Oven Baked Secrets (Eugeena Patterson Mysteries Book 2) by Tyora Moody
Authors: Tyora Moody
Ads: Link
and said he was talking about investing in some technology startup company here in Charleston. It’s like he’s had this whole lifestyle change.” I turned to Jocelyn. “I went by the police station and told Detective Wilkes this same information yesterday.”
Jocelyn looked at me. “So you can help prove there was another woman at the house besides me?”
“I don’t know how much help I can be. There was a sports car, but it was dark and I only heard a woman’s voice. And I know it wasn’t your voice even though we’ve only met one time. My thoughts are the detective should focus on the sudden changes in William’s life.”
Carmen said, “Ms. Louise might know something.”
I shook my head. “There’s a lot going on right now with Louise. She’s mourning her son and…” I turned to Jocelyn. “I believe your visit set off some memories for her.”
“What kind of memories?”
“You wouldn’t have happened to have come across information about your maternal grandfather?”
Jocelyn bit her lip. “I didn’t, but my mom did. She found out when I was younger about her dad.”
“His name was August Manning.”
Jocelyn raised her eyebrow. “How did you know? Did Ms. Louise say anything?”
“No, my Aunt Esther did. It seems like your grandfather was one of her students. Interestingly enough, she remembers Louise being around August a few days before his death.”
“She remembers? That was fifty years ago.”
“Not much gets past Aunt Esther, especially if something made an impact on her. She’s pretty sharp despite being in her eighties. What did your mother find?”
“She found members of August’s family first. He still has two sisters alive. Thelma and Ruth Manning. They were full of stories about August.”
“That’s interesting that your mother found her father’s side of the family first. How long ago was this?”
“It was about ten years ago. I was still in high school and my dad was alive then. We were all shocked that the sisters lived so close. My dad took my mom to see them. My mom still keeps in touch with them and she insists the sisters come over for Thanksgiving every year.”
Ten years ago.
“So has your mom reached out to Louise before?”
Jocelyn seemed to warm up and her shoulder slacked as she continued talking. “August’s family led us to Louise. You know my mom was never really going to look for her biological parents, but one day she met a woman who turned out to be her cousin. They looked so much alike that the woman insisted my mom had to be related to her. That woman was Ruth’s daughter.”
I asked, “Were the sisters aware August had a relationship with Louise?”
Jocelyn nodded. “Their mother and my great-grandmother, Sarah Manning, worked for Louise’s family. All of them grew up together. Thelma said she knew Louise had gotten pregnant because Louise told her how scared she was if anyone found out. Not too long after August’s death, Louise was taken somewhere. The sisters figured she gave the baby up for adoption.” Jocelyn’s eyes glistened with tears. “They were so overjoyed to see my mom. It was such a letdown when my mom found Louise.”
I inquired, “You mean she met Louise and the meeting didn’t go well?”
“More like someone stopped her from meeting Louise. There was a man who made it very plain that he didn’t want anyone to go near his wife.”
I thought back to my earlier conversation with Aunt Esther. Would Bill have been trying to protect his wife or keep her from knowing something he had done? “Jocelyn, you said her husband was the one who stopped your mother from meeting Louise. Did he say why? I mean he didn’t leave the window open for her to come back?”
Jocelyn shook her head. “No. In fact my mom said when he saw her at the door; it was like he saw a ghost or something. She didn’t really ever tell him that she was Louise’s daughter. She just asked if Louise Hopkins was home.”
A felt a
Jocelyn looked at me. “So you can help prove there was another woman at the house besides me?”
“I don’t know how much help I can be. There was a sports car, but it was dark and I only heard a woman’s voice. And I know it wasn’t your voice even though we’ve only met one time. My thoughts are the detective should focus on the sudden changes in William’s life.”
Carmen said, “Ms. Louise might know something.”
I shook my head. “There’s a lot going on right now with Louise. She’s mourning her son and…” I turned to Jocelyn. “I believe your visit set off some memories for her.”
“What kind of memories?”
“You wouldn’t have happened to have come across information about your maternal grandfather?”
Jocelyn bit her lip. “I didn’t, but my mom did. She found out when I was younger about her dad.”
“His name was August Manning.”
Jocelyn raised her eyebrow. “How did you know? Did Ms. Louise say anything?”
“No, my Aunt Esther did. It seems like your grandfather was one of her students. Interestingly enough, she remembers Louise being around August a few days before his death.”
“She remembers? That was fifty years ago.”
“Not much gets past Aunt Esther, especially if something made an impact on her. She’s pretty sharp despite being in her eighties. What did your mother find?”
“She found members of August’s family first. He still has two sisters alive. Thelma and Ruth Manning. They were full of stories about August.”
“That’s interesting that your mother found her father’s side of the family first. How long ago was this?”
“It was about ten years ago. I was still in high school and my dad was alive then. We were all shocked that the sisters lived so close. My dad took my mom to see them. My mom still keeps in touch with them and she insists the sisters come over for Thanksgiving every year.”
Ten years ago.
“So has your mom reached out to Louise before?”
Jocelyn seemed to warm up and her shoulder slacked as she continued talking. “August’s family led us to Louise. You know my mom was never really going to look for her biological parents, but one day she met a woman who turned out to be her cousin. They looked so much alike that the woman insisted my mom had to be related to her. That woman was Ruth’s daughter.”
I asked, “Were the sisters aware August had a relationship with Louise?”
Jocelyn nodded. “Their mother and my great-grandmother, Sarah Manning, worked for Louise’s family. All of them grew up together. Thelma said she knew Louise had gotten pregnant because Louise told her how scared she was if anyone found out. Not too long after August’s death, Louise was taken somewhere. The sisters figured she gave the baby up for adoption.” Jocelyn’s eyes glistened with tears. “They were so overjoyed to see my mom. It was such a letdown when my mom found Louise.”
I inquired, “You mean she met Louise and the meeting didn’t go well?”
“More like someone stopped her from meeting Louise. There was a man who made it very plain that he didn’t want anyone to go near his wife.”
I thought back to my earlier conversation with Aunt Esther. Would Bill have been trying to protect his wife or keep her from knowing something he had done? “Jocelyn, you said her husband was the one who stopped your mother from meeting Louise. Did he say why? I mean he didn’t leave the window open for her to come back?”
Jocelyn shook her head. “No. In fact my mom said when he saw her at the door; it was like he saw a ghost or something. She didn’t really ever tell him that she was Louise’s daughter. She just asked if Louise Hopkins was home.”
A felt a
Similar Books
