“Mattie,” he said to her by way of greeting.
“Hello, Mr. Brennaman.”
Robo took a step toward the principal and bristled. “Heel,” Mattie told him, using the leash to give a correction and put him back at her side.
“Garrett, I see you’re here, too,” Brennaman said in a voice filled with sympathy. “I am so, so sorry. Words cannot express . . .”
The two clasped hands.
“Thank you, John. It’s been a horrible shock to Leslie and me.”
“Of course it has. If there’s anything I can do, anything at all. Well, you know how to reach me.” Brennaman turned his attention to Angela. “Angela, I’m sorry for you, too. I know you’ll miss your friend.”
Angela remained by Garrett Hartman’s side, droopy and all cried out. She nodded at him, keeping her face slightly downcast. “Thanks.”
“Cole,” Brennaman said, handing the dish over. “Rosellen baked casseroles today. I’ve been sent to deliver one to you, and then I was planning to take one out to you and Leslie, Garrett. You’ve saved me a trip by both being here in the same place.”
Walker’s brows shot up as he took the casserole dish. “That’s really nice of her, John, but why is she sending one to us?”
“Just being neighborly. We hear you’ve been batching it this summer.”
Walker’s face took on a trace of disgust. “Word does spread around town.”
Brennaman had the decency to look embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Cole, we’re not a couple of old gossips. Yes, stories spread through this town like wildfire. Besides, I wanted to speak with Angela for a moment if I might.”
He moved a hand in his daughter’s direction. “She’s here.”
“I just wanted to let you know, Angela, that we need a student volunteer for the office this year.” He threw an apologetic look at Hartman who bowed his head, allowing the broad brim of his Stetson to shield his eyes. “I’m not sure this is the time to talk about it, so I’ll just mention it and let you talk it over with your dad. It would look good on your high school transcript. I know you’re only a sophomore this year, too young to be thinking of applying for college, but it never hurts to start early.”
Mattie couldn’t help but compare the principal’s demeanor toward Angela to the way he used to treat her when she was that age. His manner wasn’t quite ingratiating, but it was a long way from the derision he’d once passed her way. Well, she’d be the first to admit she’d been a difficult teenager to like in those days.
Brennaman made a gesture toward his car. “I should go. Like I said, this isn’t the time for us to talk about it, but maybe you could call me tomorrow to let me know if you’re interested or not. I need to fill that position before school starts if I can.” He paused. “I hope you had lots of time to spend with Grace this summer, Angela.”
Angela’s face crumpled, and Mattie knew she regretted being away most of the summer. The girl nodded, looking as if she didn’t trust herself to speak.
“Well, those memories should lessen your pain in time.” He moved to get the second casserole dish to hand to Garrett Hartman.
The sound of Belle barking furiously came from inside the house. Mattie turned and saw the big dog standing at an open window on the main level, pressing her nose against the screen. She hoped she wouldn’t try to break through it and hurt herself. Walker must have had the same concern, because he quickly shook Brennaman’s hand. “I need to go get Belle. Sounds like she might have heard Garrett and is eager to see him. Please thank your wife for the casserole.” He took the dish with him as he left.
“Oh, Grace’s dog?” Brennaman said.
“Yes,” Hartman said. “She got shot, too, but survived.”
“Oh my . . . what a tragedy. I must go, Garrett, but I hope to see you soon.” As he shook hands with the man, he glanced at Mattie. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Mattie?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’ll be at the school. Just come anytime. Seems like I live there.” He said good-bye, got into his car, and drove away.
Mattie noticed that Robo seemed happy to see him go. He looked up at her and waved his tail gently. She smoothed the hair on his back, thinking it was way past time for her to leave. But then, Walker came out of the house, leading Belle with Sophie trailing behind. The young girl carried a large stuffed rabbit that looked like it had seen better years. Even as Mattie watched, she stuck one of the rabbit’s ears into her mouth and clamped her jaw down on it. She appeared even more upset than she’d been yesterday.
Belle sniffed the yard where the group had been standing as she approached Hartman. He bent to pat on her side, and she leaned against him. When he straightened, he gave both of Walker’s daughters a searching look, and Mattie felt certain that he didn’t miss the girls’ distress over Belle’s departure.
Sophie continued to suck on the rabbit’s ear as the men loaded Belle into the passenger seat of the pickup. Angela drifted over to her sister, put an arm around her, and stood looking stricken. Mattie could hardly stand it. She led Robo over to touch Angela’s shoulder while Sophie put a hand on Robo’s head.
“She’s better off going home,” Angela said in a quiet voice.
Mattie wasn’t quite sure if she spoke to her or to her sister, but she replied, “She’ll be fine.” Belle stared out the windshield at the two girls, though, and Mattie had to wonder.
Hartman rounded the truck to go to the driver’s side but paused and turned back as if he’d remembered something. “Angie,” he said, “I need to ask you something. Leslie and I noticed that one of Grace’s rings was missing.”
“Which one is it?”
“The one we gave her for her sixteenth birthday this summer. Do you know what it looks like?”
“The gold band with the ruby?”
“Yes, that’s the one. It’s the only ring she has of any value. Do you think she’d give it to someone?”
“No way.”
Hartman looked at Mattie. “It’s missing then. It could’ve been stolen. By . . . by the person who . . .”
Mattie felt a little surge of adrenalin. This could mean something. “Have you told Detective LoSasso yet?”
“No, I wanted to check with Angie first.”
“I’m on my way to meet with her, so I’ll tell her about it. She’ll call you if she needs more information.”
Hartman drove away, and when Walker joined them, she could see that he wasn’t immune to his daughters’ feelings.
Static erupted from the radio inside Mattie’s cruiser followed by Rainbow’s voice. “K-9 One. Copy.”
“Excuse me,” Mattie said. She hurried to the car, Robo trotting beside her. Pressing on the transmitter, she responded with her location, “Timber Creek Veterinary Clinic. Go ahead.”
“Code ten-nineteen to the station at your earliest convenience. Over.”
“Ten-four. I’m on my way.”
Mattie keyed off the transmitter and hung it in its cradle. “I need to get back to the office now,” she said. “But I’ll be in touch.”
After letting the girls say good-bye to Robo, she loaded him up and got into the cruiser. When they reached the porch, the girls turned to wave. Mattie waved back, thinking they looked awfully lonely, but there was nothing she could do about that. She fired up the engine, eager to get back to the station to see what Stella thought about the missing ring.
Chapter 18
Back at the station, Mattie found Sheriff McCoy, Stella, and Brody in the report room gathered around a dry-erase board that had been wheeled from its usual place beside the wall and positioned up front and center. McCoy was seated at a table taking notes in a small spiral booklet while Stella was writing on the board, adding final touches to an information grid she’d made that appeared to outline the current information, evidence, and clues she’d compiled regarding the two Timber Creek deaths. Brody sat at McCoy’s table, arms crossed on his chest.