The Truth About Rachel

To lose his mother that way had to have been traumatic. Suddenly, she remembered something he’d said. She cocked her head and stared at him. “You said you’d recognize me anywhere. What did you mean by that?”
He grinned. “Don’t you remember me? We went to grade school together. I sat next to you in the first grade.”
Rachel frowned. It was so long ago she really didn’t remember. “Sorry. That was a long time ago.”
“That’s okay. I understand.” He slipped his hands into his pants pockets. He was dressed casually in khakis and a polo shirt. His brown hair was a bit long and was wavy. And he was tall. Tall, lean, and in great shape. Now that she’d taken a better look at him, he was actually quite handsome.
Handsome doesn’t make him any less dangerous, she thought.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” he offered. “Just to make sure that creep doesn’t follow you anymore.”
Rachel nodded, and they matched steps down the path toward her car. She glanced around but didn’t see his car. “Aren’t you parked near here?”
He shook his head. “I live close by, so I walked.”
They reached her car, and he watched as she got behind the wheel. “I’m sorry if I scared you when you ran into me. I saw you coming toward me, and I wanted to make sure you didn’t fall down.”
“Thanks for catching me,” she said.
“Well.”
“Well,” they said in unison.
Both laughed.
“Can I take you to lunch?” Avery asked. “I’d like to hear more about how you ended up alive.”
She chuckled. “Sure. I haven’t eaten yet. Where do you want to meet?”
“There’s a little pub downtown. Do you know the place?” he asked.
“Yeah. I know where it is,” she said.
“I’ll get my car and meet you there in fifteen minutes.”
She nodded and watched as he walked briskly away. In the distance was a neighborhood with large yards and nice homes. She figured that was where he lived. Glancing back toward the cemetery, Rachel wondered who’d been running after her. She hadn’t been hallucinating—she’d been chased. Thank goodness Avery happened to be there.
Rachel started her car and drove toward downtown.
***
Rachel and Avery sat in a booth in the little pub. The place was busy because it was lunchtime, but no one paid attention to them. She ordered a grilled chicken salad, and Avery ordered a patty melt. They sat there in awkward silence a moment after the waiter left until Avery finally spoke up.
“Who do you think followed you in the cemetery? Did anyone know you were going there?”
Rachel shook her head. “No. I’d just left the café after speaking with your Aunt Gladys and decided to go there. I didn’t notice a car following me. But…”
His brows rose. “But what?”
Rachel leaned in closer and spoke quietly. “I could swear someone was parked outside my motel last night, watching me. I don’t know who it was, though. This morning, he was gone.”
“He?” Avery asked.
“I could tell it was a man in the driver’s seat, but that’s all. I wasn’t sure if Jeremy Mitchell had sent someone to watch me. Or maybe it was someone else. I don’t know why anyone would stalk me.”
“Jeremy, huh?” Avery said with distaste. “I wouldn’t put anything past that guy.”
The waiter brought their drinks. Rachel looked curiously at Avery. “Don’t you like Jeremy either?”
“Don’t like him, don’t trust him. Never have.”
“Why?” Rachel asked.
Avery folded his arms and placed them on the table. “Probably for the same reasons you don’t trust him. He hung out with your brother and used to scare young kids. Then, after he sold your brother up the river, pardon the analogy, he continued hanging out with another troublemaker, Archie Talbott. They were the same age in school, and both caused trouble. Cocky jerks. He hasn’t changed in all these years.”
“How did Jeremy become Chief of Police here if he had a bad reputation?” Rachel wanted to know.
The waiter brought their food and left again. Avery picked up a French fry. “Archie Talbott is now the mayor.”
Rachel let this sink in. So, Jeremy had friends in high places—well, high for this small town. She didn’t remember anyone named Archie Talbott from her childhood and had no idea if he was good or bad. But for now, she’d take Avery’s word for it.
They ate in silence for a time. Jeremy walked into the crowded bar, and his gaze went immediately to their table. Both Rachel and Avery looked up and saw him. Jeremy frowned as if seeing them together made him angry. But he didn’t approach them. He sat at a table, facing away from them.
Rachel had a thought. “I was going to go to the library to read old newspapers about my supposed murder. But maybe you can help speed up the process. Are there any records at your office?”
A smile played on Avery’s lips. “I’ll do one better. I’ll share my file with you.”
“File?”
“We can stop by my office after lunch, and I’ll show you,” he said with a wink.
***
They walked the short distance to his office a few doors down from the pub. A big glass window had the words Casita Daily News painted on it. Inside, two other people were sitting at desks behind computers and mumbled hello to Avery as he and Rachel went to his small office.
Avery shut the door and headed around his desk.
“Does Casita have enough news to print a daily paper?” Rachel asked.
Avery chuckled. “No. Not anymore. In the old days, they’d print articles on who visited who and if a goat got out of its pen. We don’t do that anymore. We publish twice a week and have a shopper every Wednesday.”
“That’s too bad. I’d like to read about how someone’s lost goat was found,” Rachel said, smiling.
“Good news is nice, but it doesn’t sell papers.” Avery unlocked a drawer in his desk and pulled it open. Lifting out a thick folder, he laid it on the desk. “This is everything I’ve found on the