farther, in any event. She’d be home soon, and that hot shower was waiting. She shivered as the damp fabric of her slacks clung to her legs, and she turned the heater on. The windshield fogged up instantly, and she switched it back off again. She’d rather see than be warm. Only a couple more miles—
The engine sputtered, coughed once and died. She glided slowly to a stop, steering to the edge of the road, but not daring to pull off when she couldn’t see what the surface was like.
She pounded her fist lightly on the steering wheel. Dad kept offering to buy her a newer car, but she’d stubbornly stuck to her decision to wait until she could afford it herself.
She’d had a decent savings account once, before the cost of defending herself wiped it out. No one ever mentioned that even the innocent had to pay.
She tried the ignition key again. The electrical system was okay, so what—then she saw the gas gauge, sitting uncompromisingly on empty.
How could she be out of gas? The only thing her little car had going for it was it got good gas mileage. It couldn’t have used a half a tank going from church to home to Kate’s.
A chill crept along the back of her neck. Not unless someone tampered with it.
Shaking off the thought, she grabbed her bag and pulled out the cell phone. She’d worry about