Page 110 of Forever Dark
That’s very Christian of you, Connor thought.
Arnold looked impressed.“You actually told him that?”
“Oh, yes.I don’t shrink from nothin’ or no one.”
“I can tell,” Arnold replied.
Connor brought them back on track.“Anyone in Croft’s orbit strike you as unstable or shifty?”
“No,” Vicki said.
“Any women hang around the group more than they should?”
Vicki gave him a long look.“You asking as a cop or a man?”
“Cop.”
“Then yes.Lonely women always hover around revivals.Men, too.Everybody wants to be seen by somebody they think can fix them.”
That was the sharpest thing anybody had said all day.
Connor said, “You know Lauren Gimble, Brenda Colter, or Tara Brennan?”
The humor dimmed.
“Oh, I knew Lauren a little,” Vicki said.“So sad what happened.Pretty girl.”
“Was she the type to hook up with people at the revival?”Connor asked bluntly.
Len nearly choked on his coffee.
Vicki only folded her arms.“This county assigns people reputations by nineteen.”
“Did you ever see Lauren speaking with Croft?”
“As a matter of fact, yes.Once after a service,” Len said quietly.“She was near the platform.I remember because she had a beautiful cotton dress on and it caused a bit of a stir.”
Vicki turned to him.“In your pants or in the crowd, you old perv?”
“Calm down,” Len answered.“Nothin’ like that.I just saw others lookin’.Can’t remember who.”
The waitress returned with refills.Nobody spoke until she left.
Connor leaned in.“What did you see exactly?”
Len stared into his mug.“Not much.She was waiting in line with others.The preacher put a hand on her shoulder, prayed over her maybe.That was all.”
“Anyone else nearby?”
Len thought.“Just his entourage.But they’re always there.You should interview them.”
“We will, we’re waiting on something first.”Connor made a note.
Vicki’s tone cooled as she watched him write.“You’re still not getting what you want from us.”
“And what’s that?”
“A reason to put this whole murder business on Preacher Croft.”
