The Root of All Evil (Hope Street Church Mysteries Book 4) (9 page)

McNamara flipped his notepad shut.
“One
camera?
One
door? That’s it? You’ve got three doors to the church and another three or four to the school!”

Cooper shot McNamara another dirty look. Here he was, condescending to the poor man who discovered Sylvia’s body. She made sure her tone was gentle before she spoke. “Pastor Matthews, how did you decide where to mount the camera?”

“I didn’t. Edward did.”

Inspector McNamara grunted, his patience quickly dissipating. “Is this Edward clairvoyant?”

“No,” Cooper said. “But he
is
an ex-con. We all saw in the paper that a back door was jimmied open at the churches that were robbed. Edward probably walked around the property and figured out how he’d do it—which door he’d use, if he had a mind to indulge in criminal behavior anymore.”

“Do you think he has a mind to indulge in criminal behavior anymore?” the inspector asked.

Both Cooper and Pastor Matthews shook their heads. Pastor Matthews replied, “I don’t know him well, but he only wanted to help.”

“Wait a sec. Ms. Lee, is this the Edward who got you and your friends involved in two police investigations? His father’s death and then a drug bust?”

“Not exactly,” Cooper replied. “We were looking for his father’s killer and got Edward involved, and then we voluntarily helped with the whole drug ring takedown. Lest you forget, in the second case, Edward was working with the police. He’s not going back to his old life.”

Inspector McNamara pursed his lips and frowned, not entirely convinced. “We’ll see. Back to the camera . . . the
one
camera your friend Edward mysteriously knew where to place.”

Pastor Matthews lowered himself back to the curb before speaking again. “I couldn’t say how Edward decided where to put the camera, but that’s not the point. I haven’t looked at the footage. There may not be anything there; I haven’t heard how the . . .” He looked physically ill, but he swallowed hard and continued. “I haven’t heard how the
murderer
got inside, so he may have used a different door.”

The sickly look wasn’t lost on McNamara, who quickly changed his tone to a more compassionate one. “I’ll tell you what, Pastor Matthews. If you could give me the footage, I’ll have my men look through it. You don’t need to worry about it at all. You don’t need to watch it.”

Pastor Matthews breathed a sigh of relief. “Edward installed a program on my computer. He said all the footage is transmitted digitally. I didn’t understand it, but you’re welcome to take my computer.”

“I’d really appreciate it.”

“The desktop in my office.” He looked over his shoulder at the church. “I’d rather not go back in there right now.”

“I understand, Pastor. I’ll borrow your hard drive and take it to the station. After we’ve gotten what we need, I’ll get it back to you, I promise. In the meantime, Ms. Lee . . .”

“Yes?” Cooper squeaked, her throat tightening with apprehension. What did he want with her?

“I understand that you were acquainted with the victim.”

Cooper shook her head. “Not really. We talked a little bit on Friday, but I’d never met her before Parent Night.”

McNamara glanced at the crime scene techs making their way out of the church, and he waved to a uniformed policeman with them. The officer came running. He was a handsome man in his mid-thirties. His hair was brown with subtle red highlights and a natural wave that fell over his forehead and into his chocolate brown eyes as he moved. He slowed to a stop and stood beside Inspector McNamara.

“Ms. Lee, this is Officer Brayden,” the inspector said. “I need to let the crime scene guys know about the pastor’s computer and the camera, so Officer Brayden’s going to take your statement. He’s a newbie here, but he’s good at his job. Tell him everything about this . . . Parent Night.” McNamara nodded a farewell to her and Pastor Matthews, turned away and joined the policemen emerging from the school.

Officer Brayden offered Cooper a handshake. “Will Brayden, and for the record, I’m not fresh from the academy, just new to this station.”

Cooper shook his hand. “I’m Cooper Lee, and I’m afraid I don’t have much of anything useful to tell you. I really didn’t know Sylvia.”

“You knew her a little, though, isn’t that right?”

Cooper hesitated. “I’m not sure I’d even go that far. We met at Parent Night last Friday. I was helping with the food table, and she came over and talked with me for a few minutes. Later on in the evening, I stopped by her room, and we talked a little bit more. I wound up making copies of a flier for her. When I got back from doing that, she had some parents in her room, so I left. I didn’t see her again. That’s about it.”

“You said you talked.”

“Some.”

“Mind telling me what you talked about?”

Cooper led Officer Brayden away from Pastor Matthews. “He could use some peace and privacy.”

Officer Brayden nodded and followed.

“Sylvia was stressed,” Cooper began when they were a short distance from the pastor, Jake and Savannah. “That much was obvious. She was worried about Hope Street, and she was hoping that she’d be able to inspire parents to help raise funds.”

“Is that all?”

“She really enjoyed the food we brought.”

Officer Brayden smiled. “I was looking for more useful information.”

“There was something. When I stopped by her room, I heard part of a phone call that didn’t sound pleasant. It was only her side of the call, of course, and I’m not sure what it was about, but she didn’t seem at all happy.”

“Tell me what you heard.”

“Okay, well . . . as I said, Sylvia wasn’t very happy. She said she couldn’t afford
something,
that
something
was a new low for
someone
. I didn’t hear enough to put the puzzle pieces together. I’m sorry.”

Officer Brayden nodded and jotted in his notepad. “It’s all right, Ms. Lee. No need to apologize. If you do think of something, here’s my number.” He handed her a business card. “It’s the direct line to my desk.”

“I usually talk to McNamara.”

“You could call him instead, if you want to. Sometimes he’s hard to get a hold of. Think of me as his backup.”

Cooper stuffed the card in her jeans pocket and glanced at her watch. “Thank you, Officer. I’ll let you know if I remember anything. Can I go?”

“I don’t see why not.”

Cooper returned to where Savannah and Jake prayed with Pastor Matthews. When Savannah finished with a quiet “Amen,” Cooper jumped in. “Is there anything I can do?”

Pastor Matthews shook his head. “I appreciate you coming over. Did the police get what they needed?”

“They did. I wasn’t much help, but all I know, they know. Savannah, Jake, can I get you anything?”

“There’s nothing else to do here,” Savannah replied. She reached up from her place on the curb and held Cooper’s hand. “You were good to make the trip, and now you’d best be getting to work. Your boss’ll be wondering where you are.”

“Probably, but I can call in if you’d like me to stay. I know Mr. Farmer wouldn’t mind.”

Jake stood and gave her a hug. “Unfortunately the world can’t stop every time we want it to. You go on now. I’ll take care of things here.”

Cooper returned to her truck, sure Jake would do just that. As she pulled out of the parking lot, watching the police and her friends, she said a quiet prayer. “Lord, give them strength and give them peace.”

6

By that evening, the gravity of all that had transpired was weighing so heavily on Cooper that she was exhausted. She just wanted to crawl into bed. Nevertheless, she called home as she left work. Quinton had called earlier with a special Bible study task, and there was something she needed to do.

“Hey, Mama, it’s Coop.”

“I heard what happened today, honey,” Maggie said. “I’m so sorry. Did you know that woman?”

“I met her, but I didn’t know her. Look, I know we’re supposed to have a family dinner tonight, but the whole Bible study is meeting at Quinton’s house this evening. I’m headed over there now. I hope that’s all right.”

“You do whatever you need to do, honey. We’ll be praying for you.”

Cooper smiled. “Thanks, Mama. Save some dessert for me, will ya?”

With the radio keeping her awake on the drive, Cooper headed to Quinton’s. Familiar cars were already parked on the street outside of his house; she was the last to arrive. She quickly checked her hair in the rearview mirror and went to the door.

Quinton answered, immediately tossing an apron into her arms. “You’re on cookie duty,” he announced. “And welcome.”

Cooper hung her purse on a hook by the door and slung the apron around her neck as she followed Quinton into his kitchen. The whole Bible study was hard at work. “What’s going on here?”

“Cooking,” Trish replied from her seat on a stool by the counter. “When I found out about my cancer, everyone brought me food. At the time, I thought it was a lovely gesture, but it wasn’t until later that I realized how important it was. It was the best thing anybody could have done for me.”

“So who are we cooking for?”

“Pastor Matthews. He’s had a terrible experience, and it’s not over yet. He still has to deal with the police, talk to the teachers, students and parents about what happened, and help them all get through the situation. Everyone will be looking to him for guidance. We’re gonna do what we can to help him.”

“Sounds great!” Cooper tied the apron around her waist. “What’s the plan?”

“Savannah talked to all the Bible study groups. Each is making three meals for him, although if their meals are anything like ours, they’ll feed the pastor for several days each. He shouldn’t have to worry about food for a couple weeks . . . maybe longer. Quinton’s baking bread. Jake’s slicing ham. Nathan is in charge of vegetables, and Savannah and Bryant are packing meal-sized portions into freezable containers. You’re on cookie duty.”

“What about you?”

Trish grinned and adjusted her dark blue cloche. “I’m quality control.”

Quinton pointed Cooper to a little workplace already set up for her, complete with bowls, spoons, measuring cups and ingredients. “Got everything you need for chocolate chip cookies and snickerdoodles. Sorry you don’t get to make one of your fancy cookies.”

“I leave the fancier cookies to my mama,” Cooper replied, sorting through the ingredients. “Chocolate chip and snickerdoodle I can do.”

Quinton turned away to continue his own work. Nathan left his station and sidled up next to Cooper, holding her close and giving her a warm kiss on her temple. “I hear you had an interesting morning.”

Cooper relaxed in his embrace as she separated mixing bowls and measuring cups. “Interesting might not be the best word for it, but yes. Savannah and Jake were already at the church when I got there . . . them and Pastor Matthews.”

“I was glad you could make it,” Savannah said from her own work station at the other end of the island. “I think one of Inspector McNamara’s men overheard me talking about Parent Night. I must have said something about you—I’m sorry about that, by the way—and the next thing I know, the inspector says he wants to have a chat. I figured it’d be easier to just get it done with.”

“A lot easier than having one of our sit-downs at the station,” Cooper replied, recalling the times she’d sat uncomfortably in McNamara’s little interview room. McNamara was a good man, but he was cop through and through. Once he got someone in the interview room, he shot questions and flung insinuations. It was unnerving, to say the least. Cooper continued. “No need to apologize. I’m glad we got it taken care of.” She pushed Nathan away a few inches with a swift swing of her hips. “Don’t you have veggies to chop?”

He leaned in close, as if he were going to plant a lingering romantic kiss on her lips, right there in Quinton’s kitchen. In a sultry voice, he said, “I suppose I do.” Then he gave her a quick peck and returned to his work.

Cooper measured out the snickerdoodle ingredients first, combining eggs, sugar and butter in one bowl and the flour, baking soda and other ingredients in the other. She imagined as she did so that she was a great baker, like her mother, adding a touch of magical goodness to whatever she made. She started to hum “I Want to Hold Your Hand” but didn’t realize she was doing so loudly enough for others to hear until Bryant and Trish joined in. Jake quietly began singing the words, followed by Quinton and Nathan and finally Savannah. Instantly the kitchen was transformed from a quiet kitchen to a karaoke hall.

Cooper continued to work as they all sang, combining the bowl of wet ingredients with the bowl of dry ingredients. She put the dough in the fridge to rest and set the oven to preheat. When “I Want to Hold Your Hand” came to a close, Jake sang the first words of the “Open the Eyes of My Heart,” a favorite worship song, and the rest of the group joined the praise.

In the beautiful commotion of song and cooking, Cooper almost didn’t hear the doorbell ring.

Cooper double-checked to make sure the whole group was already present. Sure she hadn’t forgotten anyone, she glanced over at Quinton, who was doing the same thing.

Quinton turned to her and shrugged. “Looks like we have an unexpected guest.” He hurried toward the door.

Nathan shouted after him, “I’d be happy to share my veggie chopping duties!”

The singing quieted down as everyone listened to Quinton’s greeting. Who was at the door? The voices, however, were too low, save for a hearty laugh that was unmistakably Quinton’s. A moment later, the host reappeared with Edward Crosby at his side.

Savannah squinted and studied the guest. “Is that Edward I see?”

Edward cleared his throat. “Yeah. It’s me. Hi. Sorry to intrude on your . . . party . . .”

Nathan smiled and shook his hand. “You’re always welcome, Edward.”

“And it’s not really a party,” Quinton said, ushering him into the kitchen. “I’m sure you know what happened at the school today.”

Edward nodded.

“We’re working with the other Bible studies at church to provide Pastor Matthews with meals, so he can focus his energies on dealing with the situation. Care to jump in somewhere? We’ve got veggie chopping, meal packing . . .”