Dew Drop Dead by James Howe

who did it.”
    It sounded to Sebastian as if they were playing a game of Clue all of a sudden instead of talking about a real live murder case.
    â€œIt’s obvious, isn’t it?” he said as they opened the door at the bottom of the stairs. As he looked around, the obvious no longer seemed so.
    Across the room, Abraham sat listening to Corrie play her guitar. He was leaning against the wall, his eyes closed, one hand raised in the air, the index finger just touching his slightly open mouth. He looked at peace and as innocent as a sleeping child.
    In another part of the room, Raymond Elveri was talking to the Reverend Wingate. In his hands he held a Bible.
    Estelle Barker was reading to her children from a book Sebastian recognized from when he was little. But the words were all wrong. It dawned on him that she was making up a story to go with the pictures. Estelle Barker couldn’t read. That meant, Sebastian thought, that she couldn’t write either. Was it her hand that had covered the Bible David had found with that peculiar script?
    David poked him. Sebastian nodded. “I know,” his eyes said, “she’s wearing the shirt.”
    Marcus was lying on his cot, staring at the ceiling. He wasn’t reading, but he had been. Next to him was the detective magazine Sebastian had discovered at the inn.
    No one had looked up when they’d quietly enteredthe room. But when the door opened again, this time with greater force and preceded by the sound of heavy footsteps rushing down the stairs, everyone turned.
    Police Chief Alex Theopoulos stood in the doorway, a somber expression on his face and a piece of paper in his left hand.
    It was not his left hand Sebastian noticed first, however. It was the right hand, resting lightly on the handle of the gun.

29
    â€œREVEREND WINGATE , may I have a word?”
    Corrie’s father was clearly disturbed but not surprised by the appearance of the police chief. Sebastian figured that Rebecca must have tipped him off. The minister crossed the room as Corrie stopped her playing.
    Sebastian was close enough to hear Alex whisper, “If you would ask the children and Mrs. . . .”
    â€œBarker.”
    â€œYes, if you would ask them to leave with you, please.” Seeing the look on the minister’s face, he added, “I’m sorry to have to do this. It’s unpleasant, I know.”
    Reverend Wingate shook his head. “It’s not a matter of its being unpleasant,” he said. “I just feel so sorry for—” He stopped abruptly, leaving Sebastian to wonder whom he felt sorry for, and in a normal voice said, “Corrie, would you come with me, please? Mrs. Barker, would you bring Alyssa and Devon along?”
    Estelle Barker opened her mouth to object, but the minister’s raised hand warded off any argument,and so she rose, speechless, and held out her own hands to her children. Corrie was not so quick to acquiesce.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” she asked.
    â€œI’ll explain outside,” her father said. “I think it would be best if you came with me.”
    Corrie looked from Raymond to Marcus to Abraham. Each had the wide-eyed look of someone guilty who had been found out at last. She didn’t understand what was going on, but she wanted to protect them, each of them, even if they were guilty of something.
    â€œI’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s happening,” she said.
    â€œCorrie—”
    Alex touched Junior’s arm. “Corrie”—Alex’s voice deepened to an authoritative baritone—“this is a police matter. I must ask you to leave at once.”
    Corrie hesitated, then turned to Abraham. “Will you watch my guitar?” He didn’t answer. He didn’t even look at her as she got up from the cot. As she walked away, she thought what a dumb thing it was to have said. Nothing was going to happen to her guitar. It was