Secret Sisters - an LDS cozy mystery

Chapter Twenty-one

Chapter Twenty-one 

With all the excitement of the Friday night date, plus the long list of Saturday chores behind her, Ida Mae thought she'd go right to sleep Saturday night. But she was too tired to relax. She had gone to bed early, feeling tired down to the marrow of her bones, but her brain wouldn't settle down and let her drift off. She tightened the sash of her robe and went downstairs, thinking a mug of chamomile tea might do the trick. While waiting for the water to heat, she flipped on the small TV she kept on the counter. No, she didn't want a talk show. No, not an old sitcom. No, she wasn't in the mood to buy a bracelet that was perfect to wear while grocery shopping. She settled on the news, and watched while her tea bag bobbed in the water. 

"And that's it for sports," said the plastichaired anchorman. "In local news, we have just learned that a black Jaguar drove off the road and into the river near Parley's Pass just outside of Omni. The driver was killed. It's too soon for more information, but join us at six for our morning broadcast, and we'll see what we can find out." 

Ida Mae gasped. There couldn't be another black Jaguar in the area, not out here in Omni.  

When Ren came in from his late work shift, he agreed with her. "It has to be the same car," he said. "Parley's Pass is just ten miles from here. It can't be a coincidence." 

"So, what do we do?" Ida Mae asked, feeling for the first time in her life like she wasn't in control. 

"I guess we wait and see what Eden finds out at the warehouse on Monday," he said, raking his hand through his hair. As he did, Ida Mae noticed something-or rather, didn't notice something. 

"Ren, where's your earring?"  

He smiled and ducked his head. "Eden said she wondered what I'd look like without it, so I took it out." 

"And did she like what she saw?" Ida Mae asked, suppressing a smile. 

"I guess. She kissed my cheek." 

His face was now the color of a raspberry. 

Ida Mae figured she'd better not add to his embarrassment, but she couldn't help but say, "I like you better without, too." But she didn't kiss his cheek-she might smudge Eden's. 

Ren glanced at the clock. "I'm going to go out to the Dunns' to check on the camera," he said. "I haven't been out there since the other night with the cat." 

"It's tenthirty," Ida Mae told him. "And we've got church in the morning." 

"I won't be long," he said. "I just want to see what's been going on." 

"What about the dog?" 

He held up a silver cylinder. The boy had gotten his hands on a dog whistle. She didn't even want to think about it.  

Ida Mae dumped her tea down the sink after he left-there was no point in trying to sleep now. She wouldn't be able to relax until she heard what Ren had discovered. She pulled out her Relief Society lesson manual from her church bag and settled in to study, trying to keep her mind on the topic at hand but found herself startling every time she heard a sound. 

A half hour later, Ren came in the house. 

"What did you find?" she asked, setting the book off to the side. 

"Several pictures were taken," he said. "I'll need to develop them in order to find out what's going on." 

"But it's almost midnight. It's bad enough that we're skulking around like thieves-we probably shouldn't develop this film until Monday morning."